Prepubescent looking Chinese gymnasts are quite possibly actually prepubescent

August 14th, 2008 | Posted by PostmanR

So, as we all saw, the Chinese women’s gymnastics team didn’t all really look 16. But hey: people look older and younger than they are. It’s a fact of life. For instance: I think this last week of work has aged me 30 years. I’m bald and have a chronic arthritic condition. Also, my back hurts and I’m sick of mowing the lawn.

BUT ANYWAY, it looks like the speculation has turned into fact, or pretty effin’ close to it:

Just nine months before the Beijing Olympics, the Chinese government’s news agency, Xinhua, reported that gymnast He Kexin was 13, which would have made her ineligible to be on the team that won a gold medal this week.

A report in China’s official Xinhua news agency nine months ago listed gymnast He Kexin as being 13 years old. But she told reporters Wednesday that her real age is 16.

In its report Nov. 3, Xinhua identified He as one of “10 big new stars” who made a splash at China’s Cities Games. It gave her age as 13 and reported that she beat Yang Yilin on the uneven bars at those games. In the final, “this little girl” pulled off a difficult release move on the bars known as the Li Na, named for another Chinese gymnast, Xinhua said in the report, which appeared on one of its Web sites, www.hb.xinhuanet.com

The Associated Press found the Xinhua report on the site Thursday morning and saved a copy of the page. Later that afternoon, the Web site was still working but the page was no longer accessible. Sports editors at the state-run news agency would not comment for publication.

Whoopsies! Well, the one good thing that comes out of this if it is indeed true? The American team would likely move up from silver to gold. (I would think that’s how it works, anyways.) So, Alicia Sacramone, the-are-you-hot-it’s-hard-to-tell-if you’re-hot-let’s-just-say-you’re-attractive girl is vindicated of her awful feelings for the two falls and America goes home winners.

Come to think of it, this whole story is about as American as it gets. Other countries failures got us where we are today. Take that, British Empire!

Bela Karolyi is an enthusiastic fellow

August 13th, 2008 | Posted by PostmanR

This video is probably already going to be down by the time I hit publish on this post, but hot damn: look at the enthusiasm dripping off Bela Karolyi during last night’s gymnastics competition. It’s really remarkable this dude agreed to do coverage with Bob Costas and not actually be in Beijing.

I suppose this is sort of akin to Bob Villa having to watch someone building a house without him there actively instructing. (Was that the worst analogy ever? Yes. Yes, it was.)

Either way, It’s good to see someone get excited about something they love so much. Unless it’s murder. Then, that wouldn’t be so cool.

(Vid HT to AA, as if I had to even tell you that.)