China was in prime position to take gold in the men’s artistic team all-around event if not for two major errors by one of its athletes.
Gymnast Su Weide, 24, was visibly distressed after falling twice off the bar at the Bercy Arena on Monday (July 29).
Her team was docked two points for both errors and China lost the gold to rival Japan, who won by 0.532 points. Meanwhile, it was the United States who took home the bronze medal.
Chinese Olympic gymnast Su Weide was dismayed by the mistakes. (BBC)
BBC commentator Matt Baker said: “China had some room to manoeuvre but it wasn’t big enough. That poor lad there. Three big deductions. Shame on him. This is a brutal format, sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t.”
Analysing the errors, gymnastics commentator Christine Still explained: “It just shows the pressure that is on everyone here.
“There was a little moment at the beginning where Su Weide almost put his hand on the handlebars incorrectly.
“He did the most difficult moves but failed to get the grip twice and fell.
His teammates were stunned. (BBC)
“That could be very costly for China. What a drama!
“This is real sport at its finest, very unpredictable.”
Beth Tweddle, who won the bronze medal for the British team on the uneven bars in 2012, also expressed her solidarity with the athlete.
She said: “The first fall was very unusual. Once you fall, you have to get up again.
“It looked like he had twisted his knee a little bit, but from the beginning he seemed very unstable.”
Spectators felt bad for the Olympian after he sat a few seats away from his team following the gaffe.
One person tweeted: “I feel so bad for Su Weide. The level these athletes compete at and the pressure they’re under is insane, but Silver is still an incredible feat!”
Another added: “Praying for Su Weide’s mental health after this, I’m sure it will never be easy and people will point this out again and again.”
While a third viewer commented: “People need to leave this poor boy alone. He clearly feels terrible.”
Someone else wrote: “My heart breaks thinking about Su Weide. I hope she doesn’t take it too hard, but I’m afraid she will.”
Team GB’s current medal haul: 10
Gold medalists
- Rosalind Canter, Laura Collett, Tom McEwen: team riding and eventing
- Tom Pidcock: Mountain Bike – Men’s Cross Country
Silver medalists
- Anna Henderson: Cycling – Women’s Individual Time Trial
- Adam Peaty: Swimming – Men’s 100m Breaststroke
- Tom Daley and Noah Williams: Diving – Men’s 10m Synchronised Platform
- Adam Burgess: Canoe Slalom (Men’s Single Canoe)
- Matthew Richards: Swimming – Men’s 200m Freestyle
Bronze medalists
- Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen: Diving – Women’s 3m Synchronised Springboard
- Kimberley Woods: Canoe – Women’s Slalom
- Laura Collett: Equestrian – Individual Eventing
Featured Image Credit: Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images/LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP via Getty Images
Topics: Olympic Games, Sport, China
