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U.S. Women's Gymnastic Team Captures Gold
The gold medal went to the U.S. Women's Gymnastic Team last week in the World Gymnastic Championships in Stuttgart, Germany. The team scored a total of 184.4 points, squeaking past the powerful Chinese team in the final event to win first place.
The American gymnasts sweated out some close calls on their way to victory. The team lost points when gymnast Nastia Liukin flipped, then slipped on the balance beam. She was forced to end her routine with an easy move instead of the more difficult one she had planned. Then teammate Shawn Johnson fell off the balance beam during her routine.
Johnson later turned in an excellent performance in the floor exercises. The balance-beam errors, however, still knocked the U.S. out of the lead. But team member Alicia Sacramone didn't let the setback rattle her nerves. Floor exercises are Sacromone's specialty, and she proved it with a routine that dazzled the judges.
The Chinese team was in the lead going into the final event. But a stumble and fall by gymnast Li Shanshan cost the team points, landing the Chinese in second place. The Romanian team finished third.
This victory marks the U.S. team's first gold medal in a major competition since 2003. Next stop? The 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China!
I'm Lucy and that's what happened in the Sports this week!
Play my pinpoint game and locate the countries mentioned in my story.
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