a 9.562. USA finished with a team score of 28.387 which ahead of China. Romania was up next and moved slightly with a 28.437. again Patterson was the USA lead off person on bars. She had an IIlchruracterlstic mistake, scoring 9.287 but Humphrey followed with an 'Oultstan(iing routine, scoring 9.575 and Kupets put the exclamation point this event posting a 9.662. The US., who had the highest team score on brurs, moved into the lead after two events. Just prior to beam the US. had to do an adjustment in the lineup. Kupets had a right hamstring strain which bothered her the most on beam. The US. replaced Kupets in the beam line-up with Bhardwaj. Leading off for the U.S., Humphrey hit a solid routine scoring 9.487 followed by Patterson with a 9.612. Bhardwaj nailed her routine and scored a 9.40 putting the U.S. in second behind Romania after three rotations by the narrowest of mrurgins. Romania picked up nearly five-tenths on beam due to Catalina Ponor's 9.762, Alexandra Georgiana Eremia's 9.687 and Ban's 9.512.
On being named to the beam line-up, Bhardwaj said, "I was told about it early in the morning in case something would happen. I was a little stressed out and I think mentally I wasn't completely prepared, but I felt I did pretty well." Moving to the last event, floor, Kupets had strong tumbling and dance but stumbled on a jump combination finishing with a disappointing score of 9.187. Bhrurdwaj followed scoring 9.325 and Patterson rebounded big on floor scoring 9.662. Romania needed a 9.35 average score on floor and apperured up for the challenge. Sofronie erurned a 9.562, Ban received a 9.437 and Ponor clinched the team's second-straight Olympic win with a score of 9.75, the highest of the night. Team captain Bhardwaj commented on tl1e team silver medal saying, "We are really excited to win the silver medal. It's been eight years since we've been on tl1e awrurd stand and we are very happy." On what tl1e silver means to her she said, "The silver medal represents 21 yerurs of gymnastics and hrurd work." Since the 2000 Olympics, the U.S. women have won nine World Championships medals, including the first-ever team gold at the 2003 Worlds and now have added the team silver medal from the 2004 Olympics.
Carly-rt' hB (] 0 l dCj n (} l i.l l Women's All Around Crurly Patterson's dream came true during all-ruround finals when she carne from behind to defeat World Champion Svetlana 25, to become Olympic All-Around Champion. Twenty yerurs later repeated itself, as Carly took after Mrury Lou Retton by women's all-ruround gold, tl1e most coveted medal in the sport. "I don't even know what to say right now I'm so happy," Pa "I've dreamed of this my whole life. It's amazing." No, she's amazing! This incredibly talented 16-year-old won her gold foreign soil and with all countries present and aCCXJunted for in this Olympic Mrurtl1a Karolyi, U.S. team coordinator said, "This is Crurly's coming (continued on poge 16)
Carly Patterson