Huang bounces past He as lucky charm has little effect

GUANGZHOU - Even a lucky charm from her gold-medal-winning boyfriend couldn't catapult He Wenna, China's leading female trampolinist, to the top of the podium on Monday.

Gold medalist Huang Shanshan of China performs in the women's trampoline final on Monday. [Photo/China Daily]?

An injured He finished half a point behind compatriot Huang Shanshan, who scored a personal best of 41.4, to clinch the battle, despite He's boyfriend, Chen Yibing, cheering on from the stands after painting her name across his fingernails.

Chen, China's top gymnast, was hoping some of his good fortune - he picked up two titles in Guangzhou - would rub off on the woman he fell in love with after they both won gold medals at the Beijing Olympics two years ago.

He, 21, the pre-tournament favorite, blamed her loss on an ailment.

"I actually lost to my own injury, which affected my performance," she said, adding that having Chen in the crowd was not a distraction.

"My only focus is the competition. Nothing else."

Huang, 24, delivered a flawless performance in the final to move up from second place after the preliminary round and steal the crown; the bronze went to Ekaterina Khilko of Uzbekistan with a score of 39.50.

"I was very relaxed because everybody's attention was on He," said Huang. "I didn't really have any pressure and that's why I did so well."

China's trampoline team is the dominant force in the sport, having picked up all of the major titles over the past few years.

In Guangzhou, the country also finished 1-2 in the men's individual event, with Dong Dong clinching gold.

Dong, the top qualifier, outscored teammate Tu Xiao by 0.7 points to clinch the title despite both performing routines of only moderate difficulty levels. What made the difference was Dong's execution.

"We have to admit that our team is the best in the world, and we don't have many challengers," said Dong.

"Our biggest rivals are ourselves, and we are very difficult to defeat."

Tetsuya Sotomura of Japan won bronze with the highest difficulty score, and in doing so relegated compatriot Masaki Ito to fourth.

Others fared badly but still felt like champions, such as 23-year-old Seleh Kh S. A. A. Alkhahdeir of Kuwait, a full-time air traffic controller who finished seventh in a field of eight in his international debut.

"I am the only trampolinist in Kuwait. I've only been training for four months, while the others have been training and competing for years," he said. "I feel as good as if I'd won the gold medal."

China Daily