He Kexin Olympic bar champ?

[Ingymmom]

More drama! Check out this post at Gym Blog

He Kexin is ‘14,’ according to the People’s Daily Online The Gymblog

The newspaper "corrected" their age statement. I am so curious to know what the truth is... BUT I am certain if she is only 14 we shall never know

Gymnastics Coaching Blog Archive more doubt about the age of He Kexin

 

[Ingymmom]

He Kexin Documentary (english subtitled)

The Chinese gymnastics culture is very interesting in how they choose their gymnasts & how the girls feel they are wasting the coaches time if they can't perform. Tx Bogwoppit for bringing her to my attention. I am enthralled by her routine - it truly is amazing!

I really wish they would have at least mentioned the age controversy. If she would have confirmed her own age, it would have made it much more believable.

YouTube - He Kexin Documentary (English Subtitled)

 

[iluvgym]

I think the girls are pretty much shielded from that stuff, she probably doesn't even know there IS a controversy!

 

[egymnast123]

that was perfect!!! the age limit should be lowered but its not fair for her to go to the olympics when shes 14 and no one from the us can i think her bar routine looks better than nastias. dont the have he same difficulty 7.7

 

[Ingymmom]

Another article on He Kexin. Just as we suspected nothing can really be done to prove the age discrepancies and despite what most believe, she will compete in Beijing by providing her passport "prrof of age". Also mentions Jiang Yuyuan as possibly not even turning 15 this year, another member of the Chinese Olympic team. Well, may the best woMAN win


http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/sports/olympics/27gymnasts.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

 

[gracefulone]

I really don't know what to think. I tend to think the best of people, so I really do want to believe the federation. That being said, I also understand the Chinese government, and how easily they can manipulate their own people. I also know that China wants to win so badly. I wrote in a different post of the Chinese sports school where they have essentially brainwashed young athletes and trained them to win-for the pride of the country. They've pulled these kids away from their families, and their only education is that of their sport-the one the government chooses for them. So the desire to win is just gargantuan.

However, if He Kexin is indeed 16, I believe she has the advantage. Yes-her and Nastia have the same start value, but she has one thing Nastia doesn't: consistency. She goes out and hits that routine just about every time. Nastia has a troublesome dismount, and has been off on her Paks lately. So Nastia is really going to have to hit to contend for the gold.

 

[momofagymmie]

I've read that too. She's 14 and they are trying to cover it up with a new passport which shows a "92 birthday. You can tell just by her body that she's not 16. It's such a sham. Sorry to see it happen.

 

[midwestgymmom]

I see NBC olympics website's newest gymnastics update mentions He's age discrepancy

2008 Beijing Summer Olympics - Gymnastics | Athlete Profiles, Blogs, Videos & Photos | NBC Olympics

Even though He's routine is amazing. I hope if they're cheating they still get beat by Nastia or Beth.

 

[gracefulone]

I see NBC olympics website's newest gymnastics update mentions He's age discrepancy

2008 Beijing Summer Olympics - Gymnastics | Athlete Profiles, Blogs, Videos & Photos | NBC Olympics

Even though He's routine is amazing. I hope if they're cheating they still get beat by Nastia or Beth.

Don't forget Ksenia!!!

 

[Billy]

Why does FIG have to take the passport as proof of age? That can easily be faked by a government that wants to. Wouldn't requiring birth certificates be better?

 

[midwestgymmom]

Don't forget Ksenia!!!

Who?-What? : I'mofftochecktheweb:

 

[gracefulone]

YouTube - Ksenia Semyonova 2008 Europeans Event Finals - Uneven Bars

Not her best routine, but you certainly get the idea!

 

[midwestgymmom]

YouTube - Ksenia Semyonova 2008 Europeans Event Finals - Uneven Bars

Not her best routine, but you certainly get the idea!

Thanks

Wow !!! I love her and no grips!!

 

[gracefulone]

Haha. I have a tender spot for grip-free gymnasts. I am the only girl at our gym over level 6 who doesn't wear them. Although I also avoid chalk. Seriously, I start off-center on the bars because then my hands go on the least chalky part.

Anyway, people do seem to keep missing her, but I've loved her since worlds last year, and knew she'd be in the medal hunt.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

YouTube - Ksenia Semyonova 2008 Europeans Event Finals - Uneven Bars

Not her best routine, but you certainly get the idea!

Wow. Now that's a gorgeous routine.

 

[midwestgymmom]

I went and watched all her routines, AMAZING!! She does remind me of Nastia though. I hope they cover her at the olympics

 

[peace.love.gymnast]

Wow! I read today on Yahoo news that they think it will be between her Nastia for the gold on bars....I can definitely see why! That was an amazing routine!

 

[Ingymmom]

Chicago Tribune Article

Here is another article regarding the age discrepancies for He from prior years to now. This has also been widely discussed in China over this last year. It also talks about diver, Chen Roulin, currently old enough for the Olympics, but may not have been old enough to compete in 2007 Worlds. Her age also conveniently changed last year.

Chinese gymnastics team facing eligibility questions -- ChicagoSports.com

Also mentioned is Yang Yun, she participated in the 2004 Sydney games at the age of 14. Here is her You Tube Video listed in the article. unfortunately it is not subtitled in English, but it is still interesting...

YouTube - Yang Yun My Olympics Documentary

 

[KBT]

Why does FIG have to take the passport as proof of age? That can easily be faked by a government that wants to. Wouldn't requiring birth certificates be better?

I thought that China didn't produce birth certificates, at least not in the same way as those in the USA think of them. I don't know all the details, but I was under the impression that it was just as easy to fake a birth certificate there as it is to fake a passport. In the USA, birth announcements are often published in local papers and birth certificates are given out - I wonder if these things are not done in China so there's no public evidence of when a child was born.

 

[flippymonkeysmom]

Why have age limits at all if FIG is not going to seriously research this issue. If the Chinese gov't falsified the passports in the first place so they could compete, what did FIG think they were going to accomplish by merely asking the gov't for proof of age. They just got copies of the same falsified documents. Unfortunately there will always be corruption and people who don't feel they have to follow the same rules as everyone else. The least FIG could have done is pretended to take it more seriously.