The Russians were really emotional at floor. After the first fall I saw a lot of hugging and crying, but after the second fall they knew it was doomed. Remember that the USA was yet to perform. The Americans went after the Russians. If they'd done very well on floor, and then the Americans had screwed up (and remember, America had several shaky floor routines in prelims), they could have still had the gold. They expected Afan to go out there and kick butt and she was almost finished, it was her last pass, and ... she fell. After the 1st mistake there was still hope, but after two major falls from two of their best performers on floor, they knew it wasn't going to happen. I think it was just overwhelming.
The Chinese sort of gave Huang Qiushuang the cold shoulder too when she had that huge mistake on floor, this after she'd already had not so great a day on beam. You could tell she was really disappointed with herself ans she sort of just walked off on her own. I mentioned it to my husband, who is Chinese, and he said "she's lost so much face and caused them to lose so much face, of course they can't even look at each other right now."
I think a lot of it is cultural (Americans are notoriously huggy and demonstrative with emotions, other cultures not so much), but also, it is an awkward situation. Those girls know they let their team down, and they might not feel like getting hugs and "there theres" from the other girls. I think afterwards there is probably a lot of "it wasn't your fault, we all sucked" sort of talk.
So I give the girls a pass for their in the moment reactions to extreme disappointment. I do dislike it though when the coaches are completely cold when their athletes make mistakes, but then again, maybe some athletes don't want someone hugging them and telling them it is ok after a fall, because in their minds clearly it is not ok.
