ACOG - News - IBM

(18 July 1996)

Some Keeping Secrets as Competition Approaches

As the women's gymnastics teams trained for the compulsory program in front of 30,000 spectators, Svetlana BOGINSKAYA of Belarus, competing in her third Olympic Games, is planning a surprise for her floor exercise routine. "As far as my program, I could only say now that I will be more difficult," BOGINSKAYA said.

After the second day of men's podium training, Iosif FERENCZ, the coach of the Romanian men's team, is not making predictions about any team but his own. "I have put all my opinions in an envelope and will not open it until after the competition," FERENCZ said.

Others aren't being so secretive about their pre-competition thoughts. Eizo KENMOTZU, the head coach of the Japanese men's team, said, "I think that our rivals are China, Russia, the United States, Belarus and Romania."

Leonid ARCHAEV, the head coach of the Russian Federation women's team, was similarly candid.

"It's a lot easier for the USA team to win here than in other countries," said ARCHAEV of the women's competition, which begins 2 July. "But if the Olympic Games were being held in Europe, the USA would still have a very good chance. There are four teams in the battle for the medals: USA, China, Russia and Romania."

Some facets of the men's and women's gymnastics competitions will not be kept secret. The look of the Georgia Dome venue and the routines that the athletes will present were all on display during the podium training sessions, and tickets were sold for that event. In fact, a total of 73,015 people were in attendance at the four training sessions, including 30,651 Thursday night at the final women's session. The Georgia Dome seats 35,400 for artistic gymnastics.

The men's gymnastics competition will begin 20 July with three sessions of team compulsories.

This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department. Written by Theresa Kelly-Gegen.



Olympic Factoid
Closing Ceremony of the 1996 Games involved a crew of 2,100 who worked with more than 3,500 performers as well as thousands of athletes who celebrated on the field of Olympic Stadium.