ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, July 30, 1996 TAG: 9607300110
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: ATLANTA
SOURCE: SAM DONNELLON
He was overlooked. He was underestimated. The U.S. story budget for Monday night's final night of competitive gymnastics involved the replacement of Kerri Strug by Dominique Dawes in the floor exercise and a last chance for Shannon Miller, who had won everything there is to win in gymnastics except an individual Olympic gold.
Throw in 14-year-old Dominique Moceanu, and you had a full plate.
No room for Jair Lynch. No free ride. How appropriate.
Lynch won a silver medal in the men's parallel bars competition Monday night, and in doing so became part of a larger Olympic theme. He became the first African-American male to win a medal in gymnastics, in an Olympics where we have had, or may have, African-American firsts in several other non-traditional sports.
Dawes became the first African-American medalist in women's gymnastics when she shared in the team gold medal last week, and added to that with a bronze in the floor exercise Monday night. C.J. Hunter competed as the first African-American shot-putter. Later this week, Lawrence Johnson makes history as the first African-American pole-vaulter.
``It definitely is going that way,'' Lynch said Monday night, moments after his just-miss for gold in the event. ``I attribute some of it to the economic gains we've made over the last 30 years. I also attribute it to the mass media that we have now. Kids can see these other sports at an early age. Kids can chase their interests in things through all the print and television this gets.''
Lynch finished twelve-hundredths of a point behind gold-medal winner Rustam Sharipov, collapsing when he saw the score. Considering he had to cut his hand with a straight-edged razor to even out ridges in his calluses, it was a particularly gutsy effort.
Managed by Rock Newman, who also handles boxer Riddick Bowe, Lynch hopes Monday night launches more blacks in this country to fill in his wake.
He picked a bad night to try to get famous, though. The final act of Miller's career, done with a taped wrist that had been reinjured in her failed vault effort Sunday night, was a gold medal in the one event that never has failed her. Her 9.862 on the beam not only was well-done, it was remarkably consistent. Her score on the beam during the all-around competition Thursday also was 9.862. It was also the best in that event for that night. ``When she got her gold medal from the team competition, she would have walked away happy,'' said her coach, Peggy Liddick. ``Because she's such a nice person. That's part of my problem with her is her unselfishness. I had to tell her, `Do something once for yourself here.'''
Competing as the fourth of eight gymnasts, her greatest challenge ended immediately, when the Ukraine's Lilia Podkopayeva, one of her gold challengers, scored a 9.825, which was good for silver. Two gymnasts before, Miller's American teammate, Moceanu, slipped on a backward somersault and landed roundly on the top of her head. To her credit, she finished the routine with a near-flawless dismount, but still placed sixth.
Moceanu was fourth in the floor exercise, shut out of any individual medals in this Olympics.
Dawes, Strug's replacement, was not. She scored a 9.837 to gain the bronze over Moceanu.
So the final American women's gymnastics medal count is a sampler's paradise - one of each in individual, and the coveted team gold.
For Miller though, this caps an illustrious career that began back in 1991, when she was Moceanu's age. The most decorated American gymnast ever, she won five medals in Barcelona in 1992: two silvers, three bronze.
She has also won more World Championship medals, nine, than any other American in history. ``I'm happy to finish off my career this way,'' she said. ``But I don't think this medal will matter for the rest of my life. I want to accomplish other things.''
Lynch, who already is involved heavily in youth programs like Big Brothers/Big Sisters, said he will use his bronze medal to open doors for others, and open minds to possibilities.
``I've been breaking barriers all my life,'' he said. ``As long as you don't let someone tell you that you can't do something, your possibilities are endless.''
Sam Donnellon is a sports columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News.|
LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Jair Lynch of the United States celebrates hisby CNBsilver-medal performance in the men's individual event gymnastics
finals.