Japan's swimmers in sync for bronze

Thursday 21st August, 06:58 AM JST

BEIJING —

Emiko Suzuki and Saho Harada picked up a bronze medal in synchronized swimming on Wednesday, while the Japanese softball team went at least one better by battling into the final for a golden showdown with the United States.

On an otherwise quiet day for Japan, Suzuki and Harada, team silver medalists at the 2004 Athens Games, won their minor medal duel with Chinese twins Jiang Tingting and Jiang Wenwen, scoring 48.917 points in the free routine for a total of 97.167. Spain’s Andrea Fuentes and Gemma Mengual won the silver on 98.334, but it was Russia that underlined its dominance of the event with reigning champions Anastasia Davydova and Anastasia Ermakova defending their title with an almost perfect display to score 49.917 points and take the gold with a total of 99.251.

Kyodo

Latest 15 of 24 Total Comments Show All

OssanULTRA at 12:28 PM JST - 21st August

"Yes luckily, or the number of posts would decrease significantly. People comment on all kinds of sports. If you don't like it, don't read it."

There's a difference between commenting upon and ridiculing, with the latter generally falling into the category of obnoxious and infantile, particularly when unqualified to do so. This is why one does see lots of comments but not much of the other as most of us adults know that athletes spend an incredible portion of their lives training and competing at numerous events in order to compete for an Olympic medal. It's a shame that this escapes some people.
chibaman at 12:32 PM JST - 21st August

the movements in this sport are robotlike. Is this why Japanese people like it?

Yes. Yes it is. No unexpected surprises, no deviation from the manual...although that quick thrashing of the legs in the water is a bit frightening, better check that front door again.

They always repeat on tv that only the Japanese never missed to medal in this sport in all the olympic games.

Why would they even think of giving up a chance to toot their own horn. Claim superiority Japan! You really are the best at this event!
Dogdog at 01:09 PM JST - 21st August

.although that quick thrashing of the legs in the water is a bit frightening, better check that front door again.

I kid you not some total novice to the swimming pool could accidently fall in at the deep end of the pool and while in the process of drowning, win the gold model for this stupid sport.
USNinJapan2 at 02:17 PM JST - 21st August

Dogdog

Agreed, but it would of course take two drowning novices... : )
flammenwerfer at 03:08 PM JST - 21st August

I don't get all the guys ragging on this event? what heterosexual male would not be interested in such a spectacle of beautiful girls with great bodies and long legs? very odd indeed. Snyc swimmers get my respect for going out there and doing something that takes incredible skill and strength ( you try raising your body that far out the water).
northlondon at 03:31 PM JST - 21st August

The Japanese sports media are pretty pathetic. The Yomiuri Shimbun even changed their format of Olympic medal table on their front page today from total medals won to Gold medals won, purely because Japan dropped down a place in the total medals table but stay where they were by Gold medals (the Yomiuri had previously shown the front page table by total medals won).
nigelboy at 03:52 PM JST - 21st August

The Japanese sports media are pretty pathetic. The Yomiuri Shimbun even changed their format of Olympic medal table on their front page today from total medals won to Gold medals won, purely because Japan dropped down a place in the total medals table but stay where they were by Gold medals (the Yomiuri had previously shown the front page table by total medals won).

http://209.85.175.104/search?q=cache:u2d8aTu1VlgJ:www.yomiuri.co.jp/olympic/2008/record/me.htm+%E5%9B%BD%E5%88%A5%E3%83%A1%E3%83%80%E3%83%AB%E9%A0%86%E4%BD%8D%E3%80%80yomiuri&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&lr=lang_ja

Or did you mean the printed version?
chibaman at 04:11 PM JST - 21st August

...beautiful girls with great bodies and long legs?

You can't have been watching the Japanese pair then, which by the way accounted for no less than 100% of the 5 seconds I gave the silly sport before I lunged for my remote control.
chibaman at 04:22 PM JST - 21st August

What are you doing, nige? Trying to be a big man again? That medal tally you linked up is from last week. Good job. Yes I believe northlondon was referring to the printed version, are you suggesting he is lying? Such despicable behaviour would not be surprising coming from a man of low moral fibre such as yourself. You need to carb up too. Anyway, such pathetic attempts to distort reality to the masses and show Japan in a more favourable light are an every day event. Down with Japan, booh.
northlondon at 04:34 PM JST - 21st August

I meant the printed version. They switched it from having the total number of medals to the number of Golds. Sad really.
rajakumar at 06:55 PM JST - 21st August

I watch syncronised swimming on the sport channels ,for about 30 seconds, then I press remote to other sports.
ExPrinceska at 09:11 PM JST - 21st August

> You can't have been watching the Japanese pair then, which by the way accounted for no less than 100% of the 5 seconds I gave the silly sport before I lunged for my remote control.

Chibaman, I bet tomorrow's picture of the day will be the synchronized swimming pair :)
yukisnowflake at 05:50 AM JST - 22nd August

Congraulations to Emiko Suzuki and Saho Harada! Personally I prefer them & some of the other synchro teams over the Russians anyday.

Though the Russians maybe better technically & the judges choice I find them mechanical & leave me cold emotionally.
nigelboy at 11:15 AM JST - 22nd August

I meant th printed version. They switched it from having the total number of medals to the number of Golds. Sad really.e

Wow. That was easy. You took the bait. Yomiuri only indicate the # of medals Japan in the front page.
ExPrinceska at 11:14 PM JST - 22nd August

today the Japanese team of 8 was 4th, maybe this time they won't medal?