Bravissimo

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BEIJING -- Sitting to my left is a reporter for the Beijing Youth Daily and next to him are two Italian sportswriters.

The men’s rings competition is going on in the arena. Cheering for the rings competition is also becoming a blood sport to my left. When Italy’s Andrea Coppolino went through his routine, the Italians were standing and yelling ‘Bravissimo.’ But Coppolino’s score of 16.225 points only put him in third place, and when China’s Chen Yibing, the two-time defending world rings champion, posted a 16.600, the Beijing Youth Daily reporter slammed the table and stared at the Italians.

Olympics sport takes place everywhere.

Chen won the gold, his Chinese teammate Yang Wei won the silver and Ukraine’s Oleksandr Vorobiov took the bronze. Italians were fourth and sixth.

The Italian writers are leaving the area. We’re about to hear the Chinese national anthem again. Arise, arise, arise!

The Chinese men have now won all five gymnastics gold medals that have been awarded, plus Yang’s silver for the rings.

-- Diane Pucin