Mazeika: Pre-Olympics "Invaluable Experience"

Despite an eighth-place finish in Thursday's team final at the "Good Luck Beijing" meet, U.S. coach Kevin Mazeika told IG his team has had a positive experience here.

"It was an up-and-down day, but overall it's always great to get the 6-3-3 experience," he said, referring to the team final format in which six gymnasts comprise a team, three compete on each event and all three scores count. "And being in the Olympic arena is always an invaluable experience."

Fourth at the World Championships in Stuttgart in September, the U.S. earned the eighth and last position for the team final here during qualifications. In the team final, the Americans performed inconsistently to finish eighth, more than 14 points behind the winning Chinese.

There was no all-around competition held for the men. David Sender, who qualified fifth to Saturday's floor exercise final and eighth to Sunday's vault final, will be the only American in the men's event finals.

Mazeika said he and the American gymnasts will learn from their performances at the National Indoor Arena, the same facility that will house the gymnastics competition next summer.

"Having been in the arena, on the equipment and in the warm-up gym here has been really helpful," he said. "We're going to go back and continue our mission of improving our Start Values, work on details and get ready for the Olympic year."

Watch streaming video of the men's competition!

For results, schedule, photos and more, visit the official event Web site http://www.gymnastics2007.org.cn

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