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September 20, 2000
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- Russia's Alexei Nemov is going to have a bright, shiny souvenir for his baby boy.
Nemov, who became a father for the first time Sept. 2, on Wednesday won the all-around title that eluded him in Atlanta. He took the gold with 58.474 points
Nemov, so stoic and focused during the competition, hopped up and down and pumped his fist at the cheering crowd as he entered the arena for the medals ceremony. When the shiny disc was placed around his neck, he broke into a wild smile and waved his flowers at the fans.
Turning to the bank of cameras, he hopped up and down on the podium and spread his arms wide in triumph. After Yang and Beresh got their medals, Nemov turned back to the cameras, blew a kiss and then struck a body-builders pose as he laughed.
He's a showman, both on and off the floor.
Watch Nemov for one routine and it's easy to see why he's the gold medalist - he's simply better than everyone else on the floor. His lowest score of the night was a 9.65 on the vault, better than some gymnasts' highest score.
While other gymnasts worry about how many flips and twists they can throw into their routines, Nemov remembers that the name of this sport is 'artistic gymnastics."
His toes are always perfectly pointed, his legs extended so they look about five feet long and his body so straight you could use it as a ruler. He's one of the few gymnasts who can draw the kind of gasps from the crowd usually reserved for only the ugliest of crashes.
He looks like a trapeze artist on the high bar, drawing oohs and aahs with his soaring flips. On one, he throws himself high above the bar and does a somersault, slapping his thighs in a move that looks more suited for Cirque du Soleil than the Olympics.
On the floor, his favorite exercise, he moves with power and purpose and makes it look effortless at the same time. When he does his flares -- swinging his body around on his hands while he scissor-kicks his legs -- he throws in a little turn on his shoulders that looks like something out an early '80s Michael Jackson video.
His only stumble of the night came on the vault, when he landed short and had to take a step forward to keep from falling on his face. Still, the judges gave him a 9.65, prompting one fan to yell, "Just give Nemov the gold now!"
After he finished his parallel bars, his last routine, Nemov appeared to be holding back tears as he waved to the cheering crowd. He hugged coach Leonid Arkaev and then sat down to wait out Yang, who needed a 9.863 on the pommel horse to pass Nemov.
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