CCTV

Headline News

World

Tearful Chinese synchro swimming twins fail to dance to podium

Source: Xinhua | 08-20-2008 19:30

Special Report:   2008 Beijing Olympic Games

BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The 21-year-old twins share everything: snacks, laughs, gruesome training, and also tears.

Jiang Tingting and Jiang Wenwen of China compete in the final of the duet free routine of the synchronized swimming during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games at the National Aquatic Center, or the Water Cube, in Beijing, China, Aug. 20, 2008. Jiang Tingting and Jiang Wenwen of China ranked fourth.(Xinhua/Chen Jianli) 
Jiang Tingting and Jiang Wenwen of China compete in the final of 
the duet free routine of the synchronized swimming during the 
Beijing 2008 Olympic Games at the National Aquatic Center, or 
the Water Cube, in Beijing, China, Aug. 20, 2008. Jiang Tingting 
and Jiang Wenwen of China ranked fourth.(Xinhua/Chen Jianli) 

Jiang Wenwen and Jiang Tingting, two of China's best synchronized swimmers, failed to take home a highly-anticipated medal in Wednesday's duet competition, won by the Athens champion Anastasia Davydova and Anastasia Ermakova of Russia.

The twins scored 96.334 points, about three full points less than the winners.

"I didn't catch the rhythm, and that caused the problem in our synchronisation," said the younger Tingting, struggling to hold back her tears.

The older sister Wenwen, usually the more silent one, tried to give an assertive tone: "we have competed three times and our performance has improved every time. We are very thankful to our coaches."