Assignments: Day 4

4. Who is the most under appreciated athlete of the 2008 Summer Olympics? Why should this person be more recognized?

I think that there are probably thousands of under appreciate athletes in the 2008 Summer Olympics, since we really only hear about, and have the opportunity to learn about American athletes, as many other countries mostly recognize their own athletes as well. There are even a number of American athletes which I can think of as being under appreciated, but the one I choose to write about is Alexander Artemev. He didn't make the original U.S. men's team, but came in as an alternate for these Olympics. However, with the injuries and withdrawals to Paul and then Morgan Hamm, he suddenly found himself needed for the team competition on the Pummel Horse, the very event that kept him from being part of the original team.

On the first day of qualification, he amazing found himself to be the second of two American gymnasts who would be competing in the All-Around Competition, and he had not really trained at all, never having been in this arena before. However the spotlight REALLY fell on him in the team competition, when a horrific pummel horse performance of two of the three American athletes dropped the Americans from solid silver medal contention, to battling for the bronze medal. None of the scores could be thrown away, and it was up to Alexander, a.k.a. Sasha, to guarantee the Americans the bronze medal. When he hits his routine it is phenomenal, when he doesn't, it is disastrous. He had been very inconsistent in the time leading up to the Olympics, but said he felt more at home on an international stage for some reason. Sasha performed to all expectations and beyond, laying down a fabulous routine, that the Germans could not catch up with. The Americans receive a bronze medal thanks to think young man, though many people probably wouldn't know who he is.

As previously said, he made it into the All-Around Competition and placed 12. Though this may not seem like an amazing finish, or indeed the one he may have dreamed of, to be able to perform on the Olympic stage, even with a couple of mistakes that kept him off the medal podium must have been a really good feeling for him. Sasha should be more recognized for performing and coming through under all that Olympic pressure, especially with his history of inconsistency.