TOKYO - Just imagine if the Americans were at full strength.

The US women rolled to their third title at the world gymnastics championships Tuesday night, putting on a commanding performance and letting everyone know they're the team to beat at next year's London Olympics.

Regardless of who's on the roster.

Left shorthanded - and inexperienced - when Beijing Olympic captain Alicia Sacramone tore her Achilles tendon last Thursday, the Americans responded like seasoned pros. They finished with 179.411 points, a whopping four points ahead of Russia, last year's champion. To get an idea of just how big that is, think of the pastings that college football powerhouses put on their nonconference opponents and you get the idea. Even the Russians had to applaud as the Americans finished on floor exercise, the gold medal already decided.

As the last notes of Aly Raisman's music faded, the Americans jumped up and down and exchanged hugs. They gave a big cheer of "U-S-A!" as they waited for Raisman's score, then walked off the floor, index fingers held high in the air.

The Americans were dealt a huge blow when Sacramone went down. Not only were she and Raisman the only Americans who'd competed at a worlds before, she puts up monster scores on vault, where she's the defending world champion, balance beam and floor exercise. But the youngsters didn't seem fazed a bit, winning qualifying and oozing confidence from the minute they stepped on the floor Tuesday night.

They started on vault where, even without Sacramone, they're a fearsome bunch.

Raisman had the "weakest" vault - any other country would have been thrilled to count it for their highest score - and she executed it perfectly. Wieber and Maroney each do one of the hardest vaults in the world - a roundoff onto the takeoff board, back handspring onto the vault and then 2 1/2 twists before landing - yet make it look like child's play. Wieber's was possibly the best she's done all year, soaring high above the vault and needing only a small step to the side to control her landing.

The Americans had barely finished slapping hands when Maroney did one even better. She got such great height the folks in the lower section had to crane their necks to see her, and her legs were pencil-straight in the air. Despite all that power, her feet hit the mat with a solid thud and stayed put, not budging a centimeter. A bright smile spread across her face as she threw her hands in the air, and her teammates screamed.

The Americans scored a 46.816, and Russia couldn't match it - either in difficulty or execution. All three of their gymnasts did less-difficult vaults, and Tatiana Nabieva was so low she was lucky not to land on her knees. By the time they moved to the second rotation, the Americans had built a 2.3-point lead.

Good thing, too, because uneven bar is Russia's best event - and the Americans' worst.

But the Americans ended any suspense on balance beam.

Raisman had to wait for what seemed like 10 minutes before she was given the signal to go, but the delay didn't faze her a bit. She opened with a front aerial somersault, landing it easier than most folks do a cartwheel. On flat ground. She landed each element with precision and perfect control.

Associated Press

(China Daily 10/12/2011 page22)