U.S. Gymnast On Beam, But Flips Out In Exercise

Dominique Moceanu barely paused for congratulations after winning a silver medal with a bouncy and flawless balance beam routine. She was busy warming up back flips for the next event.

And it was an excess of enthusiasm that knocked the 14-year-old U.S. national champion out of a medal in the floor exercises, the final event of the World Gymnastics Championships.

She fell out of bounds on a series of flips and twists, and explained later: “I had a lot of energy toward the end. I went a little hard.”

Moceanu won the Americans’ only individual medal of the championships.

China came out with the most medals - 10.

The Americans won a bronze in women’s team competition, while the men finished ninth.