"People power" stops gymnastics event

Russian gymnast Alexei Nemov tries to calm spectators booing during the men's horizontal bar final at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games gymnastics competition. Nemov brought the competition to a standstill after the crowd jeered and booed the judges for his score for nearly 10 minutes


ATHENS (Reuters) - "People power" stopped a gymnastics competition for 10 minutes when the crowd booed and jeered the judges for a poor score that destroyed Russian Alexei Nemov's chance of a 13th Olympics medal.


The competition resumed only when Nemov, "Sexy Alexei" to his legion of admirers, waved to his fans and gestured to them to allow the sporting action to continue.


Millions of television viewers round the world witnessed the dramatic hold-up as the crowd vented their disgust at the score the judges gave Nemov in the men's horizontal bar contest.


Italy's Igor Cassina went on to win the gold medal with a score of 9.812, while Paul Hamm of the United States claimed the silver and Japan's Isao Yoneda the bronze.


The 28-year-old Nemov, a 12-times Olympic medallist, had wowed the crowd with his routine but was awarded only 9.725 and failed to make the podium.


Stepping up for possibly one last attempt at claiming an Olympic medal after capturing six at the 1996 Atlanta Games and six more in Sydney four years ago, the magician of the horizontal bars seemed to have regained the winning touch.


The score left Nemov, the subject of rumours of impending retirement, in third place with seven more competitors to go.


WINNING SMILE


With the crowd chanting "Nemov, Nemov", encouraged by the Russian coach applauding with his hands over his head as the gymnast flashed a winning smile at the crowd, the judging was scrutinised again.


The score was modified to 9.762, still only putting him in third place, and the jeers and catcalls went on.


Hamm, focus of considerable controversy earlier in the Games, was left standing by the bar for the noise to abate until Nemov helped restore order at the Olympic Indoor Hall.


Nemov ended in fifth place.


Gymnastics' governing body has said Hamm should not have been awarded the all-round gold medal in Athens due to a scoring error that they say cannot be rectified.


South Korea have appealed to the sporting world's top judges, the Court of Arbitration in Sport, to give the medal to their gymnast Yang Tae-young.


Spaniard Gervasio Deferr showed he was still the man to beat on the vault.


But his success was overshadowed by an spinal injury sustained by Russia's Alexei Bondarenko, who landed awkwardly after both of his vaults and had to be carried out of the arena on a stretcher.


The first competitor to go on the vault, Bondarenko landed on his stomach after his first jump and ended up sprawled on his back following his second attempt.


The silver medallist from Sydney had to be helped off the mat and was treated by medics at the arena before being taken to hospital for further examination.


Cheered on by a large contingent of Spanish fans, Deferr cast aside memories of a three-month drugs ban in 2003.


"It's different because of everything that's happened but it's an Olympic gold medal and they all taste good," he said.


Deferr's 2-1/2 twisted somersaults were enough to land him the gold with an average of 9.737.


Twice world champion Li Xiaopeng, who had been undefeated on the apparatus at every major competition for the last two seasons, continued China's poor showing in gymnastics in Athens.


He found himself sitting on the mat after his first attempt and trailed in seventh place.


Six days after guiding Romania to the women's team title, Catalina Ponor -- who celebrated her 17th birthday last Friday -- showed off her sublime balancing skills on the beam to win her second gold medal of the Games on Monday. She won three overall.