THE STORY
At the 2000 Sydney Olympics women's all-around gymnastics, the vault was set 5 cm lower than the required 125 cm, causing multiple falls, including that of favorite Svetlana Khorkina. The error was discovered during the third rotation warm-up and corrected. Gymnasts from earlier rotations were allowed to reattempt their vaults. The International Gymnastics Federation and organizers apologized for the mistake.
TEAMS / PEOPLE:
Women's Gymnastics, Sydney Olympics
WHY IT MATTERS
This incident highlights the critical importance of equipment accuracy in gymnastics, as even minor deviations can significantly impact performance and safety. The error also led to procedural changes in equipment checks for future competitions.