In some countries, like China and Japan, men’s gymnasts are venerated because they win so much. America’s men’s team actually did far better than expected during Saturday’s qualifying round, finishing second behind China. It’s one of the ways they think they can get attention in a country that showers glory upon gold-medal-winning women gymnasts while ignoring America’s less-successful men’s team. The last medal for America’s men’s team was a bronze that came in Beijing in 2008. It also bought him a modicum of modern fame: The video, like the American men’s Instagrams, was a viral hit online.

Source: Wall Street Journal August 08, 2016 02:48 UTC