Andreea & Emil

Romanian gymnasts' mothers waited for their daughters to arrive yesterday at Otopeni's international airport. All of them were in high spirits, but Andreea Răducan's mother looks like she's ready to cry at times. "I don't even know what else to say. My daughter is an amazing person, and I can't understand how this happened to her. I can't wait to see her. I just pray she'll come back safe and sound," says Simina Răducan. Once the plane arrives, after an eventful journey, where the gymnasts' luggage got lost in Dubay, Romanian president, Emil Contantinescu is the first one to get on the plane, with bouquets of lowers. After a few minutes where he congratulates the team, he emerges, holding Andreea Răducan's hand to cheers from the crowd. All the gymnasts jump in their parents' arms, in amazing scene, when you consider most of them might only see their parents once a year. Most of them are already telling their parents stories about an Olympiad where they cried for joy, and were punished for the mistakes adults made.

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