Yesterday, Alicia Sacramone fumbled terribly, costing the American team 1.70 points in deductions. The Olympics are possibly the greatest test of mental preparation for any high level athlete. With the weight of one’s entire country to carry and the knowledge that the Olympics come only every four years, it is undoubtedly unlike any other event. Here we have the Top 5 Worst Olympic Defeats.

5) In 1988 American figure skater Debbie Thomas was engaged with Katarina Witt in a competition which would become known as The Battle of the Carmens, because they had both chosen to skate to music from the opera Carmen. While Thomas had won in 1986 with Witt placing second in the world, in 1987 Witt won the competition and Thomas placed second. The much hyped competition was a disappointment, however, when Thomas made several fumbles during her long program and placed third behind Witt and Liz Manley.

4) During the second match of the 2004 Men’s Tennis Singles Olympic competition, Wimbledon champion Roger Federer was defeated by Tomas Berdych, the player ranked 74th in the world.

3) Alex Hua Tian made history as China’s first three-day eventer at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The equestrian fell out of contention however during the cross-country phase when he was catapulted out of the saddle. Afterwards, he punched the ground.

2) American bad boy skier Bode Miller had graced the covers of numerous magazines and was inspiration for much media frenzy prior to his performance at the 2006 Olympic Games. Poor performance, disqualification from an event, and failing to finish an event after crashing into a gate left him one of the greatest disappointments of the Turin Games.

1) In 2007, the American women’s gymnastics team won the World Championships. Approaching the 2008 Olympic Games, they hoped to score another victory, but their hopes were dashed when Alicia Sacramone, a veteran, fell during her beam routine and her floor routine. The team still was able to place second, but Sacramone’s hopes of redeeming her poor performance at the 2004 Olympic qualifier was not.