Gymnastic news #22 - Tokyo or bust

[clairecloutier]

Dvora Meyers published a good article that looks back at the cursed 2000 women's Olympics all-around:

https://defector.com/the-greatest-cluster****-in-womens-gymnastics-history-two-decades-later/

 

[FiveRinger]

Loving this because they interview SO many amazing gymnasts (It's like, legend central!) but I was just broken by Vanessa Atler in episode 2. To be told that she should just do what she had to do when she was reaching out for help with her bulimia. I hope that person has since realised the damage they have caused to her.

I saw that and liked to fall off the bed. She had a complex over competing bars that her coaches and media instilled. Was that her mother who was recording the video taunting her about what national champions eat?

I was in tears by the time she said that no one teaches you how to deal with disappointing hundreds/thousands of people. I never felt that way. The fans, myself included, were gutted for her. We felt horrible because we knew she was suffering, but from what she says here, we had no idea to what extent. And the agent who told her she didn't make the Olympics because she was fat? Mama Atler should have kept that nugget to herself. Vanessa didn't have support at home or in the gym, and that's sad.

 

[VGThuy]

I remember seeing Vanessa Atler on that show Starting Over back in 2005 (that show is why I have little-to-no respect for Iyanla Vanzant). It was really sad to see her have so much pain from participating in this sport, but it seems she's been doing well since then. I'm glad she's strong enough to use her voice and speak out. I also remember she was one of the most supportive of the gymnasts coming out against Nassar. She was confronting various Facebook people saying just because they or their daughter weren't abused didn't mean that the abuse didn't happen.

 

[bardtoob]

https://twitter.com/Simone_Biles/status/1307445912143310850?s=20

Simone does a triple pike into a foam pit.

 

[Rob]

This:

https://twitter.com/pipinoko168/status/1308285576462786561

 

[pollyanna]

^^^ OMG, give him all the golds!

 

[Aceon6]

Imagine having the confidence to do THAT without a spotter! Heck, his teammate hoisted him up then ran away.

 

[FiveRinger]

Imagine having the confidence to do THAT without a spotter! Heck, his teammate hoisted him up then ran away.

I'm constantly amazed and just awed by the level of difficulty that these gymnasts continue to rise. Every time you think that they've reached a limit they bust the ceiling wide open.

 

[Rob]

Chinese WAG Guan Chenchen has a 7.1D on beam!

 

[danafan]

Chinese WAG Guan Chenchen has a 7.1D on beam!

I found the routine on twitter: https://twitter.com/chngym/status/1309111821928931331?s=20

I wonder if there is a domestic bonus. Apparently there's a mount combo not on the video (switch leap mount to switch 1/2 to flic). I came up with a 7.0 D score and a whopping 1.6 in CV/SB!

 

[FiveRinger]

I found the routine on twitter: https://twitter.com/chngym/status/1309111821928931331?s=20

I wonder if there is a domestic bonus. Apparently there's a mount combo not on the video (switch leap mount to switch 1/2 to flic). I came up with a 7.0 D score and a whopping 1.6 in CV/SB!

I don't know. I'm not an expert, but it looked like the few little balance checks she had didn't keep her from getting credit for connections. She didn't have any pauses between elements. It looked pretty damn good to me!

 

[FiveRinger]

Vanessa Atler Is a Gem

Here is a tweet she made correcting the statement about her agent saying she didn’t make the Olympic team because she was fat. It was taken out of context. She said her coach said that to the agent. It makes sense. Steve Rybacki is a first class dick. I’m glad she’s on the mend. It still makes you want to find him and stomp on him for hurting her.

 

[Jimena]

I found the routine on twitter: https://twitter.com/chngym/status/1309111821928931331?s=20

I wonder if there is a domestic bonus. Apparently there's a mount combo not on the video (switch leap mount to switch 1/2 to flic). I came up with a 7.0 D score and a whopping 1.6 in CV/SB!

Here is the entire routine.

As to the high bar routine posted above, it was unbelievable.

 

[Coco]

I don't want to sound ungrateful, but watching Chinese nationals, while thrilling, has made me sick of the switch leap mount.

 

[Choupette]

Dvora Meyers published a good article that looks back at the cursed 2000 women's Olympics all-around:

https://defector.com/the-greatest-cluster****-in-womens-gymnastics-history-two-decades-later/

Holding a second all-around would have been the fairest way to handle it, as suggested in the article, but even then, the Olympics are about who is better on the day set for the competition, not who is better on a random day that had to be set because the first day was mismanaged. I'm afraid there was just no way to make it right, only some that weren't as bad as others.

 

[FiveRinger]

Holding a second all-around would have been the fairest way to handle it, as suggested in the article, but even then, the Olympics are about who is better on the day set for the competition, not who is better on a random day that had to be set because the first day was mismanaged. I'm afraid there was just no way to make it right, only some that weren't as bad as others.

In the end, the person who actually won the all-around title never got the medal. Another mess, to say the least. Too many asterisks in the book listed for this event.

 

[pollyanna]

Olympians Aly Raisman and Laurie Hernandez on the Untold Story of Women’s Gymnastics

In an intimate conversation with “Glamour,” the gold medalists got candid about the power of telling their own story.

www.glamour.com

 

[VGThuy]

Which Floor rotations was the best?

1987 Worlds - Romania:

Most Epic Rotation Ever? {Romania on Floor, 1987 Worlds} Vol. 2

The last three floor routines from Romania at the 1987 World Gymnastics Championships, with a bonus clip of Celestina Popa (from 87 Rotterdam/88 Seoul Olympi...

www.youtube.com

or

1989 Worlds - Soviets:

Most Epic Rotation Ever? {USSR on Floor, 1989 Worlds} Vol. 1

The first in a series: "The MOST EPIC EVER?" takes you to the 1989 World Gymnastics Championships from Stuttgart, (then West) Germany, October 14-22 0:00 Int...

www.youtube.com

 

[floskate]

Which Floor rotations was the best?

1987 Worlds - Romania:

Most Epic Rotation Ever? {Romania on Floor, 1987 Worlds} Vol. 2

The last three floor routines from Romania at the 1987 World Gymnastics Championships, with a bonus clip of Celestina Popa (from 87 Rotterdam/88 Seoul Olympi...

www.youtube.com

or

1989 Worlds - Soviets:

Most Epic Rotation Ever? {USSR on Floor, 1989 Worlds} Vol. 1

The first in a series: "The MOST EPIC EVER?" takes you to the 1989 World Gymnastics Championships from Stuttgart, (then West) Germany, October 14-22 0:00 Int...

www.youtube.com

Love Romania in floor in '87 but how can you not give it to the Soviets in '89? The depth is insane and had the judges been marking as freely as they did in Rotterdam you could argue all of Dudnik, Strajeva, Lashenova and Boguinskaya would have been getting 10.00's for those performances.

Special shout out to Celestina Popa and her Tea for Two cha cha....one of my gym guilty pleasures!

 

[bardtoob]

CAMELIA VOINEA FLOOR-1987 WORLD GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

THE GREAT BREAK DANCING CAMELIA VOINEA FROM ROMANIA WHO PERFORMS A LAYOUT PUNCH FRONT-FAB ROUTINE AND SCORES A PERFECT 10! PLEASE TAKE TIME TO LEAVE A COMMEN...

www.youtube.com

Camelia Voinea makes me think "1980 Nadia does Pop and Lock".

Camelia Voinea FX 1987 Tokyo International

1987 Tokyo International Competition Yoyogi No.2 Gym Tokyo Japan

www.youtube.com

This one is funny because 1) the guys competing are visibly distracted by her and 2) you can tell by a judge's facial expression that she noticed Camelia's moonwalk went out of bounds but the judge did not call it

 

[bardtoob]

I Said "Catch!" Not "Fetch!"

A very fetch day of training! We laughed a lot this day, actually we laugh just about everyday we are in the gym. It’s hard not to with my dad there. Very en...

www.youtube.com

A Look at the Other Half of my Gymnastics Days!

I know, I know not as exciting as showing all the gymnastics but this is what helps make the gymnastics possible. I used to not like or appreciate conditioni...

www.youtube.com

 

[Weve3]

Atler's Olympic trial meltdown was nothing short of devastating. Whenever Vanessa pops up in a gymnastics conversation, I, unfortunately, first recall that one event. Man, that sucked - for her, for many. Fortunately, she survived it.

 

[FiveRinger]

Uber Eats Starring Simone and....

and here!

Ok....no one has posted here in a couple of weeks and this is hysterical

 

[Weve3]

Uber Eats Starring Simone and....

and here!

Ok....no one has posted here in a couple of weeks and this is hysterical

In the second ad, either that guy is a giant or Simone appears to be tinier than ever.

 

[skatfan]

Uber Eats Starring Simone and....

and here!

Ok....no one has posted here in a couple of weeks and this is hysterical

Jonathan Van Ness Or JVN (Queer Eye) is a big guy. I was very impressed with his handsprings because he is really tall, and even though I hate Uber it’s a funny commercial.

PS - there’s video of JVN skating with Michelle Kwan.

 

[just tuned in]

Jonathan Van Ness Or JVN (Queer Eye) is a big guy. I was very impressed with his handsprings because he is really tall,

And he does a full split on the beam!

 

[FiveRinger]

Larissa Iordache Tests Positive for ********

This poor girl just cannot get a break.

I did see a video of her training an Amanar a few days ago. She was getting it around in the pit. I hope everything works out for her.

 

[VGThuy]

Dannel Leyva comes out as pan/bi:

Olympic Gymnast Danell Leyva Comes Out, Discusses Identity Struggle

“I didn’t think it was gonna blow up the way it did,” said of his tweets.

www.out.com

He said he struggled with coming to terms with his sexuality and coming out publicly because of "stubbornness" and also because there were always some group of people laughing and pointing at him, which prolonged his acceptance of that part of his sexuality because he didn't want those catty folks to be right. In other words, he said there was a segment of people who kept accusing him of being gay and they were not people wishing him well and helping him come to terms with his sexuality but were using it as a way to laugh at him.

I have to say, I get what he's saying. I was a member of this gossipy gymnastics board for a while and there were so many posters who always made jokes that he was gay. It also reminds of the way certain folks treat Lysacek as well even though or especially because Evan is married to a woman.

 

[FiveRinger]

Dannel Leyva comes out as pan/bi:

Olympic Gymnast Danell Leyva Comes Out, Discusses Identity Struggle

“I didn’t think it was gonna blow up the way it did,” said of his tweets.

www.out.com

He said he struggled with coming to terms with his sexuality and coming out publicly because of "stubbornness" and also because there were always some group of people laughing and pointing at him, which prolonged his acceptance of that part of his sexuality because he didn't want those catty folks to be right. In other words, he said there was a segment of people who kept accusing him of being gay and they were not people wishing him well and helping him come to terms with his sexuality but were using it as a way to laugh at him.

I have to say, I get what he's saying. I was a member of this gossipy gymnastics board for a while and there were so many posters who always made jokes that he was gay. It also reminds of the way certain folks treat Lysacek as well even though or especially because Evan is married to a woman.

I've never understood this. Who he or anyone else sleeps with is none of our business. Sexual orientation is just one more excuse for people to be divisive and judgmental.

That aside, I'm glad that he's come to terms with the fact that other people's opinions are their problem and not his.

 

[Aceon6]

Sexual orientation is just one more excuse for people to be divisive and judgmental.

But there are a lot of people who think it’s just a choice, like preferring blue over green. There’s a lot of educating that needs to be done.