My fellow gymnastics enthusiant Brian and myself have this theory that some gymnasts receive form deductions that are really for their body types. To be specific, a gymnast with a flat butt and straight or hyperextended legs is going to have a better handstand on bars than a gymnast with a "normal" build, and that's just wrong. But I'm not sure there's a way to prevent it. Case in point. Look here at Ma Yanhong's line:
I have to admit, even Nastia Liukin gets lucky here. She obviusly practices perfect form in that her legs are always together on her Geinger and toes always pointed, but it's also a big gift thrown her way that she has long, slender, straight legs and a flat butt. Compare her build to Andreea Raducan's, who has excellent form, but is so muscular that it can appear her legs are bent. Midway through the routine, Bart Conner even comments on this.
And then there's Kristen Maloney, who doesn't practice good form AND has an awkawrd body that just doesn't have a clean line at all. No offense to K., but she is one of my least favorite gymnasts to watch. Kind of make me cringe. Not light on her feet at all.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
My version of smooth skills
Gymnast.com has been posting a series of what they call "smooth skills," which I think arose because we are seeing gymnasts now throw so many skills but the execution component is lacking, but this was not the case in the previous years. So, I wanted to make my own list, if you will, not just of gymnasts from the 1980s, but just some of my favorite gymnasts as far as execution and form over the past few decades.
Aurelia Dobre, 1987 Worlds, BB Event Finals:
I love the perfect 180 splits, the toe point, and the skills that are all done in connection.
Bi Wenjing, 1997 Worlds, UB Team Finals:
I remember this was the first time the world saw the Ono spin, and how Kathy Johnson marveled at it.
Ling Jie, 1998 BB International Team Championships:
Despite the break in her series, looks at the artistry. Looks how she delivers the choreography. Look at the height in the Onodi. And LOOK at the dive to handstand. I don't know that I've ever seen anyone hit that skill that way.
Mo Huiland, 1995 Worlds, BB Event Finals:
The Chinese choose very simple choreography without a lot of exessive movements but they deliver it so flawlessly. I adore her iconic mount, pressing her handstand down on one hand.
1989 Worlds, Yang Bo, BB Event Finals:
dismount aside, this kind of leaves your breathless. Her signature leap is stunning.
Oksana Omelianchik, 1985 European Championships, FX Event Finals:
The tumbling + the dance = there are no words
Aurelia Dobre, 1987 Worlds, BB Event Finals:
I love the perfect 180 splits, the toe point, and the skills that are all done in connection.
Bi Wenjing, 1997 Worlds, UB Team Finals:
I remember this was the first time the world saw the Ono spin, and how Kathy Johnson marveled at it.
Ling Jie, 1998 BB International Team Championships:
Despite the break in her series, looks at the artistry. Looks how she delivers the choreography. Look at the height in the Onodi. And LOOK at the dive to handstand. I don't know that I've ever seen anyone hit that skill that way.
Mo Huiland, 1995 Worlds, BB Event Finals:
The Chinese choose very simple choreography without a lot of exessive movements but they deliver it so flawlessly. I adore her iconic mount, pressing her handstand down on one hand.
1989 Worlds, Yang Bo, BB Event Finals:
dismount aside, this kind of leaves your breathless. Her signature leap is stunning.
Oksana Omelianchik, 1985 European Championships, FX Event Finals:
The tumbling + the dance = there are no words
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Nastia moving on?
Nastia Liukin's Performance Quells Rumors of Quitting Tour of Gymnastic Superstars
Liukin Turns Out a Stellar Performance in San Jose Show
astia Liukin has certainly become a hot topic with numerous offers of lucrative endorsement deals and even talk of an appearance on the hot teen TV show 'Gossip Girl' that had the internet buzzing about whether she'd honor her obligation as one of the headliners of the 2008 Tour of Gymnastics Superstars. Her name was dropped from some of the advertising which led some to believe she would be a no-show and that maybe the fame had gone to her head . . . or her wallet.
Nastia Liukin opened the show in San Jose on September 21, 2008 alongside fellow gold medalist Shawn Johnson and both women delivered their typically riveting performances, albeit in some pretty ridiculous looking outfits. I'm not sure anyone was prepared to see members of the US women's Olympic gymnastics team perform in neon colored outfits fashioned more for Mardi Gras than the uneven bars. Even in her hot pink bra top and tutu Liukin was regal on the uneven bars, then later a grace to behold on beam and finished with a uniquely elegant floor routine for which she is famous. Johnson rocked out a few numbers on floor, which reminded the audience just why this spunky little spitfire won the gold. Something tells me she's not done with the Olympics.
Liukin and Johnson aside, the other women did struggle. The rhythmic gymnasts failed to perform with any degree of synchronicity, which made their performances appear awkward and poorly rehearsed. The crowd became awestruck when they began tossing the large metal rings, but for all the wrong reasons. One missed catch after another, then another made you feel embarrassed just watching. For the ensemble cast of girls on the uneven bars, it was a hot mess. One girl fell and like dominos everyone started falling and suddenly no one could stick a landing. Maybe they hated their hideous outfits?
What does everyone think?
Liukin Turns Out a Stellar Performance in San Jose Show
astia Liukin has certainly become a hot topic with numerous offers of lucrative endorsement deals and even talk of an appearance on the hot teen TV show 'Gossip Girl' that had the internet buzzing about whether she'd honor her obligation as one of the headliners of the 2008 Tour of Gymnastics Superstars. Her name was dropped from some of the advertising which led some to believe she would be a no-show and that maybe the fame had gone to her head . . . or her wallet.
Nastia Liukin opened the show in San Jose on September 21, 2008 alongside fellow gold medalist Shawn Johnson and both women delivered their typically riveting performances, albeit in some pretty ridiculous looking outfits. I'm not sure anyone was prepared to see members of the US women's Olympic gymnastics team perform in neon colored outfits fashioned more for Mardi Gras than the uneven bars. Even in her hot pink bra top and tutu Liukin was regal on the uneven bars, then later a grace to behold on beam and finished with a uniquely elegant floor routine for which she is famous. Johnson rocked out a few numbers on floor, which reminded the audience just why this spunky little spitfire won the gold. Something tells me she's not done with the Olympics.
Liukin and Johnson aside, the other women did struggle. The rhythmic gymnasts failed to perform with any degree of synchronicity, which made their performances appear awkward and poorly rehearsed. The crowd became awestruck when they began tossing the large metal rings, but for all the wrong reasons. One missed catch after another, then another made you feel embarrassed just watching. For the ensemble cast of girls on the uneven bars, it was a hot mess. One girl fell and like dominos everyone started falling and suddenly no one could stick a landing. Maybe they hated their hideous outfits?
What does everyone think?
Monday, September 8, 2008
Nastia & Alicia attend fashion week
U.S. gymnasts Nastia Liukin and Alicia Sacramone, fresh off medal-winning performances at the Olympic games in Beijing, are making the rounds at New York Fashion Week.
Liukin was front row today at Peter Som and sat beside fellow sports babe Maria Sharapova (more on tennis babes Sharapova and Venus Williams at Fashion Week to come).
The two mugged for the paparazzi before the show, chatting until the lights went down, and then Nastia watched the models strut by -- giving most and up-and-down and keeping a placid smile on her face ... a far more sedate reaction than that of actress Elizabeth Banks, who sat on the gymnast's other side visibly oohing and ahhing.
Liukin was front row today at Peter Som and sat beside fellow sports babe Maria Sharapova (more on tennis babes Sharapova and Venus Williams at Fashion Week to come).
The two mugged for the paparazzi before the show, chatting until the lights went down, and then Nastia watched the models strut by -- giving most and up-and-down and keeping a placid smile on her face ... a far more sedate reaction than that of actress Elizabeth Banks, who sat on the gymnast's other side visibly oohing and ahhing.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
A few scary vaults
These are a few of my favorite clips, ironically enough, of vaults that could have gone really really wrong.
Here is Elise Ray at the 2000 Olympics, before the horse was set to the correct height.
Here is Elise Ray at the 2000 Olympics, before the horse was set to the correct height.
A few good vaults
Just taking a moment to relive some beautiful vaults over time.
Lilia Podkopayeva, 1996 Olympics, AA, Vault 2, Podkopayeva vault (Yurchenko half-on, piked front out)
This vault and since become a base for popular vaults now, that is, doing this vault in a layout position. What you have to love about Lilia is the strong bump off of the horse she gets, the clean execution with the legs together and toepoint and of course the stick.
Simona Amanar, 1996 Olympics, AA, Vault 2, Double twisting Yurchenko vault
I don't really think anyone comes as close as Amanar does as far as distance away from the horse. She really flies off and does it seemingly with ease.
Aurelia Dobre, 1987 World Championships, AA, Yurchenko full vault
OK we just don't see vaults like this anymore; the perfection of the position is unmatched. It makes me sad that we don't see anything like this anymore.
Kim Zmeskal, 1992 Nationals, Yurchenko full vault
Again, perfection. She is also aggressive and hardly has to work for the landing at all.
Kerri Strug, 1992 Olympic Trials, Yurcheko full vault
I honoestly think that she is about as good as Kim.
Lilia Podkopayeva, 1996 Olympics, AA, Vault 2, Podkopayeva vault (Yurchenko half-on, piked front out)
This vault and since become a base for popular vaults now, that is, doing this vault in a layout position. What you have to love about Lilia is the strong bump off of the horse she gets, the clean execution with the legs together and toepoint and of course the stick.
Simona Amanar, 1996 Olympics, AA, Vault 2, Double twisting Yurchenko vault
I don't really think anyone comes as close as Amanar does as far as distance away from the horse. She really flies off and does it seemingly with ease.
Aurelia Dobre, 1987 World Championships, AA, Yurchenko full vault
OK we just don't see vaults like this anymore; the perfection of the position is unmatched. It makes me sad that we don't see anything like this anymore.
Kim Zmeskal, 1992 Nationals, Yurchenko full vault
Again, perfection. She is also aggressive and hardly has to work for the landing at all.
Kerri Strug, 1992 Olympic Trials, Yurcheko full vault
I honoestly think that she is about as good as Kim.
Do we ever see good Yurchenko 1.5's?
I don't think we see many nice one and a half Yurchenkos, and I'm not sure that they are easy to do well. I mean, duh, on the one hand, but on the other hand, I've seen more stuck double Yurchenkos than 1.5's. So here are a few that I think are terrific.
Also, I think you could argue that these are even better than Nastia's "perfect" vaults at the Olympics, to which Steve & Elfi flipped out over. To me, she almost look underrotated, and she doesn't ge the same "pop" off the horse as these do.
Dominique Moceanu, 1996 Olympics, AA, Vault 2
Kerri Strug, 1996 Olympic Trials, Vault 2
Also, I think you could argue that these are even better than Nastia's "perfect" vaults at the Olympics, to which Steve & Elfi flipped out over. To me, she almost look underrotated, and she doesn't ge the same "pop" off the horse as these do.
Dominique Moceanu, 1996 Olympics, AA, Vault 2
Kerri Strug, 1996 Olympic Trials, Vault 2
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