Artistic Gymnastics

[Conotocarious]

5 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I was watching Kaylia Nemour and thought, "Are those bra straps I see?"  It was--very visible regular skinny bra straps in the front, and more of the bra over on her side under her arm.  It may even have been white!

I would have thought the support would be built into the leotard.

They’re definitely not….on the international feed (which I switched over to because they showed the medal ceremony while the US feed switched to swimming) a cameraman was on Simone as she started taking off her leotard. She had pulled off the sleeves and what very clearly wearing a thin strapped bra and I was like oh my god, please cut away now, ffs! But I also was like, for however expensive those leos are you would think there would be built in support. 

[Quof]

I also saw hints of underpants peaking out from some leos.  Why aren't they just lined like bathing suits? And, since they aren't, wouldn't you at least choose underwear in the same colour?  (Roger Federer used to wear light blue briefs under his white shorts at Wimbledon. Why didn't Mirka tell him we could all see them?)

[Conotocarious]

24 minutes ago, Quof said:

I also saw hints of underpants peaking out from some leos.  Why aren't they just lined like bathing suits? And, since they aren't, wouldn't you at least choose underwear in the same colour?  (Roger Federer used to wear light blue briefs under his white shorts at Wimbledon. Why didn't Mirka tell him we could all see them?)

What’s funny is on one of the podcasts I listen to, Blind Landing, the host interviews an exec from GK elite. Perfect opportunity to ask the questions we all want to know, but alas, he did not.

[Jaded]

 

[blueray]

Sorry this is like three (or more) days late. But regarding the US men's team bronze finish. I kept thinking that it seemed like something out of a sports movie, the oldest trope in them.

The nerdy guy (who really does have a degree in engineering) is the best at one thing. And it's the one thing the team needs to medal. He of course nails it for the team at the very end. I loved at the end when they all picked him up ;).

[Demian]

...I'm still not getting the truth about certain members of the mens' team.  Would you please spill, already?

[Salacious Kitty]

5 hours ago, Demian said:

...I'm still not getting the truth about certain members of the mens' team.  Would you please spill, already?

We can't here. 

[Chaser]

I really like Justin Spring’s commentary. I wish he was doing primetime. 

Glad he explained what happened with Whitehouse’s scoring. I was confused. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

On 8/2/2024 at 5:30 AM, Conotocarious said:

They’re definitely not….on the international feed (which I switched over to because they showed the medal ceremony while the US feed switched to swimming) a cameraman was on Simone as she started taking off her leotard. She had pulled off the sleeves and what very clearly wearing a thin strapped bra and I was like oh my god, please cut away now, ffs! But I also was like, for however expensive those leos are you would think there would be built in support. 

They have their own undergarments because you never know how well a built-in support will feel to the gymnast.   Also, having separate panties helps prevent wedgies.    I bet if they had built in supports, they would be uncomfortable, ride up, and not be what fits every athlete.   

NBC is running the womens vault finals right now.  

Edited August 3 by CrazyInAlabama

[WhitneyWhit]

The way Simone never has any interest in stopping for those intros will always crack me up. 

[Girl in a Cardigan]

Congrats to Carlos Yulo for finally, finally, finally winning a gymnastics gold! So excited for him and he really smashed that floor routine!

[Jaded]

Ok we know John Travolta is in the audience. Now I'm getting creepy Scientology vibes because he and Tom Cruise are there.

[Jaded]

The Canadian guy's pants are an interesting choice.

Calling older gymnasts competing a trend just annoyed me a bit.

[WhitneyWhit]

Rebeca’s cheng should be shown in gyms the world over. 

[Conotocarious]

Thank god we can stop the discussion of the ghost TTY from Andrade which everyone was trolling with a video that didn’t even show her landing it. This isn’t the Cutting Edge, you aren’t pulling off something that dangerous which you’ve never competed before in a last second flail for gold. I love the gymnasts but often the fans are annoying AF.
 

so glad to see Jade looking so healthy!

[WhitneyWhit]

I’m so happy Jade gets her Olympic vault medal, especially after Tokyo. 

[Jaded]

I think I saw that Hezly Rivera was up there watching her teammates too.  I didn't hear her mentioned though unless I missed it.

[Notabug]

7 hours ago, Demian said:

...I'm still not getting the truth about certain members of the mens' team.  Would you please spill, already?

It has to do with somewhat extreme political beliefs expressed by them a few years back.  This site doesn't do politics so it isn't for discussing here.

[twoods]

Sucks for the Netherlands gymnast for falling off the pommel horse, but I can’t stop staring at him. 
 

The pommel horse has to be the most difficult apparatus, right? These guys are so amazingly strong.

Edited August 3 by twoods

[Girl in a Cardigan]

So excited for Rhys that he HITS his pommel horse routine in the final when it counts and is currently in first place with 15.533!

Four athletes to go (including Nedoroscik), but that's spectacular for him!

[Chaser]

15.533 is so insane.

[Is Everyone Gone]

Watching the PH final. What a cruel apparatus. It really is like SeaSmoke the dragon.

[Girl in a Cardigan]

And Rhys gets the GOLD! Congrats on Stephen Nedoroscik on the Bronze! Great final, even if there were a couple of falls.

[Conotocarious]

I am SO SO happy for Stephen I could spontaneously combust.

this is SUCH a better experience for me as a gym fan than Tokyo. This feels like an Olympics. 

Lol is that a CAPE? 
 

memes incoming.

Edited August 3 by Conotocarious

[absnow54]

Brody Malone is so stone faced and void of emotion except when Stephen Nedoroscik does pummel horse. 

[Chaser]

So happy for Stephen! He got so much crap from people who didn’t understand how teams are put together and then all the pressure from the attention. 

[Is Everyone Gone]

12 minutes ago, absnow54 said:

Brody Malone is so stone faced and void of emotion except when Stephen Nedoroscik does pummel horse. 

Find you someone who loves you as much as Brody loves Stephen's pommel horse routine.

[StatisticalOutlier]

1 hour ago, twoods said:

The pommel horse has to be the most difficult apparatus, right? These guys are so amazingly strong.

Years ago, I had a boyfriend who was a high school gymnastics coach.  The first time we were in his gym, I was looking at all the equipment and decided I should give it a go.

I chose pommel horse because the rings?  Nope.  Flying around on uneven bars?  Nope.  Even standing on a balance beam?  Maybe standing, but no moving.  But I can prop myself up on my arms, right?  Plus they make it look so easy to V your legs around.

So I jumped up and got myself situated with my arms straight and my body hanging there.  Then it came time to do something and, well, you can guess the rest.  I intended to fling my leg up and over the horse, but it was all I could do to barely get it to parallel and whomp somehow get it up on top of the horse.  Then I draggggged it across the horse to the other side, but now I'm straddling the horse with nowhere to go.  Thus ended my gymnastics career.

In my expert opinion, the pommel horse is indeed the most difficult apparatus.

And actually, probably a lot of people know this because they have kids in gymnastics, but I never did and I'll tell you, going to high school gymnastics meets, when previously all you've ever seen is the gymnastics that gets shown on TV, will make you realize how impossible even the smallest stuff they do is.

[Souris]

Irish Pommel Horse Guy KILLED IT! I was so happy for him. And Stephen getting the bronze as well.

[NUguy514]

It's beyond exciting to see non-powerhouse countries (Philippines, Ireland, Kazakhstan) do so well in the first two men's events!  I was so thrilled for Carlos, and I cried when Rhys FINALLY won his Olympic gold medal!  And Stephen did an incredible job, too!

As soon as Simone landed her YDP, I knew the gold was hers.  (Like @Conotocarious, I never bought the rumor that Rebeca was going to unfurl a TTY.)  She just looked so calm and focused before each vault, and it was such a pleasure to watch her.  I'm sure there was an element of wanting to reclaim this particular gold after Tokyo (not that she at all needed to).  There aren't enough superlatives for her.

Rebeca's Cheng is a thing of beauty (and she did an Amanar!!), and I'm thrilled that she won another silver.

After the botched vault in Tokyo, I'm also thrilled for Jade.  Suni said that her (well-deserved) AA bronze here feels all the sweeter because of the last three years, and I imagine Jade will feel a similar way about this (well-deserved) bronze.

What's been especially wonderful to see throughout these Olympics is the camaraderie from both the men and the women: everyone is cheering for and hugging each other.  My favorite thing, though, has been the utter joy the returning gymnasts (the women, in particular) have emanated before, during, and after their routines.  Compared to Tokyo (which was understandably more somber), everyone seems to be having the time of their life and relishing performing for an audience again.  It's wonderful.

[Conotocarious]

2 hours ago, NUguy514 said:

It's beyond exciting to see non-powerhouse countries (Philippines, Ireland, Kazakhstan) do so well in the first two men's events!  I was so thrilled for Carlos, and I cried when Rhys FINALLY won his Olympic gold medal!  And Stephen did an incredible job, too!

As soon as Simone landed her YDP, I knew the gold was hers.  (Like @Conotocarious, I never bought the rumor that Rebeca was going to unfurl a TTY.)  She just looked so calm and focused before each vault, and it was such a pleasure to watch her.  I'm sure there was an element of wanting to reclaim this particular gold after Tokyo (not that she at all needed to).  There aren't enough superlatives for her.

Rebeca's Cheng is a thing of beauty (and she did an Amanar!!), and I'm thrilled that she won another silver.

After the botched vault in Tokyo, I'm also thrilled for Jade.  Suni said that her (well-deserved) AA bronze here feels all the sweeter because of the last three years, and I imagine Jade will feel a similar way about this (well-deserved) bronze.

What's been especially wonderful to see throughout these Olympics is the camaraderie from both the men and the women: everyone is cheering for and hugging each other.  My favorite thing, though, has been the utter joy the returning gymnasts (the women, in particular) have emanated before, during, and after their routines.  Compared to Tokyo (which was understandably more somber), everyone seems to be having the time of their life and relishing performing for an audience again.  It's wonderful.

On a whim I decided to watch the 1992 Olympic gymnastics last night and it’s almost like watching a black and white film it seems so far away. It actually depressed me to watch it….yes, the gymnastics was beautiful and clean (but the cowboy legs were all over the place and a lot of the execution was lacking) but the atmosphere was tense and the announcers were just unbearable…ripping on the athletes for even moving their feet after a landing. No wonder everyone was traumatized by the intensity.

And Kim Zmeskal’s floor routine was so cringey. I’ve never seen anyone with a more dead-eyed expression trying to mimic playing air guitar.

I would take the way things are now every single time. Those women obviously support each other and seem to be overflowing with joy> I love how they own their own gymnastics and there isn’t an overbearing coach trying to steal the spotlight in sight.

[NUguy514]

7 minutes ago, Conotocarious said:

On a whim I decided to watch the 1992 Olympic gymnastics last night and it’s almost like watching a black and white film it seems so far away. It actually depressed me to watch it….yes, the gymnastics was beautiful and clean (but the cowboy legs were all over the place and a lot of the execution was lacking) but the atmosphere was tense and the announcers were just unbearable…ripping on the athletes for even moving their feet after a landing. No wonder everyone was traumatized by the intensity.

And Kim Zmeskal’s floor routine was so cringey. I’ve never seen anyone with a more dead-eyed expression trying to mimic playing air guitar.

I would take the way things are now every single time. Those women obviously support each other and seem to be overflowing with joy> I love how they own their own gymnastics and there isn’t an overbearing coach trying to steal the spotlight in sight.

YESYESYESYESYESYESYES

I rewatched the women's events from 1992 back in 2020, and it was pretty awful to behold.  So much pressure, so much intensity, and no one could even really enjoy their medals.  And, of course, Shannon was completely robbed, partially by the chicanery of Gutsu getting subbed in for Galieva in the AA and partly by Steven Nunno's bellowing (which I think single-handedly caused a judge or two not to give Shannon a 10.0 on her vault, which she entirely deserved).

I rewatched the women's team event in Atlanta, and while the Magnificent Seven were (and will always be) amazing (and Amanda Borden's beam routine is one of the most unfairly scored routines ever), those seven women barely interacted with each other.  There was zero camaraderie.  And that's not even touching the Kerri Strug vault (which I thought was really uncomfortable to watch back in 1996 because she should absolutely not have done that second vault) and He Who Shall Not Be Named carrying her away.

I'll take Paris every. single. time.

[CeeBeeGee]

28 minutes ago, Conotocarious said:

And Kim Zmeskal’s floor routine was so cringey. I’ve never seen anyone with a more dead-eyed expression trying to mimic playing air guitar.

I've ranted more than once about her crappy choreography. I hate ragging on Geza Pozsar, as he seems like one of the few sympathetic members of Team Karolyi, but God, his 'ography was so, as you say, cringe. Kim's a world class athlete, give her some dignity, for God's sake! Dominique's "tantrum" choreography in '96 was just as bad. She really cleaned up once she started training with Luminita, she looked spectacular at the Goodwill Games in '98.

 

14 minutes ago, NUguy514 said:

And, of course, Shannon was completely robbed, partially by the chicanery of Gutsu getting subbed in for Galieva in the AA and partly by Steven Nunno's bellowing (which I think single-handedly caused a judge or two not to give Shannon a 10.0 on her vault, which she entirely deserved).

And that's not even touching the Kerri Strug vault (which I thought was really uncomfortable to watch back in 1996 because she should absolutely not have done that second vault) and He Who Shall Not Be Named carrying her away.

I'll take Paris every. single. time.

Fully agree. I have no idea how Shannon didn't get a 10 for that spectacular, didn't-move-at-ALL-on-the-landing vault. It was flawless.

Bela's carrying Kerri looks so GROSS. He's totally trying to claim ownership of her heroism, little though we needed it. Just fucking leave her alone, creeper. Put her in a wheelchair or something.

Things are much better now. 

[Is Everyone Gone]

1 hour ago, NUguy514 said:

And, of course, Shannon was completely robbed, partially by the chicanery of Gutsu getting subbed in for Galieva in the AA and partly by Steven Nunno's bellowing (which I think single-handedly caused a judge or two not to give Shannon a 10.0 on her vault, which she entirely deserved).

I kind of disagree with this take. Shannon's vault was amazing, but looking back her bars routine was actually kind of bad? No hit vertical handstands, very little amplitude on her release moves. I still get cringe from her FX too. That screechy violin music that Steve Nunno programmed year after year for Shannon.

Shannon was a lovely gymnast though. Just think overall Gutsu had more difficulty and her gymnastics looks more modern. She was doing DTY's almost 30 years ago.

But Shannon's coach screaming and apparently bullying other competitors I'm sure did not endear him to judges. There was also a rivalry between Nunno and Bela.

[Conotocarious]

12 minutes ago, Is Everyone Gone said:

I kind of disagree with this take. Shannon's vault was amazing, but looking back her bars routine was actually kind of bad? No hit vertical handstands, very little amplitude on her release moves. I still get cringe from her FX too. That screechy violin music that Steve Nunno programmed year after year for Shannon.

Shannon was a lovely gymnast though. Just think overall Gutsu had more difficulty and her gymnastics looks more modern. She was doing DTY's almost 30 years ago.

But Shannon's coach screaming and apparently bullying other competitors I'm sure did not endear him to judges. There was also a rivalry between Nunno and Bela.

That screechy violin music used to set my teeth on edge. Such pandering to the artistry of that time. It screamed “Oh yeah? Well, WE have an emaciated Russian-style gymnast TOO so THERE!” I absolutely hated it. And as lovely a gymnast as she was, she was not a strong tumbler. Maybe if she had been allowed to properly fuel, she would have been.

Moceanu had some beautiful gymnastics after 1996, better than when she was 14. But we were all robbed of it because the Karolyis were done with her so that meant for all intents and purposes, so was USA gymnastics. An absolute shame.

 

 

[Is Everyone Gone]

19 minutes ago, Conotocarious said:

That screechy violin music used to set my teeth on edge. Such pandering to the artistry of that time. It screamed “Oh yeah? Well, WE have an emaciated Russian-style gymnast TOO so THERE!” I absolutely hated it. And as lovely a gymnast as she was, she was not a strong tumbler. Maybe if she had been allowed to properly fuel, she would have been.

Moceanu had some beautiful gymnastics after 1996, better than when she was 14. But we were all robbed of it because the Karolyis were done with her so that meant for all intents and purposes, so was USA gymnastics. An absolute shame.

Even worse than the screechy violin music was that fey, precious choreography full of the frantic hand waving and dainty little kicks.

Omg. I loved Shannon but I HATED her floor.

Anyway, one of the cool things about the '92 quad was that the Soviets had Alexander Alexandrov who was an excellent technician. Dominique Moceanu praised his ability to coach skills. So the Soviet girls were doing skills that the rest of the world had not done yet -- DTY's on vault, those fancy twisting acro skills on beam. 

As for Moceanu, she also suffered from a SEVERE stress fracture at the Olympics. Same thing with Kim. It's a miracle both of them were able to do what they did on essentially fractured legs.

[Bastet]

4 hours ago, NUguy514 said:

And that's not even touching the Kerri Strug vault (which I thought was really uncomfortable to watch back in 1996 because she should absolutely not have done that second vault) and He Who Shall Not Be Named carrying her away.

Oh, I felt like I was living in a parallel universe at the time; I was horrified by that entire thing - sending her out there to begin with, and then Creepy Coach hauling her like a trophy - and it was being hailed as one of sports' greatest triumphs.  Women's gymnastic is so much less uncomfortable to watch now.  I'm watching - and enjoying it - more in these games than I have in a very long time.

[surfgirl]

16 hours ago, Salacious Kitty said:

We can't here. 

Huh?!?

In other news, if Russia never is allowed back I'd be fine with that. It's so nice not having them at the Games, IMO.

Edited August 4 by surfgirl

[Salacious Kitty]

58 minutes ago, surfgirl said:

Huh?!?

In other news, if Russia never is allowed back I'd be fine with that. It's so nice not having them at the Games, IMO.

I was responding to someone who asked what was so reprehensible about Brody Malone. I replied that we couldn't discuss it here. Someone later elaborated a bit, but I was reluctant to say more lest I break forum rules. HTH. 🙂

[NUguy514]

4 hours ago, Is Everyone Gone said:

I kind of disagree with this take. Shannon's vault was amazing, but looking back her bars routine was actually kind of bad? No hit vertical handstands, very little amplitude on her release moves. I still get cringe from her FX too. That screechy violin music that Steve Nunno programmed year after year for Shannon.

Shannon was a lovely gymnast though. Just think overall Gutsu had more difficulty and her gymnastics looks more modern. She was doing DTY's almost 30 years ago.

But Shannon's coach screaming and apparently bullying other competitors I'm sure did not endear him to judges. There was also a rivalry between Nunno and Bela.

And Gutsu's gigantic step forward on that one floor pass she couldn't land cleanly should never have prevented her from scoring anywhere near a 9.925, so if we're going to dock Shannon, we need to dock Gutsu accordingly.

I've never really bought into the narrative that because Gutsu's difficulty was so high, it was acceptable she won.  She may have had more difficulty, but some of her routines were pretty unsightly (her beam routine, in particular); moreover, and more importantly, everyone's routines were scored out of a 10.0, so Gutsu's mistakes shouldn't have been penalized less because her routines were harder (which is what it felt like was happening that day).

And, of course, she should never have been allowed to compete in the AA to begin with since she didn't qualify for it.

[surfgirl]

54 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

I was responding to someone who asked what was so reprehensible about Brody Malone. I replied that we couldn't discuss it here. Someone later elaborated a bit, but I was reluctant to say more lest I break forum rules. HTH. 🙂

Oh, I think I know what you mean, nm!

Edited August 4 by surfgirl

[Is Everyone Gone]

Men's rings requires so much upper body strength it's unimaginable.

Congrats to Liu Yang, his rings remains awesome, neck roll and all.

[WhitneyWhit]

One thing that stands out when watching past competitions (especially the 90s) js how much the (mostly male) coaches made everything about them. The athletes were secondary. They were always mic’d up, running around, screaming. It made me think of Dominique Moceanu saying of Bela Karolyi in 1996 that instead of actually coaching, he was just yelling nonsense for tv soundbites. 

[Is Everyone Gone]

Both Kaylia and Qiu ATE on uneven bars.

[CherryMalotte]

I just feel for the women having issues on the unevens today.  A big auntie hug to them. 

On a shallow note, I'm not liking the red leotard that Suni and Simone have worn.  Is there a mild leopard print to it as well as the sparkles?  Must clean glasses.

[Minneapple]

Kaylia Nemour with the beautiful bars routine to win gold is a major fuck you to the French gymnastics federation that tried to screw her over.

Yay for Suni! She looks so happy. After everything she went through with kidney disease, she deserves all the nice things. And she still has a chance at one more medal on beam! 

[Chaser]

I’m happy with that podium. 

[Is Everyone Gone]

That was a great UB final in that the gymnasts with the best routines actually hit. I love Nemour's routine but Qiu's was also gorgeous and so was Suni's. Nemour had a few form breaks that Qiu didn't have but it was a harder routine.

Edited August 4 by Is Everyone Gone

[Conotocarious]

Suni is such a stone cold assassin.

I love the red leo, especially on Simone. She looks stunning in it. All of these Leo’s look so much better on camera than in the photos and I imagine even better in person.

[greyhorse]

I love how all the women congratulate and root for each other.  Suni looked genuinely happy for Nemour.  Suni and her smile are adorable.  

If it were me, I'd be rooting for every single competitor of mine to fall...