- Joined
- Feb 12, 2014
Thankfully, they're going back to five for Tokyo. FIG realized how stupid this was, and announced that they were dumping it even before the Olympics would have originally started in 2020.
Artistic Gymnastics
- Thread starter Tutto
- Start date
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2007
Since the teams were cut to 4 this year, there was a process by which one could qualify as an individual through the World Cup events. Jade qualified as an individual. Technically she could still have been put on the team but the US would have lost that spot.Anyway: My problem with gymnastics for the last couple times I‘ve seen it has been similar to what‘s happening to figure skating right now. Jaw dropping technical achievements but very little else going on. It was especially obvious during floor exercise - sometimes I was wondering why they‘d even bothered to play music when it was so clearly ignored. So, yeah, I didn‘t exactly expect much going into these Olympics.
BUT: I honestly enjoyed the competition - more than I thought I would. In part, of course, because the two Russians who were competing in the AA perfectly encapsulated what I love about this sport. Melnikova and Urazova (especially the latter, gutted she didn‘t medal!) quickly became my favorites. There‘s just something about being able to complete these very difficult and very dangerous elements and make it look elegant, that I really admire.
To structure this rambling mess of a post - some thoughts in the order of their final standings:
Sunisa Lee: She was easily and without question my favorite of Team USA during the Team Final and I was happy to find out she‘d made the AA final. Her consistency and mental strength was just so impressive to watch and she seems like such a sweetheart to boot. I do think she‘s the most elegant of the US ladies but overall, their entire package is just not my cup of tea and hasn’t been for a while. I think they‘ve mainly been favoring power and difficulty, whereas the Russian style is a bit more balanced. But I’m still happy for her! After all, I don‘t really understand the fine mechanics of the sport and judging solely by subjective taste might not be the best idea lol.
I did like Carey a lot, although she fell from the beam. Probably a stupid question that could be solved by reading the rest of the thread but why wasn‘t she in the team final? Overall, she looked more impressive across all events but one than Jordan Chiles. I guess she didn‘t perform well at the Nationals/Olympic trial?
To close this post: Happy for the medalists and I really loved watching this competition. Maybe this will become a sport I‘ll follow even outside of the Olympics? Let‘s see.
PS: This would probably deserve its own post but: I hope Simone feels better soon and good for her for making the best decision for herself. Very brave.
if you are in the US I highly recommend NCAA gymnastics. It’s still judged out of a 10 and has dance and choreography and toe point and all that fun stuff.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2011
Simone Biles took to her instagram stories to share what exactly has been happening to her with the twisties and how dangerous they are. she apparently had them on floor and vault in the lead up to Rio, but now is experiencing them on all four events. she did not have them before arriving in Tokyo. she initially shared some training videos from the last couple days but took them down. in this article you can still watch one of them and see screenshots of what she had to say.
www.nbcboston.com
IMO, it would not surprise me at all if this was stress induced, especially since she only started experiencing them when she got to the Olympics. and it doesn't sound likely or smart that she should go through with event finals, as sad as that is. i wish so much she could have had the final Olympic experience that she deserved and end her career on her terms, but it looks like that's not going to happen. everything happens for a reason.
Simone Biles Shares Videos to Explain ‘Twisties,' Answers Questions on Instagram
Simone Biles explained the “twisties” with gymnastics practice videos and answered Team USA fan questions about her health on her Instagram story.
www.nbcboston.com
IMO, it would not surprise me at all if this was stress induced, especially since she only started experiencing them when she got to the Olympics. and it doesn't sound likely or smart that she should go through with event finals, as sad as that is. i wish so much she could have had the final Olympic experience that she deserved and end her career on her terms, but it looks like that's not going to happen. everything happens for a reason.
Eurosport showed us most if not all of Nina Derwael's AA routines and I was so impressed watching her. I really hope she medals in the uneven bars, what an achievement for Belgium that would be!
I enjoyed watching Mai Murakami on floor as well as the Gadirova sisters. I hope someone will upload Mai's olympic floor routine because it stood out to me more than other gymnasts.
. And Rebeca with a gold! And Suni hangs on for bronze, though I kind of was rooting for Elizabeth. And Max Whitlock repeats!
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2007
Rebeca won a gold medal in vault. Mikayla won the silver.
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2007
I was just coming to post this. I could not be happier for all US ladies, especially Mykayla, who looked like she was going home with nothing. And Rebeca and all medalists.
The US Men, on the other hand….
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2013
It's been a good meet for the women, no matter what the Biles situation was or is.
Everyone gets a medal. A medal earned on every event so far, with beam still to go. Two individual Olympic champions not named Simone.
They really have something to celebrate.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2011
amazing accomplishments
i am so happy Mykayla had the story book ending to her career all of us, herself included, didn't think she would get. i am so happy it ended on another note and she finally has an olympic medal. what a story.
Simone is supposed to compete in beam finals tomorrow, i hope she is doing it because she feels ready and not due to pressure...
I'm so happy for Mai! & in her home Olympics too 
Every gymnast in today's floor final leaves Tokyo with a medal!!
Every gymnast in today's floor final leaves Tokyo with a medal!!
I hope so too. A lot of people will be watching the beam tomorrow all to see how Simone will perform, it would be incredible if she was able to medal. But she's still a champion regardless~
Yes, I saw the event (vault). My question was about the floor today. Did she make mistakes? I thought she was favoured for a medal.
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2007
I believe she made mistakes. Pretty sure she went out of bounds, but I’d have to watch again.
Just not making mistakes isn’t necessarily going to win you a medal, particularly in the event finals. The score consists of 2 components, the E(xecution) score and the (D)ifficulty score. In the event finals, which are the top 8 athletes in the event ideally you’ll want to bring both. It’s what makes event finals so exciting!
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2007
And the best of luck to Sam tomorrow. He’s seemed looser and more joyous in this, his third and last Olympics. May he finally win a medal. Any color, I’m not picky.
Best of luck to Simone. May she be physically and mentally safe above all things.
Best of luck to Simone. May she be physically and mentally safe above all things.
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2014
Guys, guys!
Simone Biles got a bronze
on Beam!
Better than that though, was her beaming smile when she finished!
Congratulations to Simone!
Also to China for winning the gold
- Guan Chenchen and silver 
- Tang Xijing.
Simone Biles got a bronze
on Beam!Better than that though, was her beaming smile when she finished!
Congratulations to Simone!
Also to China for winning the gold
- Guan Chenchen and silver - Tang Xijing.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
A very enjoyable block of competitions today. ^ ^
I am happy for the medalists and the other gymnasts as well. Everyone is already praising Simone who did really well considering what she's been through, so I'll take a moment to say I found the Chinese beam gymnasts charming, am happy for the male gymnasts from Croatia and Turkey who won medals, and admire the Japanese male gymnasts' nerves of steel (Hashimoto) and great attitude (Kitazono smiling despite his two falls). Everyone did really well, and I look forward to any replays I might find
I am happy for the medalists and the other gymnasts as well. Everyone is already praising Simone who did really well considering what she's been through, so I'll take a moment to say I found the Chinese beam gymnasts charming, am happy for the male gymnasts from Croatia and Turkey who won medals, and admire the Japanese male gymnasts' nerves of steel (Hashimoto) and great attitude (Kitazono smiling despite his two falls). Everyone did really well, and I look forward to any replays I might find
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2021
Sorry, but I strongly against that opinion. There is nothing similar at all. And it's just impossible to have similarities if you think about it. Because there isn't even PCS mark in the first place - so gymnasts have literally zero reasons to train anything resembling artistry. Why they have music for women on the floors is a mystery to me, to be honest. After all, the judges assess only elements and their execution quality - not music. In any case, the floors is the only discipline that can have a speck of similary to fs, in theory - beam, vault etc. are not even close. It's like jumps competition maybe. Their whole focus on elements only is evident.
Considering the above - striking difference between any fs performance and gymnastic performance is obvious for any stranger who is watching it first time in life. I remember it very clearly what attracted me to fs despite starting to watch it couple of years ago (when artistry was gone already - if we are to believe recent narration). Focus on performance and making an impression on a viewer so strong that he begin to want follow that skater career after that. No.. that's probably only derivative. Different performances. Yeah, that's it. Despite having the same elements - each and every performance/skater left completely different taste. And there definitely would be some skates which could make you feel it on more personal level. That's what makes fs unique comparing to all other types of sport - and that's what was shocking to me then. For example, let's see.. what about latest competition?
How many people here were charmed by those new Chinese winners to start following them afterwards? Are you going to wait their next competitions - except maybe Biles? Admit it honestly ) I believe majority of people here do not care about them - and is not going to bother watching them in future. Because their performances is just set of elements - nothing more. Who is performed that set - is not that important. Even if you wanted to discuss them - there is nothing to say. All you would remember in the end is that China won there - not even their names. That's the difference between fs and gymnastics for me. It's huge. Gymnastics is much closer to swimming or running or shooting in that sense. Only results matter there.Simone Biles got a bronze
Better than that though, was her beaming smile when she finished!
Congratulations to Simone!
Also to China for winning the gold
Therefore attempts to equate such mechanical kinds of sport with beautiful and creative fs is looking as disparaging to me. Whether there are some trends to make programs more technical or not - fs exists in other set of values comparing to other kinds of sport - making any trends absolutely negligent. I suppose too many fs fans became extremely satiated with abundance of high quality skaters so much that they started to lose clear perspective or whole sport picture. I would recommend to make longer break or watch other kinds of sport longer - to begin appreciate more what fs can offer.
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