Exemptions from the Age Rule

[Tonichelle]

I think where the age rule fails is that the national levels don't follow the same rules, so we end up like we did at US nationals...

looking at all the little bitty girls succeed is great, but then they hit that final growth spurt and all heck breaks loose and they end up where Kimmie is right now - on the fandom chopping block for everyone to kick them while they're down.

 

[Mathman]

I still stick by the fact that we need the age rule. WIth Yu-Na and Mao at the Olympics, 2 deserving medal winners would have been knocked off the podium(sasha and Irina)

Yeah, that's kind of my point. The reason for the age rule is so that the old gals will have a chance and not get blown away by the kids.

That, however, is not what a championship is about. It's about who is the best.

My hometown (Spokane) has a big marathon race every year. Anyone can enter, but Kenyans are inelligible to win the trophy (only locals can win it).

Well, OK. But why have a race except to see who can run the fastest?

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

If the new rules hadn't come along, the last four Olympic champions might have been Oksana Baiul (16), Tara Lipinski (15), Sarah Hughes (16), and Mao Asada (15). That seems to be the age at which girl figure skaters (like gymnasts) hit their peak.

I guess the point of the age rules is that it is not fair for the older girls to have to compete against young athletes in their prime.

The alternative (a better one, IMHO) is to turn the Olympics over to the kids and let them romp to their gold medals. Then have some sort of professional skating at the senior level.

It is the reason that in the American Sports World that Figure Skating is called 'a little girl's sport.'

For me it's brava Shizuka for winning the Olys at a Lady's age.

Joe