Chalked Up: Inside Elite Gymnastics' Merciless Coaching, Overzealous Parents, Eating Disorders, and Elusive Olympic Dreams

[Puffin]

Which was about a dozen years past being moronic at that point. The 04 Olympics had loads of medallists in their 20s!

It really was! I always wondered whether it was a Karolyi narrative - they always preferred the young 15-16 year olds and didn't care if they quit within a couple of years.

The Karolyi regime was also very hostile to accommodating NCAA gymnasts forcing many to choose between elite and college - the US WAG would have a very sad medal count at the recent Worlds if college gymnasts were still pushed off the national team.

 

[MaryClare]

It really was! I always wondered whether it was a Karolyi narrative - they always preferred the young 15-16 year olds and didn't care if they quit within a couple of years.

The Karolyi regime was also very hostile to accommodating NCAA gymnasts forcing many to choose between elite and college - the US WAG would have a very sad medal count at the recent Worlds if college gymnasts were still pushed off the national team.

It was definitely a karolyi preference but I think it was also a narrative that suited the broadcasters

 

[RichardL]

The only members of the '96 team who weren't legal adults were Jaycie Phelps and Dominique Moceanu and three of them were on the 1992 Olympic Team.

And everyone but Strug [ETA: and Borden] made a run for Sydney!

 

[Puffin]

It was definitely a karolyi preference but I think it was also a narrative that suited the broadcasters

Yeah the old guard of broadcasters definitely pushed the "cute little girls" and "wonder kids" narrative

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

It really was! I always wondered whether it was a Karolyi narrative - they always preferred the young 15-16 year olds and didn't care if they quit within a couple of years.

The Karolyi regime was also very hostile to accommodating NCAA gymnasts forcing many to choose between elite and college - the US WAG would have a very sad medal count at the recent Worlds if college gymnasts were still pushed off the national team.

With Marta, I think the best way to characterise it is that she didn't really give a fuck. Had no interest in accommodating NCAA, longer careers or really even gymnasts staying healthy. There was no facilitation going on, no fucks given, only what can you do for me today.

However, when someone from that background nonetheless turned up at selection time with usable routines, she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. I have always said, if Ceaucescu's reanimated corpse had been capable of an Amanar and a competitive bars D score, she'd have gone for it no questions asked.

 

[rlayt]

She didn’t like a lot of things about Simone either like how she opted out of camps for a while. Anyone who brought the goods had to be considered.