Could Gina Gogean have lasted until Sydney 2000?

[Doug1233]

 

[Lisaelaine80]

Wasn’t she also winning World Cup titles in 1998? She stopped training bars, I think, but could have been used on the other three events.

 

[tsarinajen]

I thought she won beam and floor at the ‘98 World Cup.

Doug, I don’t know if Belu would have allowed her to only train 3 events. She would have had to have trained bars. If she had been willing to have a serviceable backup bar set, yeah I think she could have been there and been competitive.

 

[Doug1233]

 

[Doug1233]

 

[onodian]

I thought she won beam and floor at the ‘98 World Cup.

Plus, she unleashed THE GOGEAN on us, forcing us to constantly downgrade it

 

[Denn]

That part is not her fault though! She got it all the way around, and at least she tried to stylize the entrance into it instead of just a bunch of bouncy chassés!

 

[FrolovasDoubleLayout]

I love the honesty in that interview.

 

[MaryClare]

I mean, maybe. But what had we done to deserve it?

 

[rlayt]

The Gym gods blessed us.

 

[irichluck21]

She did well enough in 1998 but one of the reasons she continued in 1998 was that she only did it for herself as an individual.

She wanted tp retire after Atlanta but Belu convinced her to stay to the 1997 Worlds since Milo had retired.

She hated bars and felt pressure to perform AA for her team.

We would not have seen her in 1998 if it were not for the World Cup Finals coming back from hiatus.
Gogean did not compete at Euros for the reason is that she did not want to be responsible to the team.

Knowing what we know about Sydney and the need fairly last minute for a beam and floor specialist (Presecan’s comeback), Gogean certainly could fit that role with her talents and consistency on beam and floor.
The question is was the motivation there and clearly it was not.

So could Gogean have lasted until Sydney? Yes. Absolutely.
Do I think she would have? No, definitely not. Even with Belu asking her to specialize I think her answer would be no.

 

[irichluck21]

I thought she won beam and floor at the ‘98 World Cup.

Doug, I don’t know if Belu would have allowed her to only train 3 events. She would have had to have trained bars. If she had been willing to have a serviceable backup bar set, yeah I think she could have been there and been competitive.

Gogean didn’t win any event at the World Cup Final.
She got silver on vault and floor and a bronze on beam.

In 1997 and 1998, no Belu would not have allowed her not to train AA.
However, by end of 1999 due to Ungureanu forced to quit due to spinal cord injury, Belu was desperate for a beam and floor worker and convinced Presecan (who had retired in 1998) to come back and Presecan was not training bars. She trained VT (FTY) and beam and floor. So I think Belu would have made the same promise to Gogean if he was desperate for her to come back to the team. Maybe he would have approached her had Presecan not agreed to unretire?

 

[onodian]

I just feel gina never gets luv for her ub, so here’s a not-so-well known combo, tkachev- counter Kim. Little scrappy, but hell yeah gina gurl.

And of course that was gone come bcn

 

[tsarinajen]

My bad. It was ‘97, she got both.

 

[RichardL]

Presecan’s comeback almost netted her an Olympic beam medal, too!

 

[MaryClare]

With what? Claudia Presacan?

 

[RichardL]

Yes, she finished 4th by a very small margin in EFs.

 

[MaryClare]

I am aware. You have missed the point

 

[onodian]

Imagine that wonderful podium marred by ca 00 rom beam routines

 

[RichardL]

Apparently I have, but you aren’t going to make it more clear I suppose. Shrug.