Could Gina Gogean have lasted until Sydney 2000?

[esta]

The one Romanian I wish would have lasted from Atlanta to Sydney is Marinescu. She would have made a delightful beam medalist.

 

[irichluck21]

The one Romanian I wish would have lasted from Atlanta to Sydney is Marinescu. She would have made a delightful beam medalist.

So sad for her, she was always pulled by Belu in favor of Amanar.

Pulled from Atlanta AA for Amanar, then again in Lausanne after Amanar fell off bars in qualifications.

 

[irichluck21]

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

She was 2nd in qualifications behind Olaru as well.

.025 from a tie with Produnova for bronze.

 

[RichardL]

Amanar always made good on those substitutions, though, in ways that I doubt Marinescu could’ve. I agree with Belu’s decision in that sense, but if she’d actually not been in the Atlanta or Lausanne AA, it’s weird that Amanar’s only other major AA medal would be Sydney AA.

 

[rlayt]

It’s interesting that Amanar profited from the cold pill situation Raducan had. It must feel pretty bad that some of her best moments were at someone’s expense.

 

[irichluck21]

Amanar always made good on those substitutions, though, in ways that I doubt Marinescu could’ve. I agree with Belu’s decision in that sense, but if she’d actually not been in the Atlanta or Lausanne AA, it’s weird that Amanar’s only other major AA medal would be Sydney AA.

I didn’t say it was not a decision that ended up with a medal.

But in terms of Marinescu, who might have been able to continue to Sydney, ended up retiring because she said she had back problems. While that might be ultimately true, I don’t think I would continue to push myself to be the best for a program and coach that ultimately betrayed me not once but twice.

Not only that, but RGF had also falsified her passport, according to Marinescu. She was born in 1982 but her DOB year was changed to 1981 so she could compete in Sabae and Atlanta.

 

[Denn]

I think she was replying to Robin’s post “The Gym gods blessed us” that Gogean didn’t stay on by saying that what we got was Presecan instead and that’s not a blessing.

@rlayt My understanding is that few in Romania see Amanar as profiting from the cold pills — they see Raducan as the 2000 Olympic AA Champion.

Most of the rest of the world sees Khorkina as the winner. Rightfully. LOL

 

[MaryClare]

Most of the rest of the world sees Khorkina as the winner. Rightfully.

Back when we were a relatively sane, normal-ish country. If it happened now, Putin would declare the AA final void, go by the prelim results and have a replica gold medal made for Svetlana

 

[RichardL]

It would have been easy to explain that instead of indicating immediately that I missed some kind of “point” that was being made without any clarification. I had literally just mentioned the Olympic EF, and the next post was “Claudia Presacan?” But whatever!

 

[Doug1233]

Most of the rest of the world sees Khorkina as the winner. Rightfully. LOL

I can’t tell if you’re trolling or not

 

[Denn]

Agreed.

 

[MaryClare]

My post was a direct reply to @rlayt’s. That’s clearly shown at the side of the post that it isn’t a general reply to the latest post in the thread.

 

[RichardL]

Yes, I realize that now. But it was clear from my original post that I hadn’t seen that and was simply responding to what I thought was a question or request for clarification.

 

[onodian]

I blame Gina for this misunderstanding

 

[rlayt]

It’s definitely a messed up situation. Yes, if everything was correctly done Khorkina. After the snafu it was Raducan. Then finally, Amanar. So she profited from others’ misfortunes.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Right, that was the starting gun fired. Off we go everyone!

Personally, I’ve always felt what that podium was missing was a false DOB scandal. There’s no realistic way any of the eventual or arguable medallists were underage, so we’re all missing out.

 

[rlayt]

There was enough drama! But why not invent some more just to vary the discussion.

 

[Denn]

Invent more drama? What if Gina had been in Sydney, placed above or below Raducan, and then got caught for being underage 10 years earlier — which we know she actually was, and never was punished for — and got her medals removed?

 

[onodian]

Also, she jumps from the podium as they’re coming for her medals and does the tkachev-counter kim but instead of regrasping the bar she launches herself onto a helicopter that has entered the arena piloted by marta karolyi, who was secretly working for them all along

 

[RAFIKI]

Gymnastics fanfic is a fun extension of “what if” scenarios.

FWIW I have a real soft spot for that Zorba the Greek floor routine.