Greatest AA gymnast at Olympics to not compete in AA finals

[IratePanda]

Could we make a case for Lavinia Agache in 1984? She should have breezed into the AA final, but she had a total meltdown in TO (supposedly due to jet lag meds, but who knows).

 

[IratePanda]

Also Maria Filatova in '76 and '80.

 

[MaryClare]

Could we make a case for Lavinia Agache in 1984? She should have breezed into the AA final, but she had a total meltdown in TO (supposedly due to jet lag meds, but who knows).

Jet lag meds?!?

 

[IratePanda]

Jet lag meds?!?

So the story goes.

 

[MaryClare]

So the story goes.

What would be an example of jet lag medicine in 1984?

 

[IratePanda]

What would be an example of jet lag medicine in 1984?

Honestly, I have no idea. Perhaps a sleep aid or an antihistamine? I've always been very skeptical.

2001: A Profile of Lavinia Agache – “Time on Her Side” – Gymnastics History

More questions than answers here.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

I do wonder if Memmel hadn't been injured in Beijing if she could have two-per'd Nastia Liukin in qualifications. Both Memmel and Liukin fell off bars in TQ.

There were a loooooot of threads about that on multiple forums in the run up!

My guess is Chellsie would probably have still fallen slightly short even with a clean AA round herself. She would likely have needed the 06 standard DTY back, and we've no evidence that was in place before she got injured. But if she had stayed on bars, could've gone right down to the wire.

 

[RedBirdie]

it must have been a sleeping pill

 

[RichardL]

What would be an example of jet lag medicine in 1984?

Vodka

 

[irichluck21]

Yes and Sloan did get the benefit of Bross falling a the very last second on floor. Sloan had qualified 5th and took advantage of others mistakes like Porgras and Deng Linlin.

You cannot take away that win though, as Sloan increased her all around by 1.800 points from Q to F. She earned the title.

 

[Puffin]

Also Maria Filatova in '76 and '80.

Yes - she would have won a lot more medals if she hadn't been lead-off for the team

 

[IratePanda]

Yes - she would have won a lot more medals if she hadn't been lead-off for the team

I was so happy when she won an AA medal at '81 Worlds. Such a long time coming.

 

[Matilda23]

Interestingly no-one has mentioned Galieva in 1992.
My vote is for Listunova in Tokyo Olympics. I thought she had a better chance of making the podium than Urazova.

 

[IratePanda]

Interestingly no-one has mentioned Galieva in 1992.
My vote is for Listunova in Tokyo Olympics. I thought she had a better chance of making the podium than Urazova.

I couldn't stand Galieva or Gutsu, so I really didn't care about the swap in 1992, and I care even less now. I.wanted Miller or Milosovici to win.

 

[Denn]

I feel like, circumstances or not, Biles was the top qualifier and the clear favorite to win in 2021, so she "wins" this thread.

Wieber in 2012 and Agache in 1984 probably had the best chances of medaling besides Biles.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Interestingly no-one has mentioned Galieva in 1992.
My vote is for Listunova in Tokyo Olympics. I thought she had a better chance of making the podium than Urazova.

And she could've won it, which couldn't be said for Urazova. Her best scores from the first two rounds were better than anyone other than Simone got in prelims, which they'd have known at the time. And also better than Suni eventually got to win the AA, which they wouldn't. I thought it was interesting that a programme with a long history of substitution chose not to do it in an instance where there was such obvious potential benefit.