Gymnastics Nostalgia: Underrated, underdiscussed, or you left us too soon gymnasts

[barbara_dewey]

Dudnick, for sure. Her glorious DTY alone puts her on my list.
Chen Cutting should have had a brace of World and Olympic medals, including some golds...but she didn't.
Cathy Rigby, of course, could have had numerous medals in '72, but she is American, so it wasn't allowed.
NFro has always been a favorite of mine.
John Crosby and Abie Grossfeld should have medals, too. And Valentn Moguilnyi should have Olympic golds. RIP, my friend.

 

[IratePanda]

For the life of me, I don't know why Baitova made World and Olympic teams, and Natalia Frolova didn't.

 

[KristyJ]

For the life of me, I don't know why Baitova made World and Olympic teams, and Natalia Frolova didn't.

I feel like I read somewhere that politics played a role on the teams around that time

 

[MaryClare]

I feel like I read somewhere that politics played a role on the teams around that time

It was precisely the opposite, lack of politics, that led to Baitova being selected for so many competitions

 

[IratePanda]

It was precisely the opposite, lack of politics, that led to Baitova being selected for so many competitions

How so?

 

[irichluck21]

Baitova was extremely consistent and was doing difficulty as the lead off that other teams didn't have as their 5th or 6th up.
She was 2nd in qualifications in the AA in Rotterdam, then 4th on AA, VT, UB, FX. Helped team to silver.
In 1988 and 1989 she was the table setter and was consistent enough in Seoul to be 13th AA after the team competition, but was 3 per'd. Additionally she was 3 per'd in Stuttgart

 

[RichardL]

Produnova did the Baitova Slam in 1999 as well: 4th AA, VT, UB, FX.

 

[MaryClare]

How so?

The USSR went full Tom Forster in 1987 and took the team based on rank order.

 

[IratePanda]

The USSR went full Tom Forster in 1987 and took the team based on rank order

Oh, right, I remember now. That's how Tuzhikova ended up in Rotterdam (and subsequently disappeared).

Baitova was consistent and she had some nice difficulty, but I found her rather bland.

 

[KristyJ]

The USSR went full Tom Forster in 1987 and took the team based on rank order.

Fair enough

 

[MaryClare]

Oh, right, I remember now. That's how Tuzhikova ended up in Rotterdam (and subsequently disappeared).

Baitova was consistent and she had some nice difficulty, but I found her rather bland.

Didn’t completely disappear, is married to Angelina Melnikova’s coach

 

[Puffin]

For the life of me, I don't know why Baitova made World and Olympic teams, and Natalia Frolova didn't.

Didn't Frolova suffer a severe loss of form in 1987 and 1988 and slid from top 3 AA in USSR to more like 8th to 12th at domestic meets.?

Also I'm pretty sure that I've seen a youtube video of Frolova basically faceplanting her double layout and full in during her iconic fx at a domestic comp in 1987

 

[MaryClare]

Didn't Frolova suffer a severe loss of form in 1987 and 1988 and slid from top 3 AA in USSR to more like 8th to 12th at domestic meets.?

Also I'm pretty sure that I've seen a youtube video of Frolova basically faceplanting her double layout and full in during her iconic fx at a domestic comp in 1987

Yes. I don’t know the reason, whether she was injured or just hit puberty but she never regained her 1986 form. Her gymnastics seemed very laboured in the latter part of her career

 

[Puffin]

Yes. I don’t know the reason, whether she was injured or just hit puberty but she never regained her 1986 form. Her gymnastics seemed very laboured in the latter part of her career

It was sad because she was on fire in 1986 - saw her at the Kraft International that year with (an injured) Omelianchik

 

[MaryClare]

It was sad because she was on fire in 1986 - saw her at the Kraft Internation that year with (an injured) Omelianchik

There were a whole bunch of Soviets who unfortunately peaked in 1986, a year where was no worlds and no euros. N Frolova, Shevchenko, Zeturidze, Lebdinskaya, Barutyan, Averkova, Godenko. But I wonder if that was because the top tier of gymnasts knew that it was not a year where they had to be at their very best.

The USSR championships that year was won by Baitova, followed by what could be described as a cast of nobodies. The ones we tend to remember are the ones who were given minor international assignments, but plenty weren’t, despite making the national team.

 

[Puffin]

I loved Elena Gurova as well. Saw her at Champions' All when she was 12. She had some amazing moves and I've never seen a full twist bhs on bb to match it. However the one team she made - 87 - they gave her a horrible fx.

 

[navyblue]

Elvire Teza
Shantessa Pama
Kristal Uzelac
Hollie Vise

I was such a big Uzelac fan when I was younger.

She never really put it together as a senior, but she had unique and interesting gymnastics on just about every event:
Vault: Khorkina ii
Bars: perfect toe-on 1.5 pirouette
Beam: Bhs + pike full combo
Floor: Only saw her compete this once, but as a four pass routine it was incredible difficulty and very well done: 1) DLO, 2) Arabian double front 3) 2.5 twist punch front full 4) Piked full-in

 

[irichluck21]

Brandy Johnson. Just a senior for three years. Made the Olympic team, her first senior international event to finish 10th AA (highest American finish). Placed 5th on vault (would have been silver with new life rules).
Then was one of the top gymnasts in the World in 1989. Inconsistent optional falls on bars and floor left her out of those event finals. She ended up finishing 7th in the AA (again highest American finish). Got the silver on vault tied with Bontas.

1990, Injuries crept up and she retired at the end of 1990.

So much potential. Wonder if she could have continued to Barcelona.

 

[RichardL]

I was such a big Uzelac fan when I was younger.

She never really put it together as a senior, but she had unique and interesting gymnastics on just about every event:
Vault: Khorkina ii
Bars: perfect toe-on 1.5 pirouette
Beam: Bhs + pike full combo
Floor: Only saw her compete this once, but as a four pass routine it was incredible difficulty and very well done: 1) DLO, 2) Arabian double front 3) 2.5 twist punch front full 4) Piked full-in

Uzelac was a great talent. The 1.5 pirouette was on the low bar!! She was also coming back and looking strong in early 2004 before yet another injury.

 

[RedBirdie]

Not like anyone was particularly well-managed that quad, but you have to wonder how different Uzelac might have been if they hadn't pushed her to go elite so damn young and hadn't had to endure the Parkettes meat grinder.