Rebekah Ripley - Barbie Girl Floor Routine - BYU Gymnastics - January 7, 2023

[MaryClare]

I thought you were 14?

 

[xxParkerxx]

With several conditions requiring me to have more medical knowledge than most doctors. I’d be happy to dm you in regards to the conditions and my medical knowledge if you’d like.

 

[JDB]

I didn’t expect this routine to start a big argument. “The parties are advised to chill.”

 

[RedBirdie]

Oh, to have the misplaced confidence of a young teenager.

 

[Kara]

LOL; apparently we should all just stop listening to those stupid doctors who went to 8+ years of school, and get our medical advice from a 14 year old with “medical conditions.” Who knew.

 

[MaryClare]

No need. You have them err, listed in your public profile.

 

[KristyJ]

Possibly over 14 years of schooling and as many years of experience, even.

 

[Bob]

I just find the whole idea of a grown woman imitating a barbie doll a bit paedo. Like gymnastics needs more of that…

 

[Bob]

I think it is risky to tumble in a brace like that and IMHO no gymnast anywhere should be competing in a hard brace like that. It isn’t about being ‘worthy’ it is about safety. We should be past this compete at any cost idea like MaryClare said. In fact not competing due to safety reasons is more about valuing the gymnast in the long term. So probably seeing them as more worthy.

 

[irichluck21]

I like the idea of the song and the second pass with the reverse front flip was cool.
Barbie Girl, if done correctly could get the crowd into it especially with the AH AH AH YEA! One could even point to various sections of the audience for those parts for the audience to yell and join in.

That would be fun.
Not into the robot like choreography…yes we know Barbie is a plastic doll and moves like that, and maybe it is fine for the opening but after that…no.

 

[MaryClare]

My only issue with it is that if you miss whilst wearing a brace, the damage it causes is insane

 

[JaJa]

Why isn’t it allowed in FIG competition then? I’m sure USAG don’t permit braces either.

I thought we were past the “gymnasts competing with injuries are so brave” mind set? Sure, she’s an adult and can make her own decisions about her safety, but that doesn’t make it any less dangerous. Imagine it was a junior elite competing in an ACL brace!

agreed. And how many of us with college age kids of our own consider them “adults who can make their own decisions”???

 

[MaryClare]

She’s married, she’s not a kid

 

[Hatsumomo]

I did a double take at “married,” but remembered she goes to BYU. It tracks.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Haha true.

I looked her up and she’s 23. A combination of all these extra covid years and the Olympics being late mean people’s ages are a constant surprise to me now.

 

[Kara]

Not sure where the data that braces like this are super dangerous; In 40 years of participating in and watching gymnastics, from club level to elite; I’ve never seen one cause a horrible injury. No saying it hasn’t happened, but gymnastics is inherently a dangerous sport; I don’t see this brace as being extra dangerous.

 

[MaryClare]

If you take a heavy fall whilst wearing a brace, not only does it restrict your ability to break the fall but the natural reaction to attempt to can cause superficial injury to other parts of the body.

I don’t know the stats, but I’ve seen it with my own eyes and the guy needed facial and dental surgeries as well as on the knee that was in the brace.

 

[KristyJ]

Maybe we shouldn’t sexualize children’s playthings or random gymnasts

 

[MaryClare]

Lol. Both Barbie and NCAA gymnastics are entirely sexualised

 

[JaJa]

Both Barbie and NCAA gymnastics are entirely sexualised

Agreed. And this may be worthy of its own thread and discussion.