REWIND : WEEK NINE 19/11 : 1992 Olympics

[RedBirdie]

Shame she was saddled with such shit choreo. Not that the music helped. How much better should could have looked is certainly up for question, Karolyi gymnasts weren't exactly known for their musicality, not was Zmeskal capable of going full camp like Bogi did in 1989. But good god, giving THAT to the reigning world all around champion? Borderline crime against humanity.

 

[KristyJ]

I was 10 in 1992, had dressed up as Zmeskal in a costume contest that summer (my best friend dressed up as Miller), and am still physically incapable of criticizing that routine, music, or choreo. I was so devastated that she had such a rough Olympics and admittedly it took me a number of years to fully appreciate Shannon's gymnastics after.

 

[CameliasFingerpaint]

Never knew Mitch commentated on the US Trials! The whip DLO is fantastic.

Was it the floor that made Kim water down in Barcelona? I know lots of the gymnasts disliked it.

I thought it was the injury she was carrying?

I was so confused by a lot of the judging she received in Barcelona. Her vault seemed to be underscored comparatively (how did she only go 9.937?), and at the same time, the 9.8 for that beam set is inexplicable.

 

[CameliasFingerpaint]

Gymnastically there was no dissolution until after Barcelona. The national team members continued to be based at round lake. But it’s very possible that the uncertainty about what would happen after that, had an impact. More so for the coaches than the gymnasts. The coaches would have been aware that their East German and Bulgarian counterparts were unpaid for several months before being let go in 1990.

Where there any gymnasts from the Baltic states that could have made the team?

 

[RAFIKI]

Was it televised in the UK? I can’t think of any other reason there would be a UK commentary team. How unusual

Very odd. Wonder if he did any other US comps? Sky Sports 3 randomly showed 99 US Nationals (yay EF) but it was the NBC broadcast and commentators.

 

[MaryClare]

Where there any gymnasts from the Baltic states that could have made the team?

Difficult to say because most of them quit due to their situation

 

[irichluck21]

Where there any gymnasts from the Baltic states that could have made the team?

No, none of the Baltic States could have made Barcelona because Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia did not compete as part of the Unified Team.

All three countries competed independently in 1992.

However, since Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia did not compete independently at the 1991 World Championships, there was no pathway to compete in Barcelona in gymnastics for these countries.

So an athlete like Natalia Laschenova had no pathway to Barcelona, since Latvia was not qualified in gymnastics and the Unified Team did not have Latvian athletes on it. She was pretty injured anyway, and retired in late 1991. But I am sure knowing Barcelona was a for sure lost cause was also part of it.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

I thought it was the injury she was carrying?

I was so confused by a lot of the judging she received in Barcelona. Her vault seemed to be underscored comparatively (how did she never go 9.937?), and at the same time, the 9.8 for that beam set is inexplicable.

You mean how did she only go 9.937? I agree, I didn't think her AA vault was worse than Gogean, Gutsu or Boginskaya. Two judges going 9.9 for it was very harsh. Equally, beam was bizarre. I do not think that 9.8 would've happened in the first rotation!

 

[Lisaelaine80]

You mean how did she only go 9.937? I agree, I didn't think her AA vault was worse than Gogean, Gutsu or Boginskaya. Two judges going 9.9 for it was very harsh. Equally, beam was bizarre. I do not think that 9.8 would've happened in the first rotation!

I agree. Gutsu’s vault was nothing special. I think a 9.95 was an over score. The solid double layout was also gross. Bogi and Yang Bo had the same tumbling but Bo scored much lower. Vibes.

 

[naimushina]

Henrietta Onodi has been in the news too recently, of course. I hope she's doing better.

I love her 1992 floor for its changes of pace - prefer it to the famous West Side Story choreography. It's majestic, and she hits the beat of the music so well with her landings.

one of my all time favorite floor routines, she does it so well

 

[Denn]

Zmeskal had too much power in floor finals. I almost feel like the double layout would have been a better option that day, injury notwithstanding, if only to give her an outlet for the power. (Skipping the whip maybe...)



@KristyJ I am totally on the same page as you about both being incapable of knocking that routine down and being disappointed that day. I am about the same age as Zmeskal, and I even was already doing her three-whips series myself (except with a full at the end, not a double back. I tumbled mostly in the back yard!). I was rooting for her.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Zmeskal had too much power in floor finals. I almost feel like the double layout would have been a better option that day, injury notwithstanding, if only to give her an outlet for the power. (Skipping the whip maybe...)

She had too much in the AA as well. The double tuck dismount was totally overpowered, and it was a good decision to upgrade. Whatever the rationale for her watering down the tumbling from Trials, it didn't appear to work.

 

[Matilda23]

I guess Kim couldn’t compete the whip to DLO first tumbling line that she did at Olympic Trials because of the stress fracture in her ankle. I liked Kim’s tumbling, but her Olympic routine music and choreography was not the best and she didn’t have the enthusiasm / engagement like she did at 91 Worlds.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Is that what it was, a stress fracture? Ah, Bela...

And yeah, the choreo was particularly bad wasn't it? I know Kim was no great dancer, but there's a blueprint for that kind of gymnast.

 

[Matilda23]

Yes in her lower leg or ankle.

Deliana Vodenicharova of Bulgaria had a lovely Spanish style floor in Barcelona.

Tatiana Lisenko’s beam was a highlight, difficult routine and interesting mount, back spin, full turn. And beam coach Maria Bulashenko jumping with excitement after her dismount!

 

[IratePanda]

Is that what it was, a stress fracture? Ah, Bela...

And yeah, the choreo was particularly bad wasn't it? I know Kim was no great dancer, but there's a blueprint for that kind of gymnast.

Yes. Moceanu had a similiar injury in 1996.

I'd forgotten how ghastly Zmeskal's choreo was in '92. It's vintage Poszar, and I mean that in the worst possible way. It's like Emilia Eberle levels of terrible. I didn't care much for Zmeskal's 1991 routine, but it was at least fun and engaging.

 

[KristyJ]

I actually like the floor routine still, honestly. Yeah, it's a little bit disjointed in that one dance bit doesn't necessarily flow into the next, but the moments are moving as opposed to just the static poses we get so often now, it's fun and playful, and we get a ring jump and well done attitude spin.