Olga or Nadia?

Who gives a fuck?

Olga was joy. Nadia was perfect but if anyone does something a million times they'll perfect it.

Nellie Kim was better than both of them and so was poor Elena Mukhina. Comaneci was overrated and did not deserve her scores. She was the Rumanian Mary Lou Rotten, basically.

R3 = Nelli Kim

They both revolutionized the sport. Gymnastics, pre-Olga, was a complete bore -- which is why you saw a big 'ol heiffer like Ludmilla Tourischeva being gifted title after title with very minimal difficulty (see below). Olga added the flare of true acrobatics and stunts, such as a back saltos on beam. Nadia pushed the sport even further -- she was an impeccable technician.

*Heifer.

My gods, "Olga" is such a horribly unattractive name.

R3 I'd never heard of Nellie Kim, but I just looked her up and she is unbelievable. She's the most graceful gymnast I've ever witnessed. But disagree about Comaneci; she had a lot more going for her than the insipid Retton. Comaneci had her own magic, especially on the floor.

its OK by me if its Oksana Baiul

R8, Nelli Kim was the other gymnast to score a Perfect 10 at the Montreal Games. Few people rememer her like Nadia though. One of her 10s is below.

....

I still think few have matched Nadia for perfection in that it doesn't look forced. Even someone who knows nothing about gymnastics can tell. It looks like she's doing a magic trick. Certain divers and great tennis players have a similar way of seeming inevitable. Their body is a split second ahead of you. It's harder to spot in teams.

SVETLANA greatest!

R12, Nadia moved seamlessly, never a moment of hesitation or doubt. Perfect execution. She was a once-in-a-lifetime talent.

Nadia's husband was the cutest little thing

I mean. Do either even matter these days?

Shut up, Simone. You wish you had a tenth of their artistry.

I remember watching Nadia at Montreal (on TV of course) and thought she was quite amazing. Looking at the same routine, it seems kind of great, but not

She had litheness and a striking youthful face with dark features.

Plus she was Romanian, which was NOT Soviet, which mattered to American audiences quite a bit in those days.

Ummm . . . hello???

Olga performs two moves on uneven bars here which are now banned from the sport, and a couple of other moves which aren't even possible because the bars are so far apart now.

Simone at R16, we are talking about actually artistic gymnasts, not monster trucks that can tumble and do somersaults like you and the other Americans. Well, except Gabby Douglas, who was the only American who didn't look like a truck (or a truck driver) in a leotard. The rest of you, though....

Too many American gymnasts end up being right wing fuckwads.

R22, I know. It's very disappointing. I'm at the point where I think I'd rather [italic]not[/italic] know the political predilections of some of my past faves.

Olga truly is a terrible name. It sounds like a fat old woman.

They sure are some ugly beasts

Who is trashier? The shoplifter Olga who looks like a meth head or Nadia who dresses like a tranny hooker?

Nadia was the last gymnast to have both athleticism and beautiful long lines. Perhaps Nastia Liukin later. But now they are all stumpy and unaesthetic. It’s all about the power and less about the grace plus power.

R27, not even Daniela Silivas?

Olga was an ugly little thing but her smile was joyous and infectious.

[quote]Gymnastics, pre-Olga, was a complete bore -- which is why you saw a big 'ol heiffer like Ludmilla Tourischeva being gifted title after title with very minimal difficulty (see below).

Yes, it was once such an unathletic sport that you had women in the '60s competing while rocking teased and sprayed hair.

[quote] Nastia Liukin

I always tried to like her, and I enjoyed her on bars (minus her cowboyed dismount), but her gymnastics always had a spastic quality to it. Especially on beam.

Her dad was twinkalicious back in the day though!

Nastia Liukin is the only recent American gymnast at the Olympics level who didn’t look like stumpy acrobatic midget. Not only that but she pointed her toes unlike top level American gymnasts today who get rewarded for not even attempting to have good lines.

R32, I wasn't really a fan of her gym, but Kyla Ross wasn't stumpy and elfin-like.

AHEM!!! R32

R31 What's "cowboyed"?

R34 brought back nightmares of the awful Kerri Strug and the annoying as hell Shannon Miller. In fact I hated that entire team except perhaps Dominique Dawes, who seemed to be the only normal person in that group.

Olga K. Her routine on the unevens was ground-breaking. Whip fast. Thrilling. Nadia C was a letdown after that.

R35, it's when a gymnast performs a salto -- usually in the tucked position -- with their legs pulled really far apart, looking almost as if they were riding a horse like a cowboy. See example below featuring.. Nastia!

R36, Amy Chow is also shockingly normal and humble, considering her various sports and career achievements.

Dawes was possibly my favorite American gymnast ever.

R36 you forgot Amy Chow who was so low-key even in comparison to Dawes. She’s also the most accomplished post-gymnastics and outside of gymnastics. Chow went to graduate from both Stanford and its medical school, and is a pediatrician in California.

Clearly Dawes has found this thread. Hi Dominique!

Thanks R38

Oh, yes, Amy Chow too. Forgot about her. Chow and Dawes were the only ones I liked from that team. I loathe most American gymnasts, especially the ones who are hyped beyond belief by the media. MLR remains the one I loathe more than anyone else.

Nadia... I never quite got the Olga hype

R30, '60s women's gymnastics (and prior) looked like a series of yoga flexibility poses. The uneven bars was the only event of some interest back then.

Nastia has an insufferable YouTube channel now. With an insufferable neighbor friend. Ugh. But whoever above said her dad was a cutie back in the day is spot on.

R46, lmao. Aside from her gymnastics, Nastia is such a basic bitch!

R46, Valeri had a face and body meant for Bel Ami porn!

Didn't Olga become an alcoholic?

R49, yes. Olga has led a bit of a hard life, post-Olympic fame, with substance abuse and brush-ins with the law. She sold some of her Olympic medals for money some years back.

R49, yes. Olga has led a bit of a hard life, post-Olympic fame, with substance abuse and brush-ins with the law. She sold some of her Olympic medals for money some years back.

What is going on in this photo?

R52, I believe she is about to perform a hip circle there, which is to say that her whole body is going to rotate around the high bar.