For All the Gymnasts (and Gymnasts-at-Heart)

[kittybean]

What did you think of this evening''s competition?! I was absolutely amazed. (I don''t want to give anything specific away in case someone hasn''t seen it yet.)

It made me miss gymnastics SO MUCH. I was a lifelong gymnast (competed in club and high school) and hoping for a chance to compete in college when I tore my ACL. Although I''m very happy with the course my life has taken since, I often wonder--especially when watching the Olympics--what it would have been like to keep competing. Any other gymnasts out there?

 

[diamondfan]

By no means a gymnast but thought tonight the Americans did so well.

the pressure is so intense and I used to see so many of these girls fall apart, and I cannot blame them, though at that level holding it together is important. I remember watching Nadia, and getting chills, and also seeing Mary Lou Retton who was awesome...it is such a tough skill set, really risky. the high bar for men and the rings and the vault...so dangerous, and the beam and the vault and the uneven bars for the women...wowza, I can barely watch some of this. Volley ball and tennis players and swimmers do not face some of this danger...just like skiiers and skaters face the danger in the winter time...I have so much respect for the athletes and know I could not ever do that stuff at all.

I wish Shawn stuck more of her landings but she was great and Nastia was elegance itself and they were both great to watch.

 

[kittybean]

Date: 8/15/2008 2:40:06 AM
Author: diamondfan
By no means a gymnast but thought tonight the Americans did so well.


the pressure is so intense and I used to see so many of these girls fall apart, and I cannot blame them, though at that level holding it together is important. I remember watching Nadia, and getting chills, and also seeing Mary Lou Retton who was awesome...it is such a tough skill set, really risky. the high bar for men and the rings and the vault...so dangerous, and the beam and the vault and the uneven bars for the women...wowza, I can barely watch some of this. Volley ball and tennis players and swimmers do not face some of this danger...just like skiiers and skaters face the danger in the winter time...I have so much respect for the athletes and know I could not ever do that stuff at all.


I wish Shawn stuck more of her landings but she was great and Nastia was elegance itself and they were both great to watch.

I am so happy the Americans held it together. My heart was pounding and I had butterflies through all of their routines--it felt like the nerves I would get before my meets, which often led to huge mistakes (lots of falls off the beam). I can''t even imagine the pressure they feel knowing the whole world is watching. I actually heard that Nastia''s mom can''t watch her compete because she''s so nervous for Nastia. It''s amazing that those ladies can keep their cool so well and look so beautiful and strong in the process.