Olga Korbut

I remember her but not from watching her as my parents were still at school at time

I remember her! Mind you, I was only 3 during the '72 Olympics, but I do recall watching her on tv as a young girl, and Nadia Commenenci (sp!)

I don't as it was before my time. But at school near the gym there was a poster of her up.

Your PARENTS were still at school?

Christ on a bike .. I'll get my coat [:'(]

Funnily enough I only said to my H this morning that watching gymnastics is not the same without Olga Korbut and to be honest I can't imagine that ever changing - she was totally on another level.

Nadia Comeneci

She captivated the world - mesmerising. I've yet to see another gymnast rivel her

actually no scrap that I cant add up, that would have meant my dad was 20 and at school ??

Im feeling stoopid today

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOOmFgBAdIA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2gNQcbicsA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgzHBLhYWoI&feature=related

Right, I've just watched this and have come to the conclusion that although today's gymnasts are absolutely brilliant, their performances are far more complex compared to Olga's. But Olga's were flawless - perhaps because they weren't so complex?

I love love love watching the gymnasts, but very few pieces of aparatus is perfect.

I just watched those and she didn't seem to do any double, loop, twist, tumble, triple jumps! Well you know what I mean! Was it just not expected to do anything like that in those days?

Like every sport, gymnastics has progressed. We push ourselves harder and harder, to go faster, perform more complex moves, be stronger etc.

But I couldn't tell you one gymnasts name which is on the tip of the world's tongue like Olga was. She was a darling

I remember both of them, but then I was a gymnastics freak from the age of 3 (1977). Nadia was the one who I always wanted to be.

I watched a program about Olga several years ago and it was so interesting, whilst also very disturbing as to the way they were treated in the USSR. I remember something, but can't quite figure out the details in my head, about them being forced to have sex with the coach so that they would get pregnant and have an abortion because that did something beneficial. As I said I can't remember the details but it was all fairly horrific.

? I've just read that to Mr P and he remembers something about that too

I'm going to google. How horrific ☹️

I just watched the footage you posted and it made me realise what the difference is between what we've been seeing today and what I remembered. Now it is much more about the complexity of the moves and doing the most difficult thing, whereas then there seemed to be a higher degree of artistry and performance. Olga's bar routine was absolutely beautiful.

Shocking reading ☹️

https://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_20000507/ai_n14506563

https://www.theguardian.com/observer/osm/story/0,,678189,00.html

I was actually going to post earlier about OK.

I remember wishing I were her, she was bloody amazing!

I watched that documentary. she was made to do the smallest move over and over again, hundreds of times. they showed footage of her training - her eyes were completely dead.