Can Shawn...

DON'T LURK... Join The Discussion!

Members see FEWER ads

ChalkBucket may earn a commission through product links on the site.
Joined
Aug 12, 2008
Messages
20
Reaction score
0
get the gold in beam? I really want to see her walk away from Beijing with one gold in hand. She has done great and is just so adorable. Considering how normal her life is and what a good example she sets, I think it would be great for gymnastics if she could grab one.
 
No, not unless everyone else in contention falls really, and she hits. The judges just aren't going for that routine and that's pretty much understandable because if it comes down to several hit routines including hers, her leaps really just hurt her score, and that's not a matter of an uncharistic mistake, she just doesn't seem to have the hip flexors to really show that full split beyond a shadow of a doubt and I don't see that changing in the interim. I know what you mean though. I was trying to work it out too. ;) I knew the results before watching tonight but I was really disappointed. Had I not known ahead of time I would have assumed she won before the last score came up.
 
Oh, thats a bummer. She seems so good at beam too, I have been watching all the gymnastics events even the prelims, and she has only had like one balance check. That ridiculous, even if she can't do a full split. Personally I think they need to change something with judging, because one small mistake shouldn't decide gold, and just because one girl has the most amazing routine/night of her life, doesn't mean four years of hard work should be thrown out for other girls. You should have to do the same routine multiple times, other wise consitency isn't rewarded. Shawn has done absolutly amazing at these olympics throughout, and for her to not walk away with ONE gold metal just seems so unfair.
 
I see where you're coming from and I personally favor watching Shawn's routine because of her tumbling ability, but it's not so much as a mistake as an inherent flaw in the routine. Nastia also has been hitting routines pretty fantastically with great flexibility and also good acrobatic elements. So are other gymnastics. It's not really fair to overlook a pretty big weakness in one routine.

Shawn is pretty young yet, Nastia has three years on her. If Nastia was just a smidge older, she theoretically could have made the 2004 team at 16 I suppose (hard to really say but just go with me here), but it's pretty inconceivable she would have been the AA champion or even done as well as Shawn, which is exceptional as the silver medalist. It will be interesting to see where Shawn goes from here, but I wouldn't count her out of the hunt for future Olympic golds just yet.
 
No I understand that, I am more just upset that there is no gold in her future. She really just got unlucky with Nastia having the night of her life and the Romanian having an amazing routine. Personally I think she should have been a little closer in the score to Nastia in the AA but it doesn't really matter. She just setts such a great example for gymnasts all around the world the way she is able to maintain a normal life and be an olympic gymnasts. I think it would have been amazing had she won just one gold. I guess she could be in the 2012 olympics, but will she be past her peak by then? How worn down will she be? Maybe the fact that she trains half as much as everyone else will help her in those two departments.
 
I'm surprised that Shawn doesn't have 2 different vaults so that she could have done the vault finals. She is such a powerful vaulter...
 

DON'T LURK... Join The Discussion!

Members see FEWER ads

College Gym News

The Hardest Skills: McKayla Maroney

3 Skills that FIG Would Ban at First Sight

Back