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While we're at it, for anyone too young to remember, before Nadia in '76, there was Olga in '72. Olga Korbut almost single-handedly delivered gymnastics to the American public as an ultimate glamor sport, complete with unbelievable acrobatics, joy, crushing disappointment and irresistible melodrama, and eventual triumph.
Though it occurred over several days, if it could be boiled down to one single key moment, that moment would be when Olga first performed the Korbut Flip backwards off the high bar in the team final; from that moment, gymnastics was changed forever. This clip (though cheesy and clichéd at times) shows the highlights, and includes the original ABC commentary by Jim McKay and Gordon Maddux. Korbut was a last-minute replacement and was neither known nor expected to be a factor. But during podium training, when Maddux noticed Korbut's unorthodox bar moves, he got the ABC cameras to take notice of her performance in the team competition. During her bars routine, Maddux is clearly beside himself in amazement, by the end able to sputter no more than, "Oh my...wow!" (Korbut and Maddux became good friends and are close to this day).
Within 24 hours she was a household name in the US, UK and around the world, and her subsequent meltdown on bars in the all-around was heartbreaking. She rebounded in event finals and eventually won two individual golds and a silver, plus team gold. Gymnastics arrived on the map, on the sports page, on the TV there because of Olga in the '72 Olympics. We wouldn't have cared about what Nadia in '76 if there hadn't been Olga.
He's actually semi retired but coaching in California.That floor routine shows (even without the music) the crazy genius of Geza Pozsar (now choreographing for Japan, I believe).
That floor routine shows (even without the music) the crazy genius of Geza Pozsar (now choreographing for Japan, I believe).
The choreography was way ahead of its time.
The first ever? That's hard to believe.Wow, you are the first person I have ever seen with so much excitement and praise for Pozar choreography...
I cringe every time I watch that move, too. She just about tanked it, and was pretty lucky to walk away.Wow, I'm surprised and happy that Olga survived that floor routine. That second pass is not okay at all. So mind boggling in so many ways.
Without Pozsar this montage would probably not exist.
Yes the routines are high energy and the kids are performing them with lots of energy, but that does not always equal good choreography or something that is pleasing to watch. Olga's 72 routine played to the crowd before Pozsar came along.
Yes, Olga did, absolutely. And I wouldn't be one bit surprised if it was Olga's routine that gave Pozsar and the Karolyis the idea to play up the crowd-pandering performance over traditional dance with Nadia. I didn't say Nadia was the first to do so. Olga's '72 routine has a fraction of that compared to Nadia's, which is dominated by it.Yes the routines are high energy and the kids are performing them with lots of energy, but that does not always equal good choreography or something that is pleasing to watch. Olga's 72 routine played to the crowd before Pozsar came along.