Women's Artistic Gymnastics | Page 14 | Golden Skate

Women's Artistic Gymnastics

macy

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
obviously off topic and i'm going to try not to say much about it per the rules here, but omg they totally did...she even deleted every picture of him up until 2 years ago. scuse me while i go cry now
 

macy

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
i have also seen conflicting reports of whether or not Simone will continue on for another year. an interview with her on the Today Show sounded like she was going to keep training, but i saw a couple other posts on instagram from news outlets i haven't heard of before saying she wasn't committed.

in other news, Chellsie Memmel is also contemplating a comeback! she is always in the gym experimenting and playing around with skills, and she said the "seed had been planted" after doing a successful beam dismount she hadn't done in 8 years. she hasn't committed to anything, but is seriously considering it!
 

Edwin

СделаноВХрустальном!
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 5, 2019
Angelina Melnikova (RUS) did a live stream on IG today. She hasn't trained since IOC announced the 2020 Olympic Games will take place in 2021.

I suppose a lot of older, some tired and worn, gymnasts will evaluate for themselves wether they continue training for another year or not.
 

macy

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
Angelina Melnikova (RUS) did a live stream on IG today. She hasn't trained since IOC announced the 2020 Olympic Games will take place in 2021.

I suppose a lot of older, some tired and worn, gymnasts will evaluate for themselves wether they continue training for another year or not.

I'm afraid this will be the case. Has Melnikova announced she is not training for next year at all, or if it's just a break?

As much as i want to see Simone go for 2x Olympic Champ and medal in every event like she did in 2016, i can really understand if she is too tired. Another whole year is a very long time for an athlete of her caliber. No matter what happens she will always be the GOAT and a true pioneer for womens gymnastics. there will never be another like her probably in our lifetimes, and it's been a privilege to see all she's accomplished. i hope every athlete stays honest with themselves and makes the best and healthiest choices for their own bodies and mental health.
 

macy

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
" Micro steps " towards making gymnastics a Safe Sport: https://www.ocregister.com/2020/04/29/maggie-haney-suspended-8-years-by-usa-gymnastics ? Will these kind of suspensions change the attitude of ambitious trainers and parents?

USAG still keeps its Karoliy/Nassar/Geddert files closed, so there is more dirt and convictions on criminal charges coming.

wow...Laurie Hernandez spoke up today about her story. Nothing from Riley so far. Just horrible to imagine what these girls endured...

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_nMHwiFYwJ/

Haney sounds like the perfect case of a narcissist. the fact she threatened to kill herself if high profile students left (i would assume Laurie, Riley and Olivia) is...something. i can't imagine her reaction to Riley WD from nationals last year either...it must have been horrible. it also sounds like Tom Forster had the opportunity to bring what was going on to the attention of high ups at USAG and didn't.

the Nassar case is far from over, and USAG actually doing something about the Maggie Haney situation is only an attempt to brush how they've handled previous situations under the carpet and to make themselves look better. Simone and Aly have constantly spoken up to USAG over the last 4 years on top of the hundreds who came forward about Nassar and what have they done? Nothing.
 

Edwin

СделаноВХрустальном!
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 5, 2019
wow...Laurie Hernandez spoke up today about her story. Nothing from Riley so far. Just horrible to imagine what these girls endured...

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_nMHwiFYwJ/

Haney sounds like the perfect case of a narcissist. the fact she threatened to kill herself if high profile students left (i would assume Laurie, Riley and Olivia) is...something. i can't imagine her reaction to Riley WD from nationals last year either...it must have been horrible. it also sounds like Tom Forster had the opportunity to bring what was going on to the attention of high ups at USAG and didn't.

the Nassar case is far from over, and USAG actually doing something about the Maggie Haney situation is only an attempt to brush how they've handled previous situations under the carpet and to make themselves look better. Simone and Aly have constantly spoken up to USAG over the last 4 years on top of the hundreds who came forward about Nassar and what have they done? Nothing.

The Karoliy's have fled to Romania and are out of reach for US justice, AFAIK Bela has turned senile (dementia) and the evil b Marta will fake memory loss no doubt. So i don't think anything will be done about them, nor will they provide any evidence. USOC is still proud over the Gold Medals they provided.

The very serious accusations against Geddert (also a narcissistic sociopath) still need to be criminally investigated, but when USAG is finally liquidated, what will become of their archives, provided these even exist and haven't been purged by now of any incriminating evidence?

Will the women's gymnastics culture in the USA really have changed? Safe Sport initiatives and measures wholly supported and fully implemented? I doubt it ....

Abused athletes more often than not make abusive coaches, and this chain needs to be broken for the sport to really improve.
 

macy

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
The Karoliy's have fled to Romania and are out of reach for US justice, AFAIK Bela has turned senile (dementia) and the evil b Marta will fake memory loss no doubt. So i don't think anything will be done about them, nor will they provide any evidence. USOC is still proud over the Gold Medals they provided.

The very serious accusations against Geddert (also a narcissistic sociopath) still need to be criminally investigated, but when USAG is finally liquidated, what will become of their archives, provided these even exist and haven't been purged by now of any incriminating evidence?

Will the women's gymnastics culture in the USA really have changed? Safe Sport initiatives and measures wholly supported and fully implemented? I doubt it ....

Abused athletes more often than not make abusive coaches, and this chain needs to be broken for the sport to really improve.

i wondered where the Karolyis went...where did you hear about Bela? unfortunately nothing will come of it for either of them...

i don't think the culture will truly change because no matter who is CEO, in the end its athlete safety vs medals, and guess which one the fed cares about? which one brings in money? which one benefits the fed?
 

skatingfan4ever

"Our blade takes us in the most amazing places."
Medalist
Joined
Nov 3, 2012
Country
United-States
I want to bring some joy to this thread by sharing TSL's interview (just Dave) with Kathy Johnson Clarke! The interview was put up on March 29, 2020. I am not a fan of TSL, except for their interviews, and this one is probably my favorite they've EVER done. It's 2.5 hours long and it's all FABULOUS!!!!! :love::love::love: Of course, it's Kathy Johnson Clarke, so would you expect anything less? This is a joy-filled interview, but serious topics are covered, such as her injuries, her eating disorder, mental and emotional struggles, why abuse is so damaging to both those harmed and everyone else, and a trip to South Africa during apartheid where the gymnasts were paraded around and treated like royalty, used to show support for the government. Kathy was 16 and just happy to have made the national team, but looking back, she would not have gone had she known in 1976 what she knows now. There was a moment where she saw how poor some of the living conditions were, but they tried to get them to look away. She also speaks about the boycott in 1980. She talks through her whole career, pretty much.

The interview has something for everyone and I think it should be required viewing for all gymnasts, coaches, parents, and fans. Frankly, it inspires me to be a better person in my everyday life. Kathy is so eloquent and real at the same time. She shares so many good stories, and what a storyteller she is.

Tai Babilonia tweeted about the interview and said to get tissues for the last 10 minutes, but I was crying way before that! Watch this amazing interview!

Emotional highlights include:

  • ’83 Worlds EF drama (with a heart to heart in the middle)
  • '83 Worlds Aftermath (heartbreaking and yet extremely relatable to me)
  • How she explained leaving for SCATS to her Atlanta team (the final push to '84)
  • Shaposhnikova’s compliment of her gymnastics, years later
  • How she recovered from Compulsory Bars at ‘84 Olympic Trials, where she scored a 7.9
  • She chalked someone’s bars at ’80 Olympic Trials and got the sweetest thank-you note afterward
  • Her whole experience in the ’84 Olympics AA (where she fell on beam and floor), going to beam finals, flashing back in her mind to age 12. She stuck her dismount and said, “That’s the feeling I wanted.”
  • How she viewed and took on her role as team captain

Educational highlights include:

  • How the equipment changed over the years, especially bars and floor
  • Proper roundoff back handspring technique (a la Simone) and why it is important
  • Why we see so many injuries in college
  • Cast handstand issues; grips and stuff
  • Gymnasts used to make ZERO money, but they could receive cars from sponsors
  • When she did college gymnastics for 2 years, there were 4 gymnasts on the team and they always competed 4-up, 4-count.
 

Ziotic

Medalist
Joined
Dec 23, 2016
It’s honestly depressing that only Nassar took a fall for this. Others should have charges against them as well. And Penney is getting off so easily it’s disgusting.
 

macy

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
It’s honestly depressing that only Nassar took a fall for this. Others should have charges against them as well. And Penney is getting off so easily it’s disgusting.

i believe so far, only Kathy Klages (former head coach of MSU gymnastics) has been charged with lying to police.

https://www.espn.com/college-sports...coach-kathie-klages-found-guilty-lying-police

Here is what's happened so far with Steve Penny. He did get off easily-

In October 2018, Penny was apprehended by US Marshals at a cabin in Gatlinburg, TN, and escorted back to Texas on felony charges of tampering with evidence related to the Nassar case. The indictment alleges that Penny had several key documents removed from the Karolyi ranch — the former US team training site in Texas, where Nassar regularly preyed on athletes — and ordered them to be delivered to him at the organization's headquarters in Indianapolis. Penny pleaded not guilty and was released after posting bond. from PopSugar

In Athlete A, the Karolyis blatantly deny they had any knowledge of what was going on with Nassar, even at their own ranch.

Unlike former USAG president Steve Penny — who faces charges for tampering with evidence related to the Nassar case — the Karolyis are not on USAG's permanently ineligible list, but given that the organization has moved its training camps away from the Karolyi ranch, it seems unlikely that they'll ever be involved with the program again. Whether they'll be freed from civil lawsuits alleging they played a role in Nassar's crimes remains to be seen from PopSugar

There hasn't been any news on John Geddert since they searched his house and Twistars in January. This article provides some context of his relationship with Nassar and what kind of person he is.

https://www.lansingstatejournal.com...on-usa-olympics-womens-gymnastics/4528869002/

Lou Anna Simon, former president of MSU, got off scot free. she faced 4 charges of lying to police but determined there was not "sufficient evidence"

https://www.lansingstatejournal.com...on-charges-dismissed-larry-nassar/5183378002/
 

macy

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
Chellsie Memmel has been doing a weekly series on her youtube channel on her "adult gymnastics journey" (aka comeback ;)) and the progress she has made is really remarkable. she recently swung bars and did vault for the first time in 8 years. her muscle memory is really something.

i think she could make a competitive comeback as a specialist, she has been doing quite a bit on beam and drilling arabians along with some tumbling, so maybe floor as well. she was great on bars back in the day, so bars would be cool too. she was such a well rounded gymnast.

here is the link to her channel if anyone is interested

https://www.youtube.com/c/ChellsieMemmel23
 
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