The 1980 USSR OLympic Gymnastic Team

[Jay6459]

The last of great gymnastics when artistic gymnastics meant "ARTISTIC" ! It's all crap today and that's thanks to we Americans who have hijacked this beautiful sport for the sake of turning a profit, cranking out worthless artistic cookie cut routines that has no more artistic appeal than a cat's fart. Way to go USA!

[woofiegrrl]

LOL I already commented on this two years ago! I forgot!

[woofiegrrl]

Does that beam mount by Masha have a name? Or the crazy stand-on-bar thing by Nellie Kim?

[7beers]

Does anyone know if that is a Thomas Salto by Yelena Davydova at 0:35 to 0:40?

[Misha21]

@7beers No it is an arabian roll out. A Thomas Salto has a full twist in it.

[7beers]

@Misha21 Thanks. So this is not as difficult?

[Misha21]

@7beers No it is easier than the Thomas Salto and much less dangerous.

[kayper54]

I really did miss the Olympics that year. I so wanted to see what Nadia would pull out of her bag of amazing tricks. Of course, I learned later that she had a less than stellar performance, but I really did miss it that year.

[thomp365]

what's the name of this music?



[LupusRexRgis]

@thomp365 Ronan Hardiman & Michael Flately - Siamsa

[7beers]

Nice. It would have been appropriate to at least mention Elena Mukhina in this...

[Ruffian144]

Thanks Katrina & Gemma! I think the 1980 team was one of the best of all the Soviet olympic teams. Shaposhnikova's compulsory vault and floor were outstanding; Filatvoa, Davydova, Kim & Shaposhnikova were all exceptional on floor with strong dance and tumbling. I don't think anyone since has done Shaposhnikova's one-arm lever handstand. I wonder, is it named after her and what is it worth in the code of points? Anybody know?

[woofiegrrl]

Great video! Many people aren't even aware of what happened at the 1980 Olympics, because the US boycotted so it's like it didn't even happen in the minds of some Americans. But the grace of Nelli Kim, the power of Natalia Shaposhnikova, great performances by Naimushina, Davydova, Zakahrova...and I was saving Masha for last because I LOVE THAT BEAM MOUNT!

[SweetaRoxious]

Did Yelena Davydova do a thomas salto?? It's such a sin that Yelena Mukhina broke her C6 and C7 doing a Thomas salto. She was SO GOOD. Btw Yelena/Elena is a pretty common name in Russis heh?

[tomsk14]

along with Svetlana, Olga, Oksana, Natalia and Tamara to name but a few!!!

[SweetaRoxious]

Are you talking about gymnasts who did the thomas salto or common names??

[bugsy101073]

i love elena naimushina...i miss her...she's the most gaceful of all

[TuesdayPillow]

I always thought Filatova outclassed Davydova. Even Shaposh I thought was better than and Naimushina I liked more as well. It always appears to me that the Soviets that win the All-Around are the least "soviet" if that makes any sense (Shush, Gutsu).

[tomsk14]

Yeah I get that.... the most rogue-ish and rough around the edges but the biggest tricksters (not sure davydova is that though) rather than the grace and poise that was so soviet....

[gemarno]

Maria Filatova' problem was in her mind

I think she was really the best but unfortunatly she used to fall !!!

[melonaise]

Wow, that dismount from the bars at the end was amazing! It didn't look safe (though really, does any of what they do look "safe") but it was definitely pretty!

[jaspermatty]

I like the more graceful, fluid, dance style (less tumbling) in these older routines compared to the newer ones...

[Aracatamus]

Why are you people focusing on this girls age, surely it's her skill as an athlete that matters more and not how 'cute' she is

[audie83]

This is a wonderful tribute to the great 1980 Soviet team!! I've always believed that stars like Yelena Davidova, and Natalia Shaposhnikova would have been much better known by the general watching Olympic audience-had the 1980 Games been aired in full in parts of the west like the States-where they were not. I have been told that they only showed brief Nadia highlights (no full routines) and Shapo when they scored 10.00's in TC and Nadia's fall in TO and Nadia/Davidova in AA-that was it.

[DianaDeLuna]

Consecutive one-arm back handsprings on alternating arms at 3:24-3:26! I don't care how big the picture of history is-- Naimushina was, and is, seriously underrated!

[audie83]

I have the 1979 Champions All footage where Elena Naimushina came in second to Nadia-the commentator pointed out Elena's awesome switch-arms back handsprings on beam-really that should be named for her since she competed and performed that cool move at the 1980 Olympics

[shamrock7474]

Finally found the music from the video. It's called "Siamsa" and it's from the "Lord of the Dance" soundtrack. Our celtic band is playing this tune at our gigs now...love it!

[AcroLover92]

to: TheSassyQueen

I can't answer your comment to this video, and I just want to say how much I agree with you! I'm European, and I'm really small for my age (I'm 15, but everyone think I'm 12 because I'm really small...) and I have a low weight for my size too, but, some gymnasts from here are tall and heavy! And others are really musculed! Carly Patterson is a great gymnast, but she is really muscled ^^ (but she's preety).

kiss!

[onijebitnokosamja]

this is the real gymnastic i really apriciate them,they are great...

i just love them all:D

[basooome]

revive the socialist spirit!

[JLKA]

2:36 is so cool~ one hand to balance herself with split~ never seen in today's competition

[Gymnastics1921]

Back then bar routines were so fun to watch. They were so unique. Now they're OK and predictable.

[TheSassyQueen]

I just don't understand how gymnasts of the '80's were so small, slender and elegant compared to the muscular, heavy and ugly gymnasts of today! I mean those girls of the '80's seemed floating in the air (ok, maybe except for mary lou's big ass, and today you see carly patterson,shawn johnson,courtney kupets, heavy and difficult to stay on the beam/vault/bars...what happened? Seems like the russians and the europeans are the only ones keeping up with tradition.

[AcroLover92]

Because in the '80's the gymnasts were younger the now, Nadia Comaneci was 10 at hthe olympics, if you look now, they are all over than 10!! But there are some small and slender gymnasts! And...i bet that the '80's gymnasts didn't eat so much burgers, pizzas and sodas xD I believe that they now have some diets, but they eat it some times too!

Sorry for my english ^^

[iolebebe]

Nadia was not 10 years old, in Montreal she was 15, the olympics took place in 1976 and she was born in 1961. You do the math!! So you kinda have the same age but bigger gymnasts, because they have ugly bodies...especially the americans! Ha ha ha!!

[AcroLover92]

no, when nadia participated in the olympics she was 10...

[audie83]

You are very much mistaken. Nadia was 14 not 10 years old-you could see by her physical development-she had budding breasts and stood 4'11. Two years later she was physically a woman. Are you going to tell me that in 1978 the fully developed Nadia Comaneci was 12?? Please get your facts straight-or maybe you should read Nadia's book. Where do you get your information?? Nadia was 10 at Montreal *roll eyes*.

[AcroLover92]

I've corrected my mistake, I'm sorry!

[audie83]

No problem! I'm sorry for my tone-I've been up much too late these days! Cheers.

[AcroLover92]

Me too --' I need holldays!

Cheers ^^

[AcroLover92]

Just to everyone know, I was wrong, Nadia was 14. I'm sorry!

[AcroLover92]

sorry, yes, you are right...so tell me, in the history of gymnstics, who had the perfect 10 with only 10 years old?

[KarenLovesGymnastics]

Kim Gwang Suk, maybe?

[iolebebe]

AcroLover92, Nadia, according to her book, her website and the information available on the Gymnastics Federation's website and on wikipedia, was 15 at Montreal.Can't you calculate??She was born in 1961 in Romania (city of Onesti) and the Montreal Olympics were in 1976! Ok, since her birthday is in november and the Olympics were held between July-August, she was still 14. But NOT 10!!!

[audie83]

Nadia according to the television coverage of the day, AND according to her own book (I have it too) was born in November 12, 1961-that would make her 14 at the Montreal Olympics. She did not turn 15 until AFTER the Olympics which were held in AUGUST 1976. Nadia's 15th birthday was still over 3 months away.

[KarenLovesGymnastics]

She was 14! And all gymnasts today are quite muscly, except the Chines, Liukin, and Worley. I might have missed some but those are about the only not-as-muscly-looking ones.

[iolebebe]

Kim Gwang Suk was 7-9 yrs old according to the Federation in 1989...she showed up with missing front teeth and her coaches said she had fallen, but then her papers claimed that she was 15 and this happened for 3 yrs in a row, meaning 89,90 and 91.She was very little at the competition and that's why they banned the N Korean team...

[KarenLovesGymnastics]

Yeah, I know. Still, I CAN'T belive they didn't notice she was listed 15 for three years

[AcroLover92]

I can't believe it! I was reading in wikipedia, what you say is true, i believe it, but, how do they didn't noticed that a litlle girl like her hasn'tm 15 yrs old? Ok, gymnasts can be smal...but no so much! geez!

(sorry for my errors...)

[lugrace15]

the gymnast in 1:29 really rocks!

[gemarno]

You should send this video to the US team so that they could see what artistic gymn is

[lugrace15]

=) cool comment!

[KarenLovesGymnastics]

Also to the rest of the gymnasts today! Then maybe they could know that artistics gymnastics is called ARTISTIC for a reason, LOL

[vladimir2277]

those are some pretty perfect landings!!!

Soviet Union was awesome!!!

[elamantebilingue]

The resplendence and beauty of the Soviets was incomparable!

[shrbnjm]

hey wut song is this?

[isa1285]

It's absolutely awesome!! Nice job

[librarytastic]

could someone please tell me what song this is? its a gooder.

[audie83]

Wonderful tribute to a legendary team. I love the music! :)

[ilextree]

I loved every one of this Soviet team but Shaposh is a special favorite. Her Sabre Dance was wonderful and would like to see it from a different angle like the last few seconds of the Nadia, Davydova Shaposh 1980 montage but the whole fx from that different camera angle.

[audie83]

Shapo is by far my favorite on that team-but Filatova, and Davidova are up there too. :)

[tomsk14]

Yes where can we find it.....?

[DreamOfTurtles]

Wonderful team! And *good* edition job, too!

[clori46]

That's just great.

[lizzybeans11]

Yay for old school gymnastics! This is what made me want to be a gymnast in the first place! Thank you!

[KDJY4]

whats the music?

[xdamousex]

nice, too bad they had to live under a communist regime

ohhhh snap!

[Staatssicherheit]

Are u a total idiot? U think its better in Russia now? USSR was a heaven compaired to nowaday russia. Its sucks so hard in Russia now, that the population is sinking. People starving, many cant afford drugs, 15% Unemployment. Everyone ive spoken to say that USSR times were a lot better. Now old women have to go around looking for empty bottles to keep their apartments. The same that got the right of a big apartment in the center of the city.

[shamrock7474]

LOVELY!! As a long time fan of gymnastics (especially the Soviets) and Celtic music, this was pure heaven for me :)

Can you tell me what the name of this tune is and what group it is by? Thanks!

[Cybermiel2]

WTG USSR :)

[loaugust]

Davydova is stunning!

[missyc79]

This is amazing! Are you going to do one for any other Olympics/world championships/Europeans? I hope so because you did such an excellent job.

[Misha21]

I have already done one of the 2004 Athens Russian team which is posted up here, check my video list. I am also considering doing one for the 84 ROM olympic team.

[emma2710gymnastics]

very well done, great music choice!

[chitinaak]

I love it! They are some of the best gymnasts of all time.