Simona Amanar - 1996 Olympics EF - Floor Exercise

[LuisCP03]

Team Final?

[sterfonstuff]

I know people have said that Romanians aren't as artistic as the rest of the gymnasts since the 1992 Olympics, but I LOVE this routine and her interpretation of the music. She's one of my favorite gymnasts ever.

[raducan1always]

That routine could still be competitive today and the height on that triple was amazing! Amanar was one of the greats

[zeldafreak701]

The problem with how 'artistic' a routine is, is that it's subjective. I think Lilia's routine was much more fantastic, but how exactly do they score on artisticness?

[LCAmarkymark]

@zeldafreak701 I wouldn't say that Amanar wasn't artistic and everything in gymnast is subjective...sadly there really isn't a way but maybe judge on dance techniques instead...some people forget that dance can be very difficult if done correctly...more for the gymnast of today need that score.

[simpsonsfan2007]

This is one of my favorite floor routines ever at the Olympics.

[DC205504]

Wow...did you see how she rose into the air on her first double layout?? Incredible!!

9.85 - 2nd place.

[96horseluvr]

she was 2nd right?

[zhangshinyi]

wow i only just realized how difficult her tumbling was in this.... 15 years after first watching this... lol

[heartsounds36]

I remember during these games everyone was saying how unartistic she was, but compared to a lot of gymnasts today, she's much more artistic than they are! I blame the COP...

[kurojin97]

skillz!! that was freakin' amazing!

[TikiBoy382]

Anyone know the name of her Floor Music?

[garyj79]

@TikiBoy382 - the nutrocker I think...have a look at the comments on here....sure its there!

[garyj79]

Why did I think it was compulsory in 1996 to have some forward tumbling included in the routines? im obviously wrong BUT where is her forward tumbling elements here?

[kras118]

@garyj79 It wasn't required in the Code, but front tumbling got a boost in points, so many gymnasts started using more front passes. Super powerful back tumblers like Amanar [and people like Dawes] didn't go for front tumbling

[garyj79]

@kras118 - agh I was wrong then because I thought the gymnasts HAD to include some front tumbling......I often wonder if some just werent that good or comfortable with front tumbling thus opted not to include it.....Lilia Podkopaeva was prob the best front tumbler ever IMO !

[kras118]

@garyj79 totally agree about Liliya! She def used front tumbling to her advantage. I think for people like Amanar, Piskoun, Dawes, etc., front tumbling wasn't as comfortable- and, after all, they were such good back tumblers with great variety! I wonder how many gymnasts developed into good front tumblers simply because it was easier on their calves|ankles and took some stress off their bodies....

[garyj79]

@kras118 - good question....front tumbling (as you may well know) is actually HARDER than backwards tumbling technically, im not a sport physio or anything so im not saying its harder on the joints but in terms of control it is, backwards tumbling is an easier way to power into somersaults for example.......Lilia had no problem doing both unlike say Produnova who openly admitted she hated backwards tumbling, which is strange as she was prob one of the most 'powerful' female gymnasts ever!

[JTGPCFL]

Incredible full-in!

[CHOWCWT]

Superb tumbling, and interestingly Simona's "robotic" dance matches the music and overall choreography quite well.

[DanoisBleu]

Extremely good gymnast. But no elegancy! A talented robot.

[whitemagicgirl1]

That was your gold medal right there. Lilia got an early Christmas gift.  And Romania got screwed as usual.

[MistRDonuT94]

i love the way the floor sounds wen she sticks her full-in! haha

[andro669]

Simona and Nadia are the two best Romanian gymnast of all time... I think Daniela Silivas is up there too

[ApolloJordan]

You know you're a legend when some one says... you ONLY have one gold medal in the event finals!

[markedexclusive]

I just realized Gabriela Dragoi used a variation of the same music for her routine in Beijing lol

[luv4cookie1]

i think she had MUCH better tumbling then lilia, i think she should of won gold lilia silver and domi bronze

[NoSuchThing2009]

@luv4cookie1 I think its a cross between lilias opening tumble and her unique dance skills that got her the gold, but I agree, Amanar's tumbling was exquisite here

[buttleelegant]

There is more to floor than tumbling. Lillia also had incredible tumbling and WAY better dance and presentation than Amanar. Then again you are the same fool who actually thinks Miller deserved silver on floor in 92, HAHAHA!

[luv4cookie1]

um i never said that shannon deserved silver on floor in 92, I meant in "dance" she deserved at least silver, her dance was acually superior to ondi, but her tumbling was off. Bronze was just right for her. So no offense, but you don't have to get all snobby no me. I didn't say anything wrong.

[buttleelegant]

Miller's dance and presentation in 92 were a total bore and her tumbling was the most mediocre of all the finalists.  Her tieing for bronze as it was, was a huge gift. Bontas and Zmeskal especialy had much better routines.

[luv4cookie1]

you think miller's dance was a bore? no no no. Her dance was better then Hinretta onodi. She had so much grace and the dance MATCHED the music. Bontas took a two tenths step foward on a simple double back. And Zemeskal almost went out of bounds 2 times. So that day they did not have better routines. And i am not sure about Milo's ten btw. She deffenitly deserved gold but i am just no so sure about a ten. I mean if that floor is a ten then shannon millers vault deff. should of been a ten

[buttleelegant]

Yes I think Miller's 92 dance was a bore, in fact her dance on floor always was. Weepy violin music for every routine, pained forced facial expressions, elegant and graceful movements but one dimensional and flat. Yes her dance did match the music, boring dance for her typical boring floor music. Bontas and Miller both had some landing mistakes and Bontas's tumbling was much more difficult with much better form. Zmeskal had much more explosive hard tumbling and actually presented.

[luv4cookie1]

if you hadn't noticed shannon miller was recovering from a elbow injury and during the compeition she acually had a broken ankle, i read it in shannon miller's book ( written by her mother). And her dancing was not bore and her music was exciting and her dance was exquisite and graceful. Shannon miller stuck all her tumbling passes, and bontas did not. Zemeskal took 2 giantic steps back on her full ins, which miller did not. And miller prestended as well.

[hjaidar]

@luv4cookie 1. Zmeskal only did a big step back in her first tumbling pass, just like Miller did, but Zmeskal mistake was worst than Miller, Miller's was little low on her second tumbling pass too, only her last tumbling pass landing was good

[gymnasticsloverxoxo]

@luv4cookie1 She could not have competed at the olympics with a broken ankle....... its simply not possible.

[hjaidar]

@luv4cookie1 Onodi's dance it was much better not just than Miller but all of the other gymnasts at 1992 Olympics EF. maybe Onodi and Mitova were the best dancers of all of them

LOL, LOL,LOL you saying that Miller is better dancing than Onodi

[macassar88]

Amanar's tumbling was much better than Lilia's. Amanar had four very difficult passes. Lilia had two. Also, Lilia had big steps out of her passes while Amanar's were either controlled or almost non-existent.

[QueenieQue]

@macassar88 Lilia's steps were much more controlled than Amanar's, except for her third pass, and Amanar's steps were much bigger (except for the famous stuck full-in). Also, this is ARTISTIC gymnastics, and there should be some reward given for superior artistry and form, which clearly fell with Lilia.

[cherylannemason]

I rather enjoyed this event final just for the fact that it proves you don't have to be all clones or one style to have a place in the sport--Lilia the dancer, Simona the powerhouse, and Dominique who struck a good balance of both.

[JaviSkate86]

Simona champion with this exercise! 2 Dawes y 3 Lilia!

[auswriteratheart]

I know her dance wasn't spectacular, but aside from Marinescu, Amanar is the only Romanian I can stand to watch at the '96 Games. Her form in these early years was truly immaculate, and her tumbling is the highest I have ever seen--and I've watched A LOT of youtube gymnastics.

[vesperholly]

Agreed completely. I don't like 2000 Amanar as much, but 1996 Amanar was one of my favorites from 1996.

[annietart]

ITA. They were different from from the others. Probably because of coaching. Marinescu didn't start training at Deva until shortly before the games. Amanar was at Deva, but she was personally coached by Forminte, not Belu. I would have been so happy if both of them got to compete in the AA.

[TheSienna29]

Dawes should have won the silver

[krell88]

agreed

[aleksdeabreu]

Crazy how back then a lot of gymnasts dismounted with full-ins when today the most a lot seem to be able to muster are double pikes or 2 1/2s(though I can do any so Im still impressed lol)

[speedofpee]

however, many gymnasts in 2008 had 5 tumbling passes

[aleksdeabreu]

a couple of those passes being double twists, 2 1/2 twists, double pikes, etc. I'm not saying the level of difficulty decreased-just the excitement factor

[hitsugaya1001]

i love ksenia semenova's floor, even if it lacks the more difficult tumbling! bridgett sloan and rebecca bross's tumbling is great though!!

[gymnasticsloverxoxo]

Really? All I ever see is 4 tumbling passes, could you name one please?

[speedofpee]

Most women 2008 had 5 tumbling passes. Cheng fei, sandra izbasa, shawn johnson, sam peszek, jiang yuyuan, yangyilin, alicia sacromone. But some of these people complete 5 with 1 side pass, like a round-off double full, or a front handspring full. but i know Cheng Fei, Jiang Yuyuan and Sandra Izbasa do 5 corner-to-corner passes.

[vincie94]

what's the name of this song, please mail me.

[redecko2438]

It's "Nutrocker," originally done by Bumble B. Bumble & The Stingers back in 1962.

[ispaht]

Nutrocker

[GosfordAbercrombie]

all of her landings except the last one were terrible!!!! still a tremendous athlete! too bad the golden age of romania is over!!!!

[ispaht]

This routine wasn't as artistic as Lilia's, but it was definitely one of the most difficult of the '96 quad.

Would you believe that this routine has a 5.7 A-Score under the 2008 code of points? And that's counting three A skills!

[gymnasticsloverxoxo]

Thats crazy difficulty, do you know what Lilia's would have been?

[LCAmarkymark]

@ispaht That is amazing..according to A scores she would be fine for today's events a 5.7 is pretty good on floor most cannot get past it..plus I believe the double layout is now F as of the new code.

[jukodebu]

@ispaht this is 15 fuking years ago........ who cares

[LCAmarkymark]

@jukodebu wow okay lol

[TwisterFlipp95]

judging was actually very unstrict backk then. like, in todays scoring system, she wouldve gotten a lot mroe then 1 and 1/2 tenths, like beding her legs before she lands her 2.5, and easily seen over rotation on triple twist.

not to be mean or anything, still a great routine.

[msalasan]

yep, but in today's scoring system, she would have probably won this, because that was the most difficult routine in 96. so........

[gymnasticsloverxoxo]

That double layout, just wow I have never seen anybody do it that way. "She only has one individual gold medal in these event finals" one individual gold medal is awesome what are they taking about?

[barisax25]

Her DL is awesome! But I think the announcer said "Amanar already has one gold medal here in the event finals."

[cherylannemason]

She won for vault.

[okhan001]

I admire Simona b/c she was so rock-steady! Nothing could faze her

[romaniangymnast]

best dancer ever. deserved a 10 and agold medal/

[romaniangymnast]

Duh...

[gymnasticsloverxoxo]

what is duh for?

[romaniangymnast]

as in being sarcastic :)

but simona deserved to win imo.

[romaniangymnast]

I think she did, better tumbling :)

Lilia was good.

[mka800]

I'd rather watch Simona go out there and play "Jumping Jack Flash" on the flute than watch today's gymnasts on floor. Simona blended power and enough grace to make her one of the best. (Nobody touched Lilia's grace, though.)

[arielnina]

amazing SIMONA.... gorgeous and strong... amazing gymnastic...

[caramelcreamsauce]

If she spiffed up her dancing and choreography, I would give her gold over Podkopayeva, whose artistry and presentation were amazing, but she only had one super tumbling run, and that is the Double Front 1/2, the rest was nothing special.

Amanar had a double layout and a stuck full twisting double back. But never mind. I can't quite picture Simona as Olympic FX Champion.

[maxy7792]

gorgeous

[geishasecrets]

That routine was packed with power tumbling.

Very exciting to watch. But not as elegantly done as Lilia Podkopayeva's routine.

I love Lilia can you tell. I am biased.

[ryzardini]

She is very strong!

Very beautiful!

[shelinda]

whhat´s the name of the music? i think it´s from a ballet

[LBoogie101984]

It's called "Nutrocker," by the English Group, B. Bumble & the Stingers back in 1962.

[brookenicole222]

Compare this routine to Carly Patterson's floor routines and you'll see that it's actually decent. LOL Okay...that was mean...I'll admit. :)

[EnemysGateIsDown]

does anyone know the name of the music?

thank you!

[ShaefDawg]

Nutrocker

[EnemysGateIsDown]

thank you!

[audie83]

I can count on one hand (well maybe two) the number of gymnasts that I liked in the 1990's-such as Lilia Podpokayeva. The only American I really liked was Dominique Moceanu, the only Romanian I liked was Alexandra Marinescu, and so on. I could probably pick just one or two out of the top teams. Few caught my interest and to me the level of gymnastics wasn't great when gymnasts with no grace, or artistry like Simona Amanar, and Gina Gogean could medal.

[ipete05]

How can you put Dominique Moceanu on that list and not other Americans like Shannon Miller? Her AA Vault in 1992 is one of the most Artistically beautiful pieces of gymnastics I've ever witnessed. Dominique was cute, but she was definitely the kind of gymnast you're speaking out again. She didn't have artistry, she had pixie choreography.

[audie83]

I disagree. Dom was a pixie who tried to keep good form. Imo Dom most certainly was artistic-and she got even better as she got older. She could dance. I loved her 1998 routines especially at the Goodwill Games. Shannon was not a favorite gymnast of mine-so she's not on my list.

[audie83]

I preferred Gutsu on the other events-to me she was just more interesting to watch-but Shannon's vault in 1992 WAS great-however imo Laschenova's vault in 1989 was superior to Shannons. As someone else here wrote on youtube-Shannon looked like she was trying be Russian but not quite succeeding. I'm not sure about that-but she just was mostly boring to me. Apples and Oranges.

[can1052]

AHHHHHH it drives me crazy that this routine won a medal! Yeah the girl can tumble, but the rest of the routine is painful

[audie83]

Same here. Imo only those that best combined tumbling with TRUE artistry, dance, and great choreo should have medalled. Simona was a great power tumbler-she'd fit right in in today's code with the emphasis on tumbling and hardly and choreo.

[heathercf47]

Isn't that a Christmas song?

[LBoogie101984]

Yep. It is, "Nutrocker," which had came out in 1962, is the name of the song. It's by B. Bumble & the Stingers who were from the UK.

[caroly1928]

ahh thank you! I didn't know, thank uuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!

[LBoogie101984]

You are very welcome!!

[LBoogie101984]

Yes, it is!!

[LaGinnasta]

I LOVE YOU SIMONAAAAAAA

[gymnasticsforever95]

i have a question...how come on this floor exercise...there is no line??? there was at the 1992 and 2000 games.....but not here...so does that man that if your foot touches the white...your out of bounds?

[LBoogie101984]

Yes, this particular Olympics or event so to speak, the white part of the floor indicates the out of bounds area. Once your foot hits that white part, that's when you are out of bounds and you'll receive one tenth of a deduction (.1).

[eMthegymnast]

yah but but but... i dont know what Lboogie was saying but if have your foot out of bounds it counts as a "fall" because your "off" the aparatus.

[gymnasticsforever95]

nope..when your out of bounds on floor its a 1 tenth deduction...if it was a fall it would be a 5 tenth deduction

[LBoogie101984]

Yeah, what I was meaning should a gymnast falls on any apparatus, that's a .5 deduction. But if you was to go out of bounds like Gina Gogean did in the floor exercise finals on her last pass, that a .1 that the judges will take off.

[mistybabe5489]

now a fall is 0.8 off, and on floor if your foot is still on the line its doesnt count as oob. step out with 1 foot is 0.8 off, step out with 2 feet is 0.3 off, land out of bounds with both feet is 0.5 off.

[gymweb]

The 1 foot step out of bounds rule says its only -.1 off.

This routine in the new code would have an a panel of 5.9

Which is just crazy because no other ffx at the time could compete like this one could.

What elfie said at the beggining is true.

Also if she up grades her dance elements

[which she would in the new code she would have a A panel of 6.3 which is just as much as the current world champ :]

[mistybabe5489]

opps yep i made a mistake on the first part. but yea its true, simona was one of those gymnasts that was before her time in vaulting and floor.

[Timtation69]

Should've had the gold here!

[Athlete065]

MY GOD SHES GOOD!!!

[gymnasticsforever17]

she does the highest tripel twist ever...you can clearly see she struggles to go up as high as she does

[tightlygagged]

The dance looks horrible because the choreography is dreck. Anyone as physically talented as Amanar could have looked way better in decent choreo.

[ispaht]

I agree. The Romanian team should hire a great choreographer--they already have the acrobatics.

[sinjinthule]

Great tumbler. But what I like most about Amanar and Olaru is the way they protested the moronic disqualification of Raduucan's AA title. At first they were planning to refuse the medals. Amanar said that Raduucan won the gold and that she was going to take it & give it back to Andrea. And she did. That's class.

[russianskatingfan]

For sure.

[ispaht]

The last tumbling pass was awesome. If only Simona had good dancing skills, I think she would have won this over Lilia Podkopayeva.

[russianskatingfan]

Sure, but that is like saying if only she had something she never had. Lilia had amazing tumbling and dance, and was a worthy winner. Simona had unbelievable tumbling and was a worthy silver even with her crummy dance.

[gymgirl61]

I'm not exactly sure what you all are talking about... the dance may not have been the most entertaining, but it was neat and clean, and most importantly, easy to look at. I don't see where you are coming up with "crummy dance".

[ispaht]

Well, Simona was always a power gymnast.

[audie83]

Yes Simona was a power gymnast. But the sport is called Artistic Gymnastics not Power Gymnastics (that may change the way Grandi is going with this sport) and there was little that could be called 'Artistic' in Simona's gymnastics. Or Gina's, or Lavinia's either for that matter.

[tomsk14]

Well Audie, I am in total support of your statement, I absolutely hate what gymnastics is becoming, and strongly believe MUCH more emphasis should be put on execution and artistry. However, Simona is not particular artful nor graceful, but she has far better extension, poise, clean lines and tidy limbs then the girls today...she deserved this medal without doubt.

[audie83]

I agree that what Simona could do-her own coach Belu said she 'was not talented' according to the commentators anyway but what did was work hard to get her gymnastics-all the way to the world stage. I give her tons of credit for that. Her gym to me was not pleasing to the eye but I keep making the mistake of comparing post 1980's gymnasts with the greats of the 1980's-I need to stop doing that. She did deserve a medal for her tumbling.

[ferency98]

I admire Simona's work ethic. I remember a commentator stating that Simona's family used to be one of the poorest in town, but now they have houses and cars. That's why the Romanians work so hard- they can find success that they might not have found elsewhere. Simona always seemed like such a classy young lady- especially when she gave Raducan her gold medal saying it belonged to Andreea Raducan, not her.

[ferency98]

Though I've heard complaints on Simona's lack of artistry, she is my favorite Romanian gymnast- just something about her and the heart she puts into it.

[audie83]

Simona had a lot of heart. But her lack of artistic expression after I had seen the great Romanians Daniela Silivas and Aurelia Dobre-well her gymnastics overall just did not compare. Cristina Bontas was also an awesome tumbler and a good vaulter-but I consider her to be the first of the Romanian power-tumblers-who-could-not-d­ance from 1989 through to the 1990's. In other words-Belu's bunch. jmo. I do like Simona though and I rather like this routine and her 2000 FX although she lacks elegance.

[ants2876]

Amanar atleast had much better form on vault and bars (well bars got worse as she got older but in mid 90s was pretty decent) then Bontas did.

[ants2876]

Dont forget Raducan was a very artistic gymnast who danced very well and took risks in her gymnastics too. She was alot like the Romanians of the 80s despite being a Belu pupil.

[brookenicole222]

Same reason Simona is one of my gymnastics heroes!  So much passion. She'll always remain on my top 10 list!

[czucksk84life]

hey domi was doing her beam routine while she did this in team finals

[LBoogie101984]

Yep, she sure did. Because you can hear the music playing while Dominique was performing. Although the cheers were pretty loud, Amanar kept going, scoring the highest score for anybody that night: 9.887. She rocked her routine, so way to go for both ladies!!

[LoreenaMcK]

She's truly awesome, one of my fav gymnasts.

[RosemaryWoodhouse]

Simona Amanar always looked way to frail to be so freakin powerful. She truly was gifted.

[gymnasticsforever17]

I dream about her 4 tumbling passes in her routine are 1.Full Twisting Double Layout 2.Double Layout 3.Double Twisting Double Back 4. 1 1/2 twists stepout to triple twist................that would have been awesome...even though I dont think someone will perform that in their routine

[gymnasticsforever17]

the music is sooooo peacful....I like the part right before the full in double (the music not the move)....and dismounting with a full in double is reallly hard...

[ShaefDawg]

um, WOW! I still get wide-eyed watching this exercise. Amanar was truly the most powerful in her era on the floor. That looked way too easy for her!

[Penguin888]

Thats how a Double Layout is supposed to be done!

[AshleyakaFlipper]

there's a skill named after her. what is it?? cause shawn johnson is supposedly doing it and i want to know what it is! thanks.

[stefunnyo]

I think it is the 2 1/2 twisting Yurchenko vault. I know it is named after her. If you are talking about a floor exercise move, then I am not sure.

[TuesdayPillow]

It's the 2 1/5 twisting Yurchenko. She did it in event finals at the 2000 Olympics. Look it up!

[Salpy17]

She does the same three passes as Dawes PLUS a triple full. Wow!

[kdan531]

i really like this!! her whip is quite high lol wud of put a lot of pressure on wrists but shes really really good!

[dbhmr]

She makes all that tumbling look way too easy.

[ultimategymnast]

She said her fav skill 2 do is full in!

[ultimategymnast]

That song always get stuck in my head. What is it called?

[mariec83]

The music is called 'Nutrocker' I like it!

[AntoineWalkerFan]

Me too.lol sometimes I find myself humming it at work

[audie83]

It was adapted from "The Nutcracker Suite". It's original composer was Piotr Ilich Tchaikovsky. :)