OKSANA OMELIANCHIK-1985 EUROPEANS-FLOOR EVENT FINALS

[dalmationham]

@nicki446 thanks for the info. i just can't get over her dance sequence in the middle too. i've watched this so many times and it never ceases to amaze me. and some beam routines. like yang bo circa 1989 and olessia doudnik too

[amengxx]

best best ever!

[dalmationham]

@nicki446 then what move is that? a 3/4 full twist, maybe, instead of a 1 and 3/4? And if her move isn't illegal, do gymnasts nowadays not do it just cuz? ireally don't know anything about gymnastics

[dalmationham]

hey. at the end of that long acro pass, is that a thomas salto at the end? isn't that illegal in women's gymnastics now?

[nicki446]

@dalmationham that isn't a Thomas salto, no. And it is an illegal move now, but wasn't at this point (Elena Shushunova competed one around this time).

[AngelicPhantom]

That routine just makes me so happy to watch lol. She is so damn cute.

Bloody brilliant and the fact that this clip has no dislikes says it all.

[GymnasticsFan1144]

Absolutely gorgeous!!! Amazing, amazing, amazing performance! She is of my all time favorites! And the music is a delight! :)

[beautifulsarah100]

I have a small list of links to gym videos I save that are special to me - Shannon's first AA vault in Barcelona, Gina's beam crash in 94, short interviews with Zamo and Simona. This is on the list. This doesn't have words to describe it.

[beautifulsarah100]

I hope everybody enjoys this because we're never going to see anything like this again in our world of testosterone-fueled women's ACROBATIC gymnastics.

[Lariov]

Absolutely gorgeous!!! This floor has all the elements of artistic gymnastics! Even now this is a great floor routine with great skills !! (better than other gymnasts today) One of the best ever!! 

[gymnasticsloverxoxo]

Absolutely positively phenomenal! Could not have been better in anyway

[LMA629]

the bird chirping in the beginning is annoying but her movements are so quick and beautiful!! just fascinating to watch :)

[NYCBlonde]

@LMA629 I actually loved the birds because it's so...weird. Like, right from the start you knew this wasn't going to be your typical techno-pop or classical piece. A floor routine set to BIRDS! I love it, I love that they just said WYF, let's do it. And Oksana made it work!

[VOVASP0RT]

мастерская работа!

[Applepie4758]

What is floor music called?

[kiwigymnast16]

shes awesome! i wish floor was still like this. nowadays, the tumbling isn't much harder, and the gymnasts are totally robotic (except for ana porgras)

[MrMartinportnoy]

@kiwigymnast16 I don't think you could ever find a gymnast like Omelianchik, either now or even back in the 80s, or the 70s, she was one of those rare samples that appear from time to time. For all their technical greatness, neither Yurchenko or Shushunova, had the charisma and audience appeal Oksana had. It is true that gymnastics was different during the Soviet era and artistry was at the top of their list

[Be3tBe3t]

My favorite gymnast of all time.

[tunisiangymnast96]

note to shawn johnson- this is actual gymnastics!isn't it shocking theres actually dance?!?!

[WarrenBeattySplendor]

@tunisiangymnast96 I agree with you 100%. No disrespect to Shawn Johnson but she and the American team ushered in a brand of gymnastics that may be very technical and solid but, at the end of the day, it is not compelling, emotive or fascinating to watch. IT WAS REVOLTING WHEN JOHNSON AND LIUKIN WON MEDALS ON FX AT THE 2008 OLYMPICS. It was an exclamation point to the fact that the new code of points does not truly reward artistry and riveting gymnastics.

[touya647]

just look at how she does the thomas -- she gets up without bending her knees!

[DevineKnightMare]

Omg.. She is so sexy...

[KseniaSemenovaFan]

@DevineKnightMare sexy? She is like a child! She has a great performance and she was very cute, but sexy? XD

[NYCBlonde]

What a little darling! One of the most unusual and delightful FXs ever. God, the Soviets were amazing in the mid-late '80s!

[Mikizzle15]

I knew that Dominique Dawes got the back-to-back tumbling from her, but to actually see it, is amazing. This was an incredible routine. I've never seen any gymnast look so alive during a performance and make you enjoy it so much. Wonderful!!!

[valenzr08]

Beutifull...

[FLACSC74]

does anyone know name of this music ?

[javajunkie6]

some people have tumbling, some people have choreography, and some people have a great smile. Omelianchik has all of them! This is one of my favorite FX's ever.

[cheer4gym]

probably my favourite ever floor routine

[keli59]

best floor routine ever!!

it has difficulty, dance, elegance and she looks really happy!! PERFECT!

[BigA3372]

@keli59 Indeed one of te best floors ever. Dance, tumbling, originality, charisma... modern gymnasts can learn a thing or two

[billabongroxursox]

such an awesome happy routine

[Hasoginy]

So beautiful, both Omelianchik and her routine

[q1101]

after all these years still the best floor routine ever

[Paraiah]

Cutie! That was so sprightly, and put me in mind of Korbut's 1972 floor routine.

[francsuase]

Ever seen a smile so in any sporting that has won a competition!

To see this exercise of this gymnast transmits a great joy.

[vesperholly]

2:04 Onodi!

[Sallyhmag]

One of the great legends in gymnastics.

[kras118]

a true legend !!

[sus611611]

her last layout step out its so alike than shawn johnson's layout step out on beam

great routine!!!

[hungrydog17]

my favourite routine of all time

[ZwolseMascha]

My coach introduced me to her in 2000, at training in Kiev, where she took a look at the gym. Not untill I saw this video today I realised how special this gymnast was in competition. Thanks for uploadng!!!

[ayrescaxias]

Uma princesa! Fantástica. Coreografia perfeita. Porque os técnicos nao dao uma olhadinha por aquí? Pois eles iriam descobrir muita coisa nova.

[irafa2]

This is how a Fx routine must be. It have the difficulty and have the elegance of gymnastics.

[thailily]

1.35 secs that had me hooked on Gymnastics for life! Without a doubt the best fx ever. Oksana the legend ;)

[todosobretodo]

Such a classic routine, and what an outstanding tape quality, Gymangels! Oksana really was one of a kind!!

[juliccn]

She was my favorite performer in the 1980's. What an incredible routine. Love her smiles and incredible tumbling passes.

[sochisochi]

back when floor routines weren't just booring tumbling .

[ayrescaxias]

Today we can forget all of them. They are extremely boring. Oksana was marvelos!

[nicksline]

My favourite ever floor exercise. She had such personality, brilliant choreography, and you could just tell she enjoyed what she was doing.  Screw the "new" gymnastics, I miss when it was ACTUALLY "artistic gmynastics"

[icarrus4u]

She's a incredible performer! I don't think I've ever seen any gymnast perform and enjoy it as much as her...

[ballethoney]

I am going out on a limb here...this has to be my favorite FX ever! No kidding. So inspiring!!

[lucialap]

OMG.

She is fantastic, a lot of energy and grace.

All gymnasts can learn of this swet girl.

[ayrescaxias]

And the coreografs from today too.

[lucialap]

Yes, today is so different!

I love this coreo

[oubeauty2008]

My goodness I wish I had that kind of energy.  Share the wealth.

[Mdshdw]

This is the first time I've ever seen the judges talk to each other.

[chichieeee]

OMG ! :)

[tchachinafan]

I won´t ever get sick of watching this routine.....its utterly beutiful and definitely my favorite floor of all times

[emmyjo720]

1o. Elena Shushunova - 1987

9. Dina Kotchkova - 1996

8. Cheng Fei - 2000

7. Elena Prodnova - 2000

6. Anna Pavlova - 2004

5.  Alina Kozich - 2004 (Cheographed by Omelianchek.)

4. Daniela Silivas - 1989

3. Lilia Podkopayeva - 1996

2. Oksana Omelianchek - 1985

1. Elena Shushunova - 1988.

[brookenicole222]

Oh my oh my! That was "super"!  :) Smiles, perfect music, superior dance-- the list goes on. She is totally amazing.

[LaGinnasta]

quant'è doooooolce...carinissima

[sduggy]

One of my favorite gymnasts of all time.

[KarenLovesGymnastics]

I love the part at 0:40-0:46 where she dances across the floor!

[Denisemdl]

Wonderful gymnast - she is the complete package on floor

[xplosive08]

she is soooo cute whit those ears...lol

cool music,and coreo.

and her tumbling is awsome and original...she is awsome

[kittenfish143]

She is sooo adorable! I think she and Silivas dances better than any other gymnasts!

[SonyaNatalia]

Another amazing Ukrainian floor ballerina (like Lilia Podkopayeva).

[molly2222]

Yeah, Lilia is great!! Super difficult tumbling series and the ballet!! I was so happy that she won the AA and FX cos she was the one who deserved to win in 96!!

[gymbabeliz]

my favourite floor exercise of all time- and what inspired me to take up gymnastics

[gutsfinky]

Mine, too! And it would make me want to take up gymnastics, too, if I wasn't in my 20's and too old. :(

[due70]

loved it!! just great!

[KISHAJOHNSON69]

I feel like Tatiana Groshkova circa 89/90.

[starfallDL]

Gosh, what a joy to watch. Why can't routines look like that nowadays? Thanks so much for sharing this.

[ApolytonGP]

Shannon Miller is a lot better: Y6X7qFDiscE

[Mdshdw]

Shannon Miller wouldn't even be considered part of the great gymnasts in history. Maybe if we only did American gymnasts she would make it.

[ApolytonGP]

She doesn't even have a full-in. cute dance though.

[kaztamar]

Yes she does - it's a piked full-in at hte start of the routine!

[Salpy17]

Um, did ya see the mount?

[zezeus]

a routine you could watch over and over...awsome

[betotupiniquim]

The ballerina of gymnastics! Amazingly beautiful!

[7Millionaire7]

I'm so happy we commentators don't say flic-flac anymore, I hate that term, lol

[xuarxu]

Top 10 floor routines:10-fei cheng 2006,9-ponor 2006,8-gogean 92,7-shushunova 88,6-retton 84,5-kochetkova 94,4-silivas 89WC,3-milosovici 91(greek music),2-omeliantchik 85(bird song),1-raducan 1999(spanish music)

[ispaht]

How about Podkopayeva's 1996 routine? At what place would you rank it?

[SonyaNatalia]

In my opinion, there's no beating Podkopayeva.

But to the person who described Oksana's routine as 'cutesy' or whatever. This is Ukrainian dance. Her dance in this floor routine is Ukrainian dance. She's not being 'cute'. She's representing her heritage by showing national dance in her floor routine.

[Lakuilera]

to be perfectly honest i thought some parts of podkopayeva's dance were cheesy...

[ralucagymnast]

Me too...all that ballet stuff, it didnt suit her really-too contrived and "forced"; Lilia wasnt a natural dancer, and it showed. Oksana on the other hand, was a natural ballerina, which is why this routine flows so beautifully-none of it is "forced" it just flows like water. Beautiful and stunning.

[NYCBlonde]

What?! Wow, I completely disagree--Lilia's ballet moves were organic and gorgeous, IMO--wasn't her grandmother a ballet dancer? It was in her blood. IMO that's what made Lilia stand out, unique and elegant, was her graceful ballet moves. I loved it when on the beam or floor she would hit that stance with with one hand on her waist, the other in the air, with that nap of the head--it looked so Slavic and balletic and awesome. But I do love Omelianchik's routine as well.

[ralucagymnast]

I didnt say I didnt like her; I loved her! i loved her 1996 Olympic floor routine was totally amazing. BUT I do think some of the dance elements are a bit OTT, but that doesnt mean I dont love Lilia-I do!

[NYCBlonde]

:-) Lilia was awesome. One of the few AA champions whom everyone seems to agree deserved it!

[KarenLovesGymnastics]

They just said it was cute, and it was, don't take it meanly...

[xuarxu]

To be frank podkopaeva was not among my most favorite gymnasts but that routine surely is in the top 15.I like that it had ballet elements in it.And seeing this list again after 6 months i should add olaru's 1999 program (invisible circus)to the top 10 too.Merry new year to you and everyone watching!

[binks110]

Maria Olaru in the top ten of wut? She was consitant, but not great... not dynamic... and certainly not graceful, she had poor lines and lacked interpretation. Anyway this is an amazing routine... and I'm sad to say that this day n' age we'll probably never see one like this again.

[ralucagymnast]

Her tumbling was so awesome, but I really didnt like her overthetop balletic moves-too contrived. Oksana Omelianchiks floor routine is one of the greatest ever-the virtuosity, the dance, the tumbling, and the joy she exuded doing this routine-she did gymnastics for the true love of it, and it showed.

[TuesdayPillow]

You put some of the worst dancers in that list. I think a floor routine has to be a complete package.

[Darkangel127]

It's funny that you have included some of the worst dancers ever (Retton, Milosovici, Gogean), Raducan's worst choreography (her 2000 routine was gorgeous) and left out some of the world's best, like Boginskaya, Frolova, Baraksanova, Groshkova, Podkopaeva, Khorkina.

I respect your opinion, of course, but it's funny that we have completely different ones!

[KarenLovesGymnastics]

These are mine for the moment: 10. Lilia Podkopayeva 1996 9. Kathy Johnson 1978 8. Olga Strazheva 1989 Worlds 7. Natalia Laschenova 1989-1990 6. Tatiana Groshkova 1989-1991 5. Olesia Dudnik 1989 Worlds 4. Aurelia Dobre 1987 3. Daniela Silivas 1987 2. Svetlana Khorkina 2000 1. Oksana Omelianchik 1985-1986

[luciendytioco]

interesting top 10, but here's my top 10 floor routines: 10. Ludovine Furnon - Europeans 2000 9. Silvia Mitova - worlds 1991 8. Natalia Kalinina - goodwill 1990 7. Natalia Ilyenko - worlds 1981 6. Olga Strazheva - worlds 1989 5. Daniela Silivas - worlds 1987 4. Andreea Raducan - worlds 1999 3. Olessia Dudnik - worlds 1989 2. Svetlana Boginskaya - worlds 1989 1. Oksana Omelianchik - worlds 1985 For me, the soviet team's 89 floor routine was the best, but Oksana's the most innovative!

[KarenLovesGymnastics]

After consideration, some have changed. Not sure which to replace 'em with though :P

All of your choices were great, but I think Silvia Mitova's floor from the European Cup was her best routine.

[molly2222]

I never really liked Shushunova's FX. She lacked the choreography and her tumblings were not as powerful and difficult as that of Voinea. Omelianchik's FX well deserved gold. She opened the new dimension in FX inspiring the next generations. She was absolutely phenomenal and sensational!! Unfortunately she couldn't maintain her consistency after 1986 but this routine was enough to make her a legend.

[Lakuilera]

shushunova had the best choreography at the 88 games... and her tumbling is definitely world class... she never had to do 'cute' routines unlike silivas...

[molly2222]

I respect Shushunova for her power and utmost difficulties she challenged in every event in her heydays but she got a little bit conservative in Seoul Olympics and sorry for her falls in V and FX during EF.Silivas was adorable and technically innovative, wasn't she? She was just such a wonderous amusement to watch. She even tried double twist double back during TF FX which practically cost her gold.Omelianchik was such a sensation with her FX in 85!! Thx for sharing your opinion.

[Lakuilera]

yeah... i agree that silivas was one of the most likeable gymnasts of all time... so was omelianchik!

[Davylp]

Gosh guy's let the woman have her different opinion. Gees. This was so refreshing and well... cute. I saw some of the judges even smiling and laughing.

[vncntdl]

Chusovitina? She has no dance skills whatsover. There is no comparison between these two gymnasts

[missyc79]

I am not comparing Chusovitina and Omelianchik, especially in their dancing. I like Chusovitina's tumbling. Everybody has their own opinion and likes what they like.

[backflipboy27]

and some people just simply have bad taste

[No1ZmeskalFan]

This was my all time favorite. I also like Voinea's break dance routine. I miss this kind of gymnastics SOOOOO much. Mukhina, Omelianchik, Yurchenko, Groshkova, and Laschenova are my all time fav Russians. Imagine if they had all been in the same generation? wow

[Penguin888]

Pressing Caps Lock Again = No Capital Letters

[KarenLovesGymnastics]

So rude!

[backflipboy27]

hahahahahahahahaha, tell that to marco

[ladydarkpiper]

She was really perfect on her routine, amazing, clean, perfect!

[missyc79]

I absolutely love this routine! My second favourite floor routine of all time. Only second to Chusovitina's 91 routine. What can you possibly say bad about this routine? Everything is extraordinary: the tumbling, presentation, choreography, dance, and her personality and smile. The commentator was right: absolutely brilliant.

[hmlilly]

You've got to be kidding. Chusovitina? 1991? The hideous choreography to "The Lone Ranger" music? That routine?

No disrespect intended, but Chusovitina's 1991 FX is regarded within the gymnastics community as one of the all-time worst.

[missyc79]

To each his own. Oksana Chusovitina is my favourite gymnast. I am not in the gymnastics community. I am just a fan who enjoys watching gymnastics.