Lilia Podkopayeva - 1996 Olympics Team Compulsories - Balance Beam

[Beccka]

I really don't think that this was the best performance of this routine. She doesn't hold any positions, seems a little nervous. I love Lilia, but I don't think she looked "sure" or even "confident." here. But overall, I think that she was the best compulsory performer.

[ajhornell]

John Tesh had a serious fetish about injuries or something every other routine he mentions some horrible thing that's happened to these young women makes me wonder why he was replaced with Al? Lol

[mortella23]

This was great! My only nit pick is that she didn't seem to flow as much as miller to me, miller seemed more comfortable with her routine.

[showjumperluvr4]

she has beautiful toe pointing

[fraiadyemanja]

She is beautiful.Just PERFECT.

[lilypod3]

Nevermind, Mo's was amazing

[lilypod3]

@audie83 I totally agree with you but I think Mo could have done better. I also really liked Kochetkova too but I just wanted to say that I LOVED Moceanu's cartwheel! Beautiful with absolute precision!

[agators212]

def one of the best compulsory beam in 96. she had the best dismount, moceanu had the best cartwheel/tumbling series, miller had the best flow, mo huilan had the absolute best leaps and that full turn (her leg was kept so much higher than anyone else). a lot of gymnasts arent as polished anymore. i have hope with progras, the young russians, and WOGA's 13 yo juniors coming up especially katelyn ohashi.

[luv4cookie1]

she had a lot of balance checks that were not taken into account but overall this routine was excelent,

[37tonya]

Lilipod does a great job but I like Miller the best.

[dahighbar]

most overscored gymnast of these games

[boytoyville]

Best compulsory beam dismount of the games. It's textbook.

[moopoo66]

@boytoyville it was aboslutley wonderful and i adore lilia but we do have to take into consideration she had 2 minor bobbles on t he forte jump and full turn but the rest was textbook and flawless go Lilia! My favorite compuslory beam workers of these games where Miller Lilia, Mo, dina kotchecova, and Svetlana Khorkina! They were great!

[faeryquene]

She's had lots of ballet training too. Beautiful routine-one of only a handful that looked world class.

[pappysprite]

Lilia is wonderful, but Shannon Miller did perform this routine a lot better

[uwoeric]

Yeah this routine was beautiful and had great style, but still a bit cautious. Shannon was cautious too but she had no balance checks and so she scored a bit higher.

[trampolinedance]

BACKWALKOVERS!?!? is she in level 6 or in the olympics im really confused :S

[chrislindsey13]

How old are you? You should know that there has always been compulsories in the Olympics. 1996 was the last Olympics to have compulsories. And, ha I would love to see a level 6 attempt that routine. That is a level 8/9 routine.

[gymnasticsloverxoxo]

You really need to get yourself oriented with COMPULSORIES

[fishdude77]

omg her toes make me drool. lol that sounds funny but her extension is the best ive ever seen from a gymnast. nastia's a close second tho.

[QueenieQue]

Seriously, I would marry those arches.

[NoSuchThing2009]

same. wonder what her secret is??

[drumz62]

strong muscled legs

[vesperholly]

Honestly, part of it is genetic. I'm no Lilipod, but I have really high, deep arches, so my toe point naturally looks similar (not as good of course). It also takes a lot of strength and practice to keep your toes pointed that hard.

[vesperholly]

It's not just the toe point, it's the overall turnout that's to die for. Pause at 1:07 when she puts her right foot down on the beam. Look at how her heel is hanging off because the leg is so turned out. Awesome!!

[willsbob123]

Right, why does the male commentator keep mensioning Lilia's Injury? He said it here and in the AA. Why keep bringing back shitty memories? Not Tim, i love him XD

[faeryquene]

John Tesh-I can't stand him. He did the same exact thing during Moceanu's compulsory beam routine-he kept up a running commentary on MRI's and medical crap that had nothing to do with the Olympic routines that everyone was trying to watch. He nearly spoiled one's enjoyment of the routines.

[jrg305]

@faeryquene It's John Tesh commenting? I always figured it was just an X-gymnast, who happens to be of the type that has the squeaky small-man voice as an adult...I also always thought this announcer was gay based on what he says during some of the men's routines (for example, pommel horse with alex armetov he almost orgasms).

[geishasecrets]

@faeryquene Yes I agree, John Tesh was a total deuche bag!

[all4uanew]

@geishasecrets check your spelling.

[tmwalkerm]

@faeryquene Obviously it doesn't mean anything to you, but some people who followed Moceanu during the trials and her injuries, they might have wanted to know what came of her tests and how that landed her on the team. Simple solution, you don't like what he has to say, hit the mute button.

[faeryquene]

@tmwalkerm Too late to mute anything this late in the game. Anyway it's none of your business.

[tmwalkerm]

@faeryquene Since its on a public forum, that makes it my business as well as anyone else's who watches the clip. Grow the fuck up and stop bitching already, every single comment you've made has been criticizing either the athlete or the commentators, get over it or shut the fuck up and stop watching.

[Chuckie1028]

Nice routine but after vieweing Miller's and Mo Huilan's, it lacked extension, back then they were able to styalize and I just didn't like the Ukranian or Russian style of Compulsery work. It was the little things missing like the extended leg after the cartweel, or the extended leg after the handstand sequence.

[gymnasticsloverxoxo]

@Chuckie1028 Lacked extension? What are you talking about? Lilia was renowned for her locked out leg, upper body and arm extension and textbook toe point. Where do you see a lack of extension? She had none.

[HeyButtahfly]

IMO this routine and the one by Miller (also from the Olympic compulsory round) are perfect examples of what is lacking in artistic gymnastics now. I watch Lilia in this routine and am completely sold on the idea of bringing compulsories back.

[caramelcreamsauce]

Beautiful Toe Point! It was an excellent routine.

Only a couple of balance checks, but awesome job! Great shoulder roll

[audie83]

This is perhaps my favorite compulsory beam routine of 1996. Other favorites are Miller, Moceanu, Marinescu, Mo Huilan. Those ladies were fearless and looked relaxed up there-to me they did not look tight, scared, and fearful like most of the others did who also looked like they were praying there way through the routine, just hoping to get to the end without falling off.

[faeryquene]

ITA audie-Dawes nearly gave me a heart attack as I watched her cautious, hot mess of a beam routine. She was fortunate to score above a 9.40. She was also fortunate to compete in the age of new life.

[TuesdayPillow]

Very well done, although I counted 4 small errors. Gotta love that toe point though!

[TheAviator8289]

What was her score for this rotuine?

[uwoeric]

9.700, second highest in compulsory beam after Shannon Miller's 9.737.

[fluteyfire]

I love Lilia's toe-point and overall dance presentation, but I think that Dominique Moceanu should definitely have scored higher than her on this compulsory routine.

[uwoeric]

I think what Lilia had going for her was her confidence on beam, she was very aggressive and sure every element. Little errors here and there, but she had great flow. The other gymnasts were VERY conservative, and you can see them thinking hard through every skill. Lilia made it look like a performance, she was more convincing.

AS for Moceanu, she had an error on her turn and didn't stick the dismount.

[smallvillefreek26]

i love the shoulder roll she does in the beginning. that was awesome.

[audie83]

Shannon had better technique on elements imo but I prefer Lilia's dance, toe point and overall elan. :)

[ccb226]

Miller was better, but still good routine