Vera Caslavska, complete FX, 1968 HQ!!!

[gjglrb]

the queen of 1968 Olympics

[vanya0785]

The cat jump she makes a 0:30 looks like a single axel from figure skating. Did anybody else notice this?

[aposhea]

@vanya0785 She was a figure skater before becoming a gymnast.

[vanya0785]

@aposhea Thanks for the information! I did not know this. I have not actually heard that much about Vera. Are there any figure skating videos from her online?

[aposhea]

@vanya0785 Not that I know of. I don't think she ever actually competed as a figure skater. I just remember reading that she started out skating before changing to gymnastics.

[hessu3]

Wow! This routine has so much beauty and art. The gymnasts in these times had much more training in ballet than these nowadays. Look how Caslavska does the turns - so sure and pretty. Much more pleasure to look at.

[ekateri28]

Don't you think it is kind of odd...that someone from Czechoslovakia wins Olympic medals...the only non Soviet Russian to win medals??? It is curious that Czechoslovakia never again produced more gymnasts unlike what happened to Romania. Interesting...

[231zd]

@ekateri28 It's b.s. why would only Soviet Kommies won medals,what's your problem comrade Ekaterina????!!!!

[afgymnast96]

@Shawnjohnson8 sad but true... this is what gymnastics is SUPPOSED to look like! she was an amazing gymnast

[ThePingShowJL]

Wow, first time ever have I seen Vera. And I thought the 50's-60's were boring....

Heh...well it is absolutely awesome! For once someone before the mid-late 80's other than Nadia and Teodora to impress me.

[MANTISAQR]

MUCHAS GRACIAS YOU TUBE Y MUCHAS GRACIAS KEVIN POR HABER SUBIDO ESTE HERMOSISIMO HOMENAJE A LA MUSICA DE NUESTRO PAIS DE PARTE DE LA QUE EN ESE MOMENTO ERA LA REINA DE LA GIMNACIA Y QUE POSTERIORMENTE SE CASO EN LA CATEDRAL DE LA CIUDAD DE MEXICO

[increiblelatina]

bravo bravo por VERA CASLAVSKA sobre todo por haber incluido musica mexicana ....... que tiempos tan hermosos

[EweliNilevE]

the roundoffs are bad :P

[terr751]

Grace and beauty! If I remember correctly, she tied for the gold with a Russian gymnast. During the Russian anthem, she refused to look at the flag. Brave woman!

[RezinAngel]

one of the best gymnasts of all time, such lovely grace!

[glibster]

Gorgeous. If only current routines had such flow! And the choreography was marvelous.

[Euge1307]

Wow, preciosa! La música, sus movimientos, su elegancia, todo!

[gymn0brunette0hanley]

her choreography is absolutely beautiful. Vera is one of my favorite gymnasts ever! what an incredible routine

[kashmirpage]

I might be wrong, but I think Caslavska did receive a couple of perfect marks in other competitions, but not at the Olympics.

[ThePenguin888]

Yes, she got a few 10s at the 1967 European Championships.

[al122385]

Grandpa told me that back in the day, this routine stole the whole of Mexico's heart.

[tchachinafan]

my gradndpa told me that too!!!

and yes she did stole our hearts

[katerina41704]

the awesome thing is that she was not a pro athlete. she had a civil occupation, because there was no such thing as pro athlete in communist czecholovakia and not working was illegal. so she went to her job everyday and trained afterwards.

[Bittnerova]

Yes, you are right...

[Hathor9901]

@katerina41704 that's amazing

[laurindorenan]

I ♥ Věra Čarlavska!!

¡Viva México!

[Paraiah]

That was beautiful! I love it how she doesn't stop and ready herself for her next batch of moves when she reaches the corners, like gymnasts do nowadays. Her routine has such flow.

[HailieNichole1995]

that's cuz the floor didnt have springs back then u try doin that stuff on a wrestling mat.

[skoobysnaxxx]

I know that. The only reason I said that was because someone said something about todays gymnasts not having the wonderful flow Vera did. The reason is the tumbling has gotten so much harder as time progressed. I'm not saying she's not awesome. Geez.

[TuesdayPillow]

I wish that music and dance matched as perfectly as in this routine nowadays.

[metamoo]

Funny you say this... I'm pretty sure the pianist improvised after there was a problem with Caslavska's music! When she runs off the floor laughing I remember her going to embrace him. Can anyone verify if I have the right routine in mind?

[metsdudenj]

No, you are thinking of a USA CHINA meet in 1971 when Nancy Thies had no music and the Chinese piano player watched her and made up the music as she performed, it was breathtaking and actually better than her regular music!

[gymnasticsforever95]

that is the right person but i think that was a 1973 USA CHINA dual meet.

[hectorjcm800]

It's mexican traditional music picked by her, as she told to mexican TV.

[boiledelephant]

Witness the uber-scary face at 1:50. It's like something out of a horror film.

[calitoe]

Does anyone know if there are videos of those 10s Caslavska got in 1967. We make so much fuss about Comaneci when those 10s should be publicly recognised...

[kevin123verstappen]

Yeah I know but I can't find any of them... I hope somebody has footage of it, but so far I didn't find anything.

[bbhouk1]

@kevin123verstappen

search "vera caslavska 1967 beam"

about third on the search results list it should say "gymnastics first ten"

the rest of the title is in spanish

it shows her floor and beam, both of which she scored tens on

really amazing footage, i urge you to check it out

[KarenLovesGymnastics]

Yeah I know!

[ispaht]

I think the fuss over Comaneci's 10s was because it was achieved in the Olympics.

[ThePingShowJL]

@calitoe

I agree with you somewhat. But Nadia scored seven tens at the Olympics. And Vera received two and they were at the European Championships. The fuss here is that too the public worldwide, the first ten (or tens) at the Olympics are a bigger deal cause the Olympics are the highest competition.

[bbhouk1]

@calitoe

yes there is footage! right here on You Tube.

i was searching for her 1967 beam and i came across it.

search vera caslavska 1967 beam. it should be third on the list and says "gymnastics first 10"

the rest of the title is in spanish

it has footage of her floor, beam, and medal ceremony

enjoy!

[calitoe]

@bbhouk1 Yes, I know, I posted it. ;D

[bbhouk1]

@calitoe

lol

sorry i did not realize that!

thank you for posting it!!!

[calitoe]

I eventually found it at Nostalgie Net and posted it. ;) Look for "Gymnastics 1st 10 / Los primeros 10 de la gimnasia artística "

[isa1285]

Wow thanks so much!!! The medal ceremony in the end I suppose it was AA.

[xtremegymnast179]

Vera is so graceful. She some what reminds me of Svetlana Boginskaya in a way. I am not sure why! Her hair is way cool, too. Plus, she is such a legend!

[AndreeaRaducan4Eva]

hhhhmmmm....Maybe because they are both wonderful dancers. =)

[Golddusttwin1]

Wow she was really graceful. It's a wonder her hair was able to stay.

[kevin123verstappen]

It didn't stay during her uneven bars routine. :)

[Yernar]

Way cool.