who the hell cares if russia wasn't there. it's a shame that politics had to interfere with something like the olympics. Mary Lou took advantage and she won. end of story
For people who say she didn't have "tough competition." The Romanian's were there, and she still DID IT by nailing her routines. Frankly, I can't stand her politics of today, but she was really exciting and great back in the day.
Im sorry but Mary Lou's gold was the biggest joke of all time...her biggest competition was szabo (who in my opinion was on weaker side of the Romanian team), I would like to see Mary Lou up against Yurcheko, Shushanova, Silavas, Mostepanova, Omelachik, and etc.... In my opinion Carly Patterson was the first american to win an AA title at the olympics
Neither Mary Lou or Szabo deserved the 84 Olympic AA title. Mostepanova should have cleaned up at the Olympics this year, she was BY FAR the best gymnast in the World in the year 1984. Stupid boycott creating a crappy Olympics in many sports including gymnastics where the Worlds best men and women gymnasts with very few exceptions werent even there.
Ecaterina Szabo should have won the 1984 Olympic AA gold for effusive and complex gymnastics. People are quick to point out that she fell off UB in TC but conveniently forget that MLR was overscored in compulsory UB, BB, FX, optional UB, BB and the judges BLATANLY IGNORED the fact that she touched down her hand (equivalent to a fall) on FX during team finals. Not to mention that her BB had the degree of difficulty of a 1970s routine.
@mycorolla07 Not all are good gymnasts small stature! Russians Svetlana Khorkina and Alia Mustafina, an American of Russian descent Nastia Liukin, Frenchwoman Isabelle Severino, Svetlana Boginskaya, Ukrainian Alina Kozich, Swiss Ariella Keslin and many others have normal growth, a beautiful figure!
its interesting how easy the vault back then was compared to now. The vault she did I could do with my eyes closed, and I'm no olympic champion. Not even close. I think the bar routines were harder back then, but everything else is harder now.
for some reason i always think Mary Lou Retton was the 1988 all around champion, probably because she did more difficult gymnastics then the actual 1988 champion, Shushunova.
@marjan12342 My mother was a gymnast (for fun,not pro) and started me in tumbling at an early age because I loved it as much as she did. After the 1984 games a few stores started selling replicas of the stars and stripes leotard Mary Lou wore. I cried for weeks until my mom bought one for me--it was $8.00, which was a lot of money for poor people like us to spend on something so frivolous. I wore it every single day when I would practice in our backyard. Mary Lou Retton was my god!
@marjan12342 My mother was a gymnast (for fun,not pro) and started me in tumbling at an early age because I loved it as much as she did. After the 1984 games a few stores started selling replicas of the stars and stripes leotard Mary Lou wore. I cried for weeks until my mom bought one for me--it was $8.00, which was a lot of money for poor people like us to spend on something so frivolous. I wore it every single day when I would practice in our backyard. Mary Lou Retton was my god!
Mary Lou's Vault and FX were SO FAR above the rest of the competition...and I would be that she would be doing the most difficult Vault and FX should the Soviets, East Germans and Bulgarians competed.
You can tell how happy she gets once she lands perfectly , both on beam and floor and that’s just amazing because it means that she’s a great gymnast , it means she is really concentrated and also that she’s more than those gymnasts who can’t at least pretend to be proud of themselves once they realise they deserve a 10.0 !
ugly bend of the legs in the Katchevs.....then again so did Dobre if you watch her UB routines! having said that I dont see any cowboying in MLR's double backs.....and Szabo's were VERY cowboyed lets be fair.........
you folks can be so mean. Nadia was not always flawless, nor was Mary Lou, but both women were amazing athletes. Both deserved their medals, remember, the scoring system has changed.
Although I do love Mary Lou, I agree with you regarding this type of scoring. A 10 is when you are perfect and she had obvious stumbles and errors. This score should never have been given to her - but in fairness, it had been awarded to many gymnasts over the years when it shouldn't have been. It is amazing how the difficulty changed from the 84 Olympics to the 89 Worlds. I think the 89 Worlds was the best depth of gymnasts we have ever had.
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she was just lucky that the championships were held in LA and the soviets boycotted this championships.. I am sure that there is a better gymnast anytime in the soviet at the time compared to her..
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ya, and at that time the soviet was olga mostepanova. she was one of the best i've ever seen. 4 10s in the AA. Just imagine that! I bet Mary Lou Retton couldn't get that score even the competition took part in the US!
Bars for women changed in distance slightly over the years......the bars were wider apart than this for example in 88' and etc etc for 92' 96' BUT exactly when the bars were widened I dont know someone prob does on here! on the subject of bars I have no idea what the female commentator was looking at when she says MLR has a bit of an arch there...pause @ 03:58 and you will see that is a HUGE arch in her back, im amazed she recovered it....biased commentating much?????
they were men's parrell bars back then.......they changed when the gymnasts started advancing and doing more realse moves so they had you pull them farther apart......but they just made their own uneven bars
Nope. Alot of power but I'm not feeling the ARTISTIC part of her gymnastics. She was way overscored on bars (over-arch on giant), beam (blech), and floor where she touched a hand down in TF.
back then it was more about gracefullness and the fluidity of the routine, if she was able to make it fluid, even when she fell, they probobly didnt count off for it
well on the uneven bars, there so close together and there is such a different way of getting to the other bar, gymnasts today are a little more advanced
oh man..how gymanstics has changed...but people say they can do her floor routine, with no problem...but can you execute all the dance, and have the sraight lines mary lou does? she's perfection :), well in my eyes ofcourse :)
i hate when people say RIGHT to the handstand!!! usually its under-roated but we just hold on!! it SEEMS perfect but its nearly always a fluke!i mean, not just natural handstands, i mean ones that are held for a few seconds. those are simpyly held on to.
That only Cathy RIgby who says that; you see, she isnt very bright so she says that in all of her commentary: watch Nadia compulsory, Mary Lou, and Dagnar Kersten, she says :right to the handstand". She admitted later she would write things down so she would remember to say them on air. UGh
wow how gymnastics has changed!!! her routines in the Compulsories were like a level 7s routines today. but dont get me wrong, she was a wonderful gymnast in her time and i am glad she won gold
Compulsories were where everyone did the same routine. The skills were really not difficult, but the compulsories were designed to really pit the gymnasts against each other. Since everyone did the same skills, it was easy to see who did them the best, and who was just okay.
Mary Lou was a decent gymnast for her time, not exceptional. She wouldn't have won if the Soviets hadn't boycotted.
That's true roberto,I don't know why U have 2 thumbs down.Szabo also had a 10 on beam for a non perfect routine though.I think Szabo should have won this gold medal!!She had a better form than Retton whose beam and UB routines were HIDEOUS!
Hahahahaha... I'm sure that she had get also a 10 for a fart! Where was "Fatty" in 1985? Afraid of the REAL champions? These Olympics games were ridiculous without us eastern europeans and you can't count almost the whole disciplines!!!
I am going to the Tyson Cup this year, and she is going to be there signing autographs along with Nastia, and a few more people! I have been looking at some of her routines just to see what they look like. They are so different then the routines now, but I think hers are just as hard as anyone else's. I can't wait!
in the compulsories, the 6 gymnasts perform the same routines. then in the optionals they get the opportunities to perform their own routines with higher difficulties.
someone can correct me if im wrong- but i think thats the difference. (they mention it in the stars of atlanta documentary)
You are correct. And compulsories did not require double backs, usual just single backs or twists. Atlanta '96 was the last time they were contested and many feel those compulsories were the hardest ever-they took out many top gymnasts for the AA or EF such as Mo Huilan and Kui Yuan Yuan, and Svetlana Boginskaya.
I believe part of the reason is the expense of training time. With the compulsories eliminated the gymnasts could just focus on optionals-and for many the basics suffered. Countries such as France and Australia could not get into the medals in the days of compulsories as well.
Compulsory exercises were required at the time. They were mostly to show the judges your basics and everyone had to do the same set of choreographed routines in Team Compulsories. They separated the women from the girls. The Soviets were masters at them and it's certain the Americans would not have placed except perhaps in a final or two. Mostepanova was probably the best of the Soviets at that time and likely would have won the AA top three with Yurchenko and an East German or Romanian.
The title of top Soviet gymnast was a contentious one. Natalia Yurchencko was the defending world champion from 1983. Vastly superior on HV and UB when compared to Olga Mostepanova. Olga had a more difficult and technically refined BB. On FX they were both spectacular.
Natalia was the more serene and composed of the two. However, Olga's well fused artistry and technical prowess were highly rewarded at the Alternate Games where she dominated.
Wow Mary Lou made the exact same mistake that Nadia Comaneci did on her compulsory bar routine, on the move where you stretch both your legs over the lower bar.
Not sour grapes - simply fact. She did a great job to beat whoever turned up BUT (and it's a big but) she probably wouldn't have won a medal had the Soviets and their satellite states turned up bringing their judges with them. I'm sorry you can't understand that without resorting to abusive and agressive language.
No I won't get over it. I know gymnastics better than most and I can all but guarantee you that if the Soviets had been there she would not have won. Yes, she did well to win but there will always be a 'question' mark hanging over her victory. I'm sorry that is something you can't get over.
Whoah. Calm down. It's just that person's opinion. There's no need for namecalling it just brings a thread down. Don't take it so personally. I'm sure Retton and Szabo are very happy with their medals, they have families and have moved on. This event was over 25 years ago for pete's sake. It's not that important.
I agree. It's clear by watching this video that the judges were very lax in their deductions. Mary Lou was extremely talented and very good, but she made a bunch of tiny mistakes in every routine. That all-around floor routine had at least .150 off if you really take what you should. Then again, Szabo got her gifts as well, like that 10.0 on beam with the shuffle on the dismount.
She fell in the team finals on bars. This is back in the day when the scores from the team competition carried over into the all around. It wasn't until '89 that they did away with it.
Her mark in the floor routine was way too high! A really big mistake and a few smaller! She was really helped in winning by the referees! What a shame! All these politics in sport!
Mary Lou's compulsory and optional beam were not very impressive. I would also say her compulsory floor looked awkward. She still competed very well for having no major experience but she truly benefited from the Soviets not being present, as their compulsories and optionals were beautiful across the board.
Why do people say that? Why can't Shawn be Shawn and Mary Lou be Mary Lou? I get so tired of people exclaiming, even before Olympics, "this one is the new Mary Lou!" Kristie Phillips! (No) Kim Zmeskal! (No.) Dominique Moceanu, then! (No, no, no) Carly! (Oh please. No.) Shawn Johnson! (No!) Let these athletes have their own accomplishments and their own names. After all their hard work, don't they deserve that?
@leighInSJ When they asked Carly after she won the all-around in 2004 if she wanted to be the next Mary Lou she said "I want to be the first Carly Patterson". Seems like Carly thought the same...
It really seems interesting that gymnastics back then appears to focus more on the "dance" aspect of it than today; there's more of a focus now on agility and a tougher kind of grace than previously.
Interesting commentary, too -- it's more kid-friendly, less gossipy (ish) and critical. Curious as to why...
I think Retton wasn't great on the beam, and overall at the time there were much better Gymnasts. I feel her winning gold was blown out of proportion.
the gymnastics field, much like all sports, has changed SO much. Mary Lou, just like Mark Spitz, was great at the time. but such tougher skills are required today. I doubt this kind of performance would even make the US team this time around. At the time, she was the absolute best. But, thats sports. things change and the game gets harder as so many people want to be like the legends they looked up to.
Because the event evolved. The women started to do more giant swings and release moves previously only performed by the men. IMO, UB has potential to be far more creative than men's HB, and I hate that it is relatively stale in terms of innovation now. There's a cool montage on here called "uneven bars developments 50s to 2005" that shows this evolution that should make it abundantly clear why the bars aren't so close together now.
I really wish they hadn't moved the bars further apart. UB was so innovative until 1988. Now it really is just like high bar except with less impressive release moves. Before 88 uneven bars was really it's own event. Moves between the bars were interesting and gymnasts were so creative. Today all you see is the same moves over and over.
that optional UE bar routine was everything...
calmtides 13 hours ago
No guys this is a compulsury meet it determines if u move up a level or not so they giveu a rotine and u have to do it exact
suzanne5kids 1 day ago
mary lou is amazing at gymnastics
roxy9592 1 week ago
Olga Mostepanova should've swept the gold in the AA, and the Soviets taking gold in team final.
brycehelmer 1 month ago
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brycehelmer 2 months ago
wow mary lou did a full in, thats huge for back then
Ineedthat06 3 months ago
5:42 WOW
fndiw 4 months ago
who the hell cares if russia wasn't there. it's a shame that politics had to interfere with something like the olympics. Mary Lou took advantage and she won. end of story
wimbyfan13 4 months ago
Say Selena Gomez 5 times clap your hands five times then post this to 2 videos and check your voice
munchkincat7 5 months ago
szabo: the true, TRUE champion...
tangerleso 6 months ago
if she were to compete with these moves now, she would have no chance. it just goes to show how far gymnastics has come :D
PioneerOnSupercity 6 months ago
how is that dismount on 4:09 even possible... ugh I wish i knew gymnastics T.T
itsaAMYNAMfan 6 months ago 2
For people who say she didn't have "tough competition." The Romanian's were there, and she still DID IT by nailing her routines. Frankly, I can't stand her politics of today, but she was really exciting and great back in the day.
mlc2005 6 months ago
A shame for US the way Mary Lou Retton won.
TheNexusnexus7 7 months ago
Im sorry but Mary Lou's gold was the biggest joke of all time...her biggest competition was szabo (who in my opinion was on weaker side of the Romanian team), I would like to see Mary Lou up against Yurcheko, Shushanova, Silavas, Mostepanova, Omelachik, and etc.... In my opinion Carly Patterson was the first american to win an AA title at the olympics
MrEddiem84 8 months ago 3
she made america proud
MrDeerecub1977 9 months ago
Neither Mary Lou or Szabo deserved the 84 Olympic AA title. Mostepanova should have cleaned up at the Olympics this year, she was BY FAR the best gymnast in the World in the year 1984. Stupid boycott creating a crappy Olympics in many sports including gymnastics where the Worlds best men and women gymnasts with very few exceptions werent even there.
serenakicksass 9 months ago
amazing
The154littleone 10 months ago
I hate how u people live in the past. Mary Lou won bitch. Get over it
futurerox1234 11 months ago
What are compulsories? The beam looks lower than it is in modern day gymnastics. Is that true or is it just the angle of the camera?
Stonymypony 11 months ago
Ecaterina Szabo should have won the 1984 Olympic AA gold for effusive and complex gymnastics. People are quick to point out that she fell off UB in TC but conveniently forget that MLR was overscored in compulsory UB, BB, FX, optional UB, BB and the judges BLATANLY IGNORED the fact that she touched down her hand (equivalent to a fall) on FX during team finals. Not to mention that her BB had the degree of difficulty of a 1970s routine.
elamantebilingue 11 months ago
@elamantebilingue
I completely agree!! Szabo was underscored and Rettom overscored many times.
palaciosleonardo 9 months ago
On the floor exercise at 6-15 was touching the floor by hand - this fall! And score 9.9 can not be delivered!
DJKiara88 1 year ago
Gymnastics seems to stunt the growth. If you want to stay short and look 12 years old for the rest of your life, do olympic gymnastics!
mycorolla07 1 year ago
@mycorolla07 Not all are good gymnasts small stature! Russians Svetlana Khorkina and Alia Mustafina, an American of Russian descent Nastia Liukin, Frenchwoman Isabelle Severino, Svetlana Boginskaya, Ukrainian Alina Kozich, Swiss Ariella Keslin and many others have normal growth, a beautiful figure!
DJKiara88 1 year ago
its funny how she had enough difficulty to compete even in the 89-92 code.
She was a powerful gymnast!!!! SHE WAS SO AHEAD OF HER TIME
hjaidar 1 year ago
Her UB mount is like an optical illusion.
danasuperstar 1 year ago
its interesting how easy the vault back then was compared to now. The vault she did I could do with my eyes closed, and I'm no olympic champion. Not even close. I think the bar routines were harder back then, but everything else is harder now.
missAlessa2009 1 year ago
for some reason i always think Mary Lou Retton was the 1988 all around champion, probably because she did more difficult gymnastics then the actual 1988 champion, Shushunova.
MyXLastXTango 1 year ago
I got to meat her last year :)
AwsomeChantal 1 year ago
I bet she was the olympic favorite. She would have been mine If I was old enough. I was 2 years old at the time. Dang she's good!!
marjan12342 1 year ago
@marjan12342 My mother was a gymnast (for fun,not pro) and started me in tumbling at an early age because I loved it as much as she did. After the 1984 games a few stores started selling replicas of the stars and stripes leotard Mary Lou wore. I cried for weeks until my mom bought one for me--it was $8.00, which was a lot of money for poor people like us to spend on something so frivolous. I wore it every single day when I would practice in our backyard. Mary Lou Retton was my god!
banglassify 1 year ago 2
@banglassify Ahaha, I got a leotard like that for Xmas but it didn't fit and I cried and cried!
mondiablue 11 months ago
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@marjan12342 My mother was a gymnast (for fun,not pro) and started me in tumbling at an early age because I loved it as much as she did. After the 1984 games a few stores started selling replicas of the stars and stripes leotard Mary Lou wore. I cried for weeks until my mom bought one for me--it was $8.00, which was a lot of money for poor people like us to spend on something so frivolous. I wore it every single day when I would practice in our backyard. Mary Lou Retton was my god!
banglassify 1 year ago
Was Mary Lou the only one at these Olympic Games who did a double layout on floor?
chrislindsey14 1 year ago
Mary Lou's Vault and FX were SO FAR above the rest of the competition...and I would be that she would be doing the most difficult Vault and FX should the Soviets, East Germans and Bulgarians competed.
MTVMANN 1 year ago 2
I still wonder how she did it to this day. mary lou is usa gymnastics!
ladyluck3139 1 year ago
You can tell how happy she gets once she lands perfectly , both on beam and floor and that’s just amazing because it means that she’s a great gymnast , it means she is really concentrated and also that she’s more than those gymnasts who can’t at least pretend to be proud of themselves once they realise they deserve a 10.0 !
mariana4gymnastics 1 year ago
mary lou is so cute!
natalienat518 1 year ago
Love you, Mary Lou!!
natalienat518 1 year ago
these scores are amazing. It is so funny to see how gymnastics has changed.
chinagurl673 1 year ago
Quite extraordinary that she won
hinginator 1 year ago
1:06-1:10 goes with the floor music in the back!!lol :) Mary Lou was Americas sweet heart of gymnastics!! :D
ILUBYOU98 1 year ago
ugly bend of the legs in the Katchevs.....then again so did Dobre if you watch her UB routines! having said that I dont see any cowboying in MLR's double backs.....and Szabo's were VERY cowboyed lets be fair.........
garyj79 2 years ago
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Mary-lez..Ummm, sorry Marty-lou. What the fuck ever his name was, was 'bout as graceful as a bull in a china shop. What a butch bitch.
ahrensgay 2 years ago
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she is real wonder woman!
and
she made me horney when i was only 8 years old.......
VOYAGERnissie 2 years ago
@VOYAGERnissie shut up please
Zugles 1 year ago
you folks can be so mean. Nadia was not always flawless, nor was Mary Lou, but both women were amazing athletes. Both deserved their medals, remember, the scoring system has changed.
firemedic605 2 years ago 6
its weird how much gymnastics has changed
kristavahey 2 years ago 3
OVERSCORED..!!! How can she got a 10 for the final floor...with those stumbles.
bzach71 2 years ago
Although I do love Mary Lou, I agree with you regarding this type of scoring. A 10 is when you are perfect and she had obvious stumbles and errors. This score should never have been given to her - but in fairness, it had been awarded to many gymnasts over the years when it shouldn't have been. It is amazing how the difficulty changed from the 84 Olympics to the 89 Worlds. I think the 89 Worlds was the best depth of gymnasts we have ever had.
pappysprite 2 years ago
Thanks, Kata. This is a nice memory for me.
sinjinthule 2 years ago
i can't believe that's all they did in the olympics back then
Swimgirl2733 2 years ago
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yasmine10194 2 years ago
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she was just lucky that the championships were held in LA and the soviets boycotted this championships.. I am sure that there is a better gymnast anytime in the soviet at the time compared to her..
Swankdor 2 years ago
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ya, and at that time the soviet was olga mostepanova. she was one of the best i've ever seen. 4 10s in the AA. Just imagine that! I bet Mary Lou Retton couldn't get that score even the competition took part in the US!
yellowbanana104 2 years ago
@yellowbanana104 If you watch Mostepanova's routines closely, you will see obvious deductions. She was excellent but those scores were inflated.
briaberger 2 years ago
ITA.
PhillyGal4Ever 2 years ago
i totally agree
mo3gaba 2 years ago
where's the difficulty? is this really the olympics?
bridgetGRRR 2 years ago 2
i hate the commentator on this. wtf. this stuff isnt very impressive when put up next to nadia comeneci
trickpanda 2 years ago
How come the bars were so close together back then? When did this change?
xmolzere07x 2 years ago
Bars for women changed in distance slightly over the years......the bars were wider apart than this for example in 88' and etc etc for 92' 96' BUT exactly when the bars were widened I dont know someone prob does on here! on the subject of bars I have no idea what the female commentator was looking at when she says MLR has a bit of an arch there...pause @ 03:58 and you will see that is a HUGE arch in her back, im amazed she recovered it....biased commentating much?????
garyj79 2 years ago 2
they were men's parrell bars back then.......they changed when the gymnasts started advancing and doing more realse moves so they had you pull them farther apart......but they just made their own uneven bars
iowagymnast5568 2 years ago
No grace
wormsquish 2 years ago 2
Nope. Alot of power but I'm not feeling the ARTISTIC part of her gymnastics. She was way overscored on bars (over-arch on giant), beam (blech), and floor where she touched a hand down in TF.
faeryquene 2 years ago
Very powerful.
wormsquish 2 years ago
it's fun to see how far gymnastics has come in terms of more advance moves....also I completely forgot about the compulsories...
RCasto 2 years ago 21
On team optionals floor, she fell on her second pass!! How did she get a 9.900??
gymnasticsloverxoxo 2 years ago
I agree, but considering her routine probably would have been scored out of 10 twelve years later!! they probably rewarded the difficulty.
JPBENEF 2 years ago
if u listen closely the announcer said that that would only be a -.1 two at the most. so that means, except for that pass, it was perfect
missmouse35 2 years ago
back then it was more about gracefullness and the fluidity of the routine, if she was able to make it fluid, even when she fell, they probobly didnt count off for it
missmouse35 2 years ago
i guess it's due to the rating system back then...lots has changed since then.
rpcheergirl 2 years ago
well on the uneven bars, there so close together and there is such a different way of getting to the other bar, gymnasts today are a little more advanced
milogirl14 2 years ago
im sorry but her FX in the AA did not deserve a 10 at all, she had a huge step forward in the last pass, it is a joke
radicaldaniel 2 years ago
back then it wasnt about how well u stuck things it was about how u made the routine flow
missmouse35 2 years ago 2
Well,most of the 10 that were given in the 80's were not deserved according to today's standards.
verybadtongue 2 years ago
So jealous
dravenousone 2 years ago
she might have been able to perform a twiple twist yorchenko
agators212 2 years ago
was she the first one to do a double layout?
mo0rrisz 2 years ago
mary lou retton compared to shawn johnson! thts hard!
AustynFobesFan421 2 years ago
"Mary Lou, how do you do?" lol Love it!!!!
debateisme 2 years ago
Nobody has her CONFIDENCE!
gatotrueno5150 2 years ago
Mary Lou brought something unique to women's gymnastics: power.
steve0281 2 years ago
Power was always there. They just got a better floor.
snazziest212 2 years ago
She brought it to a higher level. Her contemporaries did not have what she did.
steve0281 2 years ago
oh man..how gymanstics has changed...but people say they can do her floor routine, with no problem...but can you execute all the dance, and have the sraight lines mary lou does? she's perfection :), well in my eyes ofcourse :)
lovejonas8624 2 years ago
i hate when people say RIGHT to the handstand!!! usually its under-roated but we just hold on!! it SEEMS perfect but its nearly always a fluke!i mean, not just natural handstands, i mean ones that are held for a few seconds. those are simpyly held on to.
gymnast768 2 years ago
That only Cathy RIgby who says that; you see, she isnt very bright so she says that in all of her commentary: watch Nadia compulsory, Mary Lou, and Dagnar Kersten, she says :right to the handstand". She admitted later she would write things down so she would remember to say them on air. UGh
metsdudenj 2 years ago
only the first routine
Cheerleader4267 2 years ago
i can do her floor routine.... i can do tucks im im no were near the olympics....
Cheerleader4267 2 years ago
wow how gymnastics has changed!!! her routines in the Compulsories were like a level 7s routines today. but dont get me wrong, she was a wonderful gymnast in her time and i am glad she won gold
Shorty101x3 2 years ago
Compulsories were where everyone did the same routine. The skills were really not difficult, but the compulsories were designed to really pit the gymnasts against each other. Since everyone did the same skills, it was easy to see who did them the best, and who was just okay.
Mary Lou was a decent gymnast for her time, not exceptional. She wouldn't have won if the Soviets hadn't boycotted.
snazziest212 2 years ago
Im sorry... but come on.. she seems nice but come on!! She was lucky
astrofiasco 2 years ago
i don't think she'd even qualify for elite today.
PshhItsRaachx3 2 years ago
Okay so her optionals floor, the commentator "a little break there", she fell down thats not a little break.
gymnasticsloverxoxo 2 years ago
3.30 my favourite
batoutofhell1 2 years ago
I suppose for her time she was realli very good buh now i dont fink she'd even qualify for elite.
babaey1cutie 2 years ago
wow that was sorta like todays level 7 and 8...wow she was very good!
tatulover2120 2 years ago 2
I love Mary Lou's FX sooooo much. I'm so glad that she won. Does anyone know the name of the music she used in optionals?
JohnPhilipSousa519 2 years ago
im kinda confused i thought she was wearin the red white and blue leo 4 AA is it different leo for compulsory?
xogymnasticsxo3 2 years ago
@xogymnasticsxo3 the compulsories were on a different day so they of course had different leotards
bbhouk1 1 year ago
opppsss.... Optionals beam and bars judges are blind... aa final... beam and floor... omg floor... 10 points and 2 mistakes.... omg
1robertos00 2 years ago
That's true roberto,I don't know why U have 2 thumbs down.Szabo also had a 10 on beam for a non perfect routine though.I think Szabo should have won this gold medal!!She had a better form than Retton whose beam and UB routines were HIDEOUS!
verybadtongue 2 years ago 3
I thought she was wearing the red white and blue flag leotard in the all around?
violet46 2 years ago
I love the routines Mary Lou did. She also had a very toned looking body! I'm glad she Won :-)
Zamolodchikovafan16 3 years ago
What was her second tumbling pass made up of?
yasmine10194 3 years ago
Hahahahaha... I'm sure that she had get also a 10 for a fart! Where was "Fatty" in 1985? Afraid of the REAL champions? These Olympics games were ridiculous without us eastern europeans and you can't count almost the whole disciplines!!!
Beuterich 3 years ago
I am going to the Tyson Cup this year, and she is going to be there signing autographs along with Nastia, and a few more people! I have been looking at some of her routines just to see what they look like. They are so different then the routines now, but I think hers are just as hard as anyone else's. I can't wait!
girls1with1tenissues 3 years ago 2
Why is compulsories and Optionals different?
1. her bar routine was different and the bars were farther apar.
2. Her beam routine was also different
what is the difference betweent them?
yasmine10194 3 years ago
in the compulsories, the 6 gymnasts perform the same routines. then in the optionals they get the opportunities to perform their own routines with higher difficulties.
someone can correct me if im wrong- but i think thats the difference. (they mention it in the stars of atlanta documentary)
bowesgoes 3 years ago
You are correct. And compulsories did not require double backs, usual just single backs or twists. Atlanta '96 was the last time they were contested and many feel those compulsories were the hardest ever-they took out many top gymnasts for the AA or EF such as Mo Huilan and Kui Yuan Yuan, and Svetlana Boginskaya.
PhillyGal4Ever 3 years ago
why did they stop with the compulsories?
bowesgoes 3 years ago 3
I believe part of the reason is the expense of training time. With the compulsories eliminated the gymnasts could just focus on optionals-and for many the basics suffered. Countries such as France and Australia could not get into the medals in the days of compulsories as well.
PhillyGal4Ever 3 years ago
Compulsory exercises were required at the time. They were mostly to show the judges your basics and everyone had to do the same set of choreographed routines in Team Compulsories. They separated the women from the girls. The Soviets were masters at them and it's certain the Americans would not have placed except perhaps in a final or two. Mostepanova was probably the best of the Soviets at that time and likely would have won the AA top three with Yurchenko and an East German or Romanian.
PhillyGal4Ever 3 years ago 2
The title of top Soviet gymnast was a contentious one. Natalia Yurchencko was the defending world champion from 1983. Vastly superior on HV and UB when compared to Olga Mostepanova. Olga had a more difficult and technically refined BB. On FX they were both spectacular.
Natalia was the more serene and composed of the two. However, Olga's well fused artistry and technical prowess were highly rewarded at the Alternate Games where she dominated.
NaomisCellPhone 3 years ago 4
wow gymnastics is alot harder now, eh?
samanthagiveskisses 3 years ago
her bar routine is so cool. i wish the bars were still like that.
chevasriegel 3 years ago
Wow Mary Lou made the exact same mistake that Nadia Comaneci did on her compulsory bar routine, on the move where you stretch both your legs over the lower bar.
gymnasticsloverxoxo 3 years ago
Wow! 84 gymnastics was fugly! It's a shame the Soviets weren't there to show us some real gymnastics. What a hollow victory for Mary Lou.
kaztamar 3 years ago
God shut the fuck up and eat some more sour grapes, asshole! So sick of people trying to lessen her victory...SHE WON, GET OVER IT!
twilliger123 3 years ago
Not sour grapes - simply fact. She did a great job to beat whoever turned up BUT (and it's a big but) she probably wouldn't have won a medal had the Soviets and their satellite states turned up bringing their judges with them. I'm sorry you can't understand that without resorting to abusive and agressive language.
kaztamar 3 years ago
but they didn't show up so you will never know, will you....again go fuck yourself, sour grapes must get old after awhile...SHE WON, GET OVER IT!
twilliger123 3 years ago
No I won't get over it. I know gymnastics better than most and I can all but guarantee you that if the Soviets had been there she would not have won. Yes, she did well to win but there will always be a 'question' mark hanging over her victory. I'm sorry that is something you can't get over.
kaztamar 3 years ago 3
This has been flagged as spam show
SHE WON, GET OVER IT, FUCKTARD!
twilliger123 3 years ago
Whoah. Calm down. It's just that person's opinion. There's no need for namecalling it just brings a thread down. Don't take it so personally. I'm sure Retton and Szabo are very happy with their medals, they have families and have moved on. This event was over 25 years ago for pete's sake. It's not that important.
PhillyGal4Ever 3 years ago 3
look at those moves! she n shawn johnson r my fav gymnasts! they both remind me of each other!
emzysoccer 3 years ago
Mary Lou was be-gifted that gold by Szabo's fall.
If she hadn't have fallen she would have won..
It's as simple as that. But since she did, I think Retton deserved to win.
A clean Szabo beats a clean Retton though.
WSggs 3 years ago 2
I agree. It's clear by watching this video that the judges were very lax in their deductions. Mary Lou was extremely talented and very good, but she made a bunch of tiny mistakes in every routine. That all-around floor routine had at least .150 off if you really take what you should. Then again, Szabo got her gifts as well, like that 10.0 on beam with the shuffle on the dismount.
tide32athlete 3 years ago 4
Agreed. The favourites from the top countries were always getting a little helping in the score department.
WSggs 3 years ago
What? Szabo didn't fall, did she?
wc213 3 years ago
She fell in the team finals on bars. This is back in the day when the scores from the team competition carried over into the all around. It wasn't until '89 that they did away with it.
WSggs 3 years ago
how old was she?
eizhowa 3 years ago
shes good in the uneven bars.
drzshory 3 years ago
Deductions weren't as big as they are today. Years ago, it was more artsy than flips.
We all need to keep in mind that each body is built differently.
VaveAma92 3 years ago
Her mark in the floor routine was way too high! A really big mistake and a few smaller! She was really helped in winning by the referees! What a shame! All these politics in sport!
ancamg 3 years ago 5
Mary Lou's compulsory and optional beam were not very impressive. I would also say her compulsory floor looked awkward. She still competed very well for having no major experience but she truly benefited from the Soviets not being present, as their compulsories and optionals were beautiful across the board.
TuesdayPillow 3 years ago 5
i ♥ mary lou's last two floor routines the choreagraphy is adorable
gymnast5A 3 years ago
Shawn Johnson is the new Mary Lou!
spongebobmusicals 3 years ago
absolutely. short, stocky, poor splits, no artistry
alexgym09 3 years ago 5
Comment removed
briaberger 3 years ago 2
LMAO!
kaztamar 3 years ago
Why do people say that? Why can't Shawn be Shawn and Mary Lou be Mary Lou? I get so tired of people exclaiming, even before Olympics, "this one is the new Mary Lou!" Kristie Phillips! (No) Kim Zmeskal! (No.) Dominique Moceanu, then! (No, no, no) Carly! (Oh please. No.) Shawn Johnson! (No!) Let these athletes have their own accomplishments and their own names. After all their hard work, don't they deserve that?
leighInSJ 3 years ago 4
@leighInSJ When they asked Carly after she won the all-around in 2004 if she wanted to be the next Mary Lou she said "I want to be the first Carly Patterson". Seems like Carly thought the same...
michelelohman 2 years ago
It really seems interesting that gymnastics back then appears to focus more on the "dance" aspect of it than today; there's more of a focus now on agility and a tougher kind of grace than previously.
Interesting commentary, too -- it's more kid-friendly, less gossipy (ish) and critical. Curious as to why...
AtomicTurkey16 3 years ago
I think Retton wasn't great on the beam, and overall at the time there were much better Gymnasts. I feel her winning gold was blown out of proportion.
theidaexpress 3 years ago
the soviet union didn't compete in 84.....i'm sure that had something to do with it as well
longlivethe80s 3 years ago 3
Are you saying there was some home town bias from the judges? Perish the thought!
GrossbergerXXX 3 years ago
It was America's first AA Champion- you think celebrating that is blowing things out of proportion?
briaberger 3 years ago
the vault is sooo easy
chickendays 3 years ago
have u ever competed on vault at the olympic level??... its not as easy as it may seem
merigirl2 3 years ago
gymnastics back than was so artistic but ot hard.
I mean I can do all the tumbling passes she did on floor and Im just a cheerleader lol
sixofouryouknow 3 years ago
Okay so I meant the first floor hahaha
sixofouryouknow 3 years ago
what kinds of jumps and turns is she doing on her tumbling runs? especially those mid air flips
2k89boruga 3 years ago
Wow the uneven bar routines were way shorter back then.
jcoverload 3 years ago
geez these routines are NOTHING compared to what gymnasts do today...
Kiwisarecool15 3 years ago 2
I was thinking the same exact thing.
jcoverload 3 years ago
i was also thinking that.. the level of difficulty just doesn't seem the same.
karatekid1107 3 years ago
How in the hell did she do that at 4:09. WOW!
burgrman 3 years ago
the gymnastics field, much like all sports, has changed SO much. Mary Lou, just like Mark Spitz, was great at the time. but such tougher skills are required today. I doubt this kind of performance would even make the US team this time around. At the time, she was the absolute best. But, thats sports. things change and the game gets harder as so many people want to be like the legends they looked up to.
lstthoughts8 3 years ago 3
Incredible
cyclingpianist 3 years ago
How come they don't do double bars (where there's one high bar and a lower one next to it) in the olympics anymore?
Spaghettioz 3 years ago
they do. they're called uneven parallel bars. the bars just aren't as close together as they used to be.
caseyphx 3 years ago
why the hell arent the bars so close. did someone bust their noggin?
theangrycrab 3 years ago
Because the event evolved. The women started to do more giant swings and release moves previously only performed by the men. IMO, UB has potential to be far more creative than men's HB, and I hate that it is relatively stale in terms of innovation now. There's a cool montage on here called "uneven bars developments 50s to 2005" that shows this evolution that should make it abundantly clear why the bars aren't so close together now.
leighInSJ 3 years ago
i think that's a result of the scoring system/equipment changes over the past 10 years.
dreamissbehaved 3 years ago
I really wish they hadn't moved the bars further apart. UB was so innovative until 1988. Now it really is just like high bar except with less impressive release moves. Before 88 uneven bars was really it's own event. Moves between the bars were interesting and gymnasts were so creative. Today all you see is the same moves over and over.
nicksline 3 years ago 2
i so agree.
do you know why they decided to change bars?
yasmine10194 3 years ago
to give girls more room to do harder tricks like the men do.
mistybabe5489 3 years ago
They do they never stoped.
simpsonjd11 3 years ago
she was puttin a hurtin on that vault...nice!
db32585 3 years ago