Li Ya - 2003 Worlds Team Finals - Balance Beam

[ShawnVikaKomova2012]

Not to be rude, but I hate how people say China's the best on beam. Nowadays, it's all robotic from them. IMO, Romania is and has always been the best on this event. This is a beautiful routine for Li though.

[ChainChomp2]

@ShawnVikaKomova2012 Depends whose style you like, IMO China's best period on the beam was between 2000 and 2004 (despite how amazing Yang Bo was, I certainly wasn't around at that time to know), always combined lines and flow with the technically perfect elements they always did, whereas the Romanians were a bit of a workhorse and businesslike on the beam with acrobatic skill after acrobatic skill done with no bobbles. Now with the new CoP today's Chinese beam is something I hate so much!

[ShawnVikaKomova2012]

@ChainChomp2 I agree completely. I liked China's beam better in the quad you mentioned (sorry Ponor). Other than that, I always was most intrigued with Romania's beam. Nadia was just so effortless up there with skills never done before! And now Porgras has me completely in awe of her grace and difficulty. I really hate China's beam routines now. I love the difficulty and (there's consistency issues) the fantastic execution. Of course Pavlova has the best switch ring but Yelinzi landed it best.

[QueenieQue]

@ShawnVikaKomova2012 I completely agree. I think China has produced some of the most fantastic beam-workers, but nowadays, they have little to no choreography and very boring routines. I wish we could bring back Mo Huilan, Fan Ye, and Yang Bo to teach the new gymnasts. However, I'm not sure Romania is the best anymore either. Honestly, I like some of the routines smaller nations are putting out, like Italy.

[ShawnVikaKomova2012]

@QueenieQue I think in London, Zeng Siqi will bring grace and difficulty on beam for China. I think next year, Romania can be great on beam, especially in prelims! They'll have Racea, Ponor, Porgras, and Iordache! Russia's great on beam now and the US is very solid but boring on beam. Preziosa is beautiful on beam! That scorpion turn should've been named after her in 2010. I think it should be a D! Italy's really elegant now. Very entertaining. Have you seen Mai Murakami's beam? It's incredible.

[QueenieQue]

@ShawnVikaKomova2012 I love Zeng Siqi! As far as Romania, I think Racea is pretty but lackluster, Porgras beautiful but inconsistent, and Iordache is missing the technique of the other two. Preziosa is fantastic, if she hits. And I'm just SALIVATING over Mai Murakami right now! Her floor is fantastic, as well as her beam! I will pee my pants if she gets the quad turn on beam in competition (though Yui Fujii might get it first, or even a quint!).

[ShawnVikaKomova2012]

@QueenieQue Yes, Racea doesn't really shine and Porgras is a headcase. I think Iordache has lovely technique! Her triple twist technique is superb! Not to mention that it's fully rotated and comes after a round off + back handspring! Like Dudnik in a way. For a little while about two years ago, I was hoping AA gold for Murakami in 2012 but then shortly after I found Komova, haha! I still am hoping she'll get bronze in 2012. Did you know she's training a Produnova? Yui has a quint now!?!?!?

[QueenieQue]

@ShawnVikaKomova2012 I don't like the "cutesy" Romanian choreography they've stuck Iordache with, and her feet need some work. Yes, I'm still praying that Komova will get the consistency she needs to win gold in 2012. Murakami and a Produnova?? She's got the power, I think, and the panache. And yes, Yui got a quint on beam, but I don't think it is a consistent skill. Probably just a dare that was successful. :)

[ShawnVikaKomova2012]

@QueenieQue I don't think they gave Iordache cutesy choreo. I guess you can see it that way but I find that they're going for some "spicy" latin dancing. Murakami did a Produnova timer on VT a while back and the coaches decided to continue training it. If she lands it, she won't need to upgrade UB to be a major AA contender in 2012. That's great for Yui! Imagine for dance skills on beam, a quint, quad, and an Okino. The quint should be a G, the quad an F. Stupid E skill cap for dance elements.

[AndromedaAiken]

@QueenieQue Yui already did a quintuple turn on beam. The video went up some time ago.

[QueenieQue]

@AndromedaAiken I know, I already said that (see previous post), but I said that I don't think it is a consistent skill. It's not like they're going to be putting the quint in her regular beam routine.

[Sassiiification]

it looks really classical! i love that routine

[bbhouk1]

the 2003 chinese team is one of the best in history

[chocolatefan1711]

Wow!!

She didn't do long poses before she does something she just goes through her routine, especially at 0:56 and 1:18!!!

[MsNoelle555]

this routine is soooo beautiful and unique

[toomuchgoingon]

her routine is amazing! there were a number of wobbles, but the unique elements totally out shine the wobbles in my personal opinion :)

[nikirififo]

No, a regular shushunova is a straddled jump to prone support, so if this one's got a full teist it's a full twisting Shushunova

[pong0622]

do you mean because they warm up on the podium. is that why they got the 0.2 deduction.

[ItsNastiaFan101]

well, it really wasn't even that that cost them the bronze

in the 4th rotation, one gymnast fell on a dance element and the other fell on...well, she tripped over nothing...

[russiangymfan]

When Chinese do beam, they just look different . They not only perform diffidult moves, they dance on the beam! Chinese show how a balance beam routine can be graceful and beautiful. We gymnastics fans should thank them for their efforts and great work. Russia and Ukraine have produced some beautiful beam workers as well. As a team, China is no doubt the best on this event.

[QueenieQue]

So beautiful to watch. She is a true master of the beam, and so young!

[Griddster22]

it's called a full twisting shushunova.

[chinatheatre]

Her eyes follow her hands, her dance and great pace, her textbook precision, all these make Li Ya's beam to stand out. Beautiful!

[QueenieQue]

So true! I wish she was still competing.

[gymmerz]

I once heard a commentator called the move a shushunova, but I'm pretty sure a shushunova is the move that looks like a planche, and I haven't been able to find the original video since then.

[GymnasticsAddict]

If you're talking about the move at 1:20, I think that is also called a Shushunova. A simpler Shushunova would be, for example, a straddle jump where you'd bring your legs behind you and land in a prone on your stomach on the ground. So basically what you just saw, only with no twist.

[Geajansen]

How old is she?

[chrsbk88]

Uhm today shes like 20.

[xFiGHTF0RL0VE]

She's amazing.

[Darkangel127]

One of the best choreographies I've seen!

[fruityliciousrhubarb]

I love that Onodi to front aerial connection. I wish she would still include that in her routine.

[Lakuilera]

love the skill at 1:20!

[nikirififo]

Me too, but it's a Kourbut Full or a Full straddled jump to swing down?

It's reeeeeaaaly beautiful, but confusing

[jovani2293]

so would it be considered a ruflova.

[nikirififo]

Oh, I figured out that this is a full twisting Shushunova...

[mydogwearsacape]

it can't be a rufolva because it was a dive, not a handspring

[Lakuilera]

was the two steps intentional?

[isa1285]

I don't think so, but still it looked beautiful

[Darkangel127]

They were. Amazing routine!

[ardianworld]

beautiful routine! Amazing to see her amplitude