NATALIA SHAPOSHNIKOVA-BEAM 1979 EUROPEANS EVENT FINALS

[gymlover345]

SHES MY COACH!!!!!!!!!

[Theia787]

i love that roll that she does at the beginning!!

[gymnastagirl141009]

Was her handspring layout suppossed to be tucked?

[Lariov]

Shaposhnikova is one of my favourites soviet gymnasts ever!

Thanks for the vid! it's amazing the move of the one-hand stand on beam, someone knows if this move is named after her?

[7544263]

@Lariov Although it was never recognized by the FIG, she is credited as being the first ever to perform it. So yes, you can considered it the "Shaposhnikova Planche"

[lemenblues2]

She is my coach now!

[faeryquene]

@lemenblues2 Ahh! To be coached by greatness! I envy you! :)

[gymlovr828]

So based on this, i'm guessing she was known for her strength and flexabily(but mostly strength)?? Do u think that was correct? Could u please tell me what she was known for exactly.

[sochisochi]

@gymlovr828 flexibility,control and excellent hand stand.

[gymlovr828]

oh ok that makes sense!! lol thanks

[Elemarth]

She's beautiful. I wish more people did routines like that, though it is a bit slow.

[yanaroxy1]

hey! this is from television! and this is kewl cuz my last name is shaposhnikova too and i do rhythmis gymnastics. lolz

[chrislindsey14]

Haha.. flashlights.. :)

[ralucagymnast]

Fantastic work: both Natalia and Lyuda(Tourischeva) and Natalia Yurchenko were all lucky enough to have one of the greatest Soviet coaches ever as their teacher: Vladislav Rastorotsky, he also coached Albina Shishova, who did the first tucked full on beam. The Soviet coaches were so innovative and really made gymnastics exciting and breathtaking)

[ralucagymnast]

Just to follow up on what I said; her flick to two to immediate layout doesnt look as tidy as the rest of her work; because of her extreme flexibility, she lacked maybe the power some of the other gymnasts had, but I would rather watch her incredible planche and onearmed handstand than tumbling on a beam anyday:)

[ballethoney]

Spectacular.  Love her hair like that!

[PARAMITHU]

in this vid. she never loses her balance....not even once...she is perfect!

[sinjinthule]

This is one of my favorite routines ever. It's a personal thing, I guess, but along with Ponor's '04 Athens performance, this is my favorite. Anyone else notice that Tourischeva doesn't look at all happy at the result?

[ralucagymnast]

Tourischeva was coaching at this stage too: I wouldnt say she looked displeased, just a pragmatic Soviet attitude. She does congratulate Natalia though, of course she would have been pleased with the Soviets getting a gold medal, but Tourischeva never really showed emotion even as a competitor. She was the role model "Soviet citizen":)

[yellowbanana104]

@sinjinthule Maybe she expected Shaposhnikova to stick her dismount.

[PrincessLinus87]

what i wouldnt give to see gymnastics like this again

[Lyssenk0]

Yea. They should make bizarre scales like that F skills or something.

[ralucagymnast]

Lyssenk0, you are fairly knowledgeable with this new code; what would this score today, and what would she need to add. I was thinking about what you said, about her onearmed handstand with pirouette should be an F value skill, which it should be:) I really do miss beam routines like this:( everything is the same now; front aerial flick layout, side somi, sheep jump, switch leap to tuck back, all the same, and double pike dismount..its gotten so boring:(

[HailieNichole1995]

Don't forget the 2 1/2 twist dismount that nobody can land cleanly.

[lkofron]

@PrincessLinus87

Absolutely. All they seem to do now on the beam is walk up and down and wave their arms around. I really don't understand it. Where's the originality?

[ralucagymnast]

One word-sublime. Was her straddled planche mount named after her? Or the one-armed handstand pirouette to sit? It should have been named after her.

[lindziloo]

i can do tht i just dont want 2 show off lol :P

[sinjinthule]

cheeky. ;)

[elamantebilingue]

Natalia Shaposhnikova is truly captivating and spectacular. In my opinion, her performances are artistic and difficult. On beam she worked like a rhythmic gymnast. Does anyone have her BB from the 1980 Olympics EF and her FX from the AA which I understand was the routine that cost her the AA title in Moscow?

[chitinaak]

Thanks. Shapo is my favorite gymnast.  I have never seen this clip with this commentary before.

[GYMANGELS]

thanks-i have a lot more footage of shapo with commentary i will post for you over the next few days!

[chitinaak]

Thanks! I love anything of Shapo.  Video of her seems hard to find.

[sinjinthule]

I really enjoyed watching beam when it was more of a control/strength/flexibility showcase. These days it seems like it's just FX on a 4" wide platform 4 feet off the floor. I have to wonder how many elite gymnasts, today or ever, could top Shapo's best balance/strength tricks. Marvelous. She runs a gym not to far from my turf these days. Maybe I'll drop by some time. ;)

[ardianworld]

Yeah she's great! That skill that she balances on one arm is just superb!