Lilia Podkopayeva - 1996 Olympics Team Optionals - Vault

[andro52683]

She looks to the left on beam and bars too.

[uwoeric]

Not sure why she had so much trouble with this vault in team finals, she did them beautifully in the AA. It's too bad because she could have made VT finals and probably won.

[ericmaine]

She's looking at the 'green' light on the scoreboard. If a gymnast goes when the light is 'red'. the vault is scored as a zero. At the 1994 Worlds, she did just that in event finals. The light was 'red' and she vaulted...automatic zero.

[bbhouk1]

@ericmaine

it was at the 1993 worlds

[cscottrun23]

i looked up all her vaults from 1996 and she looks to her left EVERY single time right after she salutes the judges. i wonder if she realizes she's doing it.

[KittyCatZoey1691]

why does she ALWAYS look to the left before every vault??/

[yngtxtopbear]

God her vaulting in the Team Finals SCARED me! I thought she was going to blow out both of her knees! So glad she did not!

[dyingproof]

I would hope to god she would take steps with BENT knees, otherwise that would be quite painful!

The looking to the left thing is probably a superstition or ritual she always had.

[vesperholly]

IIRC, one of her vaults was not counted at a Worlds EF a few years before this because she went before the green light, and had it counted, she might have medaled. Probably very careful ever since.

[MrJST94]

@dyingproofmaby she was looking at her coach?

[gymgirl123]

Why does she always look to the left before she goes?

[901234565432109867]

seems like it would be looking at another gymnast or a coach... maybe looking at her starting measuring tape?? idk...

[FireDannyAinge]

What a joke of a score. Over a 9.5 when he knee was almost on the floor and she took two steps with bent legs.

Ridiculous.

[dwright15]

she didn't get a 9.5 that was a previous score