1980 Olympics Nelli Kim Compulsory Balance Beam

[akimbohr]

9.90. Nice but not as elegant and perfect as Nadia who justly scored 10

[cherylannemason]

For someone who was not known as a beam specialist and who was at the time, as the man says, a good seven or eight years older than many of the other competitors, this looks pretty darned smooth!

[loaugust]

Absolutely beautiful!

[morenodelaorilla]

it's nice to see the arabesque performed that way.

[strawberryrainbow]

why did she retire from the sport in the 1980 Moscow olymics? She should have been in the 1985 L.A Olympics..

[TuesdayPillow]

She was getting on in years. This was her second Olympics. Also, the Olympics are held in even years (84 was the LA Olympics).

[saltlakecity2002]

She couldn't have been in L.A. because the USSR boycotted the games in '84.

[aramis9915]

@saltlakecity2002 don't mix sport with political topics...USA had boycotted many place and events in the world

...but we love the USA sport.

[theemrod]

It seemed so basic in those days - a lot of prancing from one end to the other! These days there is a lot more complexity to the routine.

[briaberger]

No, this is compulsories. It was supposed to be simple. The goal was the execute simple gymnastics beautifully.

[jamesbug2002]

@theemrod a lot of complexity indeed..but less elegance and grace..I wonder if today's gymnasts can even execute, gracefully, a standing arabesque in 180+ degrees of split..today's gymnasts may be able to do a lot of tricks..but can then gracefully do the 70's 80's compulsory routines?

[audie83]

That compulsory full turn looks hard!!

[bullfrog5050]

Nellie was soon to retire after 15 yrs of competition. She will always be perfect in my book. An admirer since age 14.

[bullfrog5050]

Nellie was soon to retire after 15 yrs of competition. I was 14 with a crush and still admire her ability and beauty.

[sequiaonda]

Not a really good routine. She was plastic on the bar.

[njb782]

its a beam firs of all