Taking the joy out of gymnastics
CHICAGO — NBC will be happy to know that its “social Olympics” strategy worked on me—all the chatter on my social media networks led me to actually download an app to my iPad to watch video of the games.
Too bad what I saw didn’t keep me interested in following the games’ soap-opera-like developments, not even my old favorite: women’s gymnastics.
I’ll spare you the details about how, when I was 10, I sat enraptured by the women’s gymnastics team during the 1984 Summer Olympics—that summer practically every little girl in America was mesmerized by the acrobatic power and finesse of Mary Lou Retton. And we all took to tumbling on the carpet in front of the TV, pointing our toes and wishing we could so happily fly through the air.
But unlike much of the gymnastics events I sat through last week, Retton and the rest of the 1984 American team had something I saw very little of during this Olympics: lyricism, fluidity and, most of all, artistic beauty.
Raw, explosive power? Yes. Bare-knuckled competition? Of course. Unparalleled muscular athleticism? Beyond a doubt.
But also grim determination on the women’s faces not only before a routine but also during, when the pure joy of living a once-in-a-lifetime moment at the pinnacle of a career should have been happily savored. The pervasive get-’er-done-quick flicking movements robbed balance beam, floor and rhythmic performances of balletic grace and replaced it with competitive cheerleading’s snap and speed.
After an evening of watching women’s vault, balance beam and floor exercises, I wondered if maybe I was just feeling a bit of nostalgia that makes happy childhood memories so perfect that no present-day reality could ever compare.
But I wasn’t the only one to notice. In addition to other lamentations, The Washington Post’s sportswriter Liz Clarke nailed it in an article titled “Olympic gymnastics: As sport evolves, the joy is harder to spot.”
“Women’s gymnastics have become so technically rigorous and physically demanding that the battle for Olympic gold leaves little room for the artistry and joy that have made the sport one of the games’ most popular,” Clarke wrote, detailing how the bliss on the athletes’ faces comes only after the exertion is complete and even then seems more like relief. “With the sport’s difficulty escalating so rapidly, it’s no wonder the ‘game face’ of modern-day gymnasts tends to be a clenched jaw rather than a radiant smile.”
All sports, even all arts, evolve. But what a shame to see acrobatic near-impossibility overtake a sport that for years drew adoring crowds who were inspired not only by the wonder of this particular type of athleticism but also by the joy on the faces of the young women performing it. More explosive technical proficiency isn’t a fair trade for a little less beauty and elegance.
I could be wrong on that count—young viewers who are inspired to pursue this sport from watching these performances may never know the difference. Still, women’s gymnastics has lost my interest for now, and I won’t be pining to see it evolve any more.
Esther Cepeda is a columnist for the Washington Post Writers Group. Her email address is estherjcepeda@washpost.com.
Aug 8, 2012 at 12:34 p.m.
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Regardless of their age, these are essentially professional athletes. For better or worse, it's their work, their job and the focus of their life. Those who do it as a hobby can still enjoy it.
Aug 8, 2012 at 12:17 p.m.
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Yes, nostalgia is not memory, nostalgia is something done to memory.
If you watch sports across the board grimacing is always part of it. Yet, below the the surface of the grimace is the pleasure that comes from skilled exertion. I remember this,too, from when I played sports.
Female gymnasts are leaving the girlie stuff behind. They've come a long way. Understand that.
PS: Esther, stop calling me. It's over.
Aug 8, 2012 at 7:30 a.m.
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Read a book
Aug 7, 2012 at 2:24 p.m.
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They've got something figured out over there at NBC. The ratings have never been higher. Clearly, from the article and the few comments so far, it's clear that many have been watching very closely. If viewers think that the joy has been taken out of the gymnastics competition, I would say watch the reaction of those that win. The USA girls gymnastics team seemed pretty joyful when they knew that they had officially won the gold. All sports evolve over time. So the way gymnasts perform is a bit different nowadays. Big deal. Maybe you long for the days of leather football helmets, too. I don't. The gymnasts are performing according to the rules that are in place. This isn't the days of Olga Korbut. Judges don't score gymnasts based on crowd reaction. Thank God. Gabby Douglas might have scored lower because some people don't like her hair.
Aug 7, 2012 at 2:17 p.m.
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The North Korean judge gives this article a 2.75 score on a 5 point "is this interesting" scale.
Aug 7, 2012 at 1:59 p.m.
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Blaming China?? Really?? Nadia Comaneci was only 14 when she scored all those perfect 10's back in 1976. The Chinese aren't the only country to "raise girls" in camps. The Soviet Union & former Eastern Block countries used to do the very same thing. And, by the way - If NBC had been covering the Olympics back then, the US audience never would have seen Nadia's performance because she wasn't an American - they probably wouldn't have shown gymnastics at all. I totally agree - I used to love watching gymnastics. I'm so sick of NBC & the announcing team shoving these girls down our throats. The endless self-promotion has been nauseating. I hate to say it - but I find myself routing for the other countries.
Aug 7, 2012 at 10:18 a.m.
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I agree -- and I blame China for this. They take 10-13 yrs olds, and raise them in camps. Present them as 17 yr olds and we all know just by looking at them -- theres no way they are the age declared. The have made competition a science experiement, using the latest doping methods and youngest ages.
I also do not watch the tennis and B-ball portion. I would much rather see an unknown, thrilled by the moment and chance to compete at an elite level, than to watch millionaires go out to further fill their trphy cabinet and collect lucrative contracts to promote skin creame and shampoo.
Aug 7, 2012 at 9:37 a.m.
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Agreed. Also saddened by the projection of individuals being a sure shot for gold with the winners practically annointed before the event. Have we forgotten that these are humans capable of falling short on any given day? Examples would be the individual vault and uneven bars for the women. They put way too much pressure on these young atheletes with their expectations.
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