Alexander Artemev - 2008 Beijing Olympics - TF PH

Nation: USA ( United States of America )

[@misina211]

I still get goosebumps and teary eyed to this day watching this routine, knowing how Artemev arrived to this point. He was only an alternate brought in at the last moment (along with Raj Bhavsar), chosen to compete in just this one rotation for the team final, thus having to wait the entire competition to come down to this final routine to decide the fate of the U.S. team, a bronze medal hanging in the balance, it was do or die time. And he absolutely nailed his routine with probably the best performance of his life, securing the medal for the U.S. team, a bronze that was as good as gold, all things considered. It embodies everything the Olympics are to me, this moment in Beijing.

[@stephw1702]

It's more amazing when you add that he missed both his pommel horse routines at Nationals that year, chose to do his simpler routine at Olympic Trials and missed day two there too.

[@gravityisfree]

"...a bronze that was as good as gold" captures my sentiment about the entire 2008 Men's Gymnastics Team. One of the most incredible moments in olympic history.

[@stephw1702]

​@@gravityisfreeAbsolutely. These guys had been doubted by so many during the years leading up to those Games. NBC only showed them once during the prelims, and only began showing their routines during finals about two rotations into the competition. I remember thinking as it started that, if they could just hit their routines they had what it took to win a medal, and was on the floor with happy tears as this routine finished knowing they had done it.

[@naturevalley10]

The only athlete I've ever seen elicit a response from the crowd on pommel horse.

[@WickedWordzz]

I have to say that the 2008 olympics was absolutley my favorite and most memorable. The fact that you keep coming back 12 years to see these athletic performances lends to what a great olympiad it was. From the rookie men's gymnastics team earning a place on the podium, to Phelps and his 8 INCREDIBLE gold medal wind. Absolutely LOVED IT!!

[@markcrimminswriter]

Like so many others here, I come back to this year after year. Never did a pommel horse routine burn itself onto the back of my eyelids like this one. It was a transcendental sports moment, a minute of pure athletic brilliance. To this day I find this performance inspiring, both in itself and of course because of the ambient circumstances. Fifteen years and half a lifetime later, I still occasionally say to myself: "Okay I gotta see that Artemev routine again!" It never gets old. For me, I was always astounded by the amplitude and amazing height he got on those flares and yes--the way he brought some elements of break dancing to the pinnacle of the Olympic pommel horse routine. He really made sports history with this brilliantly delivered minute of his life. It's also brilliant to find all these other people here who, for one reason or another, were moved and inspired by this particular performance as I was. He really gave us all something to remember him by.

[@nezzynez]

Literally!! This randomly pops into my head and i keep coming back to watch it. It's beautiful

[@somesinger1575]

It's crazy that this still stands as the best pommel horse routine of all time!

[@PageMarker1]

He's no where near Quin Xio, but no one has before or after. Nice full kerr done here, never saw that done before competitively.

[@intldawn]

This was such an amazing moment. It still brings tears to my eyes. I met Sasha when he just a little kid and first came to Colorado from Belarus. I trained with his dad for years. Sasha was a brilliant talent from the get-go. We always thought that he'd make it on the big stage. I was thrilled when he made the Olympic team and absolutely delighted to see have this moment, clinching a medal for the team. So great

[@mikeg4576]

I will never forget the excitement of watching this live. I don't think i was ever so nervous watching a routine like this without knowing the end result already. Maybe Carly Patterson's AA floor routine at the 2004 Olympics is the only one that comes close.

[@domn1c]

I loved this routine! I also loved how the British broadcasters were so neutral and rooted for all the athletes.

[@robertoweilviso]

One of the best pommel sets ever... and at the right place and time

[@Tarebear120]

To this day, this is my favorite pommel horse routine! His flares are exceptional!

[@HopelessDaydreamer55]

He's freaking break-dancing on the pommel horse! How did he not get the highest score? That was such an impressive routine, I'm still coming back 3 years later to watch it.

[@nyc10ken]

Love the team cheer he got at 0:29 when he did the one arm spin. That pumped him up for the finish!

[@Moiez101]

just watchign this, i start smiling more and more towards the end of the routine. That's how you know this is pure quality.

[@MC-ep8cu]

This is by far the best pomel horse routine of all time

[@michaelmorse_gym]

Thanks a lot for these videos. Really great to see some of the routines not featured on the American broadcast with commentary.

[@BionicBoom88]

Best I have ever seen on the horse!

[@mikeg8375]

i woke up the neighbors when he hit this.

[@peytonkomskaikru4955]

Ha ha ha!!

[@acts238gurl]

that was amazing!!! Flawless!

[@sundarpichai940]

I'm not a gymnastics fan, but I remember that my girlfriend wanted to watch and and I was with her. It really was the best ever! I know that those flares are considered to be easy and don't count for much, but the routine was just so stylish as opposed to the typical routines which are meant to maximize points.

[@Elong.]

Still a memorable toe point. Such commitment 👏

[@elmachingon]

Goosebumps

[@terat1227]

Well done, amazing recovery Alexander Artemev. Help carry the team after Kevin Tan's flop. Talk about the pressure.

[@andreas49er]

WOW. THAT WAS AMAZING. 👏😮

[@soffronitsky]

At the end he looked quite scared, like: "Goodness me, what have I done!?"

[@jivadas9088]

Amazing 👍🏻👍🏻 КРАСАВЧИК, хорош 👍🏻👍🏻

[@omegasword2000]

best flairs ever

[@dividedwecounquer]

I just wanted to see one of my coaches at the olympics to remind myself of what i wanna become

[@miketennis19ny]

I practically shit myself watching this routine, I wanted Sasha to nail this routine so much!

[@retired537]

凄い！

[@АндрейМасюков]

Хорошая работа!super!das is gut! Сейчас ма ло кто идёт на риск,кто разбирается тот поймет

[@SuperSailorOutlawGeorgeIshaq]

one can only imagine what was going through the mind of the pommel horse during Alexander Artemev's performance

[@elmotociclista9296]

and still, I haven't seen anyone perform spindle flares as effortlessly as he did, not in pommel horse.

[@captainbryce1]

Felipe Montoya His protégé Yul Moldauer followed his his footsteps. His flairs are pretty amazing too!

[@francisnguyen6349]

Russian Belarusian American Artistic Gymnast, Alexander Artemev and his Team USA Men's Artistic Gymnastics Team Final takes their bronze in Beijing.

[@FloMonKish]

best routine

[@samoanwarchild]

what settlement is this? I've played every inch of fallout 4 and never found this place 😕

[@crisp7575]

He has the most beautiful feet/toes there ever was on pommel horse

[@thedude5787]

The original Pommel Horse Man

[@peytonkomskaikru4955]

I used to go to the gym he coaches at

[@FactsNReason]

MASSIVE

[@PhilMan138]

@can1052 THAT is absolute truth!

[@tallrob11]

@Sublue i agree

[@prp134]

When I think of pommel horse, this is what imagine

[@TheAmbition23]

hmm..confused the hell out of me when I saw that a Russian was representing America

[@lebethany53]

because as of 2002 he is an american citizen.

[@yabudimsure]

he made it look so easy but i'm pretty sure it aiint

[@natalienat518]

he should've done as nice as this in the PH finals...

[@johnreagan]

Give him a break. The apparatus is arguably the toughest for men and the stage is a pressure cooker. No margin for error. In case anyone else doesn't know, Alex was not this clean in the individual element final. But at least he nailed his routine once at the friggin Olympics. More than I can say about my life.

[@mirandie13]

MARRY ME

[@hazeleyeddreamer11]

This is sex on a pommel horse.