Soviet gymnast Olga Korbut charms the World | Faster, Higher, Stronger - BBC

[@nathaliexlr8]

I wish beam routines today could be this artistic. That being said, if a gymnast did a modern-day routine back then, they would've been deemed superhuman.

[@JLDReactions]

+nathaliexlr8 The skills they do today would be hard to do back then. The equipment is used today is very different. They only had wooden beams back then. NO PADDING. Vault was hard and the springs weren't as good. Floor exercise didn't have any springs either and uneven bars were wood, not fiberglass like today.

[@cosmickitty9533]

How come the uneven bar exercises they did back then look so much harder and more graceful than the ones they do now?

[@nathaliexlr8]

Elphaba Crux The bars are much more wide apart now and a lot of the skills done then are banned now because it's easy to get injured from those.

[@cosmickitty9533]

nathaliexlr8 Thats too bad. I like the old skills.

[@cosmickitty9533]

nathaliexlr8 Do you happen to know why Olga called the beam the "most dangerous event"? It looks to me that the uneven bars is most dangerous but Ive never done any gymnastics.

[@cybersoil100]

I remember watching Olga on TV during the '72 Olympics. She did more for Soviet/US relations than any other person or treaty could. She won the hearts of the US and World audiences.

[@maggieg5560]

I remember too. We all just loved her!!!

[@doriamvell5386]

We still remember Samantha Smith I hope she in better place now

[@bellaangeles8686]

Yes, I remember, too! She sort of brought Gymnastics into everyones awareness. It became the favorite spectator sport in the Olympics!

[@ysgol3]

@@bellaangeles8686 She was quite popular in Wales too !

[@jonothandoeser]

Because he cried after she failed on the uneven bars. It humanized her.

[@huludulu2796]

She's the most charming and fluid gymnast I've ever seen. Her floor exercise made me so emotional I had tears welling.

[@sylviarollins412]

Nadia Comaneci is also so amazing on floor and in her routines. She was someone I looked up to as a little girl. I always remember her amazing floor routine and her adorable personality 😊

[@mathonamoore123]

Check out Nadia Comaneci at the 1976 Olympics, she got 7 perfect 10 scores, for her routines. She's considered, one of the best gymnasts of all time. She was only 14 at those games.

[@MadameRosaFortuneTeller]

me too

[@tarawalsh7045]

I always cry if I see Olga or Nadia. they were... are such huge parts of my sister and my childhood memories. My sister was a gymnast. I played about on the mat and could do some tumbling and the round-off-handspring-tuck routine but I didn't put the commitment into it that my sister did. Just watching Olga today makes me realise how perfectly she blended ballet and gymnastics, which is very rare. Hearing her say that she just felt as if she were 7 years old and playing is beautiful. Such a wonderful gift to humanity this tiny girl has been.

[@mariefriedmann3203]

Me too what an incredible, unforgettable performance, even all these years later... I remember how happy I was for her when she got her gold medal for the floor exercise.

[@rosiepena8917]

You can tell she's also taken ballet because of the way that she moves, she's so graceful and limber

[@xmyxymx]

Russians/Belarussians come with ballet already pre-installed in them 😂

[@galekelsey224]

I think most of their gymnasts are ballet trained, the rhythmic gymnasts in particular. I've always wondered if they went to dance after finishing with gymnastics. 🩰

[@mustyfan1584]

The Soviet program really emphasized ballet, apparently the young gymnasts did an hour and a half of ballet in the morning before even starting their gymnastics training for the day. It made their gymnastics infinitely more beautiful and allowed them to actual present with line, unlike most gymnasts today. To some extent the Russians and Chinese still do this though!

[@sunshyne8539]

100%!

[@hyacinthlynch843]

I agree. Unlike today's gymnasts who perform their routines like circus acrobats.

[@ٴٴٴٴ_0]

It's tough when you're a young person with potential and all adults put their high expectations on you. I'm glad she survived the pressure and came out stronger

[@commonsenselyrics]

2:15 I find it disturbing that people needed to see a Russian cry to realise they were human. What?

[@hi-tech_soldier2558]

Ikr

[@Ell.06]

This was a completely different period of time when The Soviet Union was demonized and treated as enemy no. 1

[@ssimon64]

That guy was just off his rocker

[@Loungesugar]

If you don’t understand the Soviet mindset of the 20th century, you’re probably too young

[@johnsain]

Every Soviet was thought of as a potentially evil programmed machine,....Democrats have brought back those days to an extent.

[@satanasteguarda]

No one: KZbin: Hey kid, wanna watch this video from 2012 that's unrelated to anything you ever watch?

[@SunFlower-yy5uu]

🤣🤣

[@McKenly7]

Hahahahaha so accurate

[@Patrol1985]

I thought I was the only one who got here this way! :D

[@bryanh2618]

Yup

[@jozefkucera8402]

Noone is actually youtube algorithm

[@ems8097]

the dismount from the uneven bars was incredible

[@j.elizabeth4621]

I watched it at least a dozen times

[@sonja_jpg]

Unfortunately its been banned cause its to dangerous cause the gymnast can hit their heads on the lower beam

[@ellenino]

It was named after her too :)

[@Horsefeathers30]

There's a beauty to her routines that is really lacking in today's competitions

[@karengittins4315]

You are so right. She had a lightness and a finesse that was doesn't play today. Still as stunning today... more so even

[@cmlyster]

And the floor is so noisy these days. The sound takes away and grace there is. Why does it have to be this way. Nothing wrong with the floor then!

[@jangles8061]

@Climb Ontop But maybe that's WHY the world watched back then.. it had more personality ~ that's what captivated the audience. Today it feels like mass production.

[@shawnchong5196]

Srsly, the olympics now, there is no finesse, yeah, they do flippy things and such, but to me, I want to see a grace, and form. I have quit watching the gymnastics routine about 12 years ago, it's awesome but no grace.

[@DenKorsak]

Вы правы.

[@dianepeacock8627]

Totally fell in love with Olga when i was a kid. Full of personality and talent. Even to this day no one comes close to her charm and charisma. God bless her from England

[@dismas8884]

england hates russia.

[@danacaro-herman3530]

@diane peacock. I must agree I love Olga Korbet!!❤️

[@alexnaranjo2160]

Why do we have to hate? In this world we must give a chance to love.

[@anneann9127]

@@dismas8884 Don't confuse governments with the people.

[@annefrank7005]

She's 17 there?? DAMN - that's how I looked when I was 10

[@goku21youtub]

pcb from the plastic has an estrogen effect and its now basically everywhere in every single food or drop of water , thats why girls develop much faster nowadays , but sport on a competitive level can also delay puberty

[@joceelee]

She is short with very low body fat. The way she is wearing her hair and the fact that she is not caked in makeup have a lot to do with how young she looks also. I thought she was 13 here.

[@chancepaladin]

Yeah I thought she was closer to 11, or early 12 max. The shit in the water and food these days has changed it all.

[@ciara7172]

My thought too

[@ElizabethGlasby]

Russian Bot Ulf wow that’s so cool I didn’t know that

[@LL-qm4sq]

The girl: *cries* The old man: It was wonderful.

[@PrettyLittleLiar4]

L L I cringed so hard. Like why is seeing a young girl crying after making a mistake in competition so surprising. I understand the tension and animosity between Russia and America but his comment was so dumb I can’t

[@Karen093LRN]

At that time sovietic people were believed to have no feelings, never cry, never love.. so her reaction was something's outstanding for USA

[@Zen-rw2fz]

@@Karen093LRN people still believe that tho

[@zds6185]

That man was sick!

[@barbarakauppi9915]

@L L - He wasn't an old man when it happened. Math is not that hard. Try to pay attention, you may learn something useful.

[@treewisps4085]

1:42 that landing is perfect

[@christopherhall5361]

unfortunately she utterly failed that event overall

[@marlonbrando6615]

Christopher Hall oh really didn't realise

[@ErinsProjects]

I was just noticing how graceful and artistic she is. Why does gymnastics not look like that anymore?

[@akc1739]

Ballet training used to be required. You can tell it’s gone.

[@no_peace]

Part of it is because they do whatever they have to do to get maximum points.

[@han3572]

They are trying to go for big powerful moves/skills like men

[@arthrodea]

@@han3572 What is interesting to me is that she will only do one flip- but she holds the position suspended in the air with her back arched like a swan she is jumping so high.

[@scottw6704]

You see it in figure skating now too. The artistry is gone, replaced with athletic elements that garner more points. Unfortunately, it makes it all much less watchable and entertaining.

[@siggi248]

Wonderful. Her grace cannot be compared with today’s gymnastics power machines.

[@penultimania4295]

It's like today they are just going through the motions. I feel like gymnanstics at least, back then, had the potential to attract a wider audience just because it was such a spectacle, even people like me who are not interested in sports would watch. It was powerful, but graceful. Now it's just...not interesting, there is no 'routine' imo, to go from one move to the next and thats it. BORING. Figure skating I think has gone in the same direction.

[@virpitolonen5276]

@@penultimania4295 Olga Korbut and Nadia Comaneci.

[@LEDANCETHERAPY]

You rarely get to see this kind of grace in today's gymnastics because the skills are so packed that there is no room for breath. It's about how man flips you can do and tricks but not really any kind of feeling or soul. Once in a blue you get a gymnast who is able to precisely nail it and you're like holy smack but still miss this element. There is real art in any craft that is done in a high level.

[@diuxD]

+LEDANCETHERAPY I feel like Simone Biles is bringing it back slightly. She seems so happy in everything that she does, that I can't help but love her. Even though grace and elegance aren't her main points while doing gymnastics, she has it naturally.

[@JLDReactions]

She's a great athlete, but she's referring to the artistry. Simone Biles doesn't bring much artistry though.

[@juanl.2411]

+diuxD honestly I don't believe any female gymnast will ever be able to bring back the magic in gymnastics, things are always changing and unless a group of them protest for it to be brought back or a miracle happens, grace and elegance in today's "artistic" gymnastics won't be brought back in the near future, it may never be brought back, but who knows? maybe a there will be a new Olga Korbut performing in the Olympics, at least I hope.

[@Anyajac]

Romanian gymnast Ana Porgras came pretty close in my opinion, but she retired nearly 6 months before the London Games. Such a shame :( She would've medaled for sure!

[@greymomma]

I so agree. Today's floor exercise is power based not artist. Sometimes so much so that I wonder if there's a need for the square mat at all. It almost seems as though the mat will become long and rectangular and the gymnasts will only run a straight line and perform their strongest moves. The song and 'story' of the exercise seems to be going.

[@Szheherazad]

watch pre 1972 gymnastics; flips on beam, even splits on beams were considered daredevil. Olga opened door to "stunts" totally unheard of before. Her "failure" and tears probably won more hearts than any gold medal. It was a reaction any little girl could understand. Her pixie smile and "joi de vivre" were endearing. Olga was condsidered a "freak" by the judges; but if it had not been for Olga Korbut; there probably would not have been a Nadia or perfect 10 four years later. Olga readied the world for what was to come and what was possible.

[@writerforlifeify]

If the judges were not prepared to award Olga the 1st ever 10 for her uneven bars routine in '72, then I feel that she, even more than Nadia, should have scored that 1st 10 with the same (by then perfected) signature routine in '76....but she did arrive at the '76 Games with injuries and it affected her performance (as the replays show). On the other hand, it could just be that destiny had appointed Olga as the set-up girl, the ground-breaker whose efforts to galvanize the sport were intended to open the door for Nadia's 10. To the degree that Olga took the sport to new heights her star shone as brightly as that of any 'perfect' competitors that followed her.

[@writerforlifeify]

Olga said in an interview that "first you work for your name and then your name works for you." She was referring to some of Nadia's less than perfect routines where judges awarded her a 10 in spite of obvious though minor mistakes. Because she was 'Nadia.' Not a single 10 before '76 and suddenly they were handing them out like candy...and Nadia walked away with as many as 7 in one Olympiad. Yes, she deserved her (not always truly perfect & she knew it) 10s but then so did Olga in '72. But who cares about the scores or the politics surrounding the Games? The performances are preserved forever on video & they speak volumes for themselves.

[@olbarncats]

Olga got everyone' attention and showed us that gymnastics was worth watching. I remember a TV commentator back in the '70's saying that this sport wouldn't have drawn flies if not for Olga. As a former gymnastics judge, I have sympathy for those judges in Munich working with a code of points that simply didn't know what to do with Olga's new skills. It really took quite a while before the scoring caught up with the athletes' accomplishments.

[@theresag1969]

Yes, I totally agree. If you look back on what Olga did it is still stunning compared to what the girls are doing today.

[@creativequeen8371]

Spot on

[@pamelahermano9298]

I miss the gracefulness of gymnastics back in the day.

[@p.h.m.kletersteeg117]

Fantastic! The technic, the moves, but also the person. The true sweetheart of the public and of me! The best ambassador of the Sovjet ever!

[@moskito5864]

I was 12 years old in 1972 and we was watching it live in TV this memory is forever in my brain until today, my god she was phantastic ♥

[@brendaannedufaur6244]

It is a cliche but korbut is poetry in motion. The gymnastics of that era I find incredibly beautiful. Much more so than today's gymnastics. Korbut was incredible.

[@tarawalsh7045]

Yes yes yes. I am happy to see I am not alone in this view. What happened to these miniature superpower girls? Why are gymnasts today so much bulkier? When did that change and why?????

[@tarawalsh7045]

@𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮_𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙞! ❄︎ My sister was on the Olympic team and had to remain out due to a late injury when she was just 17, which was deemed somewhat old at the time. To this day she is a very lean woman, has a very athletic body, can do many things upside down and in mid air that many people less than half her age cannot do. She eats like an athlete, which is not at all consistent with an ED. Just recently a very large woman made a rather rude comment to her in the grocery store due to her slim frame. We would never dream of commenting on other women's bodies, and certainly not in public. It's plain rude and offensive. Most people believe she spends a great deal of time training and/or doing Pilates but she actually doesn't. She told me that it goes both ways where women's bodies are concerned. In other words people can be as rude to her as to larger women. I have a former colleague who was once deemed 'obese' and her specialization (professionally) is female body images and the fact that people think it is okay in any circumstances to remark upon anyone's body or make assumptions about them. It does real harm, reflects very poorly on the speaker's manners and emotional stability and reinforces unhealthy views of women given the vast array of body types, shapes and sizes that we naturally have. I have a high waist. I have no idea what that means but it does help me when I am seeking to buy trousers that fit or even a dress. An Olympic trained athlete, as my sister was, is placed on a very specific diet that is full of the nutrients and combinations their bodies require. Our mother is a doctor and would never have accepted anything less for us. The fact is that the bulkier one is, the more dangerous the gymnastic apparatus will be such as the balance beam and the bars. My son plays tennis and is long and lean. His best friend plays rugby and is less tall and has a bulkier frame (mesomorphic). Given the abuses in American gymnastics in that past decade or so, we are utterly bewildered as to why parents would sit there as their daughters were vaginally probed to elongate muscles in their thighs, which would prevent Osgood-Schlatter's disease, which is common in young gymnasts due to the impact of their landings on their growing knee joints. The real treatment for this is to work with the thigh muscles, not the vaginal walls. It is also a reason for them to be leaner. That is just medicine. My daughter had signs of it and has been treated by working on her thigh muscles, not inside her vagina. She, like my sister, is naturally lean with slim hips and long legs. But they can both eat two grown men under the table.

[@tarawalsh7045]

@𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮_𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙞! ❄︎ That's true. Muscle weighs more than fat. But then what is 'fat' anyway? And bulkier is from certain types of activity. My son had a friend who was into weight lifting and that was all about bulking up to a point. Some things are just hard facts. Like ballerinas work so hard their feet bleed and if they are under a certain height, they will NEVER get beyond a certain point professionally. Same with their weight or body proportions. I like seeing more real peoples' bodies out there in ads etc. Overall, healthy and one body type are not the same thing. So, yeah, we agree. Thankfully.

[@how_tragic]

Watching this is so different from routines nowerdays. She looks so graceful, the movements all flow together so nicely, there is so much more emotion. Routines now are just sequences of tricks that don’t flow into one another; I wish there was still this sweet, graceful charm about them.

[@PreservationEnthusiast]

*Nowadays* not "Nowerdays"

[@galekelsey224]

Same thing with figure skating. It's all about quadruple turns and big numbers...🙁

[@TabiMcArdle]

The girls are built like boys now too

[@nanamifan0220]

I agree. The last gymnast that i really remember having great smooth and artistic elements was nastia liukin…her beam routine from 2008 is spectacular.

[@nanamifan0220]

@@rileyroo2381 Well in some ways, people didn’t care about mental health back then, causing powerful athletes to burn out quicker. These days, it’s good athletes can take breaks for their mental health no? Everyone dogged on Biles for leaving the olympics but she could’ve seriously injured herself if she “powered through it” like you said. It’s good she had the strength to know where she was at the moment and call it quits. And because of that, she’s still going strong after 10 years in elite gymnastics. THAT IS VIRTUALLY UNHEARD OF!!!! I can see where you’re coming from, sometimes “powering through it” can be dangerous. Cough cough that one chick who did that vault at the 1996 olympics. She should’ve never felt pressured to do that vault with such an injury. 😑

[@F1SHB1TCH]

i feel like today is all about how hard the routine is and its so harsh , i wish they would add more grace to it because back then ,this was beauty and art! you just kind of got amazed on how beautiful and calm they looked and now its just big muscles and harsh movements, and im not even going to go in on the floor routines because im just going to get mad , i just feel like some gymnasts today should train ballet before so they get the soft movements and grace into it like ice skating.

[@serasimonearda8046]

I totally agree! It have just changed so much!

[@zahrashaukat6114]

I agree

[@Mary56]

Anna Danielson Couldn't agree more, well said. The "grace" of gymnastics has faded away. Miss it.

[@jojojuiceclub6248]

that is really really good

[@jojojuiceclub6248]

that is really really good

[@John-ge2ne]

Olga Korbut, the greatest of all time. Thank you.

[@JS-ln4ns]

A sentimental choice.

[@susannpatton2893]

Somewhat, someone has to be the 1st to change things or nothing changes ​@@JS-ln4ns

[@susannpatton2893]

​@@JS-ln4ns kinda like our GOAT Simone, she changed it too. Now little ones have their challenge

[@typicallyusual6984]

Idk if someone else has mentioned it yet, but the level of difficulty that Korbut achieved, in a way, will never be replicated ever again, because many elements she practiced then are completely banned now. She was the queen of banned elements due to just how dangerous they were. Even the gymnasts of today cannot afford to take the risks she did then, which is definitely for the best, but also makes me appreciate her skill and artistry that much more.

[@stephenlaing1738]

I was 6 years old and was in love with Olga Korbet for the next 6 years.. It was because of her I became a gymnast.

[@denniskelley8974]

I was 14 and hadn't yet gotten that into girls... but Olga changed that. 😀 So yeah, I fell in love with Olga too, but no, she had no effect on my gymnastics aspirations. 😁

[@lesleyallinson8738]

Olga was an amazing gymnast, she had a bad day but she's in the history as one of the greatest gymnasts of all times wonderful young lady

[@jjlegrand4046]

When she was on the beam she really said “move like a snake”

[@jewsaregenocidalhores]

Lmfao when

[@john172867]

Her floor exercise was excellent. And without the spring board they use today.

[@mep4488]

I remember watching her perform on TV at the Olympics in Munich 1972 and being touched by her grace, charm, and talent! This was a time when you didn’t cheer for the Russians because of their long Cold War with the USA, but she delighted us, touched our hearts with her humanity, and won us over. So good to see this again. Thank you for posting this.

[@withlove312]

"Isn't she marvelous?" Yes, she is. :)

[@victoriadrake]

Olga Korbut was and always will be - to me - a wonderful phenomenon. She was such joy, love and creativity all rolled up into one fantastic little entity. :)

[@therhythmictale5574]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHe1dZ6FodaLqNE

[@MrGmanishere]

Before there was Nadia, there was Olga. I remember the '72 Olympics for 3 things: Olga Korbut, the Israeli athletes being killed and the U.S. basketball team losing to the USSR due to an officiating debacle.

[@parkrein1237]

Elena mukhina was forgotten after medals she brought for russia. This girl was fortunate she never had an accident.

[@julz3tt3]

Very fortunate

[@freyaaldrnari6086]

She had horrible accident and broke her neck during practice. She died at age 46.

[@palakkumari112]

The angel of gymnastics.....💓💓

[@TheSportslover2010]

Karen Castro - don't forget the accident Elena Mukhina suffered which paralyzed her for decades before her death at 46 years old. She was forced to try a dangerous move so she can beat Nadia Comaneci, but suffered an accident while practicing it.

[@chigal0926]

I’m glad you mentioned Mukina. Because she was product of the Soviet that put “glory” over health. Her body was starting to break down. She had knee surgery her coach, and the authorities refused to allow to properly heal. She was sacrificed to the state.

[@patpeterson2671]

She showed that no one is perfect , but she also showed the whole that the human drive and spirit are unstoppable ...... gymnastics of this era was artistry , just like going to watch a ballet ..... todays is is all glitz and glamour and showbiz

[@Амазонит]

Уникальная, просто фантастическая гимнастка ! И через пятьдесят лет смотришь на ее выступления, сердце замирает от восторга. Совершенство! Неповторимая!❤️🌹🌹🌹

[@galaxielt.5668]

Если не считать тёмных пятен на солнце.

[@MikhnevichNatalya]

@@galaxielt.5668 и здесь надо найти обязательно темные пятна!вы что ли идеальная??????

[@l.troyan1287]

Она из Белорусии?

[@rbhbxtyrj8693]

@@galaxielt.5668 что конкретно вас смущает ?

[@alexardjan9769]

@@l.troyan1287 Она из СССР !!!

[@jariten17]

Olga had a 'lightness' about her that I never see from modern gymnasts. Love it.

[@Me-fx7dc]

I love how gymnast can use so much quiet strength and be so elegant.

[@therhythmictale5574]

Brownie I check out rhythmic gymnastics, it’s incredible kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHe1dZ6FodaLqNE

[@christystewart5678]

Great video. Korbut single handedly changed the way the sport was viewed in the U.S. It became wildly popular after these olympics and its popularity hasn't gone down since.

[@merccadoosis8847]

There were approximately 99 womens varsity college gymnastics teams in 1980. Today there are 62 according to what I've read online. The decline for mens programs is even worse. While both sports remain popular, there are fewer opportunities for young people to participate in this highly challenging sport. Hopefully some day this will change.

[@elgato7065]

Thanks

[@barbarakauppi9915]

@@merccadoosis8847 That is unfortunate. At least a part of that has to do with how the sport has developed into more and more acrobatics, which increases the risk of injury at the younger developing stage which increases the liability risk for those programs. Just one terrible injury can be devastating to both the up-and-coming athlete as well as the program associated. Gymnastics is an expensive sport even before you add the high liability factor. Another part is the lack of star charm the likes of which propelled this sport like Olga, Nadia, Mary Lou Retton, and even Bart Conner or Trent Dimas, with his incredible Cinderella story win in '92. There have been many winners and competitive favorites, yes, and they're marketed heavily, but they're not the 'darlings' that really catapult peoples collective hearts enough to drive the sport in a way these earlier trailblazers did.

[@merccadoosis8847]

@@barbarakauppi9915 Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I understand we have gotten even more devastating news - that schools are now ending many more gymnastics programs because they do not generate profits the way basketball, hockey, and football do. The future looks very dim for gymnastics and there does not appear to be a solution for this tragic trend.

[@searchingforfoodonyoutube2500]

Really?

[@reclusivehermitwithalongbu3767]

What a delight to see her commentary 50 years later & to hear her speaking such perfect English!

[@liviq]

The lightness, fluidity and grace are unmatched in today’s gymnastics. Today they are strong but rough. Not much artistry. Olga’s performance was delightful

[@horsluva0758]

I totally agree. Olga was my idol which made me get into gymnastics 💖

[@yvonneplant9434]

What happened to all the Russian gymnasts? Why aren't there any of this caliber anymore.

[@cristix11]

correction. they are strong and refined through years of training to be, at least in America, an example of the power of freedom. they don't need to depend on looking pretty anymore. they just need to show their gymnastic skill honed because of freedoms afforded them. not how much they look like ballerinas as the gymnast were when the USSR was powerful.

[@julielynnstalker6020]

Wow! Olga Korbut changed Gymnastics forever. Before the 1972 Olympic games Gymnastics was more like Ballet less daring and hard but thanks to the one and only Olga Korbut Gymnastics is what it is today! She is one of my biggest inspirations in Gymnastics and I want to be like her!

[@lti4833]

Yes.

[@rodelmanalo9063]

go for it girl, god bless

[@peggypeggy4137]

Olga moves like a butterfly!

[@Rammetallist]

Not Olga changed Gymnastics. She is just a pupil. The coach does almost everything. Why people forget it? Google it: Ренальд Иванович Кныш.

[@lisaellenrichardson2654]

@@Rammetallist Coach not in leotard flipping about in a stadium, jumping over the vault, swinging around the bars(in the gym) and most definately not doing splits on a beam. Coach in sweats on sidelines.. hoping show-pony sticks the landing. Coach keeps them focused, works on details, inspires, criticizes. end sum game..the one on the mat or stage is who gets the cudos. the coach was who? It's called the "Korbut Flip" btw..Ps 1972. I watched the first time.

[@mudslynger2109]

I will never forget that performance, nor how Olga's emotional overtures touched my heart. What a beautiful woman she has remained!

[@mandy2917]

I now understand how gymnastics is an art. Before I always thought it was such a stiff, thumpy thing. Now I've been proved wrong. Seeing Olga on that beam was so beautiful, I was captivated, there was just so much fluidity and smoothness and beauty. Wow what an art form. Thank you Olga for opening my eyes.

[@jaynemurphy1667]

Fabulous, she captured the hearts of everyone.

[@charoitcharoit1609]

Такое изящество и легкость! Бриллиант.

[@Cesar.Burnias]

she’s the true original queen who opened the door for a new era in gymnastics!

[@yusefendure]

So utterly graceful and beautiful. Her movements were completely artistic...down to the gestures of her hands and fingers. This is what's missing in gymnastics today.

[@tamousha]

Gymnastics used to be so beautiful.

[@willerenoicy2704]

Yasssssss

[@Simon-oy7kf]

It's even more so now than ever

[@julieeldergill4967]

Its beautiful now

[@wzwzwz]

It's still beautiful

[@mitsuchan319]

They are not meant to be models guess what

[@lizbrown4385]

I remember when I was a child watching olga with awe, I loved watching her and was so happy for her. I’m from the uk and I prayed that she would win everytime

[@Иоланта-й9ъ]

Какая красота , сколько сил и трудолюбия в этой хрупкой девочке , горжусь моей землячкой 🌹🌹🌹

[@Hekateras]

17-year-old Soviet child: *shows emotion* BBC, apparently: WHOA SOVIETS ARE HUMAN??? *pikachu face* Ffs.

[@dodgechance4564]

You do realise he didn't mean it literally... right?

[@Kaboomboo]

It was of the time. Soviets were seen as robots and emotionless. Watch Invasion of the Body Snatchers. That was how Russians were viewed at the time.

[@anechkagee5372]

It happens all the time still. It's dehumanizing "the other" - consciously or unconsciously.

[@johnnymfbravo7163]

It was a different time and mind-set back then. The Soviets were powerful and mysterious and seemed to excel at every sport with robotic, emotionless efficiency... like they were bored from beating everyone up all the time. To see Olga cry was really the first time a Soviet publicly showed emotion at a sporting event.

[@thisbeem2714]

Honestly, Russians were a mystery and scary to the US. People weren't used to seeing them show emotion. It was a cultural difference that confused people. Now, in current times, we are more used to understanding or at least trying to understand cultural differences and not fear them. It's a positive change.

[@jessicaf9361]

This is so fantastic. I've never heard of Olga Korbut before and this is the most unique and beautiful gymnastics I've ever seen, it brought tears to me. How amazing.

[@jrbleau]

She's my age and was a household word in 1972, and it brings tears to my eyes even now. She was the epitome of charm.

[@therhythmictale5574]

Check out Alina Kabaeva, you might have another person to obsess over kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHe1dZ6FodaLqNE

[@RoseSharon7777]

She actually DID change the world relations with Russia. The WHOLE WORLD was behind her!! I remember it clearly as an 11 year old!!

[@Ozziecatsmom]

@@RoseSharon7777 Yes, everyone knew who Olga Korbut was! I was 12 and had absolutely no interest in gymnastics but loved her.

[@VM-yd6zq]

She was so human I loved her. She tried but she didn’t give up.

[@solemio777si]

Ольга гениальная гимнастка всех времён!

[@Texaslonestargal]

I remember watching this unfold live on TV. I was only 9 but Olga was my hero and still is to this day. ❤️

[@jodyhorn297]

Same here. She made an impression on my 9 year old self that I remember to this day.

[@jameshadley3014]

I remember watching this as an eight-year-old back in 1972. That final floor-exercise is just sublime -- one of those moments where sport meets art. And wonderful to hear once again the voice of BBC commentator Alan Weeks, and his lovely expression of joyful wonder: "Isn't she marvellous?" Absolutely. So marvellous that watching it again after all these years brought tears to my eyes. God bless you, Olga Korbut.

[@ALoveLife54]

She was wonderful, and a fun gymnastic to watch. She made her country proud.

[@crash6422]

she's still my all time favorite gymnast! . although bigger tricks now days, she was absolutely PERFECT. Skill and added personality and charm is not seen as much as then, Olga, sweet and talented!

[@christinajacob445]

Beautiful!! Dangerous routines but superb!! A great Olympian!! One of a kind.

[@anneann9127]

I watched her in the 1972 Olympics, I was 10 and fell in l love with her and gymnastics. I never forgot her, she is still one of my hero's.

[@davescott8859]

Gymnasts have my highest respect for their dedication and strength. Why fight about who is better, embrace each other as athletes and be proud of your amazing abilities and give credit where credit is due to the athletes before your time and honor them with respect.

[@alexplisecky]

Только слова восхищения и восторга.

[@adrienneviviani178]

It seems that gymnastics back then was more artistic and fluid. It's simply stunning!

[@avramidouellie3437]

Perfect landings, beautiful arms , dance ……she is enjoying herself…….She was amazing 🤩 Thank you for all these fantastic presentations …….

[@eliseintheattic9697]

I don't remember her screwing up or crying, I only remember her being amazing. I was nine and I started taking lessons a few months later.

[@nikolass7608]

Спасибо вам ВВС за уважительный обзор , приятно слушать.

[@HarmonicaGuitar]

Какой он уважительный? Больные на голову пропагандоны: "Русская тоже может плакать. Это удивительно",

[@ВалентинаНикишонкова-д1д]

@@HarmonicaGuitar Так им вдалбивали в головы, что русские это террористы, в Афганистане убивали, оккупанты русские. Это в газетах писали, по телеку пропаганда шла. Поэтому, у них такое отношение к нам. Не любовь, и страх.

[@lrein077]

Olga Korbut, the gymnast that captured our hearts forever.

[@sunnyseacat6857]

Sublime. Graceful. Human. Delicate, balletic movements with inner strength and joy. Artistry in pigtails and a joyful wave. Thank you from America. I hope Olga Korbut has enjoyed a lovely life, away from competition, but dancing and moving on grass, surrounded by loved ones truly. Her wonderful presence has made the world a place to behold what we can be. God bless Olga Korbut forever. Cheers from America.

[@hyacinthlynch843]

I love the graceful balletic artistry of school old gymnastics. Something which today's gymastics is sorely lacking.

[@View2Views]

I believe that Korbut, on the earlier team competition day, performed on the uneven bars the very first perfect 10! The Korbut back flip threw the jurors who baulked at giving Olga's performance its rightful score..... View that performance yourself, if just to marvel at that exceptional and beautiful performance.....

[@sueroberts6193]

I love her still.. I'm 62 now.. She has a wonderful golden glow.. Live well with blessings Olga!!! ❤️

[@Slipperyslope-q5k]

I so prefer gymnastics from this time. So much more beautiful and artistic. Now it’s just raw power.

[@FranktheDachshund]

They had grace, style and charm. Modern gymnastics is high performance, but lacks grace.

[@steverakes6182]

I was ten years old while watching her magical performance's in 72 and have never forgotten the wonderful impression she left on everyone.

[@1927su]

Oh Olga was so inspiring to us young gymnasts back in the day!

[@wendyolivier1195]

Olga you were my hero motivation and delight, I think I speak for all gymnasts of the 70’s and you brought gymnastics into very home and heart , Thank you for all the wonderful moments. You look great today, and thanks for breaking the system

[@pigeonmorris2243]

she's so light..

[@smeldaroses2082]

I watched Olga as a kid. Her performance was so captivating, beautiful. Being human is emotional and good. Olga Rocks.

[@rockit3422]

I remember watching this as a kid. I was just blown away by this darling girl. She made me love gymnastics….and I was fiercely loyal to Olga, crying my eyes out when Nadia Comanechi got perfect scores 4 years later, and beat out Korbut for the medals.

[@иринабелозерова-о5ш]

Удивительное совпадение мастерства и красоты. Завораживает, фантастическое зрелище!!!

[@susanfaulkner2304]

She cried, yes, but she is TOUGH. I always held her in high esteem. Her country should be proud of her! She gave us energy and made us smile! Because of her, I tried gymnastics. I wasn"t very good, but I enjoyed it.❤😊

[@charzington]

I love how even as a grownup she still has a sort of child-like excitement about her

[@LondonMidland1]

how lovely to see Olga interviewed! this has made me so happy 😀😊🤗

[@1wannabee1]

People who witness the amazing talent and artistry of this beautiful young lady way back when, will always remember her. The name Olga Korbut will never be forgotten,(and rightly so too). Bless you sweetie.

[@wendyburrows4178]

Growing up and being a gymnast, Olga Korbut was my hero, she had such style, grace and poise. This was when I was a child and all was right with the world, how naive we are as children.

[@camembertdalembert6323]

her choreography on the beam is not only gymnastic, it's also art. She's so graceful, her moves are lights and soft...

[@eivissaporlavida]

I love watching old gymnasts as Olga and Nadia, there s no grace and no much artistry in today routine

[@fionabeswick7155]

I agree whole-heartedly. I can watch Nadia's beam routine all day. It really is art, it uplifts the same way a great sculpture does. The new gymnasts are breath-taking for difficulty but they don't float like Nadia

[@007mia7]

Watch acrobatic gymnastics. Perhaps they have the kind of artistry you’re looking for. They have world competitions, just not mainstream. Russia and China seem to dominate. It’s pretty interesting if you like the artistry, fluidity kind of gymnastics.

[@wherearetheavocados3505]

Don't forget Elena mukhina

[@jonothandoeser]

Well the girls get stronger, so their routines are no longer glorified ballet.

[@Trenton.D]

@@007mia7 Um, what you describe is called artistic gymnastics, which is what this video shows and what the sport should be today.

[@Quatelmon]

This just made me cry. Jeesh.

[@Валерка-ч2ц]

Боже мой! Какая красота в вольных упражнениях!. То, что мы видим сегодня выглядит,как мучительные испражнения атлетов-монстров...

[@lilivanili1475]

tochnee ne skajesh👍

[@leechrec]

You watch these old artistic and charming performances and before you know it, you're smiling.

[@bobbyedelaney6903]

I admire her so much! Such a beautiful soul.

[@siannaperez4186]

She still got silver for bars, Soviet Union still got gold for group, and she won 3 other golds on other events. For me, she is the best gymnast of all time, even better than Nadia Comaneci because Olga had more difficulty

[@courtneycomley4065]

I think she is the second best I think Simone Biles beats her

[@AlatarielNerwen]

You can't compare and personally I'll take Korbut over Biles any day of the week and then some. She had grace and artistry and Biles doesn't know the meaning of those. Not SB's fault and she's amazing at what it is, it's just how gymnastics are today, little powerhouses tumbling around.

[@2008avf]

Difficult for me does not count when you can't be flaweless, like in figure skating, I want to see a beautiful landing not a fall or a sheeky one even if its a cuatruple, and Nadia was so perfect, so elegant all the time, I'm sorry but for me I'll take Nadia, she is just unique

[@ShaleelGriffith]

+Courtney Comley nahh

[@jesseleeward8749]

Not only that but Olga did not technically have more difficulty. Nadia matched a lot of Olga's moves and skills including her somersault. SO I don't know where that comment came from. I think he means that she was innovative and daring.

[@barbaraj6340]

Olga Korbut had something that today's gymnasts don't have--a certain grace and charm all her own. Her ballet training shows, and her personality. sparkles. What a delight to see her prance across the floor.

[@ЛарисаАхметова-ч7й]

Прекрасное время.Ностальгия.

[@tatyanakoleso8318]

Время было далеко непрекрасное.

[@ThatsWhenItkickedin]

I'll never forget watching her in '72 on TV. Breath sucked out of me when she did back flip on the beam

[@Mftjan2000]

I always loved Olga. I forgot she had those mistakes before her brilliant performances.

[@persebra]

Something about performing to the live piano that made the performance more personal and charming. I understand what people mean when they say artistry is missing, I remember this performance. Not the tumbling, but the dancing and expression of joy and the little flip at the end. I dont remember the gaffe in the uneven bars.

[@maggieg5560]

Funny I didn't remember her mess up on the bars either. all I remember is how artist and adorable she was. She seemed ahead of the times back then.

[@MrCardinal1965]

Fantastic to watch, just such a pleasure to see someone so dedicated and totally engrossed in their art. Remember this as a child, such perfection.

[@ТатьянаК-х6п]

Уникальная, неповторимая, великолпная гимнастка Ольга Корбут!🤗❤

[@edwardoneil3962]

Absolutely delightful I never tire of watching Olga. Will we ever see such beauty and elegance in gymnastics performances ever again?😀❤😀

[@sallybutton6237]

I had a picture of Olga on my bedroom wall that I cut out of a newspaper..I was nine years old & mesmerised by her. Watching her now at almost sixty she charms me still..well done Olga ❤