Beyond Medals: Best Uneven Bars Specialists at Olympics from 1952 to 1988 - WAG

Footage belongs to International Olympic Committee
Points explanation:
8th: 1 point
7th: 2 points
6th: 3 points
5th: 4 points
4th: 5 points
3rd: 7 points
2nd: 8 points
1st: 10 points
Gymnasts in the video: Larisa Latynina, Polina Astakhova, Karin Janz, Agnes Keleti, Vera Caslavska, Olga Korbut, Erika Zuchold, Sofia Muratova, Daniela Silivas, Ma Yanhong, Julianne McNamara, Maxi Gnauck, Nadia Comaneci, Margit Korondi, Tamara Zamotaylova, Maria Gorokhovskaya, Katalin Makray, Teodora Ungureanu, Emilia Erbele, Dagmar Kersten, Yelena Shushunova, Steffi Kraker, Melita Ruhn, Maria Filatova, Mary Lou Retton, Marta Egervári.

[@Vermontist1]

There were no specialists during those years. All gymnasts at World and Olympic levels had to be AAers.

[@gymnasticfan9148]

Doing this series I noticed how much WAG improved in longevity (if we compare with 70s and 80s). Now we have a lot of gymnasts in their 3rd olympic cycle (Simone, Rebeca, Flavia, Nina, Gabby, Melnikova, Schafer, Eythora, Marine Boyer), some in their 4th (Seitz, Black, Alexa Moreno), more in their 5th (Jade Barbosa, Becky Downie, Ferrari, Wevers) and the legend Chusovitina in her 9th Olympic Cycle.

[@karmakarma5299]

wow! That was artistic gymnastics. What a tremendous level there was, not like now when it's boring, all those women do the same routine. All the past time was better

[@Pastyovercoat]

From the looks of it swinging bars got considerably better for the gymnast once the bars were separated further. Not only for swing but when they were closer and women would hit the lower bar with their body looks painful af. Specially at the speed some of them were doing it ouch 🤕

[@lenoreandreas4000]

I wonder if any gymnasts from today would be able to do the old parallel bars (with maybe a few minutes of training maybe)?

[@nic8834]

wow, those 1952 routines...they were so gracious... they seemed like perfected child-play routines. It's amazing how much human race performance evolved! It would be interesting to see side by side 1952 and 2024.

[@deannafagan8275]

MLR was not a bars specialist.

[@yvessaint5936]

love girls from 50s, very romantic, they were real donne

[@1927su]

Did I miss Elena Muhkina & her Kotbut flip with twist?

[@jennifersimmons964]

I love Mary Lou, no one talks about her! <33

[@user-zc8tj8dp1e]

Какие интересные и красивые были комбинации и связки на брусьях в 1960-1964-1968 годах!

[@melenak2]

Just wondering why you chose Mary Lou Renton over Julianne MacNamara when she was actually the bars specialist. Otherwise, these are good. Ahh, you showed her at 10th, wonderful!

[@emersonsoares1443]

Hoje em dia é mais simples.

[@lizzzzzzzz]

i don enjoy bars when they were closer lol so goofy.

[@courtneypuzzo2502]

tricks weren't as complex as they are in the modern era with the bars set further apart then they used to be even in the 1980s Chusovitina is out of the running for the Olympics due to an injury. if Simone Biles and Gabby Douglas make the US Women's team for Paris they will be the 2nd and 3rd African American Gymnasts to participate in 3 Olympics following Dominique Dawes 1992 1996 and 2000 though both are older than Dawes was in Sydney 28 and 27 respectively never mind if Simone wins 5 more medals and becomes the 2nd most decorated female Olympic Gymnast in history she's currently in a 7 way tie for 6th place with 7 medals with Aliya Mustafina Svetlana Khorkina Shannon Miller Simona Amânar etc. many of the most decorated are either from Russia or the former Soviet Socialist republics of Hungary Romania and East Germany granted in the old days women competed on 5 Apparatus instead of 4 the most decorated teams in team all around are Russia and Romania the only modern Olympics Russia didn't compete in was 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles but Romania did and won several medals including team Gold and Ecaterina Szabo won 3 Gold and 1 silver medal individual all around silver Vault Balance Beam and Floor ex Gold as Silver medals weren't awarded for Uneven Bars and beam and the only year in modern times that US didn't win a team all around medal was 1988 Seoul South Korea where the medals went to Russia Romania and East Germany and there have been Apparatus ties as well for ex the Floor Ex in Barcelona ended in a 3 way tie for Bronze Cristina Bontas of Romania Tatiana Gutsu of the unified team and Shannon Miller of the US who won 3 Bronze and 2 silver in Barcelona Tatiana retired shortly after the Olympics and Cristina did so in 1993 while Miller competed until 2000 retiring due to a double knee injury during Olympic team Trials in Boston