Ecaterina Szabo's Golden Gymnastics Performances - Los Angeles 1984 Olympics

[@lil-2826]

Without any doubt, she was the best gymnast at those Olympic Games.

[@helenvancougat3770]

So much better to watch than anyone else of that era.

[@frijou]

For me Szabo is and always will remain the all round champion of 1984 even if Retton got the gold.

[@Bman-1970]

I was a kid back then and had a crush on Ecaterina. I loved watching her compete. 🇺🇸

[@bharatkumarkasturi]

Mee too. She gave me sleepless nights

[@haroonmirza1286]

Me tooooooooooooooooooo :D :D I just thought about her after yeeeeeeeeears and that is why I am here

[@carlapayton2638]

I watched the entire Gymnastics Olympics 1984, I was newly married home & pregnant with my first baby, & I was totally in awe of this extremely talented Ecaterina, -I have NEVER forgotten her name- and watcher her perfect, pristine performance & I was sure was going to be 10 score, she was a "2nd Nadia" to me as I watched; then came my disgust and appalled that they gave M.L.Retton the gold???!!!??? OMG!!! I was totally flabbergasted & almost went into labor!!!! I could NOT believe it, I to this day believe their was favoritism for American Retton, & am still repulsed Ecaterina was robbed of her impeccable gold performance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@JohnSmith-qd1zl]

She took a step on her last apparatus the uneven bars on her dismount which opened the door for Mary to win gold. She took advantage by scoring two perfect tens on her vault securing her the gold medal.

[@Kaboomboo]

+Carla Payton The format for scoring in the AA was different back then. Szabo had a disastrous UB routine, and back then your preliminary scores from the Compulsories and the Optionals was halved and added to your AA score before the AA competition even began, so she was already disadvantaged. Coupled with the fact that she did not have the best form. I'm not saying Retton wasn't also overscored, because she was too, especially on FX, but Szabo was given many gifts too, such as her BB routine that had a noticeable hop on the dismount but was still scored a 10. This was also at a time that difficulty didn't necessarily mean you'd be given a big score, that's why Romania was so decorated in the late 80's through the 90's because they performed routines that were simpler than their competitors, but they still yielded the same scoring value. Essentially, they manipulated the system to milk higher scores. If Szabo didn't fall in the Optionals, I'd agree with you. But Retton was simply better in this competition.

[@Kevinsf]

+Carla Payton Wow. Your baby is now 32? It seem like just yesterday. How time flies.

[@Galaxis.Genesis]

+Carla Payton I like Szabo's floor performance more than Mary's. She looks more graceful. But Mary took the vault. No bounce, just pure power behind those flips.

[@alejandrahassard2632]

I'm agree with you

[@Kevinsf]

When you see Kati in slow motion, you can really appreciate her beautiful extensions in her flexibility. She is so graceful yet very strong.

[@flagger2020]

she was the worlds best entering the 84 Olympics, Mary Lou knew that. Mary Lou was Power vs her elegance. Mary Lou won by a fraction of a point such is life. But yes she was more elegant and maybe a better gymnast. I think she deserved it but a hop vs a stick it separates them at this level... :)

[@ferencbognar2632]

YES, Szabó Kati was the best in 1984! :-)

[@eb7446]

Also, these are the compulsories designed to show off strong basics.

[@irenelivy]

She was strong in all four events! Great athlete!

[@flagger2020]

Amazing, she may have lost to Mary Lou, but as a gymnast myself I always saw her as elegance vs power, and yes beauty in its best form

[@eliacjaz1039]

yes first is beauty..for acrobatic I go to circus acrobatics not to artistic gymnastic

[@alanperez6823]

The gymnastics of Szabo is of Circus too. She isn't Vera Caslavska, Agnes Keleti, Polina Astakhova, Natalia Kuchinskaya or Larisa Latýnina. The old gymnast is the true artistic gymnastic. Since 1972 all was more acrobatics.

[@eliarosa2610]

@@alanperez6823 yes in last time even disaster. Just acrobatics and artistic almost nothing!

[@faeryquene]

Same here. I'll always consider Ecaterina Szabo the true 1984 Olympic All Around Champion.

[@bridev3648]

faeryquene yes she was better, just not here scored carried over she came to a dead hang in her UB routine and then springs later fell on her face... Funny people forget that part I'm glad the rules have changed, but the facts still remain, she screwed up her AA on UB from the start

[@1971veerle]

same here ML Retton only won because she was the home athlete

[@Kaboomboo]

@@1971veerle No she won because Szabo flubbed her bars in Optionals.

[@joychuasihan12]

@@Kaboomboo MLR is an extremely overrated gymnast without any world championship medals & both her 2 major wins at the American cup and 84 boycotted olympics were controversial to say the least. she didn't even participate in any world championships where there was actual competition from the eastern bloc (who had the best gymnasts during that time, namely mostepanova, who undoubtedly would have won if she was allowed to participate in the 84 games) MLR wasn't even the most decorated gymnast in 84, Szabo was. also her character isn't the most likeable lol, she was part of the nassar coverup

[@senben9180]

Naa, she got screwed at uneven bars finals where she got 9.90 instead of the obvious 9.95! Watch her last uneven bar routine that is no way less than 9.95, then she wouldve tied Mary Lou for gold! That woulda been fair

[@daviddaniel7750]

I think you're right. I was in high school and remember watching rhe summer Olympics for the 1st time. Yes she was better.

[@PhenixJoe]

2:42 : that little dance move is breathtaking

[@zelddan]

thanks

[@A-S9-95]

Wonderful and unique! I love for ever Kati!

[@chistocuri]

That was so AMAZING!! Unbelivable

[@ppsen]

I was 14 when this happened and I along with all other school mates(in India) fell in love with her, some chose Mary Lou Retton though, but the Szabo camp won by numbers. Ha ha ha!!

[@nandafra]

Good times. The 80's was the most beautiful gym. We had the grace, the 10, the dance, no robots like today. Till the bodies looked better. Today women with muscles we didnt see before. I miss the beauty of the gym, and we had difficults on beam and floor like Silivas and Shoushounova. Boginskaia was another i love and other Romanians Gabriela Potorac, former URSS Natália Latchenova, bulgarian like Diana Doudeva

[@josesosa1795]

Victoria konova en Londres fue espectacular pero bueno creó qué hasta no tener músculos es deducción en la actualidad las rusas y rumanas aun tienen bellas rutinas pero bueno a hora no califican lo artístico más la federación olímpica debería distribuir 50%artistico y el otro 50%ejecucion así todas tendrían su oportunidad claro las no tan artísticas estarían en desventaja es todo qué vuelva a ser gimnasia artística y no lo qué es en la actualidad particularmente las rutinas de las americanas son las mismas de siempre las perfeccionan sí pero los demás países hicieran lo mismo estaría más igual la competencia pero que aburrido es una opinión nada más yo me quedo con lo clásico y artístico korkina,mustafina,konova,jordache y otras más, qué no recuerdo el nombre de las americanas actuales mejor veo la gimnasia masculina se ven igual.

[@sharegreats2157]

@Fernanda ...: Agree entirely!

[@MrSchoerschken]

I was then and still today a big fan of Daniela and I also loved to watch Svetlana. That was elegance and strength at the same time...Silivas should have won against Shoushounova in Seoul, but there was still a Nelli Kim as a judge :-(

[@sahpire75]

I loved 1984 gymnasts, way better than today

[@popycipry5150]

Multumim romania pentru asa bogatiii numai sa stim sa le pretuim

[@Presleyera]

I have just met her at Highschool and her parkour of life is incredible!

[@MohamedElSaharty90]

How graceful and elegant :)

[@lokismig]

By far the best of those olympic games. Winning four gold medals is only within the reach of the largest!

[@gerritduplessis7122]

MAGNIFICENT PERFORMANCES! GRACIASS! BLESSINGS!!

[@Axel780710]

Amazing and the truth champion in AA...

[@alanperez6823]

No lo creo, tuvo un fallo muy evidente en asimétricas. Retton tuvo rutinas más simples pero estaban mucho mejor ejecutadas. Y Szabo en suelo era muy robótica, prefiero mil veces la alegría y energía de la gringa que la típica presentación rumana. De cualquier forma, las soviéticas las hubieran derrotado fácilmente. Natalia Yurchenko, Yelena Shushunova y principalmente Olga Mostepanova eran las candidatas al oro. A excepción del Oro de Ma Yanhong y de los de Li Ning todos los títulos olímpicos dados en gimnasia en Los Angeles 84 eran de risa. Muy olvidables éstas competencias.

[@idolofroses7971]

@@alanperez6823 Creo que quedó claro que Szabo era muy superior a Retton y que si esas olimpiadas hubiesen sido en cualquier otro lado Szabo hubiese ganado

[@ArmandoGamonalHorna]

Excellent... perfect movements and beautiful girl

[@frankoarrow5632]

Ecaterina is so beautiful!!!!

[@georgeyog331]

I watched her in the olympic when I was 11 , I loved her so much, and I felt sorry how they didn't give here the AA gold medal, it was a joke, Mary Lou was only national gymnast, ecaterina was international and champion in the begging of 80's

[@anitabreakone]

😂😂😂Mary Lou was the best!!!!

[@jorgesoberanes2378]

She was the true queen of the LA Olympics.

[@wolfgangwolfer4436]

For me the greatest gymnast of all time.

[@franciscoivanez2694]

In my opinion, Ekaterina Szabo much better than mary lou retton. In this time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@yasminbarry7941]

I have noticed that many agree with you.

[@eliarosa2610]

Yes because american mafia ..

Beware America will haunt you.😂

[@Inyourlap]

She would have won if the Olympics had taken place in any other country (well, if the Olympics had taken place somewhere else, the Soviets would have been there and would have won most medals). There’s an article on reddit that intelligently analyzes Mary Lou Retton’s career: “MLR had a very unusual career. She only participated in international competitions that were heavily skewed in her favor and doesn't have any "real" accomplishments. With America reeling from the effects of 1980, they want into 1984 looking for revenge. Looking to stick it to the Soviets. They wanted a champion, and they were more than willing to overlook all the faults, context, and shortcomings of MLR. Retton wasn't just treated as a legitimate champion, but the media treated her like an all-time great. Her name became synonymous with Nadia's. The reality of the situation is that MLR probably wouldn't have finished in the top 10 if the Olympics weren't boycotted and held in a neutral location. As far as Americans and the media were concerned, Mostepanova and and Szabo didn't even exist. Retton was elevated to a mythological status. And Retton bought into her own myth. In a sport where all the top gymnasts never backed down from competing in unfavorable circumstances, MLR did the opposite. She rarely competed outside of the USA. She stuck to domestic competitions that had weak foreign fields. And when she did leave the USA, most of the time it was either Canada or a competition that the Eastern Bloc gymnasts wouldn't be attending. Then came the 1985 World Championships which was an event MLR couldn't skip without losing face. She had effectively run out the clock on dodging the best of the Eastern Bloc. Rather than face them, Retton retired. Retton ended her career having never competed in a World Cup, World Championship, or any event on European soil. During her time American gymnasts competed against a full strength Soviet delegation on five different occasions. Retton missed all five of those competitions.”

[@alexandraolvera5903]

Literally the Soviet Union should’ve never boycotted, they literally had the best athletes in the world at that time. If they wanted to seek “revenge” on the Americans/West for boycotting the 1980 games, there revenge would’ve been by showing up at the Olympics and winning. Plus there would be no Mary Lou Retton because in reality if Soviets showed up, they would be sweeping the medal podium. It absolutely ashamed the American media made Mary Lou as a Nadia or Olga Korbut, she isn’t even comparable to them. Olga Mostepanova, Natalia Yurchenko, and Elena Shushunova would’ve been the real stars of the games. Ecaterina Szabo on the hand would’ve won a gold medal on a event final, as she was already a world champion on floor.

[@monecatremans8969]

She's amazing

[@taramisu9978]

One of my all time favorites to watch.

[@jodeostodoscabrones]

Como una pluma.... Magnífico...

[@faeryquene]

Gymnastics IS harder today but these were Kati Szabo's compulsory routines. They were not the optionals where the gymnasts actually did full twisting double backs, etc. Compulsories were just to showcase the gymnasts' basics to the judges. Every gymnast had to do the same exact exercise in compulsories. Szabo won her four gold medals in the Team Championship and Event Finals. Those optional routines aren't shown here.

[@nuwandalton]

Now Retton's victory in the AA was one of the most infamous robberies of Olympic history. As was, incidentally, Zmeskal's win in the 1991 WC in Indianapolis...

[@shushunovafan4301]

Lets just hope they keep future WC and OG out of the USA.

[@bridev3648]

Shushunovafan the judges are still from all over the world, so what difference would it make? Alex ecat carried the dead hang and face plant over into her AA scores which screwed her Glad the rules have changed, but in 1984 that was the way it went. She was clearly the superior gymnast to MaryLou, just not on the day she needed to : (

[@Ladyofshalott55]

She was the best!

[@annapavfan4680]

"They" did her wrong in the AA. Kati will forever have a place in my heart and be in the 6 best gymnasts of all time for me.

[@nicolecovell12]

Amazing.

[@Solitaire_Guy]

Beauty and elegance!

[@dargeni2]

She was the best.

[@aniashka8750]

Ecaterina isn't really famous but she's really strong !

[@KellyODo]

I remember watching this and thinking that Szabo deserved to win. I was really young but I remember thinking this.

[@anitabreakone]

I also remember watching and loved that the best actually DID win. No one compared to Mary Lou

[@10trock70]

It's so cool to see her in these compulsory routines. She has a very pleasing style. But sadly, she is not the "true" Olympic champion. Mary Lou competed her butt off culminating in that winner take all vault...one of the greatest moments in sports history. Watching Szabo and Mary Lou, it was like they were on a totally different level than the other AA competitors.

[@kittyxgacha3007]

Szabo is the champ. She performed high level of difficulty routines compared to retton. Judges were biased

[@peterharsfalvi2361]

Fantasztikus teljesítmény, ennyi év után is!

[@levente19691]

❤🤍💚 Szabó Katalin ez varázslatos volt.Sok sok Boldogságot kívánunk a Magyar-Székely nép nevében!!!🌹🌼🌲

[@carron979]

2:55 lovely smile

[@ERICKHINOJOSA40]

gracias por estos hermosos recuerdos que solo tenia en mi memoria

[@sce2aux464]

An ethnic Hungarian from Transylvania,she was named Katalin, which was later changed to Ecaterina by the communists to try to hide her Hungarian background. In 1991 she married a Romanian kayaker and a year later moved to France.

[@nuwandalton]

Well if you wanna hide a Hungarian background, it's a strange idea to keep the name Szabo 😅

[@sce2aux464]

Cso true!

[@ss22cristian]

Bro, you are sick!nobody was trying to hide anything....you better hide yourself,or get more info...

[@hunrenton]

@@ss22cristian What are you talking about "bro"?. Or shall I call you Krisztián? :) How does it feel "bro"? :D It is a fact that during the communist regime in Romania the Hungarian names which could be translated into Romanian were translated despite of the fact the people didn't ask for it. This is how Katalin became Ecatarina. Or for example János becamoe Ioan, etc. etc. The fact that you write such a comment proves that as a Romanian you still cannot face the fact that 1,5 million Hungarian lives in today's Romania, who still do not get all the rights what they deserve as a minority. The rights, which for example are guaranteed by the EU on paper at least for all minorities, and what even Romanian State promised to all minorities after WWI. Actually you should "better hide yourself, or get more info..."

[@RegatulDACIA]

What's your point?!

[@cherrylove9142]

The true 1984 all around champion 🇷🇴

[@elenaaida3178]

Magnifica 🌟Ekaterina Szabo🌟🕊o fetita minunata💖o gimnasta perfecta,o mare olimpica🏅🥇🏆model de personalitate pentru generatia ei si forever❤💟👏😚🤗⚘⚘⚘⚘

[@heleneferron6255]

I Saw her today in Paris !! She IS cool 😊

[@anielambardar1210]

Ekaterina was people's favorite.

[@jesuschino2829]

Sin duda la mejor d todos los tiempos

[@odenirvinhato]

Szabo the Best!!!

[@oval291]

The true gymnastic queen of the 84 Olympics…..Americans hyped up MLR but real ones know you were in class of your own at those Olympics

[@vasuj6654]

I saw the Olympic (gymnastics goldmedalist cute angel ecaterinaszoba) in 1984 through white and black Television, Now in my mobile. Sweet memories...

[@poisonzombii]

Wow, it is amazing seeing these older routines. These days, this kind of skill level is close to that of 3-4. A handspring full turn as a vault at Olympic level, maybe if the routines where still this simple my spine might not be as damaged.

[@markoparko]

All these routines were from the compulsories. Her optional routines were much more difficult. Her optional vault was a piked Cuervo, I believe.

[@dennismeza7557]

Hasta ahora me sigo preguntando porque no ganó el oro en el AA. De lejos fue mejor que Retton. Un robo olímpico sin duda.

[@leonardohuamanmelendez9261]

Obvio las olimpiadas fue en su país,había cierta parcialidad.

[@tinaloye2014]

they make it look so easy!!

[@10trock70]

In the scoring system for 1984 this counts. The true Olympic champion can't have these types of mistakes. 1984 Olympics TO Ecaterina Szabo UB

[@c-record]

the gymnasts & routines of this era had that perfect combination of art and athleticism. nowadays they look like tumbling robots. all power but no grace.

[@irenelivy]

Indeed!

[@vettegaddia6234]

ccriderThe ability of the girls to kip to perfect hand stands during that era without the ugly straddle to hand stand made popular by Khorkina is one of the factors that I love.

[@shar-ky3736]

i still love some of romania n russia fx. they are full of gracefull to look at, at least.

[@flagger2020]

Mary Lou and Simone are just power houses against the laws of physics..its all part of gymnastics, lets not forget they had the same coach.. but yes some of the art seams to have been lost in the quest for the perfect score. But they are ALL great gymnasts never the less. And Szabo is still my favorite after all this time. Some are timeless.

[@WhineyOne]

Agreed.

[@siddharthasarkar9134]

Beautiful

[@syrilwayne]

She's very beautiful.

[@heleneferron6255]

I met her today in Paris JO in a pizzaria👍👍🏅👍👍

[@健太福中]

懐かしい映像ですね～！

[@jacquelinezamora9068]

Muy elegante y fina tiene mucho de comaci y korbu

[@ChrissyRees]

ELOQUENT AND BEAUTIFUL! ❤️🤩🎉💕❤ Chrissy Comey, Exupery

[@Galimah]

Not fair! Ecaterina Szabo was the queen of olympic 1984 but the Americans made it all about Mary Lou Retton.

[@iyquc]

Nice montage.

[@faeryquene]

These were the compulsory exercises not optionals. They were simpler than the optional exercises. No double backs, etc. And besides - this was 1984.

[@jambutenyom5338]

My love Ecaterina Szabo. Where is she know?

[@jambutenyom5338]

@Alien Observer thanks bro 👍

[@annettegilbert5938]

She was!

[@aloissoto9194]

que mujer tan mas hermosa 😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@leilagomulka5690]

♥️♥️♥️ family friend of the Havadtoy’s.

[@senben9180]

She was fabulous. She clearly got screwed at uneven bars all-round final only getting 9.90 instead of 9.95!!! Then she wouldve tied with Mary Lou Retton for gold!

[@rachelattack]

Graceful and extended but these moves are a SNORE

[@leilagomulka5690]

❤❤❤

[@yuridiaperaza2671]

Había muchísimo nivel en la gimnasia también en ese tiempo

[@eiraremejeene]

Hello! Can somebody help me? I am an amateur gymnastics fan. I just want to know why Szabo did not qualify for the bars finals in the 1984 Olympics? I thought the team championships served as the qualifying rounds for the individual events as Wikipedia shows that Szabo only placed 13th on bars during the team finals, but it does not seem to be the case. For instance, the team finals shows that Cutina could have qualified for the bars finals but she did not make an appearance on the bars finals. Same with Elke Heine and Wu Jiani. Similarly, gymnasts that would not have qualified for bars finals had the team finals been used as basis made appearance on the bars finals like Zhou Ping, Noriko Mochizuki, and Lavinia Agache. Neither was the all around finals used as the qualifying round as Szabo seemed to have received a high score on bars there. So please tell me what the qualifying rounds were. And why Szabo did not qualify. She seemed very capable of qualifying, even winning gold, on that apparatus. Thanks in advance!

[@timprewett6165]

does anyone know the name of this song or who its by?

[@juanl.2411]

I'm dying to know this song if anyone knows it please tell me

[@rg1whiteywins598]

Was that the compulsory floor ex? We need creativity back in gymnastics like back in the day.

[@kovacsakos8893]

Szabó Katalin Transylvania Hungarian 🇭🇺

[@tsdas1989]

nice

[@nikkishaewonstan]

so that's how teen looks like in 80'!!! wow that hair.. but she's amazing gymnast and made it to gymnastic hall of fame!!!

[@misina211]

This is the worst video to show Szabo at the 1984 Olympics. These are all her compulsory routines, doing the same exact routines with the same exact skills and choreography that everyone in the competition did (which is why they are called compulsory). If you really wanted to show her "Golden Gymnastics Performances", why not make a video compilation of her actual gold medal clinching optional routines from event finals?

[@nic8834]

excellent point!

[@anna-hf4hm]

De que pais eres

[@platypusrex256]

whats the song?

[@健太福中]

最高！

[@leilagomulka5690]

She visited us in our home in Milford Connecticut a

[@em_mkay]

love her. had the Soviets not boycotted these olympics, Szabo would’ve been a worthy competitor to them and vice versa, because Mary Lou did not hold a candle to this girl.

[@invisiblelathatatlan]

Kati Szabó was the best. And she is Hungarian. Period.🤫🇭🇺

[@健太福中]

流石！

[@ianosescuion9218]

Perfect body, beautiful and talented gimnast.

[@airportplease615]

aveam 10 ani...

[@A-S9-95]

Crede-ma , nu au uitat-o, dovada vizualizarile si comentariile!

[@danieladany3437]

Și eu la fel

[@Thebraids]

Bring back compulsories!

[@SinNadaquePonerme]

Ekaterina Szabo is the real champion of 1984 Olimpics. She was robbed!!

[@angeleyes5575]

I must have missed her on the vault in this video.

[@leilagomulka5690]

🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹❤️❤️❤️

[@sharegreats2157]

What a bundle of dynamite!

[@LunalovegoodofBallymurphy]

I view koroyli as the ken Rex mcillory of gymnastics

[@dulmustaine854]

Alguien podría decirme como se llama esta canción? Can anybody tell me what's the name of this song?