Kim Zmeskal - 1998 US Nationals Prelims - Fluff and Floor Exercise

[@bigbennie96]

Such an incredible gymnast she has so much to be proud of

[@ella_encantada]

She’s still my favorite all time gymnast.

[@billschmidt4192]

Same here!

[@mariaellis2882]

I’ll watch her any day over most of these today.

[@lindanekl8254]

Same here

[@juanvaldes2458]

KIM you will always be my all time champion!

[@mariaellis2882]

That floor routine was fabulous! I love her arms and overall artistry. Artistry is lacking today.

[@kras118]

Great landings throughout !

[@jrcna32466]

It's wonderful to see how she's matured in her sport. Not one bobble, not one mis-step the entire exercise and her dance was excellent. She may have only started out of a 9.8 but I don't see a whole lot, if anything that she could be marked off for...And Mary Lee seemed happy too. I'd like to see how many other gymnasts can come back at 22 and be this great.....not very many.

[@troopcom]

Kim you are my favorite!

[@marinagaloyan6447]

You are AMAZING Kim!!! You always gave it your ALL!!!Noone compares to you!❤❤

[@rnjen2b1]

I love her!

[@teresamiles8260]

What do you mean Kim that your not world champion anymore,. You will always be world champion, you weren't old in 1998, really? And I think that you would have had a very difficult time finding someone watching you that felt like you were trying to be like you were in the early nineties, every one gets older and changes,. Jeeze girl thats just life, your human aren't ya? You are Kim zmeskal, and what you accomplished was , and still in 2020 is amazing, no one can ever take that away from you ,. I remember when you came back in 1998 me and All my friends loved watching you,. We never judged nor did anyone ever even bring up the things that you were so worried about, in fact I don't even think that anyone was even thinking that about you,. Ohh girl, you are still one of the greatest gymnasts in the world,. And don't you ever forget that, your loved

[@snopesshop1903]

She’s super pretty

[@bradenmills624]

There are still only few gymnasts who throw an Amanar. A lot of gymnasts in the 90's threw DTY, which is the most common vault in WAG. Yes, the code changes, but my point is that so many of the same skills are being thrown. Also, check out Elena Zamolodchikova's 1999 World FX. She threw a double double, triple twist and full-in in that routine.

[@Miathegr8]

When Kim left after the Olympics a piece of me died.

[@bradenmills624]

Hahahahaha. A double layout is still one of the most difficult tumbling passes done in WAG today.

[@cherylannemason]

As I recall, she didn't include the double layout either at the '91 Worlds or '92 Olympics--says something that she could not only add it but perform it well six years later.

[@DD-d6d3]

@@cherylannemason she did it at the 92 Olympic trials, but then she got injured.

[@Tay_Trippy]

Cheryl Mason it was the best looking double-layout I ever saw, and she did it in combination

[@bradenmills624]

But it wasn't necessarily easier back then either. My point was that gymnasts back then threw the same skills being thrown now. Different codes, yes, but a lot of the same skills.

[@murdererenshrined9763]

One thing I've always liked about Kim Zmeskal is that when she faltered, she never came off the apparatus looking for a shoulder to cry on, and she didn't need a tongue lashing from Bela. I felt she had already done that to herself before she left the apparatus. I truly feel she was her own worse coach and critic. And that's a tough thing to handle and live with.

[@bradenmills624]

That's because the US is currently the best vaulting team. I was talking globally. Russia has a couple throwing it, Brazil has one.....Japan maybe one......yeah.

[@danasuperstar]

Back then they acted like 22 was old 😂

[@jenniferesposito7721]

She’ll always be the GOAT

[@TikiBoy382]

Was your last tumbling pass a double pike? its hard to tell from the angle of the camera! It was so awesome to see her make this come back...she was so amazing! If only she hadn't had so many injury's in 99', it would have been wonderful to see her go towards the 2000 Olympics!

[@Miathegr8]

I saw Jenny Thimpson hug her. Whatever happened to Jenny Thompson?

[@claude692]

💙💙💙💯

[@searanch32]

@jrcna32466 I was at this meet and I know Elfi says her start value was a 9.8, but I think it was really something around a 9.4 or 9.5. She had planned to do a full-in somewhere, but took it out before the meet due to her sore ankle. She also missed a little bit of bonus on some dance and jump combos, but she really did a great job with her first meet back. Was so proud of her!

[@Zuranthium]

The attempted value here is 9.8, but that Double L-turn definitely wasn't complete, so she loses .2, and what's silly is she loses .2 from the start by simply not including any acro/leap combo. It's crazy how many competitors haven't understood the codes over the years and just give points away.

[@billschmidt4192]

Kim was the Best!

[@BarsQUEEN16]

The different code makes a heck of a lot of difference. No stepping out of tumbling passes is nearly impossible so there is a built in deduction for that on every pass, the new scoring system made difficulty much more important. . How many amanars did you see thrown back in the 90's? Yeah maybe you would see a DLO, but then you wouldn't see a double double, a triple twist, and full-in all in the same routine. There will never be another 10 again, it's so difficult

[@boytoyville]

I'm surprised that she picked music that sounded like it could have been in a level 5 compulsory meet.

[@BarsQUEEN16]

Never said it wasn't...

[@ilovesnoopy7018]

I guess she was disappointed at the Olympics but that was great!

[@BarsQUEEN16]

McKayla Maroney,Gabby Douglas, Jordyn Wieber, Shawn Johnson, Kyla Ross, Aly Raisman, Lexie Priessman, Elizabeth Price, Simone Biles, Brenna Dowell, and McKayla Skinner all have Amanars and that's just the Americans that have thrown them in competitions. That's hardly "a few".

[@lowpricedpaint]

Anyone interested in a Kim Zmeskal signed 1992 Barcelona Olympics T shirt, encased inside a nice frame. I just pulled it down from the rafters in my garage. I wouldn't mind getting a few dollars for it, let me know, I can upload a video of it. Sorry didn't mean to troll, I might give it to the right person or gym?

[@mst3kanita]

That music is awful. It's like that old mystery science theater 3000 joke: "cue the racially offensive theme music!"

[@ang212]

mst3kanita what is the song called? Why is it offensive?

[@michelenicole5566]

I kinda think this was around the time Mulan came out, so I'm assuming it's music from the movie.

[@bamagym]

She's awesome but the music is hideous.

[@metsedudenj]

her body type wasnt suitable for that move, she was too thick to twist

[@veronikas.8831]

Ashley Language Today uuummmmm have you seen how big some cheerleaders and collegiate gymnasts are... and can still throw amazing tumbling passes?

[@BarsQUEEN16]

Gymnastics was easier back then.

[@BonnieDragonKat]

Likely her coach. It's fairly common for coaches to do that. If you watched any of the rest of the team that was with her, they all have similar styles of music.

[@annanicole1717]

Ugly music, routine ok, Kim can do better.