Simone Biles

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She is amazing but looks like she could kick my ass (and honestly could). Dominique Moceanu, on the other hand, could likely kick my ass even when she was competing/medaling at 14, but looked like a tiny angel.

And, honestly, good for her (SB). She showed the world that you don’t have to look like a tiny angel to be a great gymnast. She looks like an athlete.

Do the people who do the shooting events look like athletes? How about equestrian?

Do they do workouts like traditional athletes? Their training probably focused on building the skills and physique that helps them succeed at their sport. Simone dues strength training which helps make her as great as she is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't watched gymnastics in years and so was momentarily surprised by seeing Simone so grown up. I love how these gymnasts are mature now. I always worried those really young girls of the previous era were going to suffer long-term damage to their bodies. Can anyone with expertise weigh in on that?

Mary Lou Retton had double hip replacements at age 46 or 47. It's not unusual for elite gymnasts to need that or knee replacements in their 30's or 40's, and I've read they have the bone density in their 20's and 30's of women in their 70's and 80's. Former gymnasts in their 30's get diagnosed with osteoporosis.

That’s mostly from the extreme dieting of the previous era.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even though I sort of miss the more artistic and ballet oriented routines of the past (Romanian/Russian style), I like every single thing about Simone. Her personality, incredible talent, life story/family, always pure grace under pressure. She's a star like no other.

I used to feel this way, but those girls suffered so much physical and emotional abuse and look so frightened and malnourished compared to gymnasts of today. I love that this generation of gymnasts look like athletes and are no longer considered over the hill at 19.

+1 and not just in the US -- it's a global shift.

Also love seeing all the women on the team this year who are current NCAA athletes at universities. It's great for the sport. The the previous era going to college effectively ended your Olympic and Team USA career and competing in the NCAA was seen as a step down. But now there is more mixing and as the average age of Olympic and Worlds gymnasts inch up you're going to see more of this. It makes gymnastics more like swimming or track and field and I feel it professionalizes the sport more. It acknowledges that gymnasts are competitive athletes not little dolls and they can evolve as people while ALSO continuing to train and compete just like you see in many other sports where most athletes are adults.

I definitely do not miss the era of terrified, half-starved children.

[Anonymous]

It helps engagement with the sport as well when gymnasts stick around for a few quads instead of being tossed aside by age 16 for the next crop of starved, submissive children. People get to know these athletes and they want to see them do well. Figure skating used to be like this and it was huge. Now no one cares anymore and this is one of the reasons why. Once you can’t do quad jumps you’re done. And only teenagers can do them consistently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know suni lee got all around gold in Tokyo and bikes dropped out? Wouldn’t know it from the ads or coverage.

Yeah, but Simone's scores and difficulty are always above Suni. Suni never beats Simone. Unless something goes wrong and Simone drops out or makes a huge mistake, Suni is competing for the Silver or Bronze in AA. She just doesn't have the difficulty level.

Are we counting the time Simone quit?

I am 100% okay with an athlete putting their health over a medal. They shouldn't have to vault on a broken leg, or risk a broken neck because they have the twisties (my DD is a very mediocre diver, and it's something that affects them as well). Good for her taking care of herself.

The fact she was able to come BACK from that - and perform even better than before - is truly astonishing. Who else could do that?!

I think what has Biles has done to come back is incredible, but I would say that Suni Lee’s comeback from two kidney diseases is equally astonishing.

These girls have grit!

I'm always amazed at how people are always trying to pit women against women like you have to choose 1 as your favorite. Brittany vs Christina, it's insane actually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love watching the gymnastics and follow it during the year. I love the Olympics most of all. I am a huge Simone Biles fan.

But I am wondering what everybody else feels about the big fake eyelashes? (Track and field women wear them too). It just looks stupid to me.......... but am getting use to it.

What do you think?

I think you don't understand people different than you have different cultures and dress and style differently than you. You don't have to like every style every culture has.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know suni lee got all around gold in Tokyo and bikes dropped out? Wouldn’t know it from the ads or coverage.

??????

Every bit of coverage on NBC has been hyping "two all around gold medalists" in the team final and all around final. They've done a couple of pieces on Lee's health problems. She's getting a good bit of coverage. Not Biles level coverage, but nobody is shorting her. It's just that Biles is the GOAT. You don't see talent like that very often and she's got a comeback narrative that you can't beat.

The lead gymnast from Brazil (Rebecca Andrade) is also getting a lot of praise and attention. She's also amazing. It's just that she's not Biles level of amazing.

It's wild that Biles gets so much criticism. She is objectively speaking the best female gymnast ever. Why do people pick her apart so much?

And yes, if someone doesn't know that Suni got all around gold and Biles dropped out, they have paid zero attention to women's gymnastics in the last four years.

1. Because she's Black

And here is the answer to why Suni Lee gets ignored - because she's Asian, and the world downplays the success of Asian women over and over and over again.

Yet she has deals with CLIF Bar, Amazon, Gatorade, Invisalign, Target, etc and she has a net worth that is higher than what SB had at her age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It helps engagement with the sport as well when gymnasts stick around for a few quads instead of being tossed aside by age 16 for the next crop of starved, submissive children. People get to know these athletes and they want to see them do well. Figure skating used to be like this and it was huge. Now no one cares anymore and this is one of the reasons why. Once you can’t do quad jumps you’re done. And only teenagers can do them consistently.

There is a refreshing pause from this trend in figure skating now while the Russians are banned. Successful skaters like Kaori Sakamoto, Loena Hendrickx, and Amber Glenn are all 24 years old, and quads in the women’s event have been mostly put aside for now in favor of more artistry and solid skating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love watching the gymnastics and follow it during the year. I love the Olympics most of all. I am a huge Simone Biles fan.

But I am wondering what everybody else feels about the big fake eyelashes? (Track and field women wear them too). It just looks stupid to me.......... but am getting use to it.

What do you think?

What don’t I think? She also has about 4-5 earrings in each ear, which some may think is ridiculous as well. Some may not like her messy bun hsirstyle or the color of her lipstick.

Point being… Everyone isn’t expected to love everything about her style. She is an athlete. Just Focus on the sport.

[Anonymous]

I love the nails on the track girls!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It helps engagement with the sport as well when gymnasts stick around for a few quads instead of being tossed aside by age 16 for the next crop of starved, submissive children. People get to know these athletes and they want to see them do well. Figure skating used to be like this and it was huge. Now no one cares anymore and this is one of the reasons why. Once you can’t do quad jumps you’re done. And only teenagers can do them consistently.

There is a refreshing pause from this trend in figure skating now while the Russians are banned. Successful skaters like Kaori Sakamoto, Loena Hendrickx, and Amber Glenn are all 24 years old, and quads in the women’s event have been mostly put aside for now in favor of more artistry and solid skating.

Really? Might be time for me to check it out again!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know suni lee got all around gold in Tokyo and bikes dropped out? Wouldn’t know it from the ads or coverage.

??????

Every bit of coverage on NBC has been hyping "two all around gold medalists" in the team final and all around final. They've done a couple of pieces on Lee's health problems. She's getting a good bit of coverage. Not Biles level coverage, but nobody is shorting her. It's just that Biles is the GOAT. You don't see talent like that very often and she's got a comeback narrative that you can't beat.

The lead gymnast from Brazil (Rebecca Andrade) is also getting a lot of praise and attention. She's also amazing. It's just that she's not Biles level of amazing.

It's wild that Biles gets so much criticism. She is objectively speaking the best female gymnast ever. Why do people pick her apart so much?

And yes, if someone doesn't know that Suni got all around gold and Biles dropped out, they have paid zero attention to women's gymnastics in the last four years.

1. Because she's Black

And here is the answer to why Suni Lee gets ignored - because she's Asian, and the world downplays the success of Asian women over and over and over again.

Yet she has deals with CLIF Bar, Amazon, Gatorade, Invisalign, Target, etc and she has a net worth that is higher than what SB had at her age.

Also, I saw her in an eczema commercial but I can’t remember the product. And on an awful note, her celebrity was such that stalkers followed her to different states and she had to do online schooling at Auburn to keep her safe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It helps engagement with the sport as well when gymnasts stick around for a few quads instead of being tossed aside by age 16 for the next crop of starved, submissive children. People get to know these athletes and they want to see them do well. Figure skating used to be like this and it was huge. Now no one cares anymore and this is one of the reasons why. Once you can’t do quad jumps you’re done. And only teenagers can do them consistently.

I actually enjoyed watching gymnastics this Olympics!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even though I sort of miss the more artistic and ballet oriented routines of the past (Romanian/Russian style), I like every single thing about Simone. Her personality, incredible talent, life story/family, always pure grace under pressure. She's a star like no other.

I used to feel this way, but those girls suffered so much physical and emotional abuse and look so frightened and malnourished compared to gymnasts of today. I love that this generation of gymnasts look like athletes and are no longer considered over the hill at 19.

Will someone please explain to me how you all have come to believe that gymnasts cannot be balletic and graceful once they become powerful and muscular? I love that they are allowed to look like athletes, but if you think that means they suddenly cannot be graceful, professional dancers would like a word.

You can be both, people. No one wants to bring back the treatment of gymnast from the 70s. Good Lord.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know suni lee got all around gold in Tokyo and bikes dropped out? Wouldn’t know it from the ads or coverage.

Yeah, but Simone's scores and difficulty are always above Suni. Suni never beats Simone. Unless something goes wrong and Simone drops out or makes a huge mistake, Suni is competing for the Silver or Bronze in AA. She just doesn't have the difficulty level.

Are we counting the time Simone quit?

I am 100% okay with an athlete putting their health over a medal. They shouldn't have to vault on a broken leg, or risk a broken neck because they have the twisties (my DD is a very mediocre diver, and it's something that affects them as well). Good for her taking care of herself.

The fact she was able to come BACK from that - and perform even better than before - is truly astonishing. Who else could do that?!

I think what has Biles has done to come back is incredible, but I would say that Suni Lee’s comeback from two kidney diseases is equally astonishing.

These girls have grit!

I'm always amazed at how people are always trying to pit women against women like you have to choose 1 as your favorite. Brittany vs Christina, it's insane actually.

Yes, I agree it is insane. I actually enjoy watching both of them very much and think both of them have inspiring stories.