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

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  • Опубліковано 1 лип 2012
  • Subscribe and 🔔 to the BBC 👉 bit.ly/BBCUA-camSub
    Watch the BBC first on iPlayer 👉 bbc.in/iPlayer-Home In 1972, watched by a huge new primetime television audience, the unknown 17 year old from the Soviet Union was a sensation. Never before had the Olympics seen a gymnast like this -- small, supple and smiling. Her floor exercise captured hearts with its impish charm and Olga's own childlike delight in her performance.
    Daring and danger, skill and beauty combine as this series telling the history of the Olympics continues with the story of gymnastics at the modern Games.
    It explores a never-ending pursuit of perfection by athletes constantly pushing their sport to greater and greater levels of technical difficulty, both on the floor and up on the high apparatus. Like Olga Korbut, who transformed gymnastics with revolutionary new routines that risked everything in Munich in 1972; and Nadia Comaneci, who picked up the baton and went one further by scoring the first perfect ten out of ten in an Olympics at Montreal in 1976.
    Faster, Higher, Stronger | Episode 2 of 4 | BBC Two
    #bbc #FasterHigherStronger
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 2,7 тис.

  • @nathaliexlr8
    @nathaliexlr8 8 років тому +5416

    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
      @JLDReactions 8 років тому +585

      +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
      @cosmickitty9533 7 років тому +179

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

    • @nathaliexlr8
      @nathaliexlr8 7 років тому +271

      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
      @cosmickitty9533 7 років тому +62

      nathaliexlr8 Thats too bad. I like the old skills.

    • @cosmickitty9533
      @cosmickitty9533 7 років тому +32

      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.

  • @skatefan9495
    @skatefan9495 7 років тому +5317

    The old style of gymnastics is so much more aesthetically pleasing than it is today. The artistry has been eliminated in favor of tricks.

    • @sophiagyger6932
      @sophiagyger6932 5 років тому +314

      It was lovely, but don't you think it would be a shame to have the sport remain the same? Sacrificing artistry and dance elements for technical perfection seems sad, but half the point of any sport is pushing boundaries and improving with each new generation of athletes.

    • @mindya1799
      @mindya1799 5 років тому +95

      @@sophiagyger6932 This was called "woman's" gymnastics.
      Or, "artistic gymnastics" for a reason.
      There was a sport dedicated to tumbling back then.
      Power tumbling practiced on a 25-meter-long spring track.
      Those moves are what you now see in GIRLS gymnastics

    • @scook5599
      @scook5599 5 років тому +6

      idolfan9495 Agreed.

    • @queenofnevers6990
      @queenofnevers6990 5 років тому +10

      same with ballet (at lesser extend though)

    • @lalal778
      @lalal778 5 років тому +53

      Well, it's an olympic sport so if you want something aesthetically pleasing what dancing.

  • @rosiepena8917
    @rosiepena8917 2 роки тому +496

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

    • @xmyxymx
      @xmyxymx Рік тому +45

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

    • @galekelsey224
      @galekelsey224 Рік тому +33

      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
      @mustyfan1584 Рік тому +31

      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
      @sunshyne8539 Рік тому +2

      100%!

    • @hyacinthlynch843
      @hyacinthlynch843 6 місяців тому +3

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

  • @LL-qm4sq
    @LL-qm4sq 4 роки тому +2988

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

    • @PrettyLittleLiar4
      @PrettyLittleLiar4 4 роки тому +204

      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
      @Karen093LRN 4 роки тому +143

      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
      @Zen-rw2fz 4 роки тому +22

      @@Karen093LRN people still believe that tho

    • @zds6185
      @zds6185 4 роки тому +24

      That man was sick!

    • @barbarakauppi9915
      @barbarakauppi9915 3 роки тому +22

      @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.

  • @satanasteguarda
    @satanasteguarda 4 роки тому +4698

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

  • @commonsenselyrics
    @commonsenselyrics 4 роки тому +5626

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

    • @hi-tech_soldier2558
      @hi-tech_soldier2558 4 роки тому +65

      Ikr

    • @Ell.06
      @Ell.06 4 роки тому +707

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

    • @ssimon64
      @ssimon64 4 роки тому +31

      That guy was just off his rocker

    • @Loungesugar
      @Loungesugar 4 роки тому +209

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

    • @johnsain
      @johnsain 4 роки тому +78

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

  • @huludulu2796
    @huludulu2796 2 роки тому +579

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

    • @sylviarollins412
      @sylviarollins412 2 роки тому +13

      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
      @mathonamoore123 2 роки тому +2

      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
      @MadameRosaFortuneTeller 2 роки тому +1

      me too

    • @tarawalsh7045
      @tarawalsh7045 2 роки тому +8

      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
      @mariefriedmann3203 Рік тому +3

      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.

  • @PlanetBabylon
    @PlanetBabylon 2 роки тому +230

    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

  • @cybersoil100
    @cybersoil100 8 років тому +2629

    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
      @maggieg5560 7 років тому +78

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

    • @doriamvell5386
      @doriamvell5386 6 років тому +23

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

    • @bellaangeles8686
      @bellaangeles8686 6 років тому +30

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

    • @ysgol3
      @ysgol3 4 роки тому +11

      @@bellaangeles8686 She was quite popular in Wales too !

    • @jonothandoeser
      @jonothandoeser 4 роки тому +16

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

  • @annefrank7005
    @annefrank7005 4 роки тому +3596

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

    • @goku21youtub
      @goku21youtub 4 роки тому +288

      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
      @joceelee 4 роки тому +424

      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
      @chancepaladin 4 роки тому +116

      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
      @ciara7172 4 роки тому +2

      My thought too

    • @ElizabethGlasby
      @ElizabethGlasby 4 роки тому

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

  • @jjlegrand4046
    @jjlegrand4046 4 роки тому +666

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

  • @Hippichik30
    @Hippichik30 2 роки тому +328

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

    • @karengittins4315
      @karengittins4315 2 роки тому +9

      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
      @cmlyster 2 роки тому +3

      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
      @jangles8061 2 роки тому +13

      @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
      @shawnchong5196 Рік тому +10

      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.

    • @user-pg3tt8lj9x
      @user-pg3tt8lj9x Рік тому +1

      Вы правы.

  • @treewisps4085
    @treewisps4085 4 роки тому +542

    1:42 that landing is perfect

  • @Szheherazad
    @Szheherazad 10 років тому +864

    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
      @writerforlifeify 10 років тому +21

      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
      @writerforlifeify 9 років тому +33

      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
      @olbarncats 8 років тому +31

      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
      @theresag1969 5 років тому +4

      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
      @creativequeen8371 2 роки тому

      Spot on

  • @how_tragic
    @how_tragic 4 роки тому +362

    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
      @PreservationEnthusiast 2 роки тому +1

      *Nowadays* not "Nowerdays"

    • @galekelsey224
      @galekelsey224 Рік тому +9

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

    • @TabiMcArdle
      @TabiMcArdle Рік тому

      The girls are built like boys now too

    • @nanamifan0220
      @nanamifan0220 8 місяців тому +2

      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.

    • @rileyroo2381
      @rileyroo2381 7 місяців тому +3

      Since Mary Lou Retton it's been all about powering through the exercises. Ironically, for all their physical strenth, today's athletes don't seem to be as strong mentally, Today if an athlete started by failing in an event, instead of pulling themselves together, they'd call a press-conference & announce they had to leave the competition for mental health reasons.

  • @ErinsProjects
    @ErinsProjects 2 роки тому +90

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

    • @akc1739
      @akc1739 Рік тому +21

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

    • @no_peace
      @no_peace Рік тому +12

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

    • @han3572
      @han3572 Рік тому +10

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

    • @arthrodea
      @arthrodea Рік тому +4

      @@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
      @scottw6704 Рік тому +6

      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.

  • @LEDANCETHERAPY
    @LEDANCETHERAPY 8 років тому +1468

    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
      @diuxD 8 років тому +18

      +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
      @JLDReactions 7 років тому +60

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

    • @juanl.2411
      @juanl.2411 7 років тому +20

      +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
      @Anyajac 7 років тому +8

      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
      @greymomma 7 років тому +21

      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.

  • @F1SHB1TCH
    @F1SHB1TCH 9 років тому +2954

    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
      @serasimonearda8046 9 років тому +59

      I totally agree! It have just changed so much!

    • @zahrashaukat6114
      @zahrashaukat6114 9 років тому +10

      I agree

    • @Mary56
      @Mary56 8 років тому +73

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

    • @jojojuiceclub6248
      @jojojuiceclub6248 8 років тому +4

      that is really really good

    • @jojojuiceclub6248
      @jojojuiceclub6248 8 років тому +3

      that is really really good

  • @dianepeacock8627
    @dianepeacock8627 2 роки тому +122

    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
      @dismas8884 2 роки тому

      england hates russia.

    • @danacaro-herman3530
      @danacaro-herman3530 2 роки тому +2

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

    • @alexnaranjo2160
      @alexnaranjo2160 2 роки тому

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

    • @anneann9127
      @anneann9127 2 роки тому +4

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

  • @moskito5864
    @moskito5864 8 місяців тому +10

    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 ♥

  • @ems8097
    @ems8097 4 роки тому +267

    the dismount from the uneven bars was incredible

    • @j.elizabeth4621
      @j.elizabeth4621 4 роки тому +11

      I watched it at least a dozen times

    • @sonja_jpg
      @sonja_jpg 2 роки тому +9

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

    • @ellenino
      @ellenino 2 роки тому +8

      It was named after her too :)

  • @brendaannedufaur6244
    @brendaannedufaur6244 4 роки тому +213

    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
      @tarawalsh7045 2 роки тому +7

      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
      @tarawalsh7045 Рік тому +2

      @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
      @tarawalsh7045 Рік тому

      @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.

  • @p.h.m.kletersteeg117
    @p.h.m.kletersteeg117 7 місяців тому +5

    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!

  • @mep4488
    @mep4488 3 роки тому +47

    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
    @withlove312 10 років тому +300

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

  • @parkrein1237
    @parkrein1237 6 років тому +1027

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

    • @julz3tt3
      @julz3tt3 5 років тому +26

      Very fortunate

    • @freyaaldrnari6086
      @freyaaldrnari6086 5 років тому +109

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

    • @palakkumari112
      @palakkumari112 5 років тому +25

      The angel of gymnastics.....💓💓

    • @TheSportslover2010
      @TheSportslover2010 4 роки тому +73

      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
      @chigal0926 4 роки тому +61

      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.

  • @John-ge2ne
    @John-ge2ne Рік тому +5

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

  • @typicallyusual6984
    @typicallyusual6984 3 роки тому +9

    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.

  • @julielynnstalker6020
    @julielynnstalker6020 8 років тому +333

    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
      @lti4833 8 років тому +4

      Yes.

    • @rodelmanalo9063
      @rodelmanalo9063 5 років тому +1

      go for it girl, god bless

    • @peggypeggy4137
      @peggypeggy4137 4 роки тому +2

      Olga moves like a butterfly!

    • @Rammetallist
      @Rammetallist 3 роки тому +1

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

    • @lisaellenrichardson2654
      @lisaellenrichardson2654 3 роки тому +1

      @@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.

  • @jariten17
    @jariten17 10 років тому +52

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

  • @cesarburnias7402
    @cesarburnias7402 4 роки тому +35

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

  • @user-xz6md9td7d
    @user-xz6md9td7d 2 роки тому +52

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

    • @galaxielt.5668
      @galaxielt.5668 2 роки тому

      Если не считать тёмных пятен на солнце.

    • @MikhnevichNatalya
      @MikhnevichNatalya Рік тому +5

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

    • @l.troyan1287
      @l.troyan1287 Рік тому +1

      Она из Белорусии?

    • @rbhbxtyrj8693
      @rbhbxtyrj8693 Рік тому +1

      @@galaxielt.5668 что конкретно вас смущает ?

    • @alexardjan9769
      @alexardjan9769 8 місяців тому

      @@l.troyan1287 Она из СССР !!!

  • @mandy2917
    @mandy2917 4 роки тому +55

    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.

  • @lesleyallinson8738
    @lesleyallinson8738 4 роки тому +56

    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

  • @siggi248
    @siggi248 7 місяців тому +3

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

  • @reclusivehermitwithalongbu3767
    @reclusivehermitwithalongbu3767 2 роки тому +24

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

  • @Me-fx7dc
    @Me-fx7dc 6 років тому +60

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

    • @therhythmictale5574
      @therhythmictale5574 4 роки тому

      Brownie I check out rhythmic gymnastics, it’s incredible ua-cam.com/video/nFRDkOlqXro/v-deo.html

  • @victoriadrake
    @victoriadrake 7 років тому +167

    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
      @therhythmictale5574 4 роки тому

      ua-cam.com/video/nFRDkOlqXro/v-deo.html

    • @MrGmanishere
      @MrGmanishere 2 роки тому

      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.

  • @charoitcharoit1609
    @charoitcharoit1609 3 роки тому +29

    Такое изящество и легкость!
    Бриллиант.

  • @Texaslonestargal
    @Texaslonestargal 9 місяців тому +3

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

  • @christystewart5678
    @christystewart5678 7 років тому +242

    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
      @merccadoosis8847 4 роки тому +1

      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
      @elgato7065 4 роки тому

      Thanks

    • @barbarakauppi9915
      @barbarakauppi9915 3 роки тому

      @@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
      @merccadoosis8847 3 роки тому

      @@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
      @searchingforfoodonyoutube2500 2 роки тому

      Really?

  • @mudslynger2109
    @mudslynger2109 4 роки тому +19

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

  • @charlotteaustin2078
    @charlotteaustin2078 4 роки тому +16

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

  • @solemio777si
    @solemio777si 4 роки тому +70

    Ольга гениальная гимнастка всех времён!

  • @tamousha
    @tamousha 9 років тому +1839

    Gymnastics used to be so beautiful.

  • @yusefendure
    @yusefendure 4 роки тому +12

    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.

  • @patpeterson2671
    @patpeterson2671 Рік тому +2

    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

  • @user-wm3sd3xw5b
    @user-wm3sd3xw5b 3 роки тому +36

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

  • @crash6422
    @crash6422 5 років тому +37

    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!

  • @jessicaf9361
    @jessicaf9361 10 років тому +97

    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
      @jrbleau 4 роки тому +6

      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
      @therhythmictale5574 4 роки тому

      Check out Alina Kabaeva, you might have another person to obsess over ua-cam.com/video/nFRDkOlqXro/v-deo.html

    • @RoseSharon7777
      @RoseSharon7777 2 роки тому +1

      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
      @Ozziecatsmom 2 роки тому

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

    • @PrincessOPD_Utah
      @PrincessOPD_Utah 2 роки тому

      Same

  • @Good-Enough024
    @Good-Enough024 7 місяців тому +2

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

  • @VM-yd6zq
    @VM-yd6zq 2 роки тому +25

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

  • @lrein077
    @lrein077 7 років тому +29

    Olga Korbut, the gymnast that captured our hearts forever.

  • @eliseintheattic9697
    @eliseintheattic9697 4 роки тому +17

    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.

  • @Hekateras
    @Hekateras 4 роки тому +1030

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

    • @dodgechance4564
      @dodgechance4564 4 роки тому +18

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

    • @Kaboomboo
      @Kaboomboo 4 роки тому +31

      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
      @anechkagee5372 4 роки тому +17

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

    • @johnnymfbravo7163
      @johnnymfbravo7163 4 роки тому +34

      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
      @thisbeem2714 4 роки тому +10

      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.

  • @anneann9127
    @anneann9127 2 роки тому +3

    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.

  • @user-vb8lg3qy5g
    @user-vb8lg3qy5g 4 роки тому +26

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

  • @alexplisecky
    @alexplisecky 3 роки тому +13

    Только слова восхищения и восторга.

  • @ElenaVDL
    @ElenaVDL 2 роки тому +24

    Спасибо, за ожившую память. С замиранием сердца мы в стране Советов следили за выступлением Ольги Корбут, она олицетворяла нашу мечту, показать всему миру, что в СССР живут такие же люди, как по всему свету, только нас отучили распускать слезы, приучили скрывать свои чувства, а скрытые чувства имеют большую человеческую ценность, чем показные рекламные эмоции. Ольга представляла мастерство советской школы гимнастики, что-то не получилось и плакала искренне, слезами она завоевала сердце зрителей, такое бывает. Хотя многие из наших спортсменов плакали ночами, это наша советская гордость, которую не хотят принимать в мире. Ольга Корбут фантастическая гимнастка, открытая душа, а за душой чувствуется ее американская мечта.

    • @galaxielt.5668
      @galaxielt.5668 2 роки тому

      Пусть в ней и остаётся. Легко, очень легко можно все испортить. А восстановить понадобится много времени. А у неё его уже просто нет.

    • @alexardjan9769
      @alexardjan9769 8 місяців тому +1

      Ей устроили подлянку , нижнюю перекладину опустили ниже , поданных в заявке программы , об этом молчат ! Она плакала , т.к. заранее ни кто из судей не проверил высоту перекладин , хотя обязаны были , и самое больное было , что ни кто не подал протест по этому поводу , даже из сборной Союза ! Была команда , не омрочнять переговоры Никсона с Брежневым ! А " Петлю Корбут " до сих пор запрещённую забыли ? Мухина получившая травму исполняла другой элемент , когда получила травму , она в элемент Корбут добавила свой винт на 360 гр. , который два года исполняла успешно , и в 80-г. перед ОИ -80 не докрутила свой винт и упала , получив ужасную травму ! А запретили " Петлю Корбут " , а не элемент Мухиной с Петлёй Корбут ! Справедливо разве ?

  • @subswithnovideos-lo1fv
    @subswithnovideos-lo1fv 4 роки тому +14

    The way she lands is so adorable

  • @wendyburrows4178
    @wendyburrows4178 4 роки тому +13

    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.

  • @Bffyukncxe
    @Bffyukncxe 4 роки тому +28

    Her floor routine was performed not just executed. That floor was a stage. I wish we could see more of that in today's gymnastics. Make us feel something don't just show off.

  • @susanfaulkner2304
    @susanfaulkner2304 9 місяців тому +2

    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.❤😊

  • @Wilkins_Micawber
    @Wilkins_Micawber 7 місяців тому +1

    50 years on and she is still living the legend.

  • @nikolass7608
    @nikolass7608 4 роки тому +17

    Спасибо вам ВВС за уважительный обзор , приятно слушать.

    • @HarmonicaGuitar
      @HarmonicaGuitar 3 роки тому +5

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

    • @user-bc6nr9fg4r
      @user-bc6nr9fg4r 2 роки тому +1

      @@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.

  • @user-uk3pr3ky4o
    @user-uk3pr3ky4o 2 роки тому +10

    Уникальная, неповторимая, великолпная гимнастка Ольга Корбут!🤗❤

  • @sunnyseacat6857
    @sunnyseacat6857 Рік тому +2

    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.

  • @rockit3422
    @rockit3422 2 роки тому +20

    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.

  • @sueroberts6193
    @sueroberts6193 4 роки тому +7

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

  • @steverakes6182
    @steverakes6182 4 роки тому +7

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

  • @lucia7647
    @lucia7647 2 роки тому +16

    I know that Nadia was perfection, but Olga has a piece of my heart.

  • @lizbrown4385
    @lizbrown4385 Рік тому +1

    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

  • @adrienneviviani178
    @adrienneviviani178 6 років тому +5

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

  • @persebra
    @persebra 7 років тому +51

    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
      @maggieg5560 7 років тому +2

      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.

  • @stephenlaing1738
    @stephenlaing1738 Рік тому +2

    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.

  • @1927su
    @1927su 7 місяців тому +1

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

  • @jameshadley3014
    @jameshadley3014 10 років тому +13

    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.

  • @willerenoicy2704
    @willerenoicy2704 9 років тому +156

    I think this girl has so much potential. I mean she has gone through so many things like she wasn't the best and she wasn't really tall like the gymnasts on her team. Russia was known for their ability to show no emotion during competitions but for this girl to break down and cry that was a first. Olga queen of gymnastics for life!!!

    • @moifikea8288
      @moifikea8288 6 років тому +6

      Beeing tall is a disatvantage though

    • @rach_laze
      @rach_laze 5 років тому +5

      Being short is an advantage there's a lot less of you to mess up and there's more power psi of muscle

    • @metamorphicorder
      @metamorphicorder 5 років тому +9

      You realize shes actually retired now right? Potential? This was in the 70s.

    • @dariahughes5564
      @dariahughes5564 5 років тому +6

      willer Enoicy She has potential! ?? Lmao. This was 40 years ago... Plz go educate yourself. .or AT LEAST LISTEN , READ THE DESCRIPTION, AND TO WHAT THE PPL IN DOCUMENTARY WERE SAYING. Geesh.

    • @persephone2706
      @persephone2706 4 роки тому

      Your comment shows you know jack shit about gymnastics and possibly don't even know what era we're in today... Please educate yourself.

  • @View2Views
    @View2Views 7 місяців тому +2

    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.....

  • @twistoffate4791
    @twistoffate4791 2 роки тому +25

    I feel like I stop breathing when Olga performs, because there is such style and grace.

  • @user-ii2hk3gu5v
    @user-ii2hk3gu5v 4 роки тому +16

    Великая страна! Великие спортсмены!

  • @100kenman
    @100kenman 7 років тому +20

    Olga Korbut, the little girl that won gold metals with her skill and won the world with her smile

    • @MooJoo5555
      @MooJoo5555 3 роки тому

      17 is not a little girl. but i guess they were expected to look like that.

  • @leechrec
    @leechrec 2 роки тому +1

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

  • @avramidouellie3437
    @avramidouellie3437 2 роки тому +2

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

  • @camembertdalembert6323
    @camembertdalembert6323 3 роки тому +3

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

  • @pigeonmorris2243
    @pigeonmorris2243 7 років тому +30

    she's so light..

  • @1wannabee1
    @1wannabee1 4 роки тому +8

    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.

  • @shimmeringfairydust3275
    @shimmeringfairydust3275 2 роки тому +4

    She was liquid beauty. Her floor exercise, though much simpler than that performed today, is still my favorite of all time. No one could beat Olga in terms of charm and charisma. She changed the face of gymnastics. Still a lovely lady.

  • @davescott8859
    @davescott8859 9 років тому +38

    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.

  • @zinqa
    @zinqa 3 роки тому +24

    I hate how they are calling it a disaster, to me she was still beautiful, especially that flip at the end!
    poor girl😭

  • @dds9563
    @dds9563 3 роки тому +5

    Whenever I watch this it brought tears in my eyes because ... we learned something from her !!! Everybody makes a mistake but ... its how you responds to it !!! That defies your true character !!! And ... I truly believed in this saying that ...
    “Its not how you started !!! Its how you finish it !!!”
    😘 a flying kiss to Olga Korbut !!!

  • @christopherwheatley9858
    @christopherwheatley9858 Рік тому +2

    Remember this as if it was quite recent!. Gymnastics would never be the same again! Magical, creative and just brilliant 👏

  • @sylviarollins412
    @sylviarollins412 2 роки тому +8

    I miss the beautiful dancing and personality on the floor routines. Olga and Nadia both had that. The girls now a days have amazing daring moves, it would be extra amazing to see personality and dance intertwined in their floor routines. 😊

  • @smeldaroses2082
    @smeldaroses2082 3 роки тому +3

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

  • @bencuraza6503
    @bencuraza6503 2 роки тому +2

    LEGEND ICON of GYMNASTICS 🤸‍♀️

  • @hyacinthlynch843
    @hyacinthlynch843 6 місяців тому +1

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

  • @pavelmoshin7434
    @pavelmoshin7434 4 роки тому +9

    it is the amazing honey-and-butter-like smoothness of all the daring moves that makes the whole event so charming and unforgettable

  • @user-fg4mg9yo6x
    @user-fg4mg9yo6x 3 роки тому +4

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

  • @mrssmith1691
    @mrssmith1691 2 роки тому +2

    I miss all the grace and artistry that was in older gymnastics - it's more like ballet here. Absolutely charming!

  • @sallybutton6237
    @sallybutton6237 Рік тому +1

    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 ❤