obviously they are still the best in their country if they made it onto another olympic team.
the olympics aren’t about giving everyone and their brother a shot at competing. the olympics are about the best of the best from each country representing their nations.
none of the 08 gymnasts from the US team made it onto the 2012 team, because none of them (save for alicia, who there just wasn’t room for sadly) were the best in the country/good enough to make this olympic team.
yet what gives you the right to make sweeping generalizations like these? are you really gonna tell me ksenia afanasyeva, the 2011 WORLD CHAMPION on floor, 2010 world gold medalist, and 2009 european silver AA medalist didn’t deserve her spot on the russian olympic team because she already had her shot in 08 and should have given someone else a shot?
are you really gonna tell me deng linlin, 2012 olympic gold medalist on beam and 2009 world gold medalist on beam/2010 silver medalist on beam, did not deserve her spot on the chinese olympic team this year because she was part of the 08 team?
what about gymnasts like oksana chusovitina, lauren mitchell, catalina fuckin’ ponor, sandra izbasa, and vanessa ferrari? these gymnasts are some of THE best gymnasts in the world and from their respective countries who have led teams of newer girls into the olympic arena. chuso is a living legend, lauren was australia’s best medal hope, cata and sandra led their team to a bronze while collecting silver and gold individually, and vanessa ferrari would have won italy’s first olympic WAG medal in awhile (ever? I’m not sure) had it not been for the tiebreaker.
but of course, these phenomenal athletes don’t deserve to be at a second, third, even sixth in chuso’s case, olympics because they’ve had their shot and “aren’t the best in their country”.
this confession is complete bullshit. if a past olympian gets a free ride to the olympics over someone more talented and deserving, then yes, that’s wrong. but literally every single returning olympian I can think of has stepped up as a team leader and is one of the best, if not THE best, in their country.
gymnastics is no longer a sport for fifteen year old girls who have to retire when they’re 18. gymnasts like chuso, asac, izbasa, ponor, dos santos, hypolito, mitchell, khorkina, millousi, and MANY others have proved that it’s not all about how old you are - it’s about your talent, drive, and desire to compete at the highest level in spite of all obstacles.
if you are a returning olympian, you damn well deserve to be there. that’s it.
AMEN… And gymnastics fans should bow down to the lady in the picture. She’s a living legend.
