USA 8 year old gymnast performing at Opening Ceremonies at 2008 Beijing Olympics:
[quote]The invitation was facilitated by Lindsey's grandfather, Bob Christianson. He has collected thousands of flags, photos, autographs and other Olympic souvenirs. Last year, he went to China and made a request to display his collection during the Olympic Games. The Chinese hosts agreed. As an afterthought, he mentioned that his granddaughter is an outstanding gymnast. The Chinese officials thought it would increase interest in gymnastics, so they offered an invitation for her to perform at one of the Olympic opening ceremonies.
Christianson will perform four routines: balance beam, uneven bars, floor exercise and vault.[/quote]
Wrong information on a gymnastics article again - easy research on youtube would verify that Nadia's biggest skill in the 1976 Olympics on beam was not a single back handspring!
[quote]"In my 27 years of coaching, Lindsey is one of only three girls who has the talent, the focus and the drive to go as far as it will get her. She has the ability to make it to the Olympics. It takes both physical and mental abilities that few youngsters have," added Strazzulo.
Christianson already has had an impact at the state and national competitions. At the 2007 national championship, she scored 9.95 on the beam and had an all-around score of 39.025, the highest score recorded at the national level.
Strazzulo talked about how far gymnastics has progressed in the last generation.
"When Nadia Comaneci won her medals in the 1976 Olympics, her biggest event on the beam was a single back handspring. Lindsey already performs two back handsprings in her routine," Strazzulo said.[/quote]
btw - you would call it 'skill', not 'event' - 'event' is the beam
Here's Nadia's beam routine:
Nadia Comaneci - 1976 Olympics EF - Balance Beam
[youtube]9njmhn1AeRo[/youtube]
Some of the harder skills:
front aerial, side aerial / back handspring combo, balkwalkover / back handspring / back handspring combo, and dismount round off double twisting back
The coach for 27 years is pretty off.
