Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the twentytwenty domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /www/gymnasticshistorycom_663/public/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121
Gymnastics History – Page 9 – Meets, Results, and Ephemera from the Past
Categories
1972 Chunichi Cup Japan MAG WAG

1972: Andrianov and Janz Win the Chunichi Cup

At the end of 1972, many of the stars of the Olympics headed to Japan for a series of competitions, including the Chunichi Cup. Not surprisingly, most of the competitors were not as sharp as they were in Munich. This was particularly true of the Soviet women who had to do a tour in West Germany right after the Olympics.

But the Chunichi Cup did give some gymnasts the opportunity to shine. For example, Nina Dronova, an alternate for the Soviet team and the Chunichi Cup champion in 1970 and 1971, took silver.

The competition also gave gymnasts the opportunity to try out new skills. U.S. gymnast Joan Moore added a back tuck to her beam routine, a skill that only Korbut and her teammate Nancy Thies competed at the Olympics.

Here’s a glimpse of what happened in Nagoya, Japan.

Continue reading “1972: Andrianov and Janz Win the Chunichi Cup”
Categories
1972 Gym Nerd Trivia Olympics

1972: Gym Nerd Trivia about the Olympic Games

If you’re reading this site, you’re. a gym nerd at heart. Now, it’s time to see just how much of a gym nerd you are. Take the quiz below to find out.

Continue reading “1972: Gym Nerd Trivia about the Olympic Games”
Categories
1972 East Germany Olympics

1972: East Germany’s Takeaways from the Munich Olympics

After the Olympics, Deutsches Sportecho, the main sports newspaper of East Germany, published an article about the gymnastics competition. Its general conclusion: There were no surprises at the Olympics. Everything happened as expected. The socialist countries dominated the women’s competition while the Japanese team dominated the men’s competition.

The article did offer a small critique of the judging in the women’s competition:

Judges are only human, and they valued the grace of Olga Korbut or the suppleness of Ludmilla Tourischeva more highly than the pronounced athleticism of Karin Janz – with the same difficulty and the same precision.

What follows is a translation of the article.

Copyright: imago/Colorsport, Karin Janz, Vault
Continue reading “1972: East Germany’s Takeaways from the Munich Olympics”
Categories
1972 Olympics Romania

1972: Romania’s Takeaways from the Olympics in Munich

Romania skipped the gymnastics competition at the 1968 Olympics in part because of its disappointing showing at the 1964 Olympics. Four years later, in 1972, the Romanian women finished sixth, just as they had at the 1964 Olympics. The Romanian men finished 7th — a major improvement over their 12th-place finish in Tokyo.

After the Olympic Games in Munich, the Romanian press tried to answer the questions:

  • What should we make of the gymnasts’ performance in 1972?
  • Could our gymnasts have been achieved?
  • What needs to be done going forward?

What follows is a translation of a column from Sportul, published in the September 29, 1972 edition of the newspaper. The article looks at everything from body weight to the lack of good apparatus in the country.

Elena Ceampelea on the balance beam, June 10, 1972, The Netherlands
Continue reading “1972: Romania’s Takeaways from the Olympics in Munich”
Categories
1972 Japan Olympics

1972: Japan’s Reflections on the Munich Olympics

At the end of Japan’s Official Report on the 1972 Olympics, the authors included a section that looked toward the future. They pinpointed areas where the Japanese men’s team needed to improve to stay ahead of the Soviet team, and they were hopeful because Kaneko Akitomo was part of the Technical Committee. Previously, they had felt at a geographic and linguistic disadvantage presumably because Japan is outside of Europe and Japanese is not a primary language of the FIG.

As for the women, the authors believed that Japan needed to go back to the basics and start over again.

Kato Sawao, Rings, 1972 Olympics, Copyright: imago/Sven Simon
Continue reading “1972: Japan’s Reflections on the Munich Olympics”
Categories
1972 Books MAG Olympics USSR

1972: Mikhail Voronin on His Final Olympics

In Voronin’s 1976 autobiography titled Number One (Первый номер), he reflects on his final Olympic Games. By his standards, he struggled during the Soviet competitions prior to the Olympics, and while in Munich, he injured his ankle. Arthur Gander refused to let him pull out of the all-around final, so he competed after receiving an injection that made him black out. (Note: Korbut also got an injection before the all-around final that caused her legs to go numb.) 

In the end, the Soviet men’s team won two golds, three silvers, and one bronze. They had made progress in the two years between the Ljubljana World Championships and the Munich Olympics. But in the end, Voronin recognized that they were unable to put together a team that could match Japan’s team.

Here’s what else he said about Munich… 

Datum: 07.05.1972 Athlete: Mikhail Voronin, Copyright: imago/Sven Simon, Note: This photo is not from the Olympics.

Note: Chapters of Voronin’s book were translated into Estonian for the newspaper Spordileht, and I have translated the text from Estonian into English. The following excerpts come from the February 8, 1978, February 10, 1978, and February 13, 1978 issues of Spordileht.

Continue reading “1972: Mikhail Voronin on His Final Olympics”
Categories
1972 MAG Olympics USSR

1972: Sovetsky Sport’s Coverage of the Men’s Event Finals

In 1972, there were no Soviet men’s artistic gymnasts on the all-around podium. Afterward, the Soviet press noted that the fight was not over. The Soviet gymnasts could still take home gold during the event finals, and indeed, they did. Nikolai Andrianov and Viktor Klimenko became Olympic champions on floor and pommel horse, respectively.

Here’s what the main Soviet sports newspaper wrote about the men’s artistic event finals. Though the Soviet and Japanese gymnasts were rivals, the press was quite complimentary towards the Japanese gymnasts, especially Tsukahara’s high bar routine.

MUNICH, WEST GERMANY – SEPTEMBER 01: Viktor Klimenko of the Soviet Union competes in the Pommel Horse of the Artistic Gymnastics Men’s Apparatus final during the Munich Olympic Games at the Sporthalle on September 1, 1972 in Munich, West Germany. (Photo by The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images)
Continue reading “1972: Sovetsky Sport’s Coverage of the Men’s Event Finals”
Categories
1972 MAG Olympics

1972: The Men’s Event Finals at the Munich Olympics

On September 1, 1972, the gymnastics portion of the Olympic Games ended with the men’s event finals. It was largely a competition between the Japanese and Soviet gymnasts. Only three gymnasts made the finals from other countries: Köste of East Germany, W. Kubica of Poland, and Rohner of Switzerland.

The Munich Olympic Games were the first time that there was an all-around final. So, instead of competing for three days, the top gymnasts had to compete for four days. Some gymnasts like Kato qualified for every final, meaning they performed a total of 24 routines.

Let’s take a look at what happened.

Akinori Nakayama, Rings, Munich (Photo by Horstmüller/ullstein bild via Getty Images)
Continue reading “1972: The Men’s Event Finals at the Munich Olympics”
Categories
1972 FIG Congress Olympics WAG

1972: Villancher Steps down; Nagy Takes over the Women’s Technical Committee

In 1972, there was a change of the guard on the Women’s Technical Committee (WTC). Berthe Villancher, who had been the president of the WTC since 1956, finally stepped down. Valerie Nagy took her place.

Below, you can find Berthe Villancher’s thoughts on her final competition as the president of the Women’s Technical Committee, as well as what was top of mind for Valerie Nagy (Jenőné Nagy in Hungarian) when she was elected.

All in all, Villancher was pleased with how the 1972 Olympics turned out. Known for her interventions among the judges, she was happy that she did not have to intervene in as many judging controversies.

Berthe Villancher, from 100 Years of the FIG
Continue reading “1972: Villancher Steps down; Nagy Takes over the Women’s Technical Committee”
Categories
1972 Olympics USSR WAG

1972: Sovetsky Sport’s Coverage of the Women’s Event Finals

Only two countries medaled in the women’s event finals: the Soviet Union and East Germany. Sovetsky Sport concluded that “the Soviet and German sportswomen now fully dominate in women’s gymnastics and determine the course of its development.”

Given the newspaper’s emphasis on the friendliness between the gymnasts of both countries, it had to tread lightly when discussing the uneven bars final. Without saying that Olga Korbut should have won the title, it implied as much. But it was quick to point out that the fault was with the FIG and the judges.

Here’s what Sovetsky Sport wrote about the 1972 event finals.

Olga Korbut (USSR), Munich 1972
Continue reading “1972: Sovetsky Sport’s Coverage of the Women’s Event Finals”