<p>They all get medals.</p>
<p>Thank you! And Yay!</p>
<p>It’s really easy for people who aren’t familiar with rhythmic gymnastics to judge by appearances. Rhythmics is very popular in Europe and one of the few events that is consistently sold out at the Olympics. Most Americans can’t get past glittery leos and makeup (which have nothing to do with scoring) and see the athleticism involved in rhythmics. </p>
<p>Rhythmic gymnastics requires strength and flexibility and tremendous hand/eye coordination. The hoop, clubs, rope, ribbon,and ball are an integral part of the sport–they aren’t used for decoration. The use of apparatus while tumbling or turning intensifies the difficulty of the sport. Try tossing an almost 20-foot ribbon made of soft fabric that tangles easily while doing a series of turning leaps and then catching the ribbon you just tossed in the air. Artistic gymnasts do routines on equipment–rhythmic gymnasts do routines handling the equipment. </p>
<p>Is rhythmic judging corrupt? Who really knows? People say that, but they say it about other sports where judging is involved (ice skating). There’s a 150 pg. Code of Points that’s changed every four years by FIG (Federation Internationale de Gymnastique) which is the world governing body for artistic gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics. Scoring is based on the code of points. I know that FIG is sensitive to charges of favoritism among judges and its worked to make the scoring elements less subjective. Also, at this Olympics the judges for rhythmics can’t be from any country that has a gymnast in the competition. In the past, each country with a gymnast participating had one judge on the panel. </p>
<p>I believe that the reason the same countries (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Bulgaria) are always on top is because they’re the countries that have the most developed rhythmic programs. In countries where rhythmics is popular there are rhythmic gyms everywhere and talented kids get encouraged to compete. The top rhythmic gymnasts in these countries are like rock stars, so lots of girls want to take up the sport. Plus, in many countries the kids don’t pay for their training. That’s not the case in the US–parents pay for everything at the lower levels and while the national team kids get expenses paid to meets where they represent the US and a very small stipend (depending on their ranking), it doesn’t cover the costs of participating in the sport. (FTR, my D was on the national team for four years and went to every major rhythmic competition except the Olympics.)</p>
<p>In some ways, making fun of rhythmics brings attention to it, which is good. Not all attention is negative. The elite gymnasts in the sport are used to being bashed–it comes with the territory. Even though my daughter is long retired, as a mom, I hate hearing people bash these kids (and they are kids–mostly teenagers) working hard, pursing dreams, and doing something they love.</p>
<p>I realize that the sport is not everyone’s cup of tea. Which is fine–don’t watch it, but why suggest (e.g., #1418) that the kids are washouts from artistic gymnastics, especially when you don’t even know that’s the case. What’s more typical is the story of the young woman representing the US (Julie Zetlin). She started in rhythmics because her mom (who immigrated from Hungary) was a rhythmic gymnast there. </p>
<p>I’ll quit for now–will probably rant again in another four years.</p>
<p>"Rhythmics is very popular in Europe "</p>
<p>Europe being the keyword?</p>
<p>I’m with you Bromfield. I love rhythmic gymnastics! It is one of my favorite parts of the Olympics because you can’t really find it here except for the Olympics. I feel the same way about ice dancing.</p>
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<p>I may be one of the few people who loves American football AND soccer. I agree with your sentiment above!</p>
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<p>I find it incredibly difficult to justify the idea that scoring in RG is fair. Consider that there are gymnasts like Olga Kapranova who have won numerous medals in world and European championships. Now look at the scores from prelims. They just don’t make sense. They’re all incredibly inflated. Russian gymnasts (including the ones competing for Azerbaijan) are getting high scores for mistake ridden routines because they’re Russian. Just look at Kanaeva’s hoop and most of Garaeva’s routines if you need more proof.</p>
<p>Womens 4x100 - what an incredible race by USA!! I’m glad I didn’t peek at the results earlier. :p</p>
<p>Womens 4x100-- Carmelita Jeter gave the Best. Interview. Ever. Gotta love those four gold medal winners. And I’m happy that the other two? three? also get medals, because they were fantastic in the qualifiers.</p>
<p>Incredible! Gotta love those ladies.</p>
<p>I love Allyson Felix’s smile but I am absolutely mesmerized when I watch Carmelita Jeter run.</p>
<p>Very interesting, Bromfield. I’ll be watching rhythmic gymnastics with a new and more educated eye.</p>
<p>I’m definitely glad I caught the 4x100 on stream yesterday.</p>
<p>It’s interesting to see the Korea-Brasil match in women taekwondo today.</p>
<p>I treat the judged sports as entertainment so when the fix is in I do not care.</p>
<p>Glad I got to see the women’s relay on live streaming yesterday. It was incredible; their baton passing was seamless. If I didn’t get to see it live, I wouldn’t have seen it at all since we lost power yesterday afternoon due to a severe storm. Sorry I missed seeing the interviews, but the race was fantastic.</p>
<p>I am ready to root for my Mexican co-workers to win the Mexico-Brasil final soccer match.
My Monday lunch depends on the outcome of this match.</p>
<p>Well, coolweather, you’re off to a good start! Mexico scores in the first minute.</p>
<p>Cheering for Mexico too. Looks good so far!</p>
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<p>My D is now a competitive cheerleader, so I live with the “it’s not a sport” issue. (From a cardio standpoint, it’s like sprinting for 2 1/2 minutes.) Anyway, I always think that if they wanted it to be treated more like a sport, they would lose the giant hair bows and glitter eye shadow.</p>
<p>I’m sure the rhythmic gymnasts work very hard. There are kids who devote themselve to dance company and ballroom competitions, etc etc etc. The issue is what belongs in the Olympics. But I know that groups lobby and at some point, the IOC (or whoever) was convinced about rhythmic.</p>
<p>Loved our 4x100 ladies. Glad I knew the result in advance so I wouldn’t be nervous about baton issues.</p>