Does anyone remember how Team China simply couldn't hit the mark in the late '80s and '90s? Forget Yang Bo being unable to land a dismount or the team's inability to find leotards that fit. Who shows up to the 1992 Worlds and Olympics doing a floor routine to Sleigh Ride? Lu Li was riding to grandma's house and an Olympic gold medal while being mightily ready for Christmas morning at all times. This was Margaret Thatcher's favorite routine of the games.
And the team didn't get better in a hurry. Let's not forget Mo Huilan's Yellow River meets Funky Chicken in Atlanta. As always, she carried her country's tradition of giving away multiple gold medals at those Olympic Games.
Poor Mo just couldnt get it together. She WOULD HAVE been world champ in 95, and could have very well won in 96. It always bugged me how if she took a step on a landing, she always made it blatant and stood there for a second. Why didnt she understand how to salute and hop at the same time?
ReplyDeleteI thought China showed up looking pretty awesome in 96, on paper at least. If they'd have hit, they'd probably have won. They had some ludicrous skills. And remember how well that team did in Sabae. I'd say there was a huge learning curve for them between about 91 to 95. The 1996 team have echoes of the past headcaseness but you can also see in them how good China were becoming. Transitional team, but still fantastic. I'd take them over those cheating little children of 08 any day (even bearing in mind some of the 96 lot were probably underage too)
ReplyDeleteLOL I LIVE FOR MO'S FUNKY CHICKEN.
ReplyDeleteI prefer them to the 2008 team, too, but moral outrage is useless. China has been pulling the underage tricks for a long time. Ji Liya and Kui Yuanyuan were underage in 1996.
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