Black Excellence-- UCLA Gymnast Get Viral Attention & Much More

Nia Dennis

 

Like most superb athletes at the level that Nia Dennis achieved, she also wanted to make to the Olympics, however, that dream was deferred I believe due to injuries. Nevertheless, awhile back, two of her floor routines received viral attention and much more. Her routines were dedicated to Black culture and because she executed her gymnastic skills so brilliantly, she received a lot of media attention from many celebrities and was invited to appear on many popular talk shows. She even received comments from former First Lady Michelle Obama. She dedicated music in her routines to certain celebrities like Beyoncé and more. One of my favorite parts of her performance was the amazing support she received from her teammates and especially her coaches. I just love to see her coach dance on the sidelines with her! The UCLA team though, has more than Nia, when it comes to brilliant performances! And so, here are the two floor routines that caused so much attention, however, I would also like to share another wonderful gymnasts' incredible floor routine on her team, Katelyn Ohasi, of whom scored a perfect 10 for her floor routine! 

 

Nia Dennis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Katelyn Ohasi 

 

 

 

Interview USA Today 

 

 

 

Women's floor exercise has changed a great deal since my day as a gymnast. Top Olympic gymnasts could not perform most of the tricks these college gymnasts performed, but that is more due to the equipment than the athlete.  I was more impressed by Katelyn Ohasi her tumbling passes were more difficult.

 

I imagine the judges ignore the music, prancing and butt wiggling, but I guess this is why these videos go viral.

These girls are pretty, but I'm more amazed and impressed at how physically strong they are.

Can a person imagine how much strength it takes for your legs to force you up in the air high enough to flip several times???
 

When I was a kid I used to think they were made out of rubber...lol

 

 

 

 

 

Troy

I imagine the judges ignore the music, prancing and butt wiggling,

And I imagine that's ONE of the reasons I'm not not one of their judges.
Because I WOULDN'T ignore it.

Infact, the more skin they'd show me....the higher the score they'd get....lol



 

They are effectively tumbling on trampolines.  It requires skill, but it completely different that what was being used in the 1970s.

 

Check out Cathy Rigby at the Munich Olympics in 1972. This was before American Black women were able to compete in the games. Today, I would expect a good high school female gymnast to be able to do this routine -- with the same equipment.   

 

Today there is way to much focus on entertainment and how people look (women in particular) and it has distracted from the sport. The ultimate  outcome would be a sport like wrestling which is strictly about entertainment -- shedding all presence of actual competition.  Boxing is heading down that route with bloggers and midget basketball players providing the entertainment.

 

 

 

 

On 7/17/2021 at 4:33 PM, Troy said:

Check out Cathy Rigby at the Munich Olympics in 1972. This was before American Black women were able to compete in the games. Today, I would expect a good high school female gymnast to be able to do this routine -- with the same equipment.   

 

 

WOW! That was awesome! Man! No, I don't think a high school gymnast could pull that off! that was amazing and I really enjoyed watching. Thank you for posting. I could watch Cathy Rigby perform that over and over again. It seems flawless and her skills were incredible. I wonder what she is doing now. 

 

On 7/16/2021 at 8:57 AM, Troy said:

that is more due to the equipment than the athlete.

 

Yes, I agree about the equipment that is use today to assist gymnast today. 

 

On 7/17/2021 at 8:55 AM, Pioneer1 said:

These girls are pretty, but I'm more amazed and impressed at how physically strong they are.

Can a person imagine how much strength it takes for your legs to force you up in the air high enough to flip several times???

 

Me too. @Pioneer1 I agree with @Troy about equipment used to assist in certain feats, but today, these gymnast seem to be executing feat much more intense. 

 

Chev

 

but today, these gymnast seem to be executing feat much more intense. 

I think this is for 2 major reasons:

1. Athletes today have more suppliments and other performance enhancing chemicals OUTSIDE of steroids that they are using to give themselves more strength and endurance

2. There are far more Black gymnasts competing today and we have "raised the bar" as far as competition is concerned by performing far more spectacular feats.

Almost everything improves when you start letting more Black folks in it....boxing, basketball, football, golf, tennis, ect..

Some of the flips and bounces I see those gymnasts doing, growing up I used to see other little kids do on my block in a pair of Buster Brown shoes and blue jeans...lol