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
USSR – Page 2 – Gymnastics History

Category: USSR

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 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”
Categories
1972 MAG Olympics USSR

1972: Sovetsky Sport’s Coverage of the Men’s All-Around in Munich

Soviet gymnasts first competed at the Olympics in 1952, and from 1952 through 1968, there was always a Soviet gymnast on the men’s all-around podium at the Olympics. Then, 1972 happened, and there were no Soviet all-around medalists in men’s artistic gymnastics.

Here’s what Sovetsky Sport, the primary sports newspaper of the Soviet Union, wrote.

Copyright: imago/Werner Schulze, Nikolai Andrianov (UdSSR)
Continue reading “1972: Sovetsky Sport’s Coverage of the Men’s All-Around in Munich”
Categories
1972 Olympics USSR WAG

1972: Sovetsky Sport’s Coverage of the Women’s All-Around Final

For the Soviet team, the 1972 all-around final was a whirlwind. There were six Soviet gymnasts in the final and only one Soviet coach on the floor. Polina Astakhova had to run from apparatus to apparatus to spot, adjust equipment, encourage, and comfort.

Sovetsky Sport captured the excitement of the competition by giving a rotation-by-rotation analysis. In the end, the newspaper of record praised the friendship between the Soviet and East German gymnasts: “They were sitting side by side — the gymnasts from the USSR and the GDR. It was their evening, their celebration.”

Copyright: imago/Colorsport Gymnastics – 1972 Munich Olympics – Women’s Individual All-Around The gold medal winner, USSR’s Ludmilla Tourischeva
Continue reading “1972: Sovetsky Sport’s Coverage of the Women’s All-Around Final”
Categories
1972 MAG Olympics USSR

1972: Sovetsky Sport’s Coverage of the Soviet Men’s Fourth-Straight Silver

What did the Soviet press think about the Soviet men’s team winning silver for the fourth-straight Olympics?

Here’s what Sovetsky Sport, the primary sports newspaper of the Soviet Union, wrote.

Olympische Spiele München 1972. Turnen: Siegerehrung Mannschaftsmehrkampf: Japan Gold, UdSSR Silber und DDR Bronze
Continue reading “1972: Sovetsky Sport’s Coverage of the Soviet Men’s Fourth-Straight Silver”
Categories
1972 Olympics USSR WAG

1972: Sovetsky Sport on the Soviet Women’s Team Gold

In 1972, the Soviet Union won its sixth-straight team title, and Sovetsky Sport, the main sports newspaper of the Soviet Union, printed over 1,000 words about the competition. The article highlighted the star power of Korbut and Tourischeva, the gentle guidance of coach (and former Soviet star) Polina Grigoryevna Astakhova, and the team’s ability to rally after Antonina Koshel’s mistakes on floor and bars.

Here’s how the 1972 women’s optional competition was covered in the Soviet press.

Datum: 31.08.1972 Copyright: imago/Pressefoto Baumann Olympische Spiele München 1972 , Turnen Frauen Olga KORBUT (UdSSR)

Note: In this photo, you can see how the beam was just wood without padding.
Continue reading “1972: Sovetsky Sport on the Soviet Women’s Team Gold”
Categories
1972 MAG Olympics USSR WAG

1972: Sovetsky Sport’s Coverage of the Compulsories in Munich

After the compulsory program, Sovetsky Sport, the main sports newspaper of the USSR, printed its recap of the competition. Not surprisingly, the writer was complimentary toward the entire Soviet women’s artistic gymnastics team, adding delightful lines like, “For O. Korbut, with her unique tricks on uneven bars, performing the compulsories is as easy as shelling peas.” Of course, there were some rough spots on beam, but as the writer points out, all the teams struggled with beam. 

As for the Soviet men, that was a different story. The newspaper only had good things to say about Andrianov and pointed out that Alexander Maleeev and Vladimir Shchukin did not have enough experience to be strong contributors to the team score.

Below, you can find a translation of Sovetsky Sport’s coverage.

Copyright: imago/Werner Schulze Nikolai Andrianov (UdSSR) – Barren
Continue reading “1972: Sovetsky Sport’s Coverage of the Compulsories in Munich”
Categories
1972 Interviews & Profiles USSR WAG

1972: A Profile of Tamara Lazakovich in Soviet Life

Going into the 1972 Olympics, Tamara Lazakovich was one of the favorites. At the 1971 European Championships, she tied with Ludmilla Tourischeva for all-around gold. In addition, she won gold medals on the uneven bars and balance beam, as well as silver medals on vault and floor exercise. At the time, Berthe Villancher, President of the Women’s Technical Committee, held Lazakovich up as the ideal on beam.

The magazine Soviet Life ran a short profile of Lazakovich before the Olympics. It gives the details of her career.

Note: You can read an interview with Lazakovich here. It gives some interesting details about her career. For example, Lazakovich wanted to quit the sport.

The cover of Soviet Life, August 1972

Author: Lev Kuleshov
Photographs: Sergei Lidov
Continue reading “1972: A Profile of Tamara Lazakovich in Soviet Life”
Categories
1972 Interviews & Profiles MAG USSR

1972: A Profile of the Klimenko Brothers

In 1971, Viktor Klimenko won the all-around at the European Championships, but he tore his Achilles tendon during warmups the next day. Mikhail Klimenko, his brother, was his coach, and he knew firsthand what it was like to go through a significant injury. While Mikhail would later become known for being Elena Mukhina’s coach, he once was remembered as a junior national champion, who had to quit due to injury. 

What follows is a 1972 profile of the two brothers from Nedelia.

Viktor Klimenko, 1970
Continue reading “1972: A Profile of the Klimenko Brothers”
Categories
1972 USSR WAG

1972: Was Olga Korbut Supposed to Be on the Soviet Team in Munich?

If you grew up watching U.S. gymnastics coverage, you might think that Olga Korbut was not supposed to be on the Soviet team in 1972. During an ABC replay of the 1972 Olympics, the commentators remarked:

“She was a last-minute substitute on the Soviet team, replacing Nina Dronova who had broken her wrist. Olga wasn’t even listed in the Russian team biographies.”

A similar remark was printed in Gymnast (now International Gymnast) magazine in an article about the 1972 Chunichi Cup, in which Dronova competed:

The Russians were represented by three girls, Ludmilla Tourischeva, 1st All-Around in Munich, Lyubov Burda, 5th All-Around in Munich, and 14-year-old Nina Dronova who was a member of the USSR Olympic team until she broke her wrist several weeks before the games. She was replaced by Olga Korbut.

Gymnast, February 1973

But is that what happened? The Soviet press told a different story.

November 1-4, 1972. Grodno, Byelorussian SSR, USSR. Three times Olympic Champion in artistic gymnastics Olga Korbut. The exact date of the photograph is unknown. Vitaly Sozinov/TASS PUBLICATION
Continue reading “1972: Was Olga Korbut Supposed to Be on the Soviet Team in Munich?”