perfect 10

From the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. One of the first release moves on the women’s uneven parallel bars.

This one speaks for itself.

In honor of Chellsie Memmel’s return to competition this week I thought I would post a photo of her as my Photo of the Week. I found this on got-chalk. You’ll also find a youtube video of her from the 2003 World Championships. One of her best bar routines. Here’s to hoping she can return to full form soon.

I found this photo on Geza Pozsar’s official website. For those of you who don’t know, Geza Pozsar was the choreographer for Nadia, Mary Lou Retton, Kim Zmeskal and dozens of other American gymnasts (including the entire 1996 Olympic Team) throughout the past 3 decades. He defected from Romania with Bela & Martha Karolyi in 1981 and owns Pozsar’s Gymnastics in Sacramento, CA.

One of the reasons I like this photo so much is that it reminds me of a very special day in my life when I was a 13-year-old Level 8 gymnast…

I lived in a small town south of Sacramento. It was the Summer of 1992 and I was enrolled in Pozsar’s week-long Gymnastics camp. My parents had agreed to let me sign up for a Floor routine choreographed by Geza himself. It was an additional cost but I had convinced my mom and dad that it would be worth it. But on the second day of camp Geza was called away (Michelle Campi, who was vying for a spot on the 1992 Olympic Team was from Pozsar’s gym). I was so disappointed but we were assured that Geza would still choreograph routines for those of us who had signed up.

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I came across this photo of Nadia on Flickr last Friday. It was taken by Dave Gilbert in October 1977 at the Hartford Civic Center. He gave me permission to post it here. Click here to see the other great shot he got of Comaneci that day. If you have time, check out some of his other fantastic (non-gymnastics) shots.