If age is such a big advantage, why did Liukin beat Shawn in so many events?

Question

Just some fuel in the fire lol. Just kidding. A different perspective

Answer 1

it's because after 16 your body changes less. They have determined that to be the acceptable age to where a body has typically 'developed enough' to no longer lead to any advantage,

Think of it this way.. if it wasn't an advantage why would a country fake documents to get an underage gymnast in? (Yang Yun of china, 2 bronze in 2000 recently admitted to being on 14 during those games.) It looks like they may have done it again....

Answer 2

It's not the age itself.  But the fact that if He is under age and she is one of the top in China, she shouldn't even be in the Olympics to begin with.  The Chinese team, without He, will need to have another older girl that might not be as good as He, not due to age but due to talent.

Answer 3

There is only 2 years between Shawn and Nastia, and age is not as big an advantage as people believe.  Oksana Chusovitina is 33 and competing at her 5th Olympics in artistic gymnastics!

Nastia's advantage comes in difficulty from her bars routine.  Shawn does a much more difficult vault but does not make up the difference.

They competed together in team qualifying and finals, they only competed against each other in the all-around (which Nastia won), floor final (which Shawn came above Nastia), and beam final (which Shawn won).  That clearly isn't "Liukin beat Shawn in so many events".

Answer 4

Nastia and Shawn are both excellent gymnastics and in meet nastia was just better. age really isn't as big as of advantage as it seems, when you are younger your body isn't as worn down.

Answer 5

Well Nastia just performed better the Shawn then. Some days Nastia wins and some days Shawn wins. Shawn just won the beam event. Nastia is a great athlete and very talented. I don't think age matters to much when you break it down.

Younger girls (12-14) are more flexible and smaller then say a 15-17 year old. They are built more like women at that point in life.

Answer 6

Underage may have some advantages.

Rules are rules, if you don't obey the rule you can't play even if the rule is stupid

Answer 7

Shawn just does routines...Nastia performs like she's on stage and has much more creative routines.  In this case I don't think age had much to do with it...just dance and presentation ability.  Shawn's coordinated, but she doesn't take your breath away.

Answer 8

She only beat Shawn for the all-around, which I believe should have been Shawn's gold.

Answer 9

Good, rules are rules, so stop ranting about tie breaking rule!

Answer 10

Normally Shawn beats Nastia in the all around. Like in the 2007 world championships, and many other competitions since.