First impressions - Komova vs Wieber

First impressions, lasting impressions.

The Tokyo World Championships were certainly a talking point this year. For me they were perhaps the most political championships we have experienced in some years. In this age of social media, talk was all important, and it began well before the competition started. I expect it will go on for some time to come. I will take a considered look at all the national level exchanges in due course, but in the meantime I wanted to record a few thoughts. And, lest we forget, put into relative permanence a few observations from the world of social media and broadcast about a controversial all around result.

This World Championships was all about the power and precision of the American girls. They did dominate the team competition and were without question the best prepared team at this event. We also witnessed the continuing, rather surprising rise of a depleted yet determined Russian team.

The developing discourse of the battle between the women gymnasts of America and Russia is all about power versus grace. Yet, surely, the best gymnastics is about both; and perceptions of power are somewhat distorted. Double somersaults that provoke all the sensory and auditory vibration of a ton of bricks plummeting to ground are not significantly more powerful than those landed with the graceful lightness of a gazelle. The ability to hit 180 degrees in splits is as much about strength as range of movement; is less innate ability than good basic training and attention to detail. Artistry is a dimension of gymnastics, a vital something that complements the fundamental technical requirements. Gymnasts who perform only to these basic requirements, without artistry, are not completely fulfilling the requirements of the sport. Both aspects of the sport should be rewarded and it should not be possible to achieve a high score without both.

I digress, so back to my original point, that of recording some first impressions of a particularly controversial all around competition. Controversial not because of the gymnasts, who performed with utter professionalism. No, this is not to degrade the accomplishments of any of the gymnasts in the competition, whose achievements remain the same whether they finished first, second or twenty-fourth. But we should remember that the work of the adults who assess them is also subject to scrutiny. Judges occupy an authority position, but we do not have to agree with them or consider them to be beyond error. There was an outcry at the end of that competition, from people in the audience, from TV commentators, from contributors to social media. Even Jordyn Wieber herself admitted to surprise at the final result.

The history of gymnastics is full of controversial results, but the advent of social media opened up to public view the dissent many feel about current judging. It is too easy to focus too much on the final floor score that gave Jordyn Wieber the title of World All Around Champion. An all around competition is about four pieces of apparatus. Yet the final piece of apparatus is always the decider, and to this extent, the judges use this final opportunity to score to show their decision as to who is the overall winner.

In this blog I have repeatedly discussed the inadequacies of a Code of Points that the FIG suggests is 'objective' yet which in reality is a subjective construct designed to give the impression of objectivity. The FIG emphasises objectivity as the goal of any good marking system, yet rarely discusses measures of fairness in its judging. And surely fairness is the most important thing. I must confess I have let them get off rather lightly in this respect. To an extent, the FIG has bamboozled us all with its endless talk of objectivity. I prefer the Russian press' and Rodionenko's recent description of judging as subjective. Let's get real.

After all, it was the judges' subjective opinion that gave Jordyn Wieber the title of world all around champion. They decided that she was the better gymnast on the night. Here are a few reactions from the rest of the world.

BBC TV Highlights from live edit, Thursday 13th October

Commentators: Matt Baker (MB) (enthusiastic labrador), Mitch Fenner (MF) (crusty old gymnastics coach), Christine Still (CS) (strict, politically correct headmistress). Both Fenner and Still are respected experts who coach international class gymnasts.

Komova is about two thirds of the way through her floor routine, just completed her double spin:

MF : ooo ... she dipped down past the vertical line at the end of those spins ... the judges are going to deduct ... lands hard, and a slight buckle on the double pike ... well, that's her bid ... is it good enough?

MB : I think ... she's landed that final tumble ... and knew ... she'd done enough

CS : Well, she's the gymnast that's worked without errors

MF : Consistent ... patches of brilliance too, let's just say, you know, I mean she's got the work ... her bars was beautiful, wasn't it?

CS : Oh, and that floor routine was beautiful ... lovely tumbling ... her mother was part of the Soviet team that won the world gold medal in 1985 ... she's been destined to be a gymnast all the way through ... and you have to say, does have similarities to Nastia Liukin in the real classical, elegant style, a beautiful gymnast and will be a great champion.

MF : Very faithful to the Swan Lake choreography as well, lots of the elements, the arm movements, the finish positions ... beautifully done.

CS : And she's looking anxiously ... it's the first time we've seen the smile and relaxation ...

MB : [cuts across CS] ... [audible involuntary gasp] well ... 14.333 ... she's gone into second ... just .033 behind Wieber ... [tone of voice conveys lack of belief]

CS : And you know, it will have been that fall out of the double spin ... the spin with her leg up ... they will have counted that as a fall, I think. Otherwise, why else that score?

MB : Well ... Wieber can't believe it ... Komova can't believe it ...

MF : She's decimated.

[Stunned silence from all three.]

MB : I honestly thought she'd nailed it.

MF : Well ...

CS : So did absolutely everyone here in this arena ..

MF : But, you've made the point so many times, Christine, it's not only about the tumbles, is it, and that could have been very expensive, that spin, to fall from it ... look [Komova inconsolable] ... what can you say to her now? ... so upset ...

MB : And the atmosphere in here in just that ... of disbelief

CS : Absolutely ... the ... the only other place they would have had deductions was that final tumble ... she landed, but her chest was down ... but hey, you know ... er ... erm ... Wieber put her foot out of the floor, so ... they had been scoring floor quite reasonably.

MF : [Shot of Wieber crying, smiling and waving] Well, two sets of tears, for different reasons ...

[MB, CS and then MF interject with information on Hannah Whelan's performance]

[shot of Komova, still inconsolable, hugged by Elfimov]

MB : Well, just look at the state of Komova ... ah ... I feel for her, I mean she finished that floor routine, she looked down, she had that beaming smile on her face, it was as if ... 'that's it'!

CS : I wonder whether the Russian camp will protest that score. It's gone through, but they can protest the D score, they can protest the Difficulty score. And we saw a couple of protests be upheld last night, or two days ago, so I do wonder whether they might ...

MB : Surely they are going to have a go ...

CS : You would expect so. You would, if you were the coach!

MB : Yeah

MF : Absolutely. You know, when you see her like that, she really is 16 years old ... she came into the pressure there, and you suddenly realise this is a young girl, at the top of her game, who really thought she had done it

CS : And I don't think for one minute, Wieber thought she [Wieber] had done it

MB : No!

[Komova, eyes downcast and still in tears, accompanied by Elfimov, walks past Wieber unable to speak. Wieber looks confused and embarrassed.]

MB : Oh ... Komova ... well there's not much of an exchange of glances there, was there, between Wieber and Komova. So, Jordyn Wieber is the women's all around world champion ... Viktoria Komova has to settle for silver ... Jinnan Yao from China takes bronze.

BBC Interview with Jordyn Wieber

Interviewer : Jordyn, congratulations ... there were gasps in the crowd at the end there when that score came up on the scoreboard ... how did you feel, seeing your name come up in gold medal position at the end there?

JW : I was so surprised, because I had a little mistake on bars and I tried my very best to come back really strong on beam and floor but I didn't think it was enough, but ... I finished my floor routine the best that I could and it was enough, and I was so happy [shrugs and smiles].

Wrap up to BBC highlights with Matt Baker, Christine Still, Beth Tweddle

MB : Well, the flags are just descending behind us, and we didn't expect that order at the finish, did we Christine?

CS : Well, we probably did at the start of the day, but the way the competition panned out, it was a bit of a surprise to us all. Although, I have to say, when we looked back over the replays, Komova certainly gave the judges opportunity to deduct ... and they took it ...

MB : It's a very good point, to say that is what we expected and you [turning to Beth Tweddle] put your money on Wieber, but did you actually want Komova to win in the end?

BT : I mean she's a lovely gymnast and ...

MB : Is that a yes?

BT : [giggles] Yes!! I mean, Wieber's got amazing gymnastics, but I think Komova's got everything, she's got the artistry. Unfortunately she struggled a bit today with her feet, you can tell she wasn't happy out on the floor, it was just a case of 'I want to get through these routines and get off the floor'

Twitter comments

Susanna : ... and WAG judging reaches a new level of stupid. Komova is the true champion.

Emerald : I wanted Wieber to win, but this feels wrong

Sheliagina, Daria : I like Wieber! She is really good. BUT it's absolutely unfair!!! Komova was better ...

Intlgymforum : Komova looks like a kid who was just told Santa is fake. Wieber walks around like it hasn't hit her fully yet. Had to be expecting silver ...

Claire : I think Komova should have won

Gemmadejong : I am not okay with this worlds. You best not f*ck them [the Russians] over next year

The All Around : The arena is incredibly flat following the result. The only cheering is from the US camp.

First impressions, often the most reliable.

With thanks to all those whose reactions I record here for the purpose of discussion. All polite, on topic comments will be published!