-- Posted by Bearsy at 1:50 am on Aug. 15, 2008 They were taken into the sport from such a young age and basically decided by their parents "this child is going to be an Olympian and will give her childhood to that." It's sad that that's how it has to be for people to get into Olympics, but people peak at such a young age unfortunately. I hated hearing the announcers go, "This [Chinese] girl called her parents three years ago crying and begging them to let her come home, but thank God they didn't, because this is just magical." That is just sad to me, really. It was a few flips that cost this girl the first twenty years of her life. =/ And "You know the Romanian team used to take everything so seriously and there'd be no laughing and they'd always be huddled around the coach, but now you see them chatting by the chalk board during breaks, it's really rather sad to see." Uh, no, the Romanian team from the 80's was sad to see... -- Posted by TheatreMinelli at 1:51 am on Aug. 15, 2008 But isn't it magical. -- Posted by DonnieDarkko at 1:51 am on Aug. 15, 2008 Amen to that. -- Posted by Bearsy at 1:54 am on Aug. 15, 2008 Quote: from theatreminelli at 1:51 am on Aug. 15, 2008 But isn't it magical. Not really. The only athlete I've found it amazing to see excel is Lance Armstrong. -- Posted by MischaELLE at 1:54 am on Aug. 15, 2008 it is amazing to be so great at a sport but it is a horrible path :/ -- Posted by Erin15 at 1:55 am on Aug. 15, 2008 I agree. I feel bad for some of those gymnasts having thier whole lives planned out for them and having no say in the matter. -- Posted by Finger Paint at 2:00 am on Aug. 15, 2008 Agreed. -- Posted by Vintorez at 2:11 am on Aug. 15, 2008 Not all gymnasts are pushed into it, some enjoy it and did it without being pushed by their parents -- Posted by obvious child at 2:55 am on Aug. 15, 2008 Seriously? that's her ticket out of poverty. I feel bad for Alicia Sacramone. She cost her team the gold. -- Posted by osmoticdespair at 3:12 am on Aug. 15, 2008 The gymnastics is amazing though. I think its worth it, those kids have something no-one else has, and ...you know huge numbers of the worlds children spend their childhoods working. Its not so strange. -- Posted by Micus at 9:51 am on Aug. 15, 2008 I'm jealous of those people. They're Olympic athletes; who wouldn't want to be in the world view? -- Posted by jumperchic08 at 5:00 pm on Aug. 17, 2008 its an amazing sport to watch, its hard to believe humans can do that! But it is sad they basically live at their gyms...Romanians suck now anyone notice that??