Like It's 1984

Many, many moons ago, back when Your Crusading Blogger was but a young chick (!) we used to watch a TV show called ABC's Wide World Of Sports -- which allowed us to sample every week "the thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat".  And every Saturday I was a captive audience.

One Saturday, I believe in January of 1984 (OMG, 35 years ago?!  Gulp!), I was privileged to watch what was, for me, the breakout performance of Mary Lou Retton.  Cute, athletic, poised and exuberant, she tore up the stage at the McDonald's 1984 American Cup of Gymnastics, dominating in a way I had never seen before.  I described her triumphs that day to my mother, the real fan of gymnastics, who, alas, had missed the program because she had to work.

I was so impressed by Retton's talent and the mutual affection of her coach Bela Karolyi that I remember declaring to my mother as if it was the most sure certitude in the world, "That girl is gonna be a star."

And of course, my enthusiasm was justified a mere six months later at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.  Quite simply, Retton ruled.  Even my mother was taken with Mary Lou, she who would soon adorn Wheaties boxes.  I never thought I'd see another like her, not just in talent, but in spirit.

But I was wrong.  Hey, it's happened once or twice ;-)

Enter Katelyn Ohashi and her viral video:

Wow.  Just.  Wow.

Katelyn!  See you in Tokyo 2020, right?

More Katelyn.