#Sandra Izbasa

[decemberelegy]

Sandra Izbașa | 2008 Olympic Floor Champion

[freifraufischer]

Sandra Izbașa (ROU), FX, 2008 Olympic Games

[keifrm9]

tiktok saw this first :)

[gymfanconfessions]

“If we had to make a list of the Top 20 all time best floor routines (based on score, choreo, significance, or memorability) who would we add?? I feel like the Soviet ‘89 team would all need to be on there but I feel like Strazheva and Boguinskaya were the most iconic in that team on floor (for choreo). Ekaterina Lobaznyuk 2000 TF Floor is 100% on this list, along with Sandra Isbaza 2008 EF and Aly Raisman 2016 OG AA bc of how intense that performance was. Who else would you add?”

[taffetastrology]

The signs as Romanian gymnastics leos

Aries

Taurus

Gemini

Cancer

Leo

Virgo

Libra

Scorpio

Sagittarius

Capricorn

Aquarius

Pisces

[woodwind-sensei]

Really thinking about it, my Holy Trinity of floor exercise routines is Sui Lu 2011, Aly Raisman 2015-16, Sandra Izbasa 2008.

[mustafinesse]

[aliya-ilyankova]

Actual footage from the 2012 VT final

[thesegripsweremadeforchalking]

my top 10 floor routines since the 2006 COP!

you know what it’s time for? a throwback!

yes these are completely subjective

no they are not based on difficulty, execution, or like any other quality they’re literally just the floor routines that I watched over and over again bc I loved them

1. Sandra Izbasa, 2008 EF Olympics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCD_t5Jz5R8&t=98s

man, this routine is why I loved the 2008 code for floor. FIVE PASSES! FIVE! and back then, they got to take a breath in corners. even lunged out of landings. what a time to be alive. #bringback2008COP

I just loved that this routine felt understated yet it was packed with consistently clean, powerful tumbling. and the music is just *chef’s kiss* . a truly deserved olympic gold. 

2. Jiang Yuyuan, 2008 TF Olympics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZg2AhLAaLg

an under stated star from the 2008 quad! I love Yuyuan’s floor and tbh I miss when Chinese floor was this strong. This routine had the most upbeat, positive energy, and yet exhibited some kick-ass tumbling. I feel like Yuyuan got so overlooked all olympics, and this floor routine is one of many routines that deserved more attention.

3. Anna Pavlova, 2008 FX AA Olympics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yWI7R-bsYE

okay, I admit it. I miss the 2008 COP. I miss lunging out of passes, I miss 5 passes, I miss decent front tumbling. but above all, I MISS ANNA PAVLOVA’S 2008 FLOOR ROUTINE. this routine was just so pretty, graceful and flowed beautifully. if only she didn’t suffer from a disease known as “chronically underscored/always 4th place”. 

4. Anna Myzdrikova, 2010 FX Euros

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPiuZqpAQFE

what a forgotten gem! so forgotten, no one even gif’d Anna so I had to use a photo instead :( 

For a Russian with [unusually] clean tumbling and twisting and some unique passes, Anna seems to be very much under the radar. I loved this routine for Anna’s pure athleticism; she’s just. so. bouncy. and tidy!

5. Aliya Mustafina, 2010 FX AA Worlds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pzqVh74-Kc

need I say more? This was SUCH a dominant performance. Aliya’s always been a phenomenal performer, but I think we all forget sometimes that young Aliya was a really, really strong tumbler, twisting form debates aside. and saying “Don’t worry Dad, I can’t lose?” before a meet? 10/10. I need some of that energy in my life.

6. Ksenia Afanasyeva, 2011 FX EF Worlds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVHW3DHZVm0&t=93s

SO. PRETTY. This routine just felt so mature and classy in a way we don’t often see in gymnastics, and the tumbling is super strong too. I hate to bandy the word “artistry” around (god knows, it’s been butchered over the past decade) but man, this routine had something very nice about it. 

7. Diana Bulimar, 2012 FX TF

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNQmfmFfAi0

I LOVE THIS ENERGY. Diana wasn’t Romania’s strongest tumbler but she showcased Romania’s (old) strength for tumbling, being 3rd or 4th on their fx lineup yet still packing such a punch. plus, this music just seems to suit her perfectly. 

8. Larisa Iordache, 2013 FX Worlds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tww25jhYyAU

I’ve always liked Larisa’s floor work, but this routine felt like where she really grew into her own. I love the music, the dance, and the tumbling is pretty amazing too. this routine is also an A+ example of using dance elements well... and NO wolf turns :)))

9. Mai Murakami, 2013 FX EF Worlds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGOyvksv_OQ

that this routine DIDN’T medal is still a travesty -_- Mai’s tumbling is just textbook clean and tidy, and for years (YEARS, I TELL YOU) I’d been waiting for her senior debut. with this routine, I really thought she’d cracked it into the medals...

... but if you ask me, the judges seem to have a habit of underscoring Japanese girls, or at least, they did in this quad. but that’s just my spicy opinion. 

10. Flavia Saraiva, 2014 YOG

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z8i-QBViWQ

BEAUTIFUL. STUNNING. Flavia just made the most of this music and choreography. I could watch it for days. this is what dreams are made of. 

anyway, those are my top 10! enjoy the trip down memory lane xx

[omgsamchap]

With a better opening tumble this would be a contender for my favorite fx of all time. Still, one of the greats for sure. The music is different, moody, mysterious even, and her presence and choreo matches it. I love how smooth the triple to stag is, especially given that it’s performed in combination. 

[queen-chengfei]

Top Vaults of the Decade—as voted by the gymternet

The Results are in! I was going to make gifsets but I’m lazy so others are welcome to it. Links and descriptions to the routines are below!

1. Mckayla Maroney (USA)—2012 Olympics TF (51 votes) Amanar Heard Around the World—huge height and distance, amazing form, and stuck landing. Watch and relive the NBC trio and that one judge in the replay losing their goddamn minds, along with the rest of us.

2. Simone Biles (USA)—2018 Worlds QF (16 votes) “Biles” vault (6.4)—Yurchenko half on with 2/1 twists. This vault was officially entered into the code and named after Simone at this event, and given a 6.4 difficulty rating, making it tied for most difficult vault in the WAG code.

3. Yeo Seojeong (KOR)—2019 Korean Cup EF (9 votes) Yeo vault (6.2)—Front handspring with 2/1 twists.  This vault officially entered the code and was named after Yeo here. Huge because South Korea isn’t a big gymnastics nation, plus it’s heckin cute because now MAG and WAG both have Yeo vaults. Also, her dad at 0:52!!

4. Alexa Moreno (MEX)—2018 Worlds EF (4 votes) --  VT1 and VT2 First Mexican female gymnast to medal at a World Championship. Very nice and controlled double tsuk for VT2, and an overcooked but powerful Rudi for VT1.

The remaining received 1 vote each

Sandra Izbasa (ROU)—2012 Olympics EF Facing immense pressure after watching several competitors before her fall, Sandra wins her first Olympic vault title, as well as her second Olympic gold overall, vaulting a Yurchenko half on with 1/1 twist and a DTY. Look how happy she is!

Yamilet Pena (DOM)—2012 Zibo Cup QF The hardest WAG vault completed successfully—front handspring to double tuck (Produnova). Yamilet is part of an exclusive group of gymnasts who have successfully landed the Prod.

Bailie Key (USA)—2014 Pac Rims AA The most perfect DTY you will see.

McKayla Maroney (USA)—2011 Worlds TF Arguably just as good of an amanar as her 2012 one except for the tiny step.

[freifraufischer]

Sandra Izbașa (ROU), VT, 2012 Olympic Games

[gymfanconfessions]

“Sandra Izbasa truly is one of the only gymnasts that never had a bad floor routine”

[just-gymnastics]

Which 3 would you pick???

[tutyayilmazz]

0:24 in this video where both Sandra and Afan are in frame will always be poetic cinema

[thehonoraryamerican]

Probably gonna get hate for this but... I don’t... get the hype? Over Sandra Izbasa’s 2012 floor routine? I really don’t.