Dear Svetlana Khorkin:

[yendi]

You ungrateful little bitch.

The games were rigged against you? Excuse me? Did you ever watch a replay of your performance on the uneven bars during the all-around? You got a 9.725 after a routine in which you slipped up at least twice, took very few risks (surprising, for you), and took a huge step on your landing. Meanwhile, Emilie Lepennic, the best uneven bar performer in the world, took more risks than you, hit every fucking spot, and stuck a perfect landing. She scored a 9.687 in that event.

There are two possible explanations: Either the judges in the uneven bars, having heard how wonderful you used to be in that event, scored you much higher than you deserved, or you received a higher score through some means of encouragement, whether bribery, threats, or sexual favors. Given your utter lack of surprise at your ridiculously high score, I know which one I suspect.

The fact is, you didn't deserve a silver medal. You didn't deserve a bronze. Your arrogance kept your teammate, the much more talented (as of today, at least -- I fully recognize that, during your prime, you were pretty damned amazing) Anna Pavlova, from medaling.

I know you think that you "deserve" a gold. And yeah, you got shafted at Sydney. But your vault was mediocre, and your uneven bars were, well, uneven. You got more than you deserved, and whining about a "conspiracy" doesn't do you any good.

Oh, and karma righteously bit you on the ass yesterday. I so enjoyed seeing Emilie get the gold in the individual uneven bars competition, and seeing you finish dead last, not even breaking a nine. Even bought judges can't score you high when you step off the mat.

Comments

[crystalrowan.livejournal.com]

Amen to that.

I watched that last night and was VERY surprised at her ridiculous score. I couldn't understand it. And now she whines? *groan*

[tablesaw]

You neglect to mention that the worst error in her routine occurred while performing a "Khorkina," a move she originated, and which was then performed flawlessly by the following gymnasts. That was fun to watch.

[dr-nebula.livejournal.com]

I'm always happy to see the arrogant/haughty lose at *something*. I haven't watched all that much of her - but she was certainly on the skanky/bitchy side.

On a similar note - it was good to see "the greatest" - (no)Mo Greene get 'only' third..

[misskitten77.livejournal.com]

I couldn't agree with you more. I was appalled at the swimming meets. Where they tried to say an american did an incorrect turn on the backstroke, when in fact he did not. However, the Japanese guy kept doing an illegal dolphin kick during the butterfly, but no one called him on that. Its very frustrating to see the lack objectiveness among the judges.

[allroads.livejournal.com]

I saw her Thursday night.
Her facial expressions reminded me of Chicken Lady from Kids in the Hall, or Zoolander's Blue Steel pose.

[anneball.livejournal.com]

And now after badmouthing the judges and saying it was all rigged, she wants to work for the FIG? Sheesh, that girl has got some nerve. She's such a bitch to her teammates, too, you can tell they don't like her. I can't even stand to watch her.

Beauty?

[imortalscot.livejournal.com]

"It should be judged primarily on grace, elegance and beauty rather than simply on mechanic tumbling."

Trust me dear, you should hope they keep judging on mechanic tumbling. You would certainly loose out on the elegance and beauty part. Yuck.

[pulzella-gaia.livejournal.com]

Ugh... I was very, very annoyed that Svetlana medaled in the all around. The bars score was heinously beyond wrong, and it was irritating to watch her wave her flag all over the lower bar after Carly's floor routine.

And yes, Anna did deserve a medal in the all around.

Feh. Svetlana's attitude is simply appalling.

[aliza250.livejournal.com]

Even bought judges can't score you high when you step off the mat.

And Dragelescu's vault?

[dandelion-diva.livejournal.com]

Ghods, how annoying. Hate to tell her this, but a medal is something you fucking *earn*, not something you get for just showing up. If she wants an award like that, I'm sure there's a middle school having a field day somewhere that she could attend.

So much for that whole sportsmanship thing, huh?

Gessi

[astrophysicat.livejournal.com]

You're right, it is blue steel!

She is so ugly except when she's smiling after the floor routines, and even then the knowledge of her bitchiness and self-satisfaction ruins the look.

[allroads.livejournal.com]

I really wish I could find a picture of Khorkina doing Blue Steel.
She does it so often I figured they're be a GIS of it.

[astrophysicat.livejournal.com]

The best I've found are:
http://galeon.hispavista.com/gimnasiapotosi/img/13-svetlana%20khorkina.JPG (http://galeon.hispavista.com/gimnasiapotosi/img/13-svetlana%20khorkina.JPG) and www.ffgym.org/.../ images/poutre_khorkina.gif (http://www.ffgym.org/.../images/poutre_khorkina.gif)

The second is better but isn't answering, so you can get a peek at:
the google preview (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ffgym.org/compet/04_france_russie/images/poutre_khorkina.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.ffgym.org/compet/04_info_france_russie.html&h=886&w=553&sz=228&tbnid=9EvDvvMUpC8J:&tbnh=144&tbnw=90&start=31&prev=/images%3Fq%3DKhorkina%26start%3D20%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26sa%3DN)

[lunza.livejournal.com]

She looks like this meth addict who prowls my neighborhood, except that Svetlana still has all her teeth.

[lunza.livejournal.com]

How odd that she and Nemov are on the same team. She should take some lessons from him in grace. If anyone's got a right to say that the judging was rigged, it's him.

[natf.livejournal.com]

*confused* When did the A-bars (assymetric bars) become the "uneven bars"? Things have changed in the last 25 years...

Hi, BTW! I have come here from shadesong - she is an awesome writer...

[natf.livejournal.com]

(this was not an attack on you, btw...)

I guess it is an American-English, English-American thing! ;-)

[yendi]

No worries! I didn't see it as an attack! And yeah, it's probably a nation-by-nation thing. I was surprised to see the official Olympic page use "horizontal bar" instead of "high bar," as well.