Whereas engaged on a 4-part collection highlighting why trendy gymnasts now skew older, I compiled knowledge breaking down the age distribution of medal winners at every Olympics. The intent was to find out how 1st-year seniors and 2nd-year seniors fared in every Olympic quad in comparison with the returning veterans from the earlier Olympics. Ultimately, it seemed like an fascinating idea price spinning off into its personal separate challenge.
One factor that must be addressed, the idea of a “1st-year senior” is troublesome to outline as a result of the age standards and World Championships format has assorted over time. In some Olympic cycles the age minimal might be bypassed in a pre-Olympic 12 months, however not others. In some Olympic cycles the World Championships have been held yearly, however not others. How do you outline a “1st-year senior” who grew to become senior eligible in a 12 months the place there was no World Championships resembling 1998?
I outlined a “1st-year senior” by taking the youngest start 12 months that no less than two gymnasts shared in every Olympic Video games and making that particular 12 months the “first 12 months” definition for the complete quad. This was completed to get round age falsification scandals, knowledge entry errors that exist within the IOC database, the influence of Covid-19 on the 2004/2005 era, the outdated guidelines permitting juniors to compete in a pre-Olympic 12 months, Olympic quads with hole years within the World Championships schedule, cases of a lone gymnast being granted particular permission to compete as a senior, and the pre-Nadia period the place no age minimums existed in any respect.
I felt this was one of the simplest ways to create a metric that was cohesive with all eras from the Sixties to the present Olympic quad. Different disclaimers that must be addressed, Andreea Raducan is counted as an Olympic All-Round medalist and my knowledge options 4 All-Round medal winners for the 2000 Olympics. Age falsification scandals are nullified as a result of I created this knowledge to measure expertise versus precise age. Gina Gogean for instance is counted below her falsified start 12 months in 1996 as a result of it felt bizarre to disregard her standing as a 2x Olympian.
Counting falsified ages had solely a minor influence from 1992-present. Nonetheless, there was far too huge of an influence to disregard it in 1988. Daniela Silivas gained six medals whereas competing below a 2-year age falsification and that had a large influence on the information. So, I produced two completely different variations of 1988. One with Daniela’s precise start 12 months and one which was per all the opposite graphics the place age falsification scandals are ignored.
I finished at 1988 as a result of I haven’t but found out how I wish to proceed with the 1984 boycott. Sooner or later I could increase this challenge so as to add knowledge from earlier Olympic quads. I additionally counted solely particular person medals gained on the Olympics in ladies’s creative gymnastics.
