Almost 30 years ago, some of the most difficult gymnastics was being competed flawlessly by 3 teenagers from the USSR, in the midst of its dissolution. Links below.

Tatiana Gutsu. Tatiana Lysenko. Tatiana Groshkova.

Tatiana Gutsu did the first standing full on beam I ever saw and a full twisting double dismount. She could also do an amazing DTY on vault.

Tatiana Lysenko performed an even better DTY on vault and she did a round off layout, layout, layout connected as her beam mount at the 91’ worlds.

See her DTY at the 92’ Olympics here

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jpG7Lz0wUOI

See that crazy beam mount here

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iDSaW8p5iek

Tatiana Groshkova was by far the most outrageous. She competed a full twisting combo on beam and the first double double I ever saw on floor in 1989. I’m also pretty sure she did both twists in the first salto. Her crazy sideways back handsprings on beam still amaze me.

Groshkova’s double double on floor is here

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VfEZ3RpsL1I

And her wild beam routine is below

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lSsYUp6aG6U

This is my favorite era of trickery. Take a watch!