I would have sworn he was 6' 3" and 225 lbs...
August 10, 2008 12:26 AM Subscribe
Yang Wei, the 2006 and 2007 mens gymnastics world champion, and number 13 on Time Magazine's 100 Olympic Athletes to Watch in Beijing 2008, is a symbol of absolute power and coordination. He stands 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 121 pounds.
Taking nothing away from Yang Wei, but in gymnastics, you're working primarily against (and trying to control) your own mass, not an opponent, not another object that has a constant mass for all competitors. Even assuming all other factors are equal, those with lower body mass are of course going to be better at it. It's physics. His feats are still darned impressive, but being small is a huge benefit in such undertakings, not a "wow, how does a little guy do that?" drawback.
posted by SaintCynr at 1:24 AM on August 10, 2008
posted by SaintCynr at 1:24 AM on August 10, 2008
Yeah, what the Saint said... most gymnasts are tiny little people. The girls especially. The guys of course have these massively delicious developed arms, but they're generally still pretty little people. Think horse jockeys with biceps.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 1:46 AM on August 10, 2008
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 1:46 AM on August 10, 2008
That makes his BMI 21.4.
posted by DenOfSizer at 3:06 AM on August 10, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by DenOfSizer at 3:06 AM on August 10, 2008 [1 favorite]
but being small is a huge benefit in such undertakings
I was 5'3" in Grade 9 gym class. I never used the rings at all because I got to the point where you stare up longingly and was stopped right there. In my gym class there was nobody to boost you.
posted by srboisvert at 3:10 AM on August 10, 2008
I was 5'3" in Grade 9 gym class. I never used the rings at all because I got to the point where you stare up longingly and was stopped right there. In my gym class there was nobody to boost you.
posted by srboisvert at 3:10 AM on August 10, 2008
Is this the little guy who sat down on the parallel bars tonight?
posted by Poolio at 3:12 AM on August 10, 2008
posted by Poolio at 3:12 AM on August 10, 2008
For the international crowd: 5 feet 3 inches = 160.02 centimeters
posted by sveskemus at 3:13 AM on August 10, 2008
posted by sveskemus at 3:13 AM on August 10, 2008
John McCain, a war hero and US Senator, and number 2 on the Intrade Prediction Markets choices for the White House, is a candidate for President. He is 157 years old and bald as a ping pong ball.
posted by DU at 4:01 AM on August 10, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by DU at 4:01 AM on August 10, 2008 [2 favorites]
I love that in this link there's a paragraph devoted to the relationship he has with his girlfriend.
posted by saturnine at 5:01 AM on August 10, 2008
posted by saturnine at 5:01 AM on August 10, 2008
Is his size really that special? I mean, I am 5'9" and weigh about the same 120 pounds. Of course, I am scrawny as hell; if I was to train up to be a gymnast, I might end up weighing like 150 because of all the muscle replacing all the, well, empty space I have now.
posted by donkeymon at 5:34 AM on August 10, 2008
posted by donkeymon at 5:34 AM on August 10, 2008
Is his size really that special?
No. He's kind of on the small side for a gymnast, but not by a lot.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 5:37 AM on August 10, 2008
No. He's kind of on the small side for a gymnast, but not by a lot.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 5:37 AM on August 10, 2008
He ought to be a cat burglar. A masked gigolo cat burglar in cape and Cuban heels.
posted by pracowity at 5:55 AM on August 10, 2008
posted by pracowity at 5:55 AM on August 10, 2008
Are we really going to get a separate post for each olympic sport and each interesting olympic athlete story?
posted by fourcheesemac at 6:12 AM on August 10, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by fourcheesemac at 6:12 AM on August 10, 2008 [1 favorite]
The guys of course have these massively delicious developed arms, but they're generally still pretty little people. Think horse jockeys with biceps.
yeh, i met the Latvian male gymnast who won gold at the Sydney Olympics. now, i'm not the tallest guy around - like, 5' 10" in shoes - but this guy must've been a full five or six inches shorter than me.
here's a pic. and another especially for dnab.
posted by UbuRoivas at 6:12 AM on August 10, 2008 [2 favorites]
yeh, i met the Latvian male gymnast who won gold at the Sydney Olympics. now, i'm not the tallest guy around - like, 5' 10" in shoes - but this guy must've been a full five or six inches shorter than me.
here's a pic. and another especially for dnab.
posted by UbuRoivas at 6:12 AM on August 10, 2008 [2 favorites]
I watched him rock the pommel horse last night. Interesting to learn that we're the same height.
posted by the littlest brussels sprout at 7:11 AM on August 10, 2008
posted by the littlest brussels sprout at 7:11 AM on August 10, 2008
Is this the little guy who sat down on the parallel bars tonight?
Yes. The effusive words of gushing praise had scarcely finished leaving Tim Daggett's lips when Yang's arm quivered and he had to stop in the middle of a hold and momentarily sit on the bar. He won't be medalling on that apparatus now.
posted by briank at 7:20 AM on August 10, 2008
Yes. The effusive words of gushing praise had scarcely finished leaving Tim Daggett's lips when Yang's arm quivered and he had to stop in the middle of a hold and momentarily sit on the bar. He won't be medalling on that apparatus now.
posted by briank at 7:20 AM on August 10, 2008
and another especially for dnab.
wait, where's the rest of my angel??
posted by billybobtoo at 8:10 AM on August 10, 2008
wait, where's the rest of my angel??
posted by billybobtoo at 8:10 AM on August 10, 2008
He's 2" shorter than the average male in the PRC (in 1997, it's probably gone up).
posted by a robot made out of meat at 8:57 AM on August 10, 2008
posted by a robot made out of meat at 8:57 AM on August 10, 2008
Think horse jockeys with biceps.
Have you ever seen (or met) a world-class jockey who was wearing a sleeveless shirt? Oh wow.
posted by dilettante at 10:02 AM on August 10, 2008
Have you ever seen (or met) a world-class jockey who was wearing a sleeveless shirt? Oh wow.
posted by dilettante at 10:02 AM on August 10, 2008
He stands 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 121 pounds.
Pbbt. I could kick his ass.
posted by Saxon Kane at 10:04 AM on August 10, 2008
Pbbt. I could kick his ass.
posted by Saxon Kane at 10:04 AM on August 10, 2008
*sigh. What a dish. I adore the male gymnasts. They make my heart go pitterpat.
posted by nickyskye at 12:45 PM on August 10, 2008
posted by nickyskye at 12:45 PM on August 10, 2008
yeh, male gymnasts have just the best shoulders & arms around, but i've got a soft spot for the female artistic gymnasts - hoops, balls & ribbons. grace, athleticism & a bit of circus trickery thrown in. how can you go wrong with that?
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:20 PM on August 10, 2008
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:20 PM on August 10, 2008
"Are we really going to get a separate post for each olympic sport and each interesting olympic athlete story?"
Watching the mens gymnastics prelims last night, I was pretty much blown away by the prowess of the Chinese men. On the TV broadcast, these guys looked absolutely ginormous, so I looked them up, and apparently, I have 10 inches and 50 pounds on this guy. This is a good example of the Tom Cruise Effect where TV makes people look much larger than they are in reality.
I mean seriously, these guys are yoked, but in a tiny sort of way. I thought it was interesting and I found that looks can be deceiving.
No, we don't need stories about every interesting athlete, i.e. Lebron James or Michael Phelps, who are currently getting more coverage than the situation in South Ossetia, but I learned something and I thought it would be interesting to share.
"Pbbt. I could kick his ass."
Good effing luck with that! I'm guessing this guy moonlights as a ninja.
posted by clearly at 3:49 PM on August 10, 2008
Watching the mens gymnastics prelims last night, I was pretty much blown away by the prowess of the Chinese men. On the TV broadcast, these guys looked absolutely ginormous, so I looked them up, and apparently, I have 10 inches and 50 pounds on this guy. This is a good example of the Tom Cruise Effect where TV makes people look much larger than they are in reality.
I mean seriously, these guys are yoked, but in a tiny sort of way. I thought it was interesting and I found that looks can be deceiving.
No, we don't need stories about every interesting athlete, i.e. Lebron James or Michael Phelps, who are currently getting more coverage than the situation in South Ossetia, but I learned something and I thought it would be interesting to share.
"Pbbt. I could kick his ass."
Good effing luck with that! I'm guessing this guy moonlights as a ninja.
posted by clearly at 3:49 PM on August 10, 2008
I wonder if his parents would recognize him in street clothes? State sponsored sports give me the willies.
posted by pianomover at 11:08 PM on August 10, 2008
posted by pianomover at 11:08 PM on August 10, 2008
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posted by facetious at 12:34 AM on August 10, 2008