Olympic Channel Podcast
Kristie Phillips: The champion gymnast who never made it to the Olympics
Listen on
Episode notes
In 1986, there was a Sports Illustrated cover. In 1987, there was a U.S. national title. In 1988, the world expected to see Kristie Phillips at the Olympic Games. It never happened. The media speculated it was because she had gained weight.
Distraught and devastated, she stepped away from the sport for nearly a decade. In the end, Phillips returned to competition, made her peace with the sport, and now is a respected gymnastics judge.
On the eve of the 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships, Scott Bregman spoke to Kristie about the 1988 drama, why Simone Biles is the best of all time, and what looks out for as a judge in gymnastics.
LINKS:
The amazing first episode of All Around
What you need to know about the 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships