S3 Ep. 3: I Wanted Freedom: Betty Okino

American Prodigy: Becoming Great

Blue Wire

Sports

4.8 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 7 March 2022

⏱️ ? minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Betty Okino started gymnastics “late” — at age 9 — and begged her mother to let her train with Bela Karolyi so that she could realize her Olympic dream. She won bronze medals at the 1992 Olympics. And despite having stories of training until her knees and back broke, being denied food, and being pitted against her teammates, it was only recently that she began to admit to herself that Karolyi’s training methods constituted abuse. Now, as a coach and choreographer, Betty approaches her responsibilities very differently. Click here for the transcript of episode 3 Click here for the Blue Wire newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Before we start, a quick content note.
0:03.9	This episode contains accounts of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, eating disorders, racism, and death.
0:11.6	You'll also hear some swearing.
0:16.8	Previously on American Prodigies.
0:19.9	I was like, oh my God, this girl's about to win nationals.
0:22.6	It showcased to the entire country that a little black girl from Gary, Indiana,
0:27.6	could be the best gymnast in the country.
0:29.6	My mother sure to get in the car and drive four to half hours just to witness Diane Wynn.
0:35.6	She was one of a kind and opened the door for so many young brown-skinned girls.
0:45.0	Life is too short to be bitter and live in the world of what might have happened
0:51.2	if I was on the 1984 Olympic team.
0:54.6	She always felt, you know, maybe America wasn't ready for a black gymnast to be on a
0:58.7	weed's box.
1:05.3	In the early 90s, NBC hosted an annual sports special called the Sudafed Skating and Gymnastics Spectacular.
1:13.6	Why they would name it after something that puts you to sleep?
1:17.2	Not a question I could answer.
1:19.7	Shows like these were usually post-Olympic tours.
1:23.1	But the 1992 special was all about pre-Olympic fever.
1:28.3	Bela, Chifar!
1:31.3	That means hello.
1:34.3	In this part of the special, Nadia Komanej,
1:38.3	visits her former coach Bella Karoli at his gym outside of Houston, Texas.
	...

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