Kind of interesting that Kerri was one of the first gymnasts to publicly support Simone Biles for pulling out of the competition and to express her appreciation on behalf of paying attention to her needs in light of the immense pressure to do otherwise.

“Pain is temporary, but pride is forever” ?? Didn’t this injury literally cost her her career?? She’s a human being, not just a means to a gold medal jfc

As someone with a chronic pain syndrome as the result of an injury, I can definitely assure you that pain is NOT always temporary. If I could undo one moment in my life...

I have watched her interview about her Golden moment in the Olympics. The game means a lot to her and she said if she hadnt win in the Olympics, she wouldn't be where she is now.. in my opinion, she went for her dreams. She is happy and that's whats more important. People May say negative about how she won Gold but it's evident that she surely is determined to win and did her best despite some challenges. I am so proud of her.

what a stupid message. "Pain is temporary, pride is forever". A severe injury might have been forever as well!!

She was in so much pain when she landed, you can see it in her face

I remember watching this when I was 7 and I was like “OMG she’s so brave”. I look back now at 31 and I am disgusted at how her coach made her continue on. This ended her career as a gymnast but her coach continued on with all the glory and fame..

This injury forced her to retire at 18. And all while she was being "treated" by horrendous pervert Larry Nassar. She probably wanted a different doctor, too, but no one would get rid of him.

So this isn’t a story about individual spirit and determination, it’s a story about abusive coaches and petty Cold War rivalries.

I just watched the Netflix doc and when this part came up I just really cried. She had no choice. People are clapping as she literally crawls off the matt it's awful :(

I can't even imagine that someone could do this for a gold for their country. It's unbelievable that she did it with a ligament injury. People say pain is all in the mind , so just imagine her mental strength . I'd give her two medals ,one for the games , and other for her determination

I used to love watching this moment because it felt so huge and iconic. But in light of everything we now know, it feels icky and wrong! These poor girls were so abused!

I love the freaking death star type music they play when showing the Soviet competitors.

And I am probably the only person here who pity the girl. They all made her try again. They all yelled at her. But if they were decent people, they should have told her not to risk her health. All these gold medals are only silly coins and they are nothing compared to a life with an injured leg.

I understand the dark side of this story, but please don't take away Strug's amazing performance. Forced to go on and she still did something amazing. That was HER, all her. Simply an amazing feat of athleticism.

The pain in her face when she lands makes me wanna cry 😭

i was really emotional until i saw the comment section lol -_-

I can't imagine how much pain she was in. She cried almost immediately after landing. That impact on her foot when she landed... ouch

Kerri was ready to go home with a Silver Medal. She was pushed beyond her boundaries and that ultimately cost her her career. Disgusting how they try to frame it as an underdog story when in reality it was a slaughter

That last line sounded like Effie speaking about the Hunger Games

The discomfort on the judges faces when she landed is kinda funny.

I will never forget that landing..

No. Pain is not temporary. The pain of some injuries become permanent.

“pain is temporary, pride is forever” this probably permanently damaged her body beyond repair tf

"Pain is contemporary Victory is forever" For some reasons I have problem with the use of this quote on this video

This whole event hits so different after Athlete A

That message at the end, “Pain is temporary, pride is forever” is horrible! Especially because that was the end of this young girl’s career! So sad she was pushed so hard.

her career was already over on that first attempt. regardless what people say about their coach, she has heart and even manage to do that final vault. now that is badass

They went through so much abuse.

I don't usually comment on things but this comment section is horrendous. As a gymnast for 17 years of my life, this moment has been one I've admired and looked up to the most as I was growing up. As every kid does, I wanted to go to the olympics. As I grew up I learned that the olympics wasn't for me and that was OKAY. But, every single day of practice is like this. As a gymnast you train and train and train and train some more. It isn't for some pride of your nation, it isn't for grandeur- it's for yourself. It's to get better. To learn what dedication really means. Any gymnast that is serious about the sport, and really aspires to excel in it (olympics level or not), pushes THEMSELVES to be better. To push past the pain. Maybe we don't keep going through torn ligaments every day, but the extreme soreness, the fatigue, and the emotional and physical and mental toll this sport takes is SO high. You have to practice and train and hurt to be good at gymnastics. A human body isn't meant to flip and swing and fly. Sometimes I would break down and ask myself if it was really worth it to always be in so much pain, and the answer was always YES. And most kids don't do gymnastics to win a medal for their country. We do it because we love it. We do it because we want to. She didn't do that second vault because Bella 'forced' her to, or because everyone expected her to. She did it for her. Because SHE wanted to. It takes extreme dedication to get that good. To have that chance. She wasn't going to back down. It is incredible, not sad. If you have never done gymnastics, or really any sport seriously, you can't say "oh it's abuse." If I had been in her position I would have volunteered to go again. Through the pain, you can see her focus, determination, and dedication. She has the heart of a lion, and I don't want anyone to see this historic moment as bad or negative.

I remember watching and being so excited at the time. But, watching it today brings tears to my eyes.

Watching the expressions on the faces in the background is very telling. You can see who was ashamed to be part of this.

Abuse from the adults to the girls... Courage and determination from the girls... She is a hero; the coach is a monster.

She could have went onto win many more golds if she wasn't pushed to do that last run

This isn’t ok. She was a child who was forced by an adult to injure herself JUST for a medal. They literally told their athlete that a medal is worth more than their well-being. Disgusting.

You could see that she was more scared of Bela than of the excruciating pain. She’s lucky that she didn’t have an accident during her second vault that could’ve resulted in her becoming permanently paralyzed or even dead. At the end, that monster Bela didn’t care about her well being, only medals and the limelight. Thank goodness that monster is no longer abusing young females in the gym.

As a former gymnast, when you get injuries in competition (I fractured my back) you kind of just block it out. The adrenaline and pure rush just blocks the pain just long enough to finish the routine. But then it hits like a train afterwards. I can’t imagine having to vault after an injury like that. Kerri will always be my gymnastics icon ❤️

From what I remember, when they looked at the scores after all the teams had finished, the first vault would have actually been a high enough score to secure the gold. But then, that was partly because the last Russian gymnast on the floor wasn’t able to hear her music over the noise the crowd made as Strug was carried out.

“Pain is temporary” bruh, this injury ended her whole career at 18. I’m sorry, it wasn’t worth it.

There are times when it’s ok to push through pain, but anytime you hear a “snap” from your body, it’s likely the injury is severe. A win shouldn’t require you to sacrifice your future physical and mental well-being. I can see how she would go all out in the moment, especially with all the pressure she had put on her. But sometimes the best choice for a person is to know when to stop, even if it’s emotionally harder to make.

Pain is NOT temporary!

Why are Russians being portrayed as villains in this ...? Lol😂🤭

"Famous for the incredible physical demands that he placed on his athletes"- aka famous for destroying young bodies and minds for the brief window in which they could win him prizes.

Pride did not make her complete her second and ultimately career ending vault, fear did. This video glorifies the abuse these gymnasts were subjected to and is an absolute disgrace.

You can SEE the pain in her face when she lands omg 👏🏼😩

I'm not sure how I feel about this. Placing so much pressure on teenagers for the global political image of a country. At least the athletes should be old enough to understand what they are doing. This is the same thing that the US in during and after the Beijing Olympics accused the Chinese of doing to their kids all for the sake of emerging the world's number one.

The "incredible demands Bella put on his girls" Yeah, nice way to tone it down lol

She was forced by Bela to jump again. He didn’t care for her safety or her injured ankle.

It’s not OK to force someone to injury themselves...that looked so painful 😣

"Pain is temporary, but pride is forever." 1. Tell that to people with chronic pain. 2. I believe there's an old saying about pride being the possible precursor to someone's downfall...

I remember watching this live. Still one of the greatest moments in sports history 🇺🇸🇺🇸

I remember watching this happen. I was 15 and watching with my dad. We both cheered like crazy. Watching it again brought a tear to my eye.

I remember seeing this live and when i saw that tear drop at 2:46 i was like omg she is in sooo much pain. :-(

"Pain is temporary..." lmao please, she is affected by that freaking injury for the rest of her life.

That made me cry. She was so, so skilled. Her gymnastics were absolutely stunning and she one hundred percent deserved that medal and 8 really hope that she thinks its worth it. But it in my opinion it was not and it will never be worth the cost of her pain.

I remember watching this when it happened. Everyone said she was an American hero. I remember the media frenzy, her face was everywhere. In a lot of ways, the US was a very different country than what we present ourselves as today, 25 years later. No one thought about giving an Olympian "a break," and definitely not for mental health. Because of their talents, they were put on such unbelievable pedestals, it was basically a given that they were unbreakable. And as representatives of the US, Olympians were seen as patriotic gods of athletics.

pain is temporary, but pride is forever. what a horrible message. that's why I'd never could be an Olympian. Wouldn't be willing to do a vault with TORN ligaments. Sick.

Everytime that I see a Kerri I Cry, your determination it upsets me, she touch my heart.

Comment before Biles quit: she is so strong and a great example for never giving up. Comments after Biles quits: she is terrible for doing that to herself and her coach is worse for allowing her to do it.

The poor girl was driven by immense pressure. The whole country was depending on her to win the gold. Bela pushed her to go again and of course she did, she was a teenager with the weight of the world on her shoulders. The US won gold at the expense of the young girl's wellbeing and promising career.

I'm torn about this moment because it's amazing but the injury she got and the additional damage after the last vault was insane. I have respect and anguish for that will.

The judges knew ... those unhappy faces are so obvious after the last landing. They were probably thinking, "Why?!"

This defined the 1996 Olympics. However, in 2021 it's remarkable that athletes are putting themselves first and knowing when they've been pushed too far.

Carrying on is reason enough to admire her. Making it happen for her team through the pain is what forms a character. She is not a victim, she was a tireless warrior at a crucial moment in olympic history!

Watching "Athlete A" puts this far more in perspective.

I just watched this again and when Kerri was injured, you can see young Nassar there and knowing this predatory monster was beginning his yucky practice.

I remember seeing this as a young girl. I was so impressed by her determination. Seeing it... Im crying

her career literally ended because of this injury; no medal is worth that. whoever wrote the script of this video and told the narrator to say “pain is temporary pride is forever.” is big dumb.

3:52 No disrespect, but a slight correction - pain is temporary, but *disability* is forever.

I remembered watching this in actual time and tearing up…I’m now 44y/o and still tear up…

“pain is temporary, pride is forever” actually in this situation the pain was forever, she lost her career over one medal that was already going to be won. she did that jump out of fear of failure not out of pride. and at the end of the day, convincing a CHILD to do another jump on an injured leg is so unethical, i’m not even sure how he lives with himself.

She was so incredibly strong to deal with all she did and still put down such a perfect effort. Shame on everyone who treats these young athletes and their bodies like they are something to be used up.

You should feel ashamed if you think this was one of the proud moments of US gymnastics or Olympic history. This exactly shows how savage and inhumane people can be and how people glorify their heartless action.

Strug is such an inspiration. This moment was so memorable. Podkopayeva's all-around crown and Millers balance beam gold too were the highlight of these games IMO.

I remember watching this as a kid and I remember how incredible she was and seeing it now makes me teary eyed. I can’t imagine the pressure she went through. What a brave person she is at such a young age. Heroic

She's amazing. Her determination is astounding, and she will forever be remembered for her legendary performance. A true champion ♡

It's actually disgusting to force a young girl to risk her health just to get that medal.

Her coach held her like a prized trophy, not a human being who was brought to her breaking point.

These are the moments that see a hero rise, and the weak surrender. These are the make or break moments that define our lives. I was alive and watching this as it happened. Never in my entire life have I ever been moved to copious tears, actual weeping, watching a sporting event, before or since. I watched as she gave every single thing possible for her to give, leaving it all on the mat. Instantly becoming a legend, a national hero and an unbeatable athlete in a single vault in the process. No one can ever take this moment away from her. And to think, it was all just one more vault away. And some people think she shouldn’t have made that vault, like she had no choice and was forced to do it by outside forces. When actually, there was no way she giving up when it was just A VAULT AWAY. No one could have stopped her in that moment. I don’t care what anyone says, THIS is what the determination and heart of a true champion looks like. Those who reduce it to some kind of abusive display have obviously never competed at the highest level of anything in their entire fckng lives. Kerri refused to give up. Because she’s a champion and a fierce competitor. Not because she was forced to. Her ankle healed, but her staggering accomplishment in that single vault will live and last forever. That’s what this is about.

"Pain is temporary" Retired shortly after this

The crowd was on their feet: 😃 But Kerri wasn’t: 😧

Poor girl, I am so heart broken to see what they did to her. She is more valuable then any gold or any games.

Her determination to win in her own country was evident. He pushed them too hard, but it was a very strong and moving moment for all who saw her power through

I could cry watching this… and in complete utter sadness and sympathy for her… look at her face at the end!! So sad..

I know what it feels like to have torn a ligament in your ankle, and it’s one of the worst pain I’ve very felt, it hurts so bad to put any type of pressure on. And she for two ligaments, and still stacked the landing? She’s very strong I would have just collapsed

When she landed...on one foot...MAMA AND I SCREAMED AND HUGGED!!! Spectacular moment!!! 😁😁😁

This tears me up every time. One of the best examples of "Heart" from an athlete I can think of

Great. No negative comments here can reverse the great history in sports for Kerri Strug. She did it for her country and she rose to fame in that olympic game along with her country. What a formidable accomplishment by a formidable spirit.

Why is everyone acting like the team had a gun to her head? She wanted to do this final run for her team, its what being an athlete is all about. Stop demonizing her team and coaches for a decision she ultimately made

Two words: Elena Mukhina To push athletes like this is terrible. They're not machines.

I watched this as a little kid live. It's still probably the most impressive single thing I've seen an athlete accomplish.

Too much pressure for these young people. The coach was more concerned with getting gold than the health of his team. That poor girl.

I remember watching this in my living room with my whole family. We were all on pins and needles. So much courage.

How different I see the situation now.

No, pain could mean a serious career ending injury. Pride doesn't last forever it's only while the spotlight is shining that everyone remembers. But that person will have to deal with her debilitating injury for the rest of her life.

I cried. How emotional! I LOVE Her bravery and I admire Her! All my respect to this Woman 💯‼️

3:02 the pain in her eyes after her landing is so painful. I’m so glad she was able to recover and get herself out of the situation that hurt her in the first place.

"Pain is temporary pride is forever" Tell that to Elena Mukhina

When I was a kid I idolized Bela Karolyi. Now as an adult, he just looks like a monster.

Pain worth the gain. No.matter what. Its what it was. Shes a legend forever in olympic history.