Raucous in Rio: Slippery Dick’s short and bittersweet moment of history

Well, if we are being honest, Marisa Dick’s Rio 2016 Olympic berth looked pretty slippery, even before she got up on the uneven bars today.

Dick’s Olympic tryst, which was history in the making for Trinidad and Tobago gymnastics, was short and bittersweet.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago's Marisa Dick performs on the balance beam at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on 7 August 2016. (Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago’s Marisa Dick performs on the balance beam at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on 7 August 2016.
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)

She executed the “Dick mount” en route to 13.066 points on the beam while there was a solid showing on the vault, as she got flipping 13.900—bear in mind that 13 to 16 are considered good scores.

But Dick managed just 12.533 on the floor and slipped off the bars before producing a sloppy finish for 11.333.

Her total score of 50.832 was less than Jamaica debutante Toni-Ann Williams’ 50.966. And Dick and her compatriot, Thema Williams, beat Toni convincingly at the Glasgow 2015 World Gymnastics event.

Of course, Trinidad and Tobago sport fans were generally unhappy that Dick was in Rio in the first place, after the Canada-born teenager and her mother Hannifer classlessly petitioned the Trinidad and Tobago Gymnastics Federation (TTGF) to send her to the Olympics at the expense of the properly qualified Thema, who they claimed was injured.

As if a dodgy tendering process is not quintessentially Trini!

Still, Mr Live Wire must admit to having mixed emotions today. It was sort of like seeing that annoying work colleague tumble and fall comically in the office… Only to realise that the numbnuts knocked over your lunch while they were at it!

There was one oddity from Dick’s scores today that stood out for not quite standing out though.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago's Marisa Dick goes through her routine on the balance beam at the Rio Olympic Games on 7 August 2016. (Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago’s Marisa Dick goes through her routine on the balance beam at the Rio Olympic Games on 7 August 2016.
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)

A peruse of Dick’s major international appearances showed that she managed 49.232 points at the 2013 World Championships, 51.499 at the 2016 World Championships—supposedly with a bruised rib—51.365 at the April 2016 Rio Test Event (with jet lag) and then 50.966 at the August 2016 Olympic finals when there was no excuse left.

So exactly when has Dick demonstrated the tremendous form that TTGF president David Marquez felt justified getting her to the Olympics at any cost?

Isn’t it ironic that Dick’s best score at a major competition so far apparently came when she was carrying an injury? Or that Jamaica’s Toni-Ann beat her with a sore knee that was heavily bandaged?

Fellow Trinidad and Tobago athlete and former Olympic bronze medalist, George Bovell III, went, as the kids say, “balls in” on Twitter:

“Robbing others of the fruits if their honest work makes you a cheater, not just failing a drug test. You will have to live with yourself!”

“It’s laughable when cheaters who escape detection by covering up their dirty deeds actually think that they are good athletes.”

Photo: George Bovell goes "balls in" on Twitter.
Photo: George Bovell III goes “balls in” on Twitter.

Bovell the Third subsequently suggested that his tweet was in reference to a dodgy swimmer but it almost certainly fell in more than one athlete’s garden in Rio yesterday evening.

Thema also made a rare show of emotion as she tweeted “Poetic Justice” soon after Dick’s performance but quickly deleted the post from her social media account.

In truth, Thema only had to post her score of 52.466 at Glasgow. Because her rival has never gotten close to that performance at a major tournament.

But, exhale, that’s out of the way and Trinidad and Tobago can put juvenile puns aside and really drape itself in the Olympic spirit now. And by that Live Wire does not mean you should catch Zika.

Felice Chow’s Single Sculls Repechage event was postponed today, so she rows from 8.40 am tomorrow while Andrew Lewis competes in the Laser Men’s sailing contest at just after 1 pm.

Chow-down and Laser Lewis! Let’s go T&T!

Photo: Trust me, it will be awesome!
Photo: Trust me, it will be awesome!
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About Mr. Live Wire

Mr. Live Wire is an avid news reader who translates media reports for persons who can handle the truth. And satire. Unlike Jack Nicholson, he rarely yells.

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347 comments

  1. He that is without sin among us let him cast the first stone. And then we want to know why bullying is so rampant. Think about it you have all treated this girl like the classic bullies you have grown up hating. What a shame that we can’t band together to support one without tearing down another. So to all you bullies out there remember your nasty words and comments when your child comes home crying about some idiot that keeps bullying them.

    • Dick is just being called out on her bullshit here, not bullied.

      If you think her people in Canada (family, gym, coaches) were removed from what was going on with the TTGF as they would like you to think, you should keep on thinking. Marisa isn’t a child, she”s a young adult and she knows what was done to Thema.

      Hey Marisa – Little Miss Innocent called, she wants her act back.

  2. Wen u have a slippery dick wat u expect smh

  3. Marisa Dick can’t be blamed for the faux pas of the gymnastics association but I saw an article that said her mother had emailed the association complaining bitterly and trying to persuade them to renege on the original contract both athletes signed, saying whoever performed better in the World Games would be the one chosen. Here is the article http://wired868.com/2016/04/26/marisa-does-not-feel-anyone-is-fighting-for-her-the-full-leaked-email-to-the-ttgf/

  4. Guess the Association rather a slippery Dick more than a sturdy Willy.

  5. None of them was ready as far as I c! Move on

  6. With Dick’s mediocre performance the only legacy she’s leaving in Trinidad and Tobago is the negative one of the conniving cheat. I wonder if she even thought about that or was she too obsessed with the thought of an Olympic performance. Maybe she doesn’t even care what we think as we don’t signify to her as a country of any importance, just another thing to be used. She just used the country as a way to perform, no love

  7. The key factor here is principle Not personalities or families or relationships. Simple pure principle – right versus wrong, fair vs unfair, truth vs deception, hard earned rewards vs Ill gotten gains, honesty vs dishonesty, transparency vs collusion. Pure and simple. What was done was just wrong all in the name of “glory and honor”. No matter how you dress it up, twist or turn it, try to hide, or pretend that it is not so- a wrong thing will always be wrong. Punto final

  8. That screenshot is not meant to encourage aggressive behaviour against anyone or to single out anybody either.
    I just do find it interesting to note how different people see this Marisa Dick/Thema Williams scenario.

  9. This screenshot is not meant to encourage aggressive behaviour against anyone or to single out anybody either.
    I just do find it interesting to note how different people see this Marisa Dick/Thema Williams scenario:

  10. A pity. Our first Olympic gymnast. I felt she did her best, did ok. Unfortunately her participation was mired in controversy. Most of it not of her doing. But then again we are a controversial people.

  11. She is now an Olympian without a country, T&T don’t want her and Canada won’t take her back!

  12. Ah yes…a lot of stink minds..but no surprise… The country talks for itself….

  13. And in some other news,people in T&T will bash the government and the HDC when we can’t get a home,when we finally get a home the very same people and their children set out on a mission to make all the decent tenants life a living hell,and that is what going on at the east grove curepe housing development tower-D and others,if you complain to the parents they see nothing wrong with it they will hate you for talking out,but i blame the HDC for not doing their work it is time they take serious action against bad tenants and put them out,don’t let a few rotten apples spoil living for those who want to live a decant life,i am calling on the HDC to take action not only in east grove but all HDc housing development,i hope the admin of this page will help me get this message across thank you very much,please help me by sharing this post thank you God bless.

  14. Like d only reason y dey sen her up mabe cause of colour an looks cant b nun else.cause her porformance was rell shit.what went wrong

  15. Her performance will do a lot for Viagra and Kaisoians next season,best after Ian and Jack off…oh oh Dick or rich…ent.

  16. Fad Tyrece Goouuud I mc weaak

  17. Her performance is proof that she isn’t capable at that competitive level, her best was what we saw and it was bad. TT made a poor representation on an international stage. Selection aside, her performance is a disservice to the local schools and athletes who have committed themselves to developing excellence in the sport locally. She wasn’t ready. Nowhere near ready and the evidence is irrefutable. So why force her on the public as our representative considering how badly she flopped TTGF? TTGF were the ones who INSISTED that she was capable and ready to medal. Whence now the justification?

  18. white gyal ah run the show lol

  19. Those who pray for Ms. Dick to lose are not patriotic and the number is quite frightening!…Obsession to the extent of killing someone you claim to love is a kind of sickness and needs treatment.Marissa Dick was representing Trinidad and Tobago and any patriotic citizen would have thrown away any sentiments and pray for the success of the nation and condemn her at the end of the tournament…condemning an athlete who is actively representing this country wether for a good reason or not is not a patriotic act and is like shooting yourself to the foot or cutting your nose to spite your face.no one person is bigger than a nation and a must always put this country first no matter what.
    All kinds of vitriol was unleashed on this athlete during an active Olympic tournament and that is not Patriotic at all.Two wrongs can never make one right and we have prayed for her demise and she has failed to bring home any medal what did we stand to gain from that?..some of us just showed the world how hostile we can be to a foreign born athlete whom we dislike for whatever reason.Let the court decide on the matter as we try to heal as a nation in this sour part of our gymnastic Olympic history

    • My patriotism doesn’t come at the sacrifice of my morality.
      This is the type of thinking that allow bad men to control nations.
      I cannot say, “she get there unjustly, but let me support her, because she’s a Trini”
      I can understand the logic at the root of your view and I also respect your right to hold it, but I just cannot agree with the disregard for ethics that accompanies such a view

    • I honestly respect your views sir but will like to disagree with you. The principle of morality which among other definitions tells of right or wrong will apply only when one has heard from both parties involved in this fiasco and an investigation launched and evidence of wrong tabled for all to see then we can understand who was wronged and by whom.
      Using personal morality to judge a complex situation of national interest is dangerous because you may witness someone shooting an individual and scream that this is morally wrong! Only to find out that the shot victim few hours earlier had just ripped out the heart of the toddler son of the perpetrator who shot him before your eyes…. executing jungle justice on an individual without knowing the facts of the case is the same type of thinking of those bad men whom you are talking about who control nations… and here is why i respect Ms Thelma for taking it to the courts to prove that injustice was done to her.
      I still stand by the fact that condemning an active national representative to an Olympic event and wishing her bad luck like many did to Ms Dick is unpatriotic.. .infact in some of those countries with bad leaders you mentioned it would have been seen as a treasonable felony to wish your country failure in an international event.

  20. Just love the ppl who hating. Yall just proving the stereo type. Congratulations dick. The whole country watched dick perform. That alone shows. She’s a winner in her own right

  21. Marisa’s Dick just failed her.

  22. You know as much as I disliked her methods of getting there the least she could’ve done was shown a little humility. Maybe I could have felt bad for that horrid performance. Even her “signature” move was sloppy. Also you at Olympic level,those kinds of mistakes do not fly. You representing a country,the least you could’ve done was respect us,she didn’t even do that. She’s a lowly opportunist who made no effort to even show pride in representation. Nepotism is a hell of a thing. You deserved getting your ass handed to you Marisa Dick.

  23. ѕℓιρρєяу ∂ι¢к’ѕ. ѕнσят αи∂ вιттєя ѕωєєт. ʝυνєиιℓє ρυи ιи∂єє∂

  24. Thema would have brought home gold. Poetic justice TTO

  25. Dick it is all over i will always remember you as a cheat why you rob Thema Williams you have another opportunity next four years This was Thema only chance she give up her studies to represent Trinidad and Tobago look at what you have done you come all the way from Canada eeh to represent us are big waste of time like you dont come back here i dont like you. You have white in you my feelings hurting me your dutty and stink.

  26. slip dick of slick dick .thats how she will be knowm for life

  27. With the comments I’m seeing today about the gymnastic performance, it seems like the insertion and early withdrawal of Dick has left a bad taste in people’s mouths

  28. I could never say ugly things about this child! She did not send herself there. Why dislike her? God did not give me that right. With all d hating going on, I am surprised she didn’t do worse. Better luck next time! My opinion. Peace

  29. Awww……Hanifer your daughter is crying, talk to the Olympic committee and fix it for Marisa. Tough lessons develop strong individuals With integrity.

  30. Sad to see those people with such disgusting post sad to say that those ugly remarks only show up how ugly people are inside,forgive them,if u don’t have something good to say about anyone then shut up,,,could u have done any better? Awful remarks are from awful minded people ,,no matter she tried her best under difficult circumstances and. Those adverse remarks.were uncalled for.bless you and thank you for representing our little minded country
    Do not let small and narrow minded minds affect you and your brilliant future that God has in store for you.thank you for being there for our lovely country

    • Oh u shut up did she she take a stand when Them a was unfairly treated, you reap what you sow, she can be forgiven only when she asks for forgiveness, a tough lesson to learn the hard way treat others the way you want others to treat you

    • What her mother,the TTGF and Marisa did cannot be easily forgotten.

    • She brought it all on herself its not always what you do but how you do it and the ugly people you talking about is the said person this conversation is about, dick

    • Some people think that she is being show none or little mercy because of poor performance, but it is not about that she could have done how bad on that day, however if she had gotten the spot the correct way she would have gotten all the support and recommendations that she try again, but no she the company and her family knowingly and willingly with spite, insisted that they have their way even though they were not deserving of it, they used every trick in the book and they got their way with support from a wicked few and the naive ones who really don’t understand yet what happened, so don’t expect open arms and a shoulder to cry on from the citizens that you think you fooled, life is sometimes, most times what you make it

    • Elone Griffith well said.My thoughts exactly.

  31. The sick finished before time! It was slipping!????

  32. A few things make a crime worse from a public standpoint:
    The age, innocence and perceived vulnerability of the victim, the age and intentions of the those who do the wrongdoing, the manner in which the wrongdoing was perpetrated, whether or not the guilty party or beneficiaries of the crime show any remorse, the extent of the suffering and loss of the victim, whether the victim could have done anything in his/her power to save his/herself, whether the perpetrators had time to consider their action before the crime…
    Consider the answers for each of those and compare them with other crimes. And it might show why people are so cheesed off by Dick and the TTGF.
    That isn’t an exhaustive list at all btw. Just off the top of my head.

  33. She gone home yet? Look sharp send her back Canada, we don’t want any blight weighing down the team.

  34. Oh,Oh!, Trini sent a 2nd rater & out in the prelim. What did they expect? – Wobbly Dick!

  35. “I landed it,” a beaming Dick told the Express, afterwards, “so that’s all I could really ask for. I’m so happy. It went really well. Getting that skill named after myself is what I wanted most out of this whole experience. So getting it feels really good.”

  36. O Trinis do you know if Thema would have done us any better.Be gracious to her.It is already a done deal.

  37. Yeah Karma izza bitch wii, de Canadians did’nt even wanted her represent them, allyuh aint see she crying after her last event…to d Olympic committee take that in allyuh MC str8 up

  38. Its already started off bad in the beginning,Justice have been served sorry to say

  39. Dick just didn’t belong at the Olympics and that whole train wreck yesterday exposed that.

    In the clip after her bars her coach kept asking her if she was OK. Did she mean mentally or physically I wonder. Coaches don’t usually ask if an athlete is Ok. They TELL them they are ok and tell them to get their game face on. So is Dick really that special and pampered? Or, someone hasn’t been hiding an injury they have been nursing have they? hm. Maybe both.

    I’m pretty sure Marisa knows what she is doing with her Little Miss Innocent act. If she’s old enough to be Snap Chatting her redneck boyfriend topless selfies (but not smart enough to not accidentally post them on MyStory instead, LOL thank you Karma) she is old enough to be responsible for her actions. She knows what’s up. I wish she would just own what a nasty cut throat B she is instead of pretending she doesn’t know what was and is going on. Be a B if you want, but then be able to take the heat, don’t act victimized and cry on your coaches shoulde.

    Thema wouldn’t have brought home a gold medal but she definitely would not have been focused on getting a moved named after her instead of being prepared to give it her all and represent TT in the best possible light.

    Seeing Marisa and her sub-par coach Anita on the floor at the Olympics was a mockery.

    Dick’s routines are boring. Her skills are lower level. She is unrefined She didn’t slip from the bars, she couldn’t execute the skills and let go. She looked under prepared. She is a decent athlete, she’d do well in JO 9 or 10, but she’s not Elite, National, or Olympic quality.

    Thema has already proven she is the better athlete. She beat Dick and qualified for Rio. Her spot was stolen and if not for the actions of Team Dick she would have been at the Olympics. She is strong. She is dynamic. She had a better coach. One who is qualified to bring an athlete to the Olympics. In the weeks between the test event and the games her coach would have had her ready mentally and physically.

    Thema wouldn’t have brought home a gold medal either, but she would have been there to represent and compete, not just to market herself or get a move named after her. It would have been a proud moment regardless of the outcome.

  40. Fire bun dat ….. you reap what you sow ….now head back to Canada and don’t return!!

  41. It was worse than a wham bam thank you mam.

  42. Thema was never guaranteed to do better than Marisa.

  43. As I said back in May, it is unfortunate that Trinidad & Tobago’s historic moment of having a gymnast competing in the Olympic Games was sullied by the controversy involving the Trinidad & Tobago Gymnastics Federation, Thema Williams and Marisa Dick. Let’s be honest. Marisa Dick, regardless of how good or bad she may be, was representing a country which was not giving her 100% support. That knowledge will obviously add more pressure on her. Most of T&T thinks that Marisa Dick did not deserve to be there, and that she benefited from the mistreatment of Thema Williams. The ones who are mostly to blame for this ugly mess are Marisa’s mother, and certain members of the TTGF. But sadly, Marisa will shoulder most of the blame by herself, and for a very long time. This whole thing was unfair to both Marisa Dick and Thema Williams. SMH…

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