Diego Neumaire was born without ears 11 years ago to a poor family in Mexico. Despite the odds he has excelled, winning the National Championship of the Mexican Gymnastics Federation this past April.
His story has so compelled Dr. John Reinisch that the Hancock Park resident is donating his skills as a world-class surgeon in ear reconstructive surgery. He is also on a fundraising campaign to help pay $40,000 for hospital and travel fees. …
Click through for details on this good news story:
Taucer started a good thread on the Chalk Bucket forum:
… handsprings (both forward and backward) … are becoming less and less important to the construction of high-level routines. The front handspring seems all but extinct at the top levels of the sport (especially on the men’s side) and even back handsprings are becoming less common.
Front saltos are, more and more, being done from a punch (or connected from a backwards skill with a forward landing).
Backward saltos are, more and more, being done directly out of a roundoff.
Some very good points. Still, I doubt you’ll find many coaches who have stopped training handsprings with developmental gymnasts. Girls need them for beam, certainly.
Olympic Floor Champion Kyle Shewfelt insists that Forward Handspring step-out > Handspring two foot > Flyspring is an essential tumbling pass for those wanting (later) to compete forward salto series. There are many mid-level gymnasts, on the other hand, for whom I’ve given up on forward handspring. And a few … very few … with whom I’ve given up on backward handspring.
Hey, he’s launched a website called Flip For Charlie:
… my most important challenge- making the 2012 Olympic team. Despite the obstacles I may face, I know with your support my Olympic dream can be kept alive. I would like nothing more than to give back to a country that has already given me so much.
Creating long beautiful line leaves a favorable impression with the judges. Here Donna Culp shows a how to create long beautiful lines through your shoulders and head.
In this video:
Nastia Liukin
Shannon Miller
Dominique Moceanu
Shawn Johnson
Nadia Comaneci
Svetlana Boginskaya
Kristie Phillips
Yelena Mukhina
Mary Lou Retton
Mo Huilan
Catalina Ponor
Yang Bo
Carly Patterson
Svetlana Khorkina
Kim Zmeskal
Andreea Raducan
and others…
My friend Courtney told me her team had a great meet but was edged out by Florida.
… the Gators registered their first home dual meet win over No. 7 Georgia … since 1990. Florida posted a season-high 197.25 to claim the slender win over the five-time defending NCAA champion Gym Dogs. Georgia’s total of 197.15 was just behind its season-best of 197.20 …
