I find it strange that some of the very best gymnasts in the world are attending major international invitational meets, … instead of F.I.G. World Cup Events.
Why is that?
For example: Komova, Ferrari, Murakami, Raisman and many, many more will be competing in Jesolo, Italy.
Jiang Yuyuan, Deng Linlin and Sui Lu from China are competing the Triple Flip Wild Rose Invitational April 2-4 in Edmonton, Canada. (Wild Rose, by the way, has added some cool features this year: real-time gymnastic scores online and live video streaming.)
Leave a comment if you know reasons why coaches and national federations might prefer Invitationals over F.I.G. sanctioned events.
8 comments ↓
Well, it might be true that the US ignores them, but China and Russia actually send some of their best gymnasts to World Cup events pretty regularly (in Doha right now are Wu Liufang and Huang Qiushuang, for example).
He Kexin and Aliya Msutafina are both scheduled to compete at the French International World Cup event in April.
Well, it might be true that the US ignores them, but China and Russia actually send some of their best gymnasts to World Cup events pretty regularly (in Doha right now are Wu Liufang and Huang Qiushuang, for example).
He Kexin and Aliya Mustafina are both scheduled to compete at the French International World Cup event in April.
I think USA would be better served by being at more of this stuff. We are such a big country and so remote (and on the women’s side, mostly minors)…so we tend to be too in-country focused. Regular competition would be good in the end (sure there would be some hiccups).
The US gets over scored at every worlds and Olympics. Gymnasts like Bross still get the scores even though they haven’t competed in years over seas so why bother wasting money?
somebody has mentioned that some times invitational pay the travel fees of some of the international attendee’s.
Some good comments, thanks.
But I’m sensing a trend. American female gymnasts have rarely World Cup meets. Other nations are not sending their best, or most up-and-coming, as often.
F.I.G. cancelled the World Cup Final. Now there’s less incentive than ever to participate. Especially if an Invitational is cheaper … or has equivalent level of competition.
[...] guess I need to go to competitions in Jesolo or Edmonton to see higher WAG start value routines, [...]
It seemed like in the 90s there was a push to be ‘seen’ internationally esp. with the Karolyi and Nunno camp. Maybe when scores were tighter reputation was viewed as more important, and also the length of careers generally being shorter, international experience was seen as very impt. right away. And now maybe that we are viewed as a legit superpower going out to gain that reputation isn’t perceived as so impt. It would be nice though for more Americans to be out there internationally. I wonder how much financials have to do with it too. If our gymnasts have to pay their own way.
Leave a Comment