Sadly I’m missing Wild Rose this year. But my spies tell me the Chinese girls are awesome.
Canadian national beam champion Miranda Meyer, left, and Chinese Olympic gold medallist LinLin Deng pose for a photo at a news conference for this weekend’s Triple Flip Wild Rose International gymnastics competition.
Photograph by: Bruce Edwards, The Journal, Edmonton Journal
… Deng, a pixie-like four-foot-six who still looks to weigh about 70 pounds, was only part of a team at the Olympics, but she began emerging as an individual star when she won the balance beam gold medal at the 2009 world championships.
She brings that growing reputation to Edmonton this weekend for the Triple Flip Wild Rose International Women’s Gymnastics Invitational. The event runs all day today and Saturday at the Northlands Expo Centre with the finals beginning Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
More than 500 athletes, including three from China and three from Great Britain, will be competing in the event. Most eyes will be centred on Deng and teammate Yuguan Jiang who was also a member of the Olympic gold-medal team, who aren’t expected to have much difficulty dominating the various categories. …
… Saying her first impression of Canada was the “fresh air” Deng smiled, then laughed when asked if her title has raised her profile back home.
“I was really happy, it was the highlight of my career,” she said of the world title. “But I am not famous in China. Yet.” …
• official website – Triple Flip Wild Rose International
• live results and video streaming
• title sponsor’s blog – flipgirl.ca
• full Edmonton Journal article – Shining star falls on Edmonton
Gymnastics Coaching.com 