Year: 2010

Is the Olympic Floor champ switching to a new sport?

Kyle dons the most advanced skating suit in the world!

Only for the TV show hosted by comedian Rick Mercer.

… though Shewfelt vs Colbert would be a GREAT battle.

related post – Shewfelt interviewed by comedian Rick Mercer (2006)

UPDATE. The Couch Gymnast noted that the journalist dissed below was given an apology phone call from D-D.

It took a lot of class to pick up the phone.

==== original post:

#1 Alabama travels to LSU this weekend, a showdown between the two top ranked all-arounders:

LSU’s Susan Jackson vs Alabama’s Morgan Dennis. (I’d bet on Jackson.)

I laughed after reading this article on TideSports.com: LSU gymnastics coach D-D Breaux, quite possibly the rudest interviewee ever

I just got off the phone with LSU gymnastics coach D-D Breaux, and I’m speechless. I’ve never really encountered someone as combative and rude as she was from the start of the conversation. Here is what happened …

I laughed because I once had the chance to ask D-D a question at a press conference, and got a bit of a snarky answer.

On reflection, I realized that you must be one tough cookie to be a Head Coach in the S.E.C.

D-D does not suffer fool reporters gladly. She doesn’t have time.

Looking forward to this meet. I expect LSU will have their best competition of the season. They are due.

1984 Olympic Vault finalist Warren Long posted some of his pics from the OLD, OLD days.

Some from his years on the Cal Berkeley team (hippy) and some from his long Canadian international career. He was one of the most popular gymnasts worldwide.

There are a few of other gymnasts from that era.

more Warren Long photos

He’s still doing some coaching at Taiso in Saskatoon.

Some gymnastics “Floor Exercises” I’d never seen before. This is the kind of creativity no longer rewarded in Artistic gymnastics.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Comment on that post from explodingp:

… Next video Floorgy? 😉

Tumbl Trak is my favourite gymnastics equipment company.

SA Sport (Spieth Anderson) is not my favourite company. In Canada they’ve had a near monopoly for decades. And you know how customers get treated by monopolies.

However, Spieth just got a whole lot better in my estimation. As of January 1st they became an official distributor of Tumbl Trak equipment.

Good move for Spieth. They’ve been under increased competitive pressure from AAI in the West, GymNova in the East. Not to mention Inspire Sports (Gaofei) in Alberta.

More choices for coaches in Canada. That’s always a good thing.

Vanda Maria Hadarean (born May 3, 1976 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania) is a retired Romanian artistic gymnast who competed in international events between 1990 and 1993. She is an Olympic silver medalist and a world bronze medalist with the team and a European all around bronze medalist.

Vanda is also a successful fitness model and she has won various world class fitness competitions. She is a three time Ms. Fitness World (2008, 2009 and 2010).

You may have seen her on the newsstand.

more amazing photos

In recent years she’s been coaching at Tumbler’s Gymnastics Centre in Canada. She still rents space there, coaching competitive Aerobics and Fitness.

Check her official home page – InspiredByVanda.com

(via Senor Nico on IG forum)

You know those Japanese reality TV game shows?

Here’s the real thing.

The 24th annual Tough Guy Challenge took place last weekend, on Sunday, January 31st, on South Perton Farm, near Wolverhampton, England.

… this year’s race still attracted over 5,000 men and women – all of them signing a disclaimer saying “It’s my own bloody fault for being here”. …

The Challenge is annual event to raise cash for charity with funds going to the Mr. Mouse Farm for Unfortunates.

more photos – The Big Picture

Wow.

She makes it look easy.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Alexandra is a junior international elite who trains at Brestyan’s Gymnastics in Massachusetts. Alexandra turned elite in 2009. See an August interview with her on Gymnastike.

Thanks MostepanovaFan.

Some headlines from the weekly Gymnastics Examiner post called The gymnastics week in review:

• Daria Joura back in the gym

• Kytra Hunter wins the Parkette Invitational

• Daiane dos Santos gets five months (suspension for banned substance)

• Jani Tanskanen elected FIG Athletes Commission President

• Utah gymnasts organize shoe drive for Haiti

Click through for more. Commentary and links on Gymnastics Examiner.

Here’s the most interesting story to me:

• Tim McNeill moves from Cal Berkeley to the National Team Training Center in Colorado Springs

… It was a really tough decision to make but I think it was the right one for my gymnastics.

I absolutely loved my life at Cal which made the decision that much harder. I already miss my girlfriend, friends, coaches, and teammates. Oh and I miss the weather too!

But nevertheless I made the move and the transition is getting easier and easier. It would have been pretty tough to pass up an all expense paid life in an ideal training environment with an incredible medical staff!I really like my new teammates and I couldn’t ask for a better training environment. My new coach, Vitaly Marinitch, is incredible and I think we’ll make a great pair.

Tim-McNeill.com

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.js

The MAG American model is ideal, I think. National Team gymnasts can stay with their clubs or Universities. Or train full-time at Colorado Springs. It’s great they have that choice.

College Gym Fans posted an update.

Michigan takes over the top spot in this weeks rankings, overtaking Illinois. Illinois’ Paul Ruggeri leads the AA.

full list

Don’t put as much weight on this ranking as you do with the Women’s NCAA list. With so many fewer teams trying to qualify for Championships, there’s not as much pressure on the top Men’s teams to put up high scores in the early season.

This past weekends line-ups were changed, in some cases, to rest some of the top guys for the Winter Cup in Las Vegas.

Gymnastics Examiner has commentary including a video of Paul Ruggeri competing Tamayo (layout Arabian) on Floor.

Gymnastike has links to even more videos.