Year: 2010

Both teams had a good meet. But both teams made errors.

Falls on Floor Exercise for UCLA was their downfall this time out.

Carly Janiga, with the top score on two events, helped the Cardinal defeat the #1 ranked team in the NCAA.

Anna Li won the all-around for the Bruins.

• Stanford Gymnasts Topple No. 1 UCLA

• UCLA Loses To Stanford

1. Stanford – (VT- 49.075; UB- 49.325; BB- 48.450; FX- 49.575; FINAL- 196.425)

2. UCLA – (VT- 49.300; UB- 49.200; BB- 49.300; FX- 48.025; FINAL- 195.825)

Alabama is now the #1 ranked team, I believe.

This season looks to be the most competitive it’s been in years.

From @theallaround on Twitter:

Current USA tumbling champion, Kalon Ludvigson, to compete in MAG at 2010 Winter Cup with Olympians Horton, Aremev and Tan.

That would be awesome.

But can a super back tumbler actually put together an FIG Floor Routine?

Click PLAY or watch Kalon on YouTube.

UPDATE: Confirmation on USAG.

It has no “name” in the Code of Points:

UPDATE: Marcus points out it is named on another page of the Code. Click on the thumbnail image below to see the full list including Ezhova. (Ejova)

Liudmila Ezhova 2004 Athens Olympics Team Qualification Uneven Bars.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I’d forgotten what stiff swing she had on this apparatus. Great bar transfer, though.

I got thinking about this skill after reading that Petrina Yokay (Auburn) is competing it in the NCAA.

Update: One Romanian commenter recalls that Ana Balanca competed this skill earlier than Ezhova, but not successfully in a major international competition.

The 25yr-old 2006 Olympic silver medalist finished 4th at trials U.S. Nationals.

fan site – sasha-cohen.com

The U.S. will now be represented in Vancouver by two comparatively inexperienced teenagers: Mirai Nagasu and Rachael Flatt.

We think the judging in Artistic Gymnastics is problematic. Figure skating is still worse.

The story of the American Olympic Trials was, as usual, criticism of the judging system.

This is Brian McKeever, winner of seven medals at the Paralympics in Salt Lake City and Turin.

He’s just made Olympic history.

… The 30-year-old cross country skier from Canmore, Alta., who is legally blind, was one of six men and five women named to the Canadian Olympic team Friday, making him the first athlete to compete in both the Winter Games and the Paralympics.

He’ll also be the first Canadian – winter or summer – to do so in the same year.

McKeever, who will race in the 50-kilometre event, won the Canadian trials last month. …

Vancouver 2010 – Blind skier makes Olympics history

Do you think he should withdraw from the 2010 Paralympics, having now qualified for the Olympics?

Should he have to choose between the two? … Or be allowed to compete both?

Brett MacAulay linked to this inspiring sports video.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

There’s a new show landing on the Style Network called What I Hate About Me. The show claims to offer, “brutally honest expert advice and practical tips to help women who are trying to gain confidence and improve their lives.” …

TV.com

shergymrag saw our uber confident Olympian on one episode. Note that the link below has upgraded her medal to GOLD.

Olympic gold medalist Alicia Sacramone shows Amanda how to dress her athletic body in feminine clothes that flatter.

What I Hate About Me

Even better, I noticed Alicia Sacramone is listed as one of the gymnasts headed to camp at Karoli Ranch. She must have something to show.

Gymnastic Examiner has a good wrap-up of the Friday night meets.

By Monday it looks like Alabama will be ranked #1. Coach Sarah Patterson is smiling. Her team had it’s highest score since 2007, 197.450.

Senior Morgan Dennis used a career-high 9.975 to win the vault and a 9.95 to win the floor exercise, she also came away with the all-around title, posting a 39.675, just .050 off her career-best score.

“I think tonight is just the beginning and everything just clicked for us,” Dennis said. “It was a huge improvement from last week and I am just really excited for where the season is going.” …

Gymnastics Beats Arkansas, 197.450-195.500

UCLA scored only 194.425 Friday night but competes again Sunday at Stanford. The Bruins will need to put up a HIGH number if they want to hold the #1 team ranking.

… Mac, in the comments, points out UCLA used this meet to get some new routines into the meet. It wasn’t their top line-up.

Still … this season is getting interesting!

Susan Jackson (LSU) is #1 in the All-around. She scored 39.525 last night and won or tied for first place on all four events. This girl’s on a mission.

NBC is hoping their Winter Olympics TV coverage will help viewers forget about Conan O’Brien.

On Wednesday’s episode of The Colbert Report, comedian Stephen missed out on his personal bid to qualify to the Vancouver Games as a U.S. Olympic athlete. (He thought it owed to him after he led a fundraising drive that collected $300,000 for USA Speedskating.)

It came down to this: a race between world champion speedskater Shani Davis and Colbert. The winner would get the last position on the U.S. Olympic Speedskating Team to Vancouver.

Shani had called Colbert “a Jerk”. This was a grudge match.

Davis won by 13 minutes.

On the bright side, after the loss Colbert was named “Assistant Sports Psychologist” to the Team. He’s coming to Vancouver.

Event better, on the same T.V. show, NBC Olympics chairman Dick Ebersol invited Colbert to join NBC as a colour commentator, saying he could give updates on Shani Davis.

Colbert will be one of the highlights of these Games for me.

We’ve posted this before.

But it’s worth looking at again.

Michelle Browning is still competing this amazing vault, scoring 9.825 last weekend.

Click PLAY or watch it on Gymnastike.

http://www.gymnastike.org/assets/portal/add_ons/mediaplayer-4.2/player.swf

Who else has done this vault in College?

… former Penn State gymnast Michelle Ilg. … Gina Bruce of Nebraska …

(via gymfan86 on College Gymnastics Board)

UPDATE: Kristine Garbarino from WMU does a variation of this vault, too. Training video 2009.

UPDATE: Level 10 Ebony Walters is competing this vault, as well. (several errors in that article, BTW)