Year: 2010

We’ll never see a gymnast like this one again. She’s unique.

HIT Bars. Fantastic after 2 falls in the Team competition.

Took the oddest fall on Beam. … In her warm-up it had looked like she wasn’t even sure what going to do. Very strange. …

Show time. The girls are marching into the area …

Last time Worlds were held in Rotterdam (1987), it went:

1st Aurelia Dobre (ROU) 79.650
2nd Yelena Shushunova (URS) 79.487
3rd Daniela Silivas (ROU) 79.200

That was a wonderful surprise when the artistic Dobre finished atop the podium.

This time round the odds are on Mustafina, the first gymnast to qualify to all 4 apparatus finals at Worlds since Khorkina in 1997.

Facebook: by Brigid Couch Gymnast McCarthy

THE ALL AROUND posted this blast from the past photo on Facebook:

Who should have been second after the invincible Uchimura at the World Gymnastics Championships?

Philipp Boy, who carried off the medal?

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Or Jon Horton?

Jon was left with the Bronze.

Certainly if you only consider the overscored routine of Boy on Horizontal Bar, you’d conclude that Horton was jobbed by some kind of anti-American conspiracy.

Let’s wait on the 6 apparatus comparison. Jon was underscored on P Bars, I thought. But this guy Philipp Boy is really, really good. And Boy did hit his weaker apparatus very well.

I’d be happy to post all 12 videos and we can decide for ourselves.

Likely this will be analyzed to death. Wait until Andrew Thornton gets his hands on the video.

I think he played it safe today. Smart.

The repeat World Champion’s title was well deserved.

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This guy totally impressed me, Philipp Boy of Germany. Watch out at the Olympics.

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Jon Horton did the job on Pommels to hang in there for the Bronze medal. Congratulations.

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That said. … Jon should have been Silver. Boy was overscored on Horizontal Bar. Let the video analysis begin !!

I don’t think so.

But Amanda Turner posted a preview of his strongest rivals on IG.

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The competition is just beginning …

Begins soon …

USAG: Jonathan Horton, Danell Leyva, Rebecca Bross and Alexandra Raisman will compete today in the all-around finals. The men begin at 10:30 a.m. ET and the women’s competition is at 1:30 p.m. ET.

I stole these start lists from Full Twist, who really should be here in person. Their coverage has been great. (I’ve added a link to that blog top of the page.)

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Men’s All Around Rotation 1

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Many are asking: “Why do the Men compete all-around before the women?”

Men competed last yesterday, finishing late in the evening. This could become an endurance competition. Young guys like Danell Leyva might have an advantage. Youthful energy.

I saw Danell’s father/coach last night after Rings. Not happy after seeing the deep hole dug by Team USA on their first two apparatus.

It’s amazing how fast routines from the World Championships are appearing on YouTube. Simply search for the name of the athlete you want to see, then click SEARCH OPTIONS … then Upload date: THIS WEEK.

Up pops Jayd Lukenchuk’s P Bar routine. Exactly what I was looking for.

If you’re not sure what to search for, I’d say Full Twist is doing the most comprehensive linking of WAG routines.

The most recent post: Videos: Women’s Team Final

Be sure to check the official FIG YouTube channel. And the official USA Gymnastics YouTube channel. Quality is high.

One sample: John Macready’s rant after his team USA finished … 4th. John’s a little pissed. He manages the anger well.

At one training session the gym was packed (VIDEO) with the 24 girls prepping for all around finals. The top seeded group start on Vault in a few hours: Raisman, Bross, Mustafina, Porgras, Huang, Jiang. The champion will come out of this group.

Yesterday I happened by coach Yelena Davydova and Kristina Vaculik training all alone in a huge gym, the rest of the Canadian team flying back to the Great White North as a cost savings measure. Kristina is a “reserve” for the all-around and still has to be ready if she gets called up.

Yelena is the 1980 Olympic AA champion and knows about the pressure at the top. … Training alone like this as an alternate is one of the challenges of coming from a bubble gymnastics nation. (Canada finished 13th here in Rotterdam, but everyone is confident the team will be in the top 12 next year, qualifying for the Olympics as a team. Kristina will be there.)

I talked to Kristina about her other gym, Stanford. What FUN she’ll have in that phase of her life. A fan favourite, for sure. I can hardly wait to be cheering her on in the NCAA.

Tenaya West posted a video themed legacy of Stanford. Check it out.

The ladies of Great Britain are getting some love for their classy leos.

The guys … not so much.

Tandoori Chicken (photographer Grace Chiu’s mascot) is cock of the walk in Rotterdam.

But a few rivals have emerged. Here’s mine, Stroopwafel Chewtoy, champion of gymnasts with 2 left feet.

… Something tells this sadsack is not going to catch on. I’d best return him to the hostel dog.