I expect the BIG GUNS will be the BIG GUNS this year, with Tokyo Worlds and Olympics looming. They are already positioning for Team placement, even if the interviews sound understated.
For the season 2 premiere of Technique Tuesday, University of Michigan assistant coach Shannon Welker shows us a drill he uses with his team to open up the shoulders in the preflight of yurchenko vaults. …
…Japanese guest Naoya Tsukahara took the lead on day one of the Australian men’s championships, held Saturday in Perth.
Still seeking Australian citizenship, the 34-year-old Tsukahara outscored the domestic field by nearly 2 points. Tsukahara, though ineligible for Australia’s national all-around title, nevertheless helped Queensland win the team title in Perth.
The son of legendary gymnast Mitsuo Tsukahara, Naoya won world all-around medals in 1997 (bronze) and 1999 (silver). He represented Japan at three consecutive Olympic Games, capped off by a team gold at the 2004 Olympics. He last represented Japan in world competition in 2006, winning a team bronze medal. He unofficially won the Australian championships in both 2009 and 2010, though was ineligible for awards.
Tsukahara scored 86.850, 1.2 points higher than his result at the Japanese championships in April, where he placed 33rd. Two-time defending titlist Samuel Offord of South Australia was second (85.050) over Victoria’s Luke Wadsworth (83.550). …