Year: 2011

This is incredible.

Former gymnast Heather Dorniden is the most respected and decorated Gopher women’s track athlete ever.

Click PLAY or watch why on YouTube.

That’s the 600m at the Big 10 Indoor Track Championships. Gradated, Heather is a today a professional runner.

“Suburban War” by Arcade Fire.

Thanks Dave Adlard for the link.

The best site for Men’s College gymnastics is Stick It Media.

Here’s an update on the big meet this past weekend and a preview of Championships in two weeks:

The nation’s top two teams, Oklahoma and Stanford, duked it out at the MPSF championships hosted by Air Force. The Cardinal got the best of the Sooners this time 362.25 to 360.70, behind their strong performances on rings and high bar.

Stanford put up an astounding four scores of 15-plus on rings, led by Tim Gentry’s 16.05, and they also pounded Oklahoma by 3 points on high bar behind Alex Buscaglia’s meet-high 15.60.

The combined scores on those two events provided Stanford with a comfortable margin of 4.75 points, which more than made up for Oklahoma’s 3-point advantage on floor and vault. The Sooners blew the doors off the Air Force Academy’s gym on vault with a school record 65.35, led by Jake Dalton’s 16.65 and Steven Legendre’s 16.55. …

read more – Stanford & Illinois Take Conference Men’s Gymnastics Titles

Click PLAY or watch Alex (from Winter Cup) on YouTube.

Great form. Big difficulty. LOVE that Liukin.

I once asked Steph to come back to her home gym and explain to the younger girls what NCAA gymnastics is all about. She’s a real College success story.

This season she’s been leading off on vault, bars and floor.

… Coach Tanya Chaplin looks for people who are consistent, don’t get rattled easily and manage their warmups better than others to lead off.

Gymnasts have a timed warmup before every event and whoever goes first must be ready when the judges are ready. The rest of the lineup has time to prepare as McGregor competes.

“She is someone the coaches trust, and that means a lot to her,” Chaplin said. “She knows how important her role is.” …

Gazette Times

Click PLAY or watch Steph on YouTube.

Thanks Tammy.

Good luck to the Beavers at Championships. They are ranked #1 as a team on Bars. That despite being coached by my old friend John Carney. 🙂

After reading LIVE accounts of pre-competition training on Gymnastics Examiner and THE ALL AROUND, … it sounds like podium training was rough.

One gymnast is gaining high praise from Blythe:

Killer full floor set from Dementyeva, with that showmanship in that wonderfully choreographed routine, capped with a stuck double pike to end. Someone has come to play in Berlin. …

GymNiceTic is there and is posting photos.

Couch Gymnast has commentary and makes a few predictions.

A 13-year old Connecticut girl is bringing the serious issue of bullying to the forefront once again through a stark video she put on the Internet two weeks ago that’s quickly gaining attention.

Her name is Alye Pollack. …

… Without ever speaking, Alye describes her pain and the insults she says she endures every day.

CBS News Correspondent Elaine Quijano reported the video has struck a chord. It has thousands of hits, and an outpouring of sympathetic comments. “Be strong, Alye,” reads one message, and, “Always know how special you are.” …

CBS News

Click PLAY or watch her on YouTube.

Thank you Alye.

You can show support on her Facebook page.

Jessica is yet another excellent gymnast from Oakville. She won Wild Rose in the Senior Challenge division:

1. 52.867 – Jessica Dowling (Oakville Antoinettes Gym Club (ON))
2. 52.700 – Emily Lennon (Gymtastics Gymnastics Club (AB))
3. 49.100 – Cristina Bedggood (Futures Gymnastics Club (ON))
(full results)

If any College coaches at NCAA Championships ask me for a recommendation on a good recruit who might be flying under the radar, the very first girl I’d name is Jessica Dowling. … They already know about Emily 🙂

Click PLAY or watch her on YouTube.

A lovely gymnast. And a charming girl. Watch an interview from Nationals 2010.

High resolution version available from Gymnastics Training Tips.

Berlin, April 4-10th.

The All Around Gymnastics News and Gymnastics Examiner will be posting LIVE.

Certainly GYMmedia will have extensive coverage in German and English.

The biggest story will be the Russian Women. They are favoured. But Romania’s planning to challenge for the Gold medals.

Sandra Izbasa quoted in the Romanian press:

Q: Sandra, how do you feel now, after you won FX gold at the French internationals?
A: I gained confidence. Now, of course, I hope for gold in Berlin

Q: Who will be the strongest competitor, us or the Russians?
A: We will …

Couch Gymnast.

Gymnastics Examiner – 2011 European Championships preview: Women

A professional highlights edit by GYMmedia TV of the Men’s International Junior Team Cup of Artistic Gymnastics hosted in Berlin.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. (8min, German & English)

via THE ALL AROUND on Facebook.

At the Athens Regional qualifier. Always colourful. Always interesting.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

(via Aunt Joyce)

related – Florida’s Rhonda Faehn post meet interview

extremely grateful… painful … ugly …

I’m expecting Florida will be ready in 2 weeks, though. Still the team to beat.