Month: March 2014

Balance Beam Situation:

Regionals Selection and Conference Championship Notes

We have a selection show to announce the various Regionals assignments, which I have enjoyed making fun of since its inception, but this time it actually produced some interesting information. …

Penn State Regional:
[1] Florida
[12] Oregon State
[15] Penn State
New Hampshire
Kentucky
Maryland

Arkansas Regional:
[5] Utah (featuring “Georgia Burritz”? Is that like a burrito that doesn’t wear any grips?)
[8] UCLA
[17] Arkansas
Arizona State
Utah State
UC Davis
[Rachel Updike will be representing Missouri on vault here as well]

Washington Regional:
[4] Alabama
[9] Nebraska
[16] Boise State
Denver
BYU
Washington

Minnesota Regional:
[2] Oklahoma
[11] Illinois
[14] Minnesota
California
Southern Utah
San Jose State
(Iowa just missed out on Regionals, but will have a host of individuals at this one)

Georgia Regional:
[6] Georgia
[7] Michigan
[18] Central Michigan
Ohio State
NC State
Rutgers
(This is where West Virginia’s individuals will be competing)

LSU Regional:
[3] LSU
[10] Stanford
[13] Auburn
Arizona
Kent State
Iowa State

Dean Liu Zhiqiang, 48, and his deputy, Zeng Rong, 52, were arrested three months ago, but the case was not disclosed until Wednesday, when it was reported by the Shanghai-based Oriental Morning Post. The victims are less than 10 years old and were abused over two years. …

The pressure to excel is intense. Pupils live at the school and are only infrequently allowed to visit their parents. …

Liu Zhiqiang and Zeng Rong, who were expected to face trial earlier this year, have not yet been charged. Prosecutors have asked investigators to gather more evidence against them. …

Some media outlets wondered aloud whether Hunan officials have sought to keep the scandal quiet to protect the provincial gymnastic programme’s reputation. …

South China Morning Post – Chinese media outraged about sexual abuse at top gymnast academy

via FIG

Began today for WAG and Rhythmic.

… No, I do not know why she’s warming up on the Parallel Bar rail. 🙂

12th African Gymnastics Championships, Tshwane

Published on Feb 24, 2014

Russian Olympic Gymnastics champion Aliya Mustafina on Trans World Sport. At home in Moscow.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Pushy Queen linked to a page full of full turn .gifs.

screenshot

I visited the tourist town of Walvis Bay, Namibia to see 200,000 flamingos and gymnasts.

The club is impressive to look at. MAG, WAG, Rhythmic, Trampoline & Tumbling.

more photos

Unfortunately this facility must be set-up and taken-down each day. 😦

Walvis Bay Gymnastics Club is run by Vesko and Roumi Kostin from Bulgaria.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Gymnastike:

2013 World all-around champion Simone Biles of Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre, 2012 Olympic team gold medalist Kyla Ross of Aliso Viejo, Calif./Gym-Max, and 2014 AT&T American Cup champion Elizabeth Price of Coopersburg, Pa./Parkettes, headline the six women slated to compete at the 2014 Pacific Rim Championships in Richmond, B.C., Canada, April 9-11.

Juniors Bailie Key of Montgomery, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics, Nia Dennis of Westerville, Ohio/Buckeye Gymnastics, and Norah Flatley of Cumming, Iowa/Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance, have also been named to the team. …

Earlier, USA Gymnastics announced the six men who will represent Team USA at the event: John Orozco of Bronx, N.Y./Team Hilton HHonors (U.S. Olympic Training Center), Alex Naddour of Gilbert, Ariz./Team Hilton Honors (USA Youth Fitness Center), and Chris Brooks of Houston/Team Hilton HHonors (Cypress Gymnastics), seniors; and Davis Grooms of Katy, Texas/Champions Gymnastics, Marty Strech of Fountain Valley, Calif./Azarian U.S. Gymnastics Training Center, and Alec Yoder of Indianapolis, Ind./InterActive Academy, juniors.

GymCastic:

If you don’t follow Dorkly already, you should. They understand your nerd needs.

Dorkly has the most fabulous, nerdtastic, humor-filled comics. This one just had to be adapted for gymnastics. So, Ms. Spanny Tampson worked her magic. If you are watching gymnastics with one of these seven characters this weekend, we sympathize. …

click through to see the OTHER 6 kinds — The Most Annoying People To Watch Gymnastics With

I flew in with Team Namibia.

Quite surprised with the media blitz at the airport, the girls took turns getting their photos taken. 🙂

Some were interviewed for the official YouTube channel.

A good way to follow the competition is on the 12th African Gymnastics Championships, Tshwane Facebook page.