Author: Rick Mc

Gabby Douglas is the super talented, super enthusiastic, somewhat unpredictable wunderkind. Nobody can understand how she flies and jumps so high.

Gabrielle Douglas is the new Olympic Champion on Oprah. Starting to believe her own story.

Wall Street Journal:

… The 16-year-old African-American gymnast appeared on the show “Oprah’s Next Chapter” and said that when she was around 14 years old and in training with other gymnasts “I felt I was being bullied and isolated from the group… Just, they treated me, not how they would treat their other teammates.” …

Olympian Gabby Douglas Felt ‘Bullied’ By Other Gymnasts

Click PLAY or watch part of that interview on YouTube.

So far as I’ve heard, those accusations are wrong and/or exaggerated. As are some of the other statements she and her mother have made repeatedly to media.

Randy Stageburg is a former Senior International Elite and National Team member:

This is absolutely ridiculous. I trained at Excalibur gymnastics for 8 years and I personally trained with Gabby for 2 of those years. The accusations that are being made against the gymnasts and coaches are just sickening. I watched Dena and Gustavo put so much of their time and effort into gabby and the other athletes, no matter their race. Gabby was never a victim …

I also trained with Morgan Evans, Marcia Newby, Britney Ranzy and Sheriese Clark all of which were on the national team and are African American. I can assure you they all have nothing but great things to say about their experience at Excalibur. …

Kristina Coccia (aka Sharky) is a former Senior International Elite who trained at Parkettes:

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing the Excalibur coaches for many years- never once would I question their coaching or love for their athletes. …

I know numerous gymnasts who experienced nothing but fantastic memories from Excalibur. Pay back the money you owe, stop playing the victim and respect the coaches who got you to the Elite level. Because the Excalibur family is one that I personally remember during my career. This entire story makes me sick …

Those quotes come from GymNewstics.

More will come forward now.

… I’m not so sure Gabrielle’s going to be the great celebrity Gabby should be. 😦

Her agent, Sheryl Shade, needs get to work.

With the Olympic Results book now available, many will be rejudging the Olympics in super slow-mo.

Happily there’s no doubt who won the WAG Team competition.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

On Monday, August 27th at 4pm (EST), Tumbl Trak will be visited by the Olympic Gold Medalist, member of the Fierce Five, Jordyn Wieber, during a LIVE Twitter session. Jordyn will be chatting for 30min. Email questions in advance to social (a) tumbltrak.com.

Follow @tumbltrak

Search #JOCHAT to join in on the conversation.

You might ask whether she’s headed for UCLA as a Coach. … Or joining the Detroit Tigers for a playoff run.

Despite better results that I would have predicted, there’s been some backlash in the Russian media after London. The profile of Olympic sport is high in Putinland leading up to the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.

Queen Elizabeth tries to sort information from disinformation:

… The key focus of this coverage, rather than on gymnasts’ performance, is on national coaching provision: will contracts be renewed, and were all members of the national teams provided with equal coaching support. …

… The vocal and very public nature of dissent and conflict within the Russian teams is uncharacteristic of Andrei Rodionenko’s management style and of the successes he has created in past years. Why now should the somewhat strident voice of Valentina become dominant? At 70 years old, an age when most people are considering retirement, Andrei faces another four years in a highly demanding and stressful job …

… Is there anyone ready to replace Andrei Rodionenko at the top of the sport? …

Must read – Rewriting Russian Gymnastics – The new Russian Revolution – the storming of Lake Krugloye

More questions than answers.

This may be the most important quote from the article:

… generally in Russia, coaches are coaches and do not have the entrepreneurial skills to develop and maintain the multiple streams of income necessary to run a financially healthy gymnastics business. …

Can nations with small elitist programs (Russia, China, Romania) compete with the USA long term?

If you’re putting a wager on the women’s Artistic medals for Rio, bet USA. The American team is deepest. The American system the most stable.

Paralympic Games Aug 29th – Sept 9th
official website

… Sport doesn’t care where you’re from, if you’re a man or a woman, tall, thin, big or short. Sport doesn’t care how you got here, how much money you make, what you believe in or not. It doesn’t care if you have two legs, one leg or wheels. Sport only cares that you’re here to take part and give your all to win.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

For me, the Paralympics are not nearly so important as Olympics. But I’ll be watching. These are some serious, hardcore, inspiring athletes.

via @gymfanica

No apparatus has changed so much.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

(via Tai-Wiki-Widbee“)

I’m old enough to recall my club Bars coach complain: “Giant is a boys move.”

While he was away at Nationals for a week, I taught the first girl in our gym a giant on the women’s rail. 🙂

In general, I don’t like handstand walking.

It teaches bad form and bad technique.

But I must admit, this is the most challenging course I’ve ever seen.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

(via All Things Gym)

@TheGymPress linked to this Bar routine by Phoebe Pummarachai from Gym-Max, uploaded by MostepanovaFan.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

It reminded me of one of the great Shantessa Pama’s Gym-Max routines, also uploaded by MostepanovaFan.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Update: Ivana Hong, McKayla Maroney and Kyla Ross all competed the skill for Gym-Max, too. Check the comments.

… An impoverished South Korean gymnast has not only struck Olympic gold, but also reaped 500 million won (US$444,000) in the latest donation in a veritable rags to riches tale. …

The latest donation of 500 million won (US$444,000) comes from the chairman of LG Group, Koo Bon Moo, who announced Thursday that the gift was intended to help Yang put aside financial worries and focus on his training. …

CNN

Only age-19, he’s just starting.

Watch a Flash animation of his signature vault.

With medals in the past 4 Olympics, Trampoline is one of Canada’s most successful sports.

2008 Silver medalist Jason Burnett

more photos of Jason on Facebook

related – Karen Cockburn photos