Author: Rick Mc

VAULT
Sandra Raluca Izbasa (ROU) (14.900, 14.866) 14.883
Oksana Chusovitina (GER) (14.933, 14.433) 14.683
Giulia Steingruber (SUI) (15.216, 14.033) 14.624

BARS
Victoria Komova (RUS) 15.666
Anastasia Grishina (RUS) 15.200
Nataliya Kononenko (UKR) 15.133

Bars final was fantastic. Unfortunately on Beam everyone fell aside from the 3 medalists.

BEAM
Catalina Ponor (ROU) 15.200
Larisa Iordache (ROU) 15.133
Hannah Whelan (GBR) 14.333

Click PLAY or watch Ponor’s Beam on YouTube. Shaky start.

FLOOR
Larisa Andreea Iordache (ROU) 15.233
Catalina Ponor (ROU) 14.633
Hannah Whelan (GBR) 14.533

Sandra Izbasa did not compete Floor, but wants to be put into the line-up for the Olympics. A FX medal is her #1 goal.

Full Twist – Results & Videos: Senior European Apparatus Champions 2012

So … the main story is the grand return of Romania as an Olympic Team contender. Their prelims score was only a point less than the US need to win Tokyo. Romania fans are excited.

Old and wise Romanian team coach Mariana Bitang warns, “Let’s not get drunk with cold water”.

For more in depth analysis:

Stoi – Our take on European TFs

And European Championships – The E Panel’s Highlights:

… For me, this team centres on Ponor, whose statuesque presence draws instant attention from spectators. Catalina has always been thrilling to watch: her feline features are matched by a catlike ability for solidity on the balance beam. Her new routine looks comfortable and rock hard, and is the closest she has looked to her 2004 self since her golden heyday. …

With Ponor back, and Iordache the superstar up-and-coming AA contender, Romania truly could get on to the medal podium in London.

Bars — still — is the big question mark.

Very well attended, everyone I spoke with totally enjoyed the 1st Annual P.A. Team Cup yesterday.

Hosted by Mike Amouri and Prince Albert Aerials, the first thing kids recall about their gym is the purple Floor.

One gymnast told me that the competition felt like a training day at our own gym. She could wear whatever leo she wanted, with or without shorts. And use a yoga mat on the Beam with no deduction. Cool.

There were no individual awards. Only the Team Cup at each level.

… since my Team didn’t win one, it must not have been all that prestigious. 🙂

Most kids had their faces painted. … I have no idea why Cindy and my team decided to go with goatee and moustache. 🙂

I took 5 girls to try “moving up a level”. It’s beneficial for them to see with their own eyes the expectations for next season.

Highlight?

For me it was Can-Am coach Christina who competed the AA — her first competition in 11yrs!

Many other coaches pulled the grips out of storage and competed, as well. Expect an old-timers division next year.

The competition continued today with an event for beginner girls.

Couch Gymnast:

Oksana Chusovitina may be focused today on winning another gymnastics title, but it seems those days of collecting hardware are soon to be over.

This weekend German sports site Ran reported that gymnastics legend Oksana Chusovitina has decided to end her decades-long career after the London Olympic Games.

This is huge news from the woman whose career has seen her competing for the Soviet Union, the Unified Team, Uzbekistan and Germany. At 37 she is the oldest gymnast competing in the elite international scene. …

Oksana Chusovitina Calls it a Day

Brigid’s already speculating on when Oksana will unretire to inspire her Uzbekistan team. She’s National Coach.

At Europeans, Oksana finished 1st in Vault prelims.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Proctor & Gamble:

As part of our decade-long, global partnership with the International Olympic Committee and ‘Thank You Mum’ campaign, we’re proud to introduce the ‘Raising an Olympian’ series. (8 videos) …

Click PLAY or watch one of the 8 on YouTube.

(via Full Twist)

I’m fed up with India and their endless Federation problems.

Here’s the latest from the Indian scandal press:

Administrative wrangling and a lax attitude have cost India’s best gymnast Ashish Kumar a chance to represent the country at the London Olympics.

And to rub salt into the wounds, a much inferior gymnast has got a wild card to compete at the biggest sporting extravaganza on earth.

Ashish missed the qualification mark at the 2011 World Championship in Tokyo by less than one per cent, but the Indian authorities could have pushed for a wild card.

… the wild card has gone to Syque Caesar of Bangladesh. He won a gold medal at the Central South Asian Artistic Gymnastic Championships last year, but was nowhere in Ashish’s league when they competed in Tokyo. …

Federation gaffe costs Ashish his London Olympics berth

Let me go on the record as supporting the choice of Syque Caesar. Bangladesh needs the boost of the Olympic experience more. And Syque’s a great gymnast, very experienced in the NCAA. I’ll be cheering.

… Caesar was born in Florida …

But the college student is delighted to represent his family’s homeland.

“My dad always wanted me to represent Bangladesh,” added Caesar, whose father adopted the uncommon Bengali surname as a result of being the first child in the country born via Caesarian section.

… “I just want to go out there and hit my routines. As long as I do my best then I’ll be very happy, regardless of where I’m placed.”

BBC – London 2012: Syque Caesar aims to bring Bangladesh glory

For Mother’s Day …

A video promoting a series of gymnastics competitions in Germany and the German Trampoline Championships Sept. 28-29th, 2012 in Stuttgart.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

… and Ameritrade.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

… interestinger and interestinger …

European TEAM Championships 2012.

1. Romania 176.288
2. Russia 175.536
3. Italy 171.430
4. Great-Britain 167.763
5. France 164.295
6. Belgium 163.821
7. Spain 163.522
8. Germany 160.497

Click PLAY or watch a highlights video on YouTube.

Read the LIVE blog by Examiner / Couch Gymnast.

Couch Gymnast has the best analysis I’ve seen – And Romania Strikes Back……

As I’ve said so many times about Romania in the past: Crisis, what crisis?

(via The All Around Gymnastics News on Facebook)