Author: Rick Mc

Canada had one of their best team meets all time. And Italy had an even better performance!

Those two teams have qualified – France is highly likely to do so too, with one flight remaining. Korea and Brazil yet to challenge.

Examiner:

Italy, 224.621, Canada 221.913, France 220.744, Belgium 216.863, Spain 213.054, Netherlands 212.061. So Spain is out.

HUGE beam rotation for Italy, basically couldn’t have gone better. No falls and lovely work from each gymnast. Carlotta Ferlito was the only one to have any real problems, but she didn’t fall, and they’ll likely drop her score. Francesca Deagostini was in particular amazing.

… they’ve been truly spectacular here. The arrival of Deagostini and Fasana seems to have completed them. For so many years it was just Ferrari, and then Ferrari and Preziosa, and then in 2011 it was Ferrari, Preziosa and Ferlito…and now, well, they are a formidable team. They all have the potential to be stars. …

read more – Examiner – Quick hits: Women’s team/individual qualifications, Subdivision III

Three places are set aside for continental balance and for tripartite universality. These places will be nominated in due course by the FIG Executive Committee and the Tripartite Commission respectively.

We knew Kieran was in contention for one of the last spots in the AA for London.

…
#34. Kieran Behan IRE
#35. Shakir Shaikhaliyev AZE

Reserves:
Sasha Palgen LUX
Irodotos Georgallas CYP
Gutierres Carbonell VEN

… some yet to be added from Continents not well represented

Full list will be linked once we have it online.

Click PLAY or watch Kieran’s Floor from qualifying on YouTube. The cleanest in the competition, he qualified for Finals.

(via Full Twist)

Tiny Laura is a fan favourite. Her toe point is to die for.

No backward handsprings. Mental block? Or does she need that much run?

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

TQ London 2012 Test Event

4.9 + 7.633 = 12.533

That’s from the piibunina YouTube channel.

One of the best routines today. … As always, Floor sells much better LIVE than on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

TQ London 2012 Test Event
5.4 + 8.6 = 14.0

France had a good competition, and youngster Anne Kuhm a great one. Kuhm ascended steadily through the French junior ranks, but she looks to have surpassed herself here. …

Examiner – Impressions: Flight two at the London Test Event (women’s)

Click PLAY or watch her Vault on YouTube.

France looked even better than Canada, I thought.

But blew up on Beam.

Louis Smith was first man back in the gym early morning after GBRs impressive team qualification to Olympics.

Now Beth Tweddle is in a photo shoot while they vacuum the Beam underneath her.

Grace Chiu original photo on Facebook

It’s official.

The Canadian women have again qualified as a team to Olympics after missing out in 2008. Congratulations.

They owe part of their success to photographer Grace Chiu. 🙂

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Note how she does Blind and Pirouette on the same hand to stay centre of rail. Gymnasts need to be comfortable pirouetting both directions.

France celebrated on the competition Floor after their competition, confident that a 220.744 will qualify them to Olympics. They rank 2nd with only 3 teams yet to compete.

1. CAN 221.913 2. FRA 220.744 3. BEL 216.054 4. Spain 213.054 5. NED 212.061

So precise.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

That’s from the new Full Twist YouTube channel.

A TERRIFIC meet for Team Canada — about a 6pt improvement from Tokyo. (That would have finished 6th as a team at Worlds.) I’m positive they’ll be through to the Olympics as a team. And just might be the top team score today.

CONGRATULATIONS

CAN 221.813
NED 212.061

AA
1. Lee 55.565
2. Gomez Porras 54.766
3. Vaculik 54.607
4. Moors 54.282
5. Lopez 53.999
6. Top 53.598

… The Dutch fortunes have declined since Tokyo, namely with the loss of top all-arounders Celine van Gerner and Joy Goedkoop. Their performance here wasn’t perfect by any means, but it is a good training ground for new seniors like Lisa Top, who may be the future of Dutch gymnastics. Dianne Teunisse was also very impressive — if not totally perfect — on bars, beam and vault. …

Examiner – Impressions: Flight one at the London Test Event (women’s)

Next subdivision features France, Belgium and Spain. Many feel France is the strongest team here — but one French coach told this group is quite unpredictable in competition. … Aren’t they all?