Author: Rick Mc

The rumours were true.

From Prosport:

… Exactly one year from her injury, when she broke her Achilles Tendon of her right leg, Sandra Izbasa returns to international competitions. The Olympic floor champion was selected by Octavian Bellu and Mariana Bitang to compete at the Ghent World Cup, which will take place on the 11th and 12th of September. …

As quoted in Fangymnastics.

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js

(via Gymnastics Examiner – The gymnastics week in review)

Watch for the former Canadian gymnast and Cirque du Soleil performer competing on So You Think You Can Dance CANADA.

Here’s a variation on the online coaches Congress rebranded as The Academy of Coaching Excellence.

You can get personal instruction once a month, for 6 months from any one of 3 different experts:

1. The Road to a College Scholarship: A six month program for parents with Cheryl Jarrett

2. The Coach’s Toolbox: Preschool and Recreation with Beth Gardner

3. Tammy’s Lunch Club: Get new techniques and drills with Tammy Biggs

Cost of each 6 month course is $295 … 30 person limit per course.

… actually, the Preschool / Rec course is 10 months, for the same cost.

Check out www.academyofcoachingexcellence.com for more information and registration!

From City of Liverpool Gym Club.

Click PLAY or watch Rhys on YouTube.

Love the coaching.

Thanks MissEducated.

Those wishing to send messages of support to Andrianov, or those with medical resources who may be able to help, may contact Sergei Andrianov at sa2525@hotmail.ru.

Amanda Turner on International Gymnast relays the appeal from his family:

The 15-time Olympic medalist is suffering from multiple system atrophy (MSA), son Sergei Andrianov told IG. “The diagnosis is olivopontocerebellum degeneration, terminal stage,” Sergei said. “His illness is fatal and he will not have long to live, the doctors said.”

MSA is a rare progressive neurodegenerative disorder similar to Parkinson’s Disease. It is characterized by motor control symptoms such as tremor, rigidity and loss of muscle coordination, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. …

While the disease is terminal, the symptoms can be eased and quality of life improved with medical care. His family is hoping someone may be able to offer him treatment. …

“I would be very grateful if someone could consult American doctors about my father’s condition,” said Sergei, a former gymnast who now coaches in Japan. …

… read more

Andrianov is one of the toughest gymnasts I’ve ever seen. If it’s possible to fight the deterioration, he will.

Coach Chris Burdette put together this video of a cross training session at a swimming pool. Looks like tough FUN.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Kennedy Baker
Claire Boyce
Reagan Campbell
Madison Cindric
Chelsea Davis
Peyton Ernst
Colbi Flory
Rebecca Fusselier
Katelyn Haworth
Nica Hults
Bailey Key
Ashton Kim
Dare Maxwell
Kortnee Miller
Gena Pitts
Grace Quinn
Macy Toronjo
Kiana Winston

Spanny Tampson is back with a rant on the broken wrists of gymnasts.

read more on Big Fake Smile – i hate [wrists] like i hate the nazis

That’s the tag line of an article in a Russian publication.

Click through to read a poor Google translation – New Khorkina Victoria Komova: “If you go to competitions, it was only for” gold “!

This photo is the highlight, for me.

This family pic will be getting wide circulation in the lead-ups to the Olympics.

(via Viktoria Komova Online and Couch Gymnast)

… Viktoria does not remind me at all of Svetlana Khorkina.

Amanda Turner linked to the video of where the coach (not her personal coach) blundered touching Youna on a Def spot … when clearly it wasn’t needed.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I did the same thing once on Geinger but a far lesser touch. The gymnast was ready to kill me. … Luckily the judges pretended not to notice, and took no deduction.

At a later meet Youna had the opposite problem:

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Though he took a lot of grief for that non-spot, I’m somewhat sympathetic for the coach (her personal coach) on this one. That’s a very tough decision to make in a split second.

… He did not need to grandstand by leaving his arms out to the side. Especially as it turned out she was injured on that fall.

Molly Shawen Kollmann trained Def. She can’t understand why Youna has it so late in the routine.

This girl is an awesome gymnast. But her career seems jinxed. Or is it dangerous coaching, as many speculate?

At the time (May 2010) it was thought to be a meniscus injury. Leave a comment if you have information on Youna’s condition for World’s. UPDATE: She’s been training over the summer, knee seemingly cured.

related post – Gymnastics Examiner – … Youna Dufournet injured

Click PLAY or watch it on Gymnastike. (7min 23sec)

http://videoplayer.flocasts.org/player.swf

Sherbo #1, no question.

But I would have guessed Li Ning #2.

… Li is most famous for winning 6 medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics, the first participated by the People’s Republic of China. He won 3 gold medals (in floor exercise, pommel horse, and rings), 2 silver medals, and a bronze medal. Li became the most decorated Chinese athlete at their first Olympics.

All in all Li won 14 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships titles.

Li took part in his second 1988 Olympics despite carrying injuries. It was a disappointing end to an illustrious career, as he was clearly off-form and made many mistakes which robbed him of the chance of a medal. …

I’d have guessed wrong.