Author: Rick Mc

Don’t you love those hilarious The Onion fake news stories?

Like this one:

… Olympic 400-metre champion LaShawn Merritt of the United States has been suspended after testing positive for an anabolic steroid contained in an over-the-counter penis enlargement product. …

The 23-year-old American, who faces a two-year ban, said: “To know that I’ve tested positive as a result of a product that I used for personal reasons is extremely difficult to wrap my hands around. …

Read more: Examiner – Olympian LaShawn Merritt fails drug test after taking male enhancement herb

How do they think these up?

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.js

… wait a minute. This one is true.

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a legal over-the-counter drug in the United States … but banned for competitive use in sport.

Well, … banned in every legitimate sport. Baseball still allows DHEA. But those guys need enlargement.

I’m happy Brittani won, though it wasn’t her best routine of the year. And there’s a built-in deduction on the 1/1-in.

LOVE the choreography.

Second best routine, for me, was Marissa King.

It looked like Carly Janiga would win her second apparatus title of the night … until NCAA Gymnast of the Year took to the Beam, last competitor.

STUCK double back dismount. Solid routine. … WOW … 9.9625.

Susan is a champion.

here …

They are literally using an EXCEL spreadsheet, not dedicated scoring software. Dangerous, I’d say.

VAULT took 1hr 40min. Stoopid.

FANTASTIC.

Vanessa is my pick already for the #1 gymnast in the NCAA … next year. Unless she switches to Elite for a run at the London Olympics, though that’s unlikely.

more UCLA photos from Championships

Vanessa Zamarripa

Congratulations Carly.

She had the best routine in prelims, as well, in my opinion. Justice was served. Bars judges got one right.

photos of Carly

• NCAA’s live streaming Individual Event Finals – CBS College Sports All-Access. Fast internet connection recommended. 6PM EST start.

• official competition website

• live scoring available linked via www.GatorZone.com

• excellent live blog by Anne Phillips on Gymnastike.

Leave a comment if you have any problems. Or find other good links.

If you couldn’t care less about this meet, Longines will be posting results from European Championships all weekend.

At the NCAA Gymnastics Brunch this morning, Oklahoma swept the coaching awards:

KJ Kindler named Women’s Coach of the Year

Lou Ball and Tom Haley share Assistant of the Year honors

• Oklahoma’s KJ Kindler is the only coach to take 2 different teams to the Super Six.
• Oklahoma had the highest finish of any Big 12 team EVER!

Kindler is married to OU assistant coach Lou Ball.

more raves on Gymnastics College Board

1. Germany 266.15
2. Britain 263.025
3. France 260.1
4. Spain 258.8
5. Switzerland 257.15
6. Italy 254.975
7. Romania 254.675
8. Greece 253.225.

via Gymnastics Examiner – Live blog: 2010 European Championships, senior men’s team final

Here’s coach / father Wolfgang Hambuchen cheering the Fabulous one from the stands.

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.js

For the first time I’ve been able to watch Gymnastike founder Anne Phillips at work.

If you’ve ever wondered how her site creates so much original content, it’s because Anne is a superwoman. She inspires her contributors. And she inspires me.

Click through for videos and photos from the NCAA Championships posted literally minutes after they happen.

Gymnastike home page

Update – check too Associated Press photographers Phil Sandlin and Phelan M. Ebenhack photos on Gymnastics Examiner