Author: Rick Mc

The “complete package”, 1996 Olympic all-around champion Lilia Podkopayeva is one of most popular gymnasts in history.

Lilia Podkopayeva & Sergey Kostetskiy finished 3rd for Ukraine at the Eurovision Dance Contest 2008.

Cick PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

(via Body Rhythm)

Kyle Shewfelt linked to this good news story: Olympic athletes get gold in federal budget

Big increases in funding for high performance sport. They’re still adding up the numbers.

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

Some had feared funding would be cut drastically as soon as public interest in the Olympics waned. But politicans bandwagoneered on huge popular support of the Games.

Women
Canada, Dominique Pegg
Germany, Elisabeth Seitz
Japan, Yuko Shintake
Mexico, Elsa Garcia
Switzerland, Ariella Kaeslin
Venezuela, Jessica Lopez
United States, Rebecca Bross
United States, Alexandra Raisman
Alt. United States, Kytra Hunter

Men
Colombia, Jorge Hugo Giraldo Lopez
Germany, Fabian Hambuechen
Great Britain, Daniel Keatings
Japan, Koji Yamamuro
Romania, Flavius Koczi
Russia, Maxim Devyatovsky
United States, Chris Brooks
United States, Jonathan Horton
Alt. United States, Danell Leyva

March 6th – competition home page

more photos of Dominique by RICARDO BUFOLIN

Dominique is the Elite Canada Champion, a new Senior who has been impressing many.

related: International Gymnast – Pegg ‘Very Honored’ to Compete at American Cup

Sports Girls Play linked to an amusing TV commercial:

… this PSA ad put out a few years ago spotlights the importance of Dad’s involvement in the development of their childrens’ self esteem. Enjoy….

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

(via Youth Sports Parents and Sports Girls Play)

Wow.

Gymnastike uploaded over 2000 videos in 28 days of February. Nobody could possibly watch them all.

Thankfully, Anne and her team posted a Best of February page. That’s where you can check out the most popular vids.

A big change to F.I.G. Trampoline rules goes into effect September 1, 2010.

“Time of flight” has been added as “an additional objective criteria”. Sounds like a good idea.

It looks like electronics will be used:

read more – F.I.G. – Time of flight voted new criteria

Does this mean heavier athletes will gain some advantage?

Leave a comment if you know more.

UPDATE: Barkalov Wins Russian Championship

From The All Around Gymnastics News on Facebook:

1. Barkalov 88.300; 2. Gogotov 87.400; 3. Cherkasov 86.550; 4. Olennikov 86.500; 5. Pakhomenko 86.400

Complete results (Russian)

I don’t know much about Barkalov, except that he was picked as one of 20 gymnasts to watch in 2010 by Gymnastics Examiner.

Click PLAY or watch his Floor (2008) on YouTube.

Update: Barkalov’s Pommels.

On the American Gymnast blog, Andrew Thornton linked to videos of some of the gymnasts who qualified for the Nastia Liukin Cup this coming weekend.

… an AMAZING beam combination that is one of the most difficult ever done: … front aerial to a back handspring full …

Click PLAY or watch Kimberly on YouTube.

Andrew does have some questions about who can qualify for this competition, however. For example, Kimberley:

… I didn’t realize that gymnasts 18 and over could compete in this competition. Kimberly Jacob won her “Level 10” session at the Circle of Stars Meet in Indiana, but she has competed as a senior gymnast since 2007. In fact she competed in the SENIOR US Nationals in 2008 and 2009, placing 17th and 12th, respectively. She is 18 and will be competing for Alabama this fall. I thought the Nastia Liukin Cup was for “up-and-coming” Level 10 gymnasts? I did look at the rules at the Circle of Stars Meet, and it said that the winners of the Level 10 sessions, regardless of age, would qualify for the Nastia Liukin Cup. …

some contenders for the Nastia Liukin Cup

They should somehow change the selection criteria for the second annual to truly bring in up-and-coming Level 10s. Kimberly’s career, for example, is already fixed. She doesn’t need this additional experience.

This very well edited video gives a good insight into College gymnastics.

http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/22268552001?isVid=1&publisherID=1079018831

Elite Canada 2010 will be hosted in Airdrie, Alberta March 11-14th.

World Team Selection Event (France)
Indo Pacifics Selection Event ( Japan)
Youth Team Selection Event

Basic Format Trampoline , Tumbling , DMT, Synchro

All National Level Athletes 11 years of age and older can compete.

CONTACT: DEREK HANSON
(403) 212-5728 | dhanson AT abgym.ab.ca

Thanks Brett MacAulay.