Author: Rick Mc

Career gymnastics coach who loves the outdoors, and the internet.

watch the Netherlands march-in

Click PLAY or see it on Twitter

Men’s podium training photos

Day 2.

You can see why gymnasts need to condition lateral flexion. It’s essential for twisting.

Click over to Inside Gymnastics to see more photos like this.

LIN Chaopan, CHN

World Championships WAG – day 2

Officially, here are  the 12 teams qualified to Tokyo 2020.

From 2018
1. USA
2. Russia
3. China

In Stuttgart:

1. United States 174.205
2. China 169.161
3. Russia 168.080 

Belgium!

4. France
5. Canada
6. Netherlands
7. Great Britain
8. Italy
9. Germany
10. Belgium
11. Japan
12. Spain

13. Australia

Down under they’ll be complaining that a draw in the first session cost them a team spot in the Olympics. I believe the Aussies are right. Scores DID escalate over the two days.

Brazil will be even more disappointed. Jade Barbosa was injured during the competition. They ended up finishing 14th.

Spain is the happiest nation. Roxana Popa made it back, her first Worlds since 2015. AND she qualified for Tokyo. All that rehab and training paid off.

  • Though it will be some weeks before FIG publishes the medical report from Stuttgart, I’m quite sure there have been fewer injuries on the competition floor (so far) than at past Worlds. Vault remains the most dangerous apparatus; competition landing mats the greatest risk.
  • biggest story of the day was Russia competing well with no falls after DRAMA, DRAMA, DRAMA leading up to this competition.

https://twitter.com/russiangymstan/status/1180506088199921669

  • a bigger story would have been Japan not qualifying to their own Olympics after not naming Worlds #2 2018 Mai Murakami to Stuttgart. Happily, the team did a great job and did qualify. Whew.
  • Melnikova was the single biggest AA performance up to the USA. Looks great.

  • Argentina the fastest rising team in 2019. Respect for those athletes and coaches.
  • GBR did have a bad meet. They are relieved to have qualified. Ellie Downie killed it as last Vault for the team, qualifying to the apparatus final.
  • many nations around the world had no legal way to watch the competition. Some tried watching the FIG YouTube stream using a VPN and logging in from places that had no purchased broadcast rights. Egypt, for example. We continue to do a crappy job of marketing this wonderful sport.
  • NED made Netherlands and the rest of the world nervous after a shaky start on Beam. They finished strong to get to Tokyo. One of the most entertaining and artistic competitors.
  • Giulia Steingruber (age 25) is back too. So much leg power. Impressive. But neither her Swiss team nor Hungary could break into the top 12 for Olympic qualification.
  • Eythora Thorsdottir was my favourite Floor routine, so far. Zero deduction for Artistry. I felt her score was too low.
  • Make no mistake. Italy could be top 3. Soon. Soon. So much potential. But it didn’t happen today.

Finally, I’m happy for the home crowd that Germany did qualify a full team to Tokyo.

Shallon Olsen – Vault

Last year’s silver medalist — currently training at Alabama — look likely to qualify to the final. She’s in 2nd position half way through the qualification round.

As Canadians had NO legal way to watch their team — WHY can’t FIG figure this out? — Gymnastics Canada is posting routines on their YouTube channel.

Click PLAY or watch YDT on YouTube.

WORLDS results – day 1

Top 8 qualify to the team final.

12 teams — USA, RUS, CHN — plus the next 9 qualify to Tokyo.

1. China – 169.161
2. France – 166.713
3. Canada – 162.922
4. Germany – 161.897
5. Belgium – 161.238
6. Australia – 157.945
7. Ukraine – 156.961
8. South Korea – 156.662

cheering China

1. Mélanie De Jesus Dos Santos FRA 56.782
2. Liu Tingting CHN 55.865
3. Li Shijia CHN 55.732
4. Nina Derwael BEL 55.441
5. Ellie Black CAN 55.199
6. Elisabeth Seitz GER 54.999
7. Sarah Voss GER 54.132
8. Aline Friess FRA 53.999

Melanie

YEO Seojeong – Qualifications Vault

Though she warmed-up the Handspring front 2/1 twist in podium, Yeo didn’t need it to qualify through to the Vault final.

She was playing safe, trying to help the team score.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Jorge Vega Lopez – Podium vault

I am always impressed with Jorge’s attention to detail. And landings. He could make the final.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Jorge won Guatemala’s first ever gold medal in gymnastics at the Pan American Games in Toronto 2015.

He’s a celebrity back home.

Cintia – Gold Medal toe point

Click PLAY or watch her Podium Floor on YouTube. Actually, all the Spanish routines were great.