World Apparatus Finals – day 1

FANTASTIC Final. Medals from superpower Gymnastics nations including Belgium, Taiwan, Philippines, Israel, and Ireland.

Vault
1. Biles Simone USA 15.399
2. Carey Jade USA 14.883
3. Downie Ellie GBR 14.816

I thought Jade slightly better than Ellie, but it was close.

Shallon 4th. Qi Qi 5th.

Bars
1. Derwael Nina BEL BEL 15.233 = 8.733 + 6.500
2. Downie Becky GBR 15.000 8.500 + 6.500
3. Lee Sunisa USA 14.800 = 8.400 + 6.400

Most people will be content with this podium. I’m thrilled.

Floor
1. Yulo (Caloy) Carlos PHI 15.300 = 8.800 + 6.500
2. Dolgopyat Artem ISR 15.200 = 8.800 + 6.400
3. Xiao Ruoteng CHN 14.933 = 8.733 + 6.200

No controversy. Xiao had one poor landing and the lower D-score. Yulo and Artem were close. Amplitude of Yolo’s tumbling superior. I felt judges got the ranking right.

Artem wins Olympic qualification with this medal.

Yulo should be a national hero, of course.

Pommels
1. Whitlock Max GBR 15.500 = 8.500 + 7.000
2. Lee Chih Kai TPE 15.433 = 8.933 + 6.500
3. McClenaghan Rhys IRL 15.400 = 9.000 + 6.400

Zou Jingyuan only 6.300. And had some leg brushes. Doesn’t swing as well as Rhys in my opinion. Some feel Max’s E-score is high since he took a 0.3 deduction on the first handstand.

Rings
1. Colak Ibrahim TUR 14.933 = 8.733 + 6.200
2. Lodadio Marco ITA 14.900 = 8.600 + 6.300
3. Ait Said Samir FRA 14.800 = 8.600 + 6.200

Sadly, the Olympic Champ and one of the greatest all-time, Petrounias Eleftherios from Greece, has not yet qualified to Tokyo. He was 4th with 14.733 = 8.433 + 6.300. But he still has a chance to qualify through the World Cup route, as can Epke Zonderland who’s in the same situation.

Recall Samir is the guy who broke his legs during Vault qualification at Rio. Vowed to come back. And did it. Legend.

Full results.

Jake Jarman can twist

Click PLAY or watch it on Instagram.

And STICK.

Carlos Yulo – Podium Floor

My biggest highlight of Men’s podium training  for me was some kid in baggy shorts and t-shirt on Floor.

Hey, that’s Carlos Yulo, the 2018 Bronze medalist.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. He’s looking even BETTER this year.

Sam Mikulak – Podium Floor

related – Ray Zapata, another FX finals contender, did Floor quite well. But later announced he was withdrawing from Worlds. Too bad.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Arthur Nory – Podium Floor

Men’s Floor is the Fugliest apparatus in 2019. Nory is one of the few I enjoy watching. Control and some style.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

See his interview following podium training (VIDEO).

Tumbl Trak Air Floor

My favourite air floor is the Tumbl Trak Air Floor. It comes in 3m, 4.5m, and 6m lengths. I recommend you get more 3m sections rather than the longer versions as it gives you more options for configuration.

Use the Air Floor as the last step before the competition floor.

Details.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

NEW Air Floor Pro

I’m using the old Air Floor Pro every day in Bermuda. We have two.

I like it BEST for Beam. Next BEST in the vertical position for Bars and Handstand work.

I personally don’t use the Pro much for Tumbling preferring the regular Air Floor. At the same stage of skill learning where you might want a Pro, kids in Bermuda use Rod Floor instead.

However, the newest version of the Air Floor Pro is both more durable and lighter. Both big improvements.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

handstand and cartwheel progressions

Start with active flexibility and strength.

Great drills, as always from this Dutch YouTube channel, but I’d keep the head more neutral at this stage of development.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Nagornyy wins Russian Cup

1. Nikita Nagornyy
2. Ivan Stretovich
3. Artur Dalaloyan
4. David Belyavskiy
5. Vladislav Polyashov
6. Alexey Rostov

full results

Eddie Penev – triple double

Click PLAY or watch @EddiePenev on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/EddiePenev/status/1162413787204468737