Category: Gymnastics

the role of Worlds Alternate

Perhaps the most difficult job at Worlds is traveling alternate.

You do all the same work, … but probably won’t get to the BIG stage.

We all want an individual competition for those gymnasts immediately after Worlds. It would be a fantastic competition.

Pauline Schaefer is the alternate here at home.

Click PLAY or watch her honest, emotional state of mind right now on YouTube.

Kim Bui was once the German alternate. She knows what Pauline is going through.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

day 1 MAG podium training

I’ll be commenting LIVE via Twitter @GymCoaching.

I learned long ago not to read too much into Men’s podium training. But …

  • 1st of two days is over. But more of the strongest routines are on day 2.
  • Russia looked good overall. They have momentum.
  • Haven’t seen China, Japan, USA as yet. Those four should be fighting it out for the team medals.
  • LEE Chih Kai TPE has scored 15.400 this year on Pommels. But he’s in the very first rotation of Worlds. Judges will have to be careful not to let scores escalate over the 2 days.
  • IG: “Petrounias didn’t train rings during podium training because of fatigue in his shoulder, but claims he is 95% ready, and that he will compete on Sunday!”
  • Norway was a surprise team for me on day 1. They look well prepared. Serious.
  • Pressure is on Germany at home. They certainly want to finish top 12 for Olympic qualification. Top 8 will be the goal. Pommels went well.
  • Turkey is the team I most want to qualify for Olympics.  They’ll need an excellent meet to do so.
  • There are Apparatus Finals contenders from many nations: Jorge Vega Lopez from Guatemala, for example, has a chance on both Vault and Floor. The guy is clean and is brilliant at landings. Manrique (Cuba) is back from wrist surgery, but hasn’t been training long.

  • Many more Men’s teams are in contention for Olympic qualification than in WAG. Anything can happen. WAG has Beam. But MAG has both Pommels and H Bar and 50% more apparatus. The strategy for many will be HIT and STICK even at the expense of difficulty.
  • If you want to check top AA and apparatus scores so far in 2019, click over to this MAGnastics spreadsheet.

More LIVE coverage:

Fujitsu video analysis at Worlds

For the first time, the system will be officially used in an FIG competition as an additional tool for confirming difficulty scores on four apparatus.

Specifically, the superior jury – the judges who oversee the competitions – will have the possibility of recourse to the judging support system to review gymnasts’ exercises in cases of inquiry or blocked scores on the Pommel Horse, Still Rings, men’s Vault and women’s Vault. …

The Fujitsu support system will be used by the superior jury in addition to the Instant Replay and Control System (IRCOS), the video replay system used by the FIG in Artistic Gymnastics since the 2005 World Championships. Both systems present significant benefits for the review of gymnasts’ exercises. …

The FIG sees significant potential in the technology developed by Fujitsu, not only in the matter of judging, but also in the future for education, coaching and training. The data provided might help to enhance gymnasts’ movements or correct body posture, and thus aid in lowering the risk of injuries.

FIG

A Press Conference is scheduled later in the week.

Steve Butcher confirms that the time-of-hold technology used several times in the past is part of the Rings software. Judges won’t see that data here unless a routine is appealed.

Fujitsu is scanning gymnasts in several poses in advance of the competition. This is being done in a public place with plenty of people around. No doubt they are worried about privacy and transparency.

Gymnasts can opt out, if they choose.

Simone’s new Beam dismount undervalued by FIG

YES, everyone agrees it’s absurd to up-value double double by only 0.1. This is the hardest skill in WAG.

Biles Vault – ‘we are not worthy’

Though Simone didn’t mention it at the Press Conference, she decided to do one last vault in podium training.

Amazing. She sets so long!

Any male gymnast would be thrilled to do it this well.

Very few can do this vault at all.

Click PLAY or watch it on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/olympicchannel/status/1179103876512923648

Lieke Wevers – Podium Floor

Because #Artistic.

To me it looks like Lieke has never been better.

It’s difficult to see, but she has an unusual tape wrap high on one leg.

No longer is Team Netherlands a surprise qualifier to the team final. They should be top 8 with a good prelim competition.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Hurd, Melnikova, Chen Yile – part 2

This documentary episode was posted before Morgan was named a non-traveling alternate for USA. You can see how competing 3 meets back-to-back did not work out for her.

Both Angelina Melnikova and Chen Yile did qualify to Worlds.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.