Category: Gymnastics

day 2 WAG podium training

I’ll be commenting LIVE via Twitter @GymCoaching.

More LIVE coverage:

First — let me say how blessed we are to be seeing these dominant Simone Biles American teams. It reminds me of the dominance of the great Soviet teams back in the late 1980s.

All hail the greatest of all time.

  • the Simone Biles Press Conference was fun and relaxed.

https://twitter.com/olympicchannel/status/1178960627299020800

Simone is motivated by getting two more skills named.
  • Everyone enjoyed watching (finally) the young Italian superstars at a Senior meet. Four of the 6 are age-16. Giorgia Villa looks fantastic — but says she is nervous. First time at Senior Worlds. Certainly Italy could finish 3rd with a HIT qualification meet. They could finish top 3 on Vault!
  • Upstart Italy and veteran France will be close in team total, I predict. France was 5th in 2018 but has a podium team goal for 2019.
  • Spencer is worried about Japan qualifying to Tokyo as a team. That would be a disaster for the host nation.
  • Everybody loves Netherlands. Smart routines. Great coaching. And such Artistry.  Sanne is as keen as ever. Her goal is to help qualify a full team of 4 to Tokyo. MUCH improved vault for NED! And has Lieke ever looked better?
  • Spain looks great. Watch for their Floor. Roxana Popa is back. And Cintia Rodriguez‘ toe point, of course.
  • For me the most surprising and exciting team on the rise is Argentina. Very well prepared. Guatemala showed some world class Gymnastics, as well.
  • Russia is often underwhelming in podium training. Then hits when it counts. They looked better than I expected today. Tim Daggett feels they can still finish top 3 in team even without Aliya. Melnikova looks superb.
  • Steingruber is back from injury. A big fan favourite here.
  • You can hand the gold team medal to USA now. It’s an honour for a gymnast to be in the same competition with any Simone Biles’ team.

 

Yeo Seojeong – Handspring front double twist

She put two of these on her feet in podium training. I think she’ll land it.

#respect

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Nina Derwael – Bars

Here’s the defending World Champ in podium training. Her Team Belgium looks ready to contend for one of the top 12 Olympic team spots.

Note that GymCastic is back uploading speedy videos to YouTube as they did in 2017.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

USAG team selection transparency

Good job.

As with their Men’s team, USAG circulated minutes of the 2019 World Championships Athlete Selection Committee Meeting from September 23, 2019.

I wish, Canada, by comparison, did the same thing. Every nation should do so.

That said, many — including Spencer — are questioning the logic of leaving behind one of their highest Bars scores — Morgan Hurd.

With Riley out, USA is least deep on Bars.

 

 

 

Worlds Stuttgart 2019 venue

Stuttgart has hosted many BIG competitions. They know how to do it.

So far I’ve heard mostly good feedback. The training halls are great, for example.

Spieth Floor looks very springy.

Here’s an aerial photo of the venue.

Click for larger version.

Faith Torez – standing full

Click PLAY or watch it on Twitter.

Hambüchen has something to say

With Worlds in Germany I expect we’ll be hearing a lot from Fabian.

“The general problem is that there is next to no incentive to pursue a career as a coach in German gymnastics. …

Todays generation of up-and-comers has a different mindset than we did. I always had an eagerness and drive as a 15- or 16-year old to overtake my elder sportsmen and be better. In many, I don’t see that anymore. The certain edge and passion is missing. …”

HAMBÜCHEN: TO THE NEW GENERATION, THE INSTAGRAM STORY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE TRAINING

Fabian

related – Fabian is still training for fun and fitness. And still looks great.

LIVE from Worlds – day 1 podium training

Podium training for WAG has begun in Stuttgart. I’ll be commenting LIVE via Twitter @GymCoaching. More LIVE coverage:

It was a pretty good day overall. Blythe Lawrence feels form has steadily improved since the introduction of the open ended code in 2006.  Many times at Worlds podium training in the past I’ve been terrified — worried about injury — when gymnasts are competing skills not yet ready enough. I didn’t have any scary moments today.

  • Yamilet Peña warmed up two Handspring double fronts on Vault. Both safe. Neither close to landing. She fell on double front on Floor, as well. She’s obviously not at 100%.
  • watch for the Belgium Floor choreography. Very entertaining. In fact the team has a good vibe. They could certainly qualify for Tokyo with a hit qualification round.
  • Yeo Seojeong landed two Handspring front layout double twists! I’d argue that’s even more difficult than Simone’s half-on Handspring front layout double twist.
  • North Korea still NOT wearing handguards on Bars. Like Chuso. One has the tiny grips made of athletic tape.
  • Germany often slides a landing mat in for Bars releases, in case of fall. Seems a better technique than hand spotting in most cases.
  • Fujitsu is scanning all gymnasts (unless they opt out) in multiple poses in an open area with quite a few people around. I assume they are being very careful with privacy and transparency.
  • Simone will have a Press Conference Tuesday. Because she’s Simone. Also, the general public can watch American podium training Tuesday for 10 euros. Because they are USA.
  • Is Romania back? I was really impressed with the quality of the Beam work. Especially the leaps & jumps. (Wolf turns … not so much.) Most expect the perennial podium team not to qualify in the top 12. But they certainly could make Tokyo with a good meet in qualifications.
  • the final rotation day 1 included Canada and China. Very entertaining. Canada was very good, but struggled a bit on Bars. China impressed me more than any other team today — they’ve really improved tumbling and vault. I’d agree with the mob that Team China is silver medal favourite.
  • the big screen — essential since Glasgow Worlds — is epic in Stuttgart

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