Category: Gymnastics

Men’s team podium training concludes

In the past podium has been a poor predictor of competition performance.

That said, here are my impressions for the team meet.

Strategy for the qualification round should be to GO CLEAN / EASY to meet your team rank goal … aside from those individuals trying for AA or Apparatus final. They must do enough difficulty to qualify.

If you make the final, consider upping difficulty.

After 2 days of non-stop MAG podium training, China is the team to beat. None of their guys has his ankles taped. They look strong. Clean. Ready. AND of course they are used to the TaiShan equipment.

Still … any of the top 5 teams could end up on the podium in the team final. Automatic qualification to Tokyo 2020 the prize for finishing top 3.

Kohei is only doing 4 apparatus. And Japan has other problems. But it would be a surprise if they miss top 3.

Russia should be the other qualifier. But they take more risks than any other team.

Either USA or GBR could be top 3 on a consistent, hit day. With Nile Wilson out, I’d give the edge to the Americans. They have a lot of NCAA experience in team / pressure situations.

As an aside, USA has long been known as a team with plenty of bulky muscle. This is the lightest American team I can recall.

Other nations have a goal of top 8. Some top 24 so they qualify a team to Worlds 2019.

Men’s gymnastics is always exciting. ANY team could be undone by a bad Pommel rotation 3-up, 3-count.

Twitter is the best way to follow the action LIVE. Especially Scott Bregman who is covering the meet for the Olympic Channel. Watch some of their VIDEOS.

Scott will be switching to OlympicChannel.com during the competition.

Congratulations to Doha for hosting the first Worlds in the Middle East despite the current Saudi-led coalition embargo against Qatar.

Israel is here. That’s a step in the right direction for World Peace. The Israeli anthem will be played if an Israeli gymnast wins gold. Sport can bring nations together.

Read the FIG wrap-up post –

Men’s podium training concludes at Doha Worlds

Click PLAY or watch a preview edit on Twitter.

TaiShan equipment at Worlds

Most of the athletes have never used TaiShan apparatus before. It’s a test of who can adjust quickly.

For the most part the apparatus and the TaiShan crew looks to be good. A pommel broke today when European Champ Rhys McClenaghan was training. That’s odd.

Some of the guys told me the vault is hard. Landing mats hard.

Most of the discussion has been about Floor.  Kenzo seemed to have trouble during podium training. Max and Dom seemed to be OK with it. Both Russians made triple back look easy.

Sam Oldham notes that the  Senoh floor in Japan is soft. It has a bigger margin for error on take-off. Timing has to be more precise on the TaiShan. 

I’m more worried for WAG — starting tomorrow — than MAG.

Canadian men looking Canadian

Heart this on Rene’s Instagram.

The Canadian women want matching leos. 😀

Kohei withdraws from the AA

His right ankle has not recovered sufficiently to compete FX or Vault.

During podium training he deliberately rolled out of landings to protect the ankle as much as possible.

U.S. women’s team are GREAT

I finally saw the 2018 team in the training Gym.They radiate greatness.

It reminds me of the time I met Magic Johnson at UCLA. He seemed a God amongst men.

Alicia Sacramone impressed me that way. Peng Peng Lee, as well.

On the way to the training hall they stopped by to support their men’s team on podium at the competition venue.

Simone Biles BBC interview

Despite the pressure, happier and healthier than ever.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. (15min)

Mary Wright on Facebook from Doha training:

Watching this beautiful young lady today is such an honor. She continues to grow and represent our sport and our athletes with class and dignity. Today, as I watched the Biles on Vault, the Double Twisting Double Layout on Floor and the Double Double dismount off beam, I looked around at the absolute awe from the athletes and coaches from other countries. We all knew that what we were watching was an historical moment in gymnastics history. The greatest women’s gymnast of all time, IS JUST BEING

(via Fluff)

Simone’s been training the new Beam dismount. But will not do it at Worlds, I understand.

January 2019 – British Gymnastics Symposium

12th and 13th January at Lilleshall National Sports Centre

Some of the presenters:

Donatella Sacchi – FIG Women’s Tecnical Committee Chair

Amanda Reddin – Women’s Artistic Head National Coach

David Kenwright – Women’s Artistic National Coach

Paul Hall – newly appointed Men’s Artistic Head National Coach

Gheorge Predescu – Performance Coach for Men’s and Women’s Artistic

Ionut Trandaburu – Director of Coaching at Pegusus and personal coach to James Hall and Courtney Tulloch

Andy Tombs – Chair of the Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Technical Committee and FIG Men’s Technical Committee member

details 

Paul Hall

update on CDN coach court cases

Sexual assault trial of Canada’s former national women’s gymnastics coach begins Monday

Michel Arsenault’s trial was moved forward to some time 2019.

Epke podium H Bar

When Netherlands marched into the arena, Epke stayed in the training gym. Working more H Bar.

He looks confident despite the arm bandage.

The Olympic Champ may be the man to beat in Doha, despite angles and leg form.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Scott Bregman was inexplicable let go by USAG. Happily he’s in Doha doing Twitter commentary and putting together video for the Olympic Channel. Watch more routines from Russia, Israel, Netherlands podium training.