Category: Gymnastics

Justin Spring reflects on Olympic Bronze 2008

… it all magically came together when it mattered most at the Olympics Trials and at the Olympic Games.

Our team walked away with a bronze medal.

Our 2008 Olympic men’s gymnastics team ended up using two of its alternate athletes before we even competed at the Games; one of which, Sasha, moved in to the Olympic Village the night before our first day, which was the team preliminaries. …

JUSTIN SPRING An Olympic Journal

Jr Men USA Nationals – day 1

Results and videos.

Jade Carey – Amanar

Podium training at Nationals.

Elena Shushunova has died

Terrible news.

One of the greatest gymnasts all time died in St. Petersburg of complications from pneumonia.

Elena Shushunova; 23 April 1969 – 16 August 2018) was a Russian (former Soviet) gymnast, World, European, and Olympic Champion.

Shushunova is one of five women (Larisa Latynina, Vera Caslavska, Ludmilla Tourischeva and Lilia Podkopayeva are the other four) who has won the grand slam of All-Around titles: Olympics, World Championships, European/Continental Championships. …

I remember Elena best from Worlds 1985 Montreal. Even more powerful than Mary Lou Retton.

She was co-champion  with Oksana Omelianchik.  USSR withdrew both Irina Baraksanova and Olga Mostepanova from the AA final, pretending injury, replacing them with Oksana and Elena.

Rest in peace.

via Gymternet Clan

great coach – Mark Williams

Kensley Behel posted a terrific article about Mark Williams and the Sooners.

With 10 gymnasts heading to Nationals it’s very timely.

Oklahoma’s Dynasty and the Man Behind It All

WHO will have the next 3-up, 3-count disaster?

UPDATE – Piibunina points out my error in the post below:

Olympic qualification of teams at the 2019 World Championships takes place during the qualification (CI), not during the team final (CIV). CI is still 5-4-3, so there is no danger of 3 up 3 count disaster.

Original post:

Like Italy did within seconds of the start of the Team Final at Europeans. Their first vaulter slipped. This score counted towards team.

Something similar could happen to any team in this format. Or — even worse — they could have an injury during the competition.

This is one reason teams want to rank in the top 3 at Worlds 2018. That’s automatic team qualification to Olympics 2020. They don’t have to risk 3-up, 3-count disaster at Worlds 2019.