Category: history

Kyle Shewfelt interview

Always entertaining and inspiring, click through to the podcast to hear the 2004 Olympic Floor Champ.

Hana Říčná and her kids

Hana, David and Sandra were, where else, at home for Mother’s Day.

FIG posted an interview. David is graduating from Stanford. His sister Sandra is headed to The Farm.

Click PLAY or watch it on Facebook.

QUIZ – Do you know what the Říčná Salto is on Bars?

Hana Říčná … represented Czechoslovakia at the 1988 Summer Olympics, finishing seventh in the team final and 29th in the all-around final. She won two medals at the World Championships, a silver on beam in 1983 and a bronze on the uneven bars in 1985. She also won a silver medal on beam at the 1985 European Championships.

Říčná moved to the United States in 1994 and is the head coach at Rise Gymnastics in Coventry, Rhode Island. Her son, David Jessen, is an elite gymnast who represented the Czech Republic at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Olga Mostepanova 1985 Floor

Worlds 1985 in Montreal. That Soviet team was magnificent. Olga so artistic.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

combinations only ever competed by Simone

Click PLAY or watch it on Twitter.

Canadian Gymnastics HISTORY QUIZ

Dave Kukuchi put together a quiz.

How tough could it be?  I’ve been following Canadian Gymnastics for decades. 

My score … 50/99.  (Did I miss a question?) No cheating.

See if you can beat me.

Click through to try the 100 question quiz here.

Jury Chechi at age-50

Jury Chechi, the original Lord of the Rings, won in Atlanta 1996 and was third at Athens 2004 at age 35.

He was Italian opening ceremony flagbearer at the Athens Games.

Click PLAY or watch it on Facebook.

 

 

 

Mattie Larson interview

Mattie is out in the real world, an emergency dental assistant right now during COVID-19.

From L.A., coached by Galina Marinova, they did a lot of ballet in club. Galina was strict about form and line.

Mattie competed for UCLA 2012 and 2013.

Click PLAY or watch a fun interview with Dave Lease on YouTube.

Kyle Shewfelt book delayed until 2021

The 2004 Olympic Floor Champion is a fan favourite. And a very popular public speaker.

MAKE IT HAPPEN: My Story of Gymnastics, the Olympics, and the Positive Power of Sport.

Kyle worked with Blythe Lawrence on the new book but,  with everything that’s happening now, decided to delay publication until Spring 2021.

If you just can’t wait, Kyle will be reading a chapter a day on his Instagram Live during the month of May.

Click PLAY or watch an artistic Artistic Gymnastics routine on YouTube.

Ellie Black – new interview

Ellie wants to get back in the Gym.
Her ankle is recovered. A year’s Olympic day delay neither a plus nor a negative for her personally. Another bump in the road.

Click PLAY or watch a new interview via Twitter.