Category: history

Nikita kisses Artur’s GOLD

1. Dalaloyan (RUS) 87.598 ***
2. Xiao (CHN) 87.598 ***
3. Nagornyy (RUS) 86.331

Nagornyy told R-Sport that he wanted to win the gold but he is happy with Artur Dalaloyan taking it:

“My most important goal for today was gold in the all-around. It was won by Artur and not by me but we have the gold! ….

Of course, I wanted to prove that we can win. Artur has proved it, I got the third place. Two Russians on the all-around medal podium – I think this hasn’t yet happened before. And I am really proud of what we’ve done today”. …

Andrei Rodionenko said to the media that the Russian MAG team is finally restoring the winners mentality that they used to have during the Soviet times …

gymnovosti

Nagornyy thought hard when asked to whom he dedicated his medal, looking down at the bronze for some time before deciding.

“If I had won the gold, I would have dedicated it to my whole team,” he said. “Instead, I dedicate it to my first coach, Olga Ivanovna Nechepurenko.”

The medals for Dalaloyan and Nagornyy are the first for the Russian men in the All-around since the late Yuri Ryazanov won bronze in 2009 in London (GBR).

FIG

Vasiliki retired … sob

Vasiliki Millousi (Greek: Βασιλική Μιλλούση) is a ten-time World Cup Series medalist on beam and represented Greece at the 2000 , 2012 and 2016 Olympics.

Now age-34, she was the second oldest competitor in Doha.

I feel blessed to have worn our national emblem and to have represented my home-country. I feel blessed to have had the people who guided me from beginning to end. I am full of experiences, sounds, and smiles. …

read more 

We’ll always have her fashion video.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

(via See_Me_Noww)

Canada 4th in qualifications

I’d say Canada hit best of every team at Worlds to finish an historic 4th in team qualification. Congratulations to the entire national team program.

Coming into Worlds 2018 expectations were modest for team Canada.

Crunching the numbers, Spencer had the Canucks ranked about 8th based on scores this year. Rose and Victoria Woo were injured, for example.

On the other hand, Ellie Black — Worlds silver medalist 2017 — has never looked better. Having all her experience in the line-up makes teammates more confident. Ellie’s improved like Simone. Her so-called bad apparatus is now excellent.

Without Bela Onyshko, Brooklyn Moors is now the second all-arounder. A happy surprise at Worlds last year, she’s now a fan favourite for her artistry.

Ellie and Brooklyn both qualified to the AA final.

Brittany Rogers is maybe, possibly finally retired. So this time it was Shallon Olsen flying in from Alabama to help her team qualify for Worlds 2019. Recall Brittany did the same in the past, flying up from Georgia to compete Elite. We’re so thankful those Universities support their Olympians this way.

An Olympic Vault finalist in Rio, Shallon’s even better now. With a catlike ability to land on her feet, Shallon not only upgraded to Cheng. But also competed it first vault (for team score) rather than doing the safer YDT first. Both Ellie and Shallon qualified to the Vault final.

Many have been waiting for the wonderful Junior Ana Padurariu to finally become a senior. She’s here. See her in the Beam final with Ellie. Ana was injured earlier in the season and is still only competing Bars and Beam. Ana’s coached by 1980 Olympic Champ Elena Davidova.

And we have to give a big shout out to Sophie Marois who was training as the non-competing alternate. Until her club teammate Laurie Denommée had an ankle injury in the days prior to competition. Sophie stepped in and did a fantastic job leading off on Floor and Vault.

It was a lot of fun cheering that performance.

The team competition should be epic. Anything can happen in 3-up, 3-count. 🙂

 

Simone’s world

If you somehow missed yesterday’s incredible competition, catch up. It was one of the most dominating performances in the history of sport.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

JUST THE GOOD STUFF: WOMEN’S QUALIFICATION DAY 1

USA, Biles catapult to top of Doha Worlds qualification

USA, Biles ahead by miles

U.S. leaps into the lead as women’s competition begins in Doha

the BILES on Vault

#official

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

We should stage a showdown: Simone v Eddie Penev v Dom Cunningham. 😀 Who else can do this vault?

Table at 130cm.

the GREAT Akinori Nakayama

The kids at Altadore Gym Club 50 years ago all had Gymnastics heroes. We learned about them from IG magazine and American TV broadcasts.

Mine was Nakayama.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Worlds opening Press Conference

FIG makes history hosting Worlds in the Middle East

FIG President Watanabe thanked Ali Al Hitmi, Chief Executive Officer of the Local Organising Committee, for his courage in hosting such an important event.

Actually, the media event started off with a laugh. Watanabe had arrived in Doha just in time. But security wouldn’t let him into the venue. They insisted he go get his credential first.

All agreed strict security is a good thing.

Watanabe spoke in English. He thanked media for coming to Qatar.

He first visited for Asian Games 2006. At that time our sport was not much developed. Watanabe considers it a miracle that only 12 years later the sport has come so far. Qatar has 3 competitors (2 MAG, 1 WAG).

I’ve been to the Gym here several times over the years. Ali Al Hitmi deserves much of the credit.

Aside from sport, I’m optimistic that bringing the world to Qatar will help advance the cause of human rights.

Svetlana Boginskaya unveiled the Worlds medals. In fact, Al Hitmi put a gold medal around her neck. She liked it. Very heavy!

Nina – favourite Bar routine all-time?

I loved Nastia’s 10 skill routines for variety. But I might rank Nina’s 8 skill routine as even better.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

The third routine that jumps to mind is Beth Tweddle’s 2010 World Championships set.

Nina Derwael is European champion 2017, 2018. And 2017 Worlds Bronze medalist.

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.