Category: history

Gymnastics USA – “explosion of diversity”

Team USA:

Penny said his federation does not chart participation demographically, but his intuition and that of federation Chief Operating Officer Ron Galimore from watching events at all age levels since the 2012 Olympics suggests an “explosion of diversity.”

Such a change has been slow coming to the elite level of a sport where public tumbling programs, often free or very inexpensive, give way to private clubs for top-level training, which is costly. …

Simone Biles And Gabby Douglas Are Latest And Greatest Heroes In A Storied History Of African-American Gymnasts

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - OCTOBER 29: Simone Biles of USA and Gabrielle Douglas of USA celebrate after the All-Around Final on day seven of the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships at The SSE Hydro on October 29, 2015 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – OCTOBER 29: Simone Biles of USA and Gabrielle Douglas of USA celebrate after the All-Around Final on day seven of the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships at The SSE Hydro on October 29, 2015 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

via David Holcomb

related – GymCastic 189: Blinded by the Swag 2016 American Cup:

The Under Armour gymnastics commercial featuring an all white team: We know Aly, Gabby and Simone can’t do the commercial because they are signed to other contracts! We are talking about the lack of diversity! Gymnastics isn’t dominated by white girls!

Nadia Comaneci – Montreal

A documentary reflecting on Nadia’s success at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. (27min)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmi4QGiE8Ww

cigarette cards – Gymnastic Exercises

W. Duke Sons & Co. brand cigarettes included a set of 25 collectible cards in 1887 to promote fitness. You can find them easily on Pinterest.

gymnast Rings

when cigarettes promoted fitness

In 1887, Wills were one of the first UK tobacco companies to include advertising cards in their packs of cigarettes …

This set seems to have been included with your fags ’round about 1914.

Wills Gymnastics

You can buy a book of WILLS Physical Culture Cigarette Cards for $14.79.

Jotchev, Lysenko, Korobchinsky, Dobre

International Gymnast Magazine Hall of Fame 2016 inductees.

UCLA’s Miss Val

TUANH DAM posted an excellent retrospective on the head coach of UCLA who has won 6 NCAA team championships since 1997.

Gymnastics coach Valorie Kondos Field shapes more than just routines

Miss Val

Zou Kai is back

Though he’s not competed since 2014, the veteran is listed to compete the Doha World Cup.

zou-kai

With a total of five gold medals and one bronze, Zou currently holds the record for most Olympic gold medals won by any Chinese athlete in Olympic history, and is tied for the record of most medals won overall. …

Zou Kai, a Sichuan native, auctioned off one of his Olympic gold medals in 2008, donating all proceeds to fund relief efforts in the aftermath of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.

Thanks Ono.

new Nadia book

10.0: The Nadia Comaneci Story

February 24, 2016 by Ellen Aim (Author)

Growing up in Romania, Nadia Comaneci was just a five-year-old kid who performed cartwheels for fun. Nine years later, she tumbled her way into the history books when she became the first gymnast to earn a 10.0 at the Olympics. …

Amazon

Nadia

via Gymnastics – A Golden Era

Moreno & Lago to Olympic Test Meet

…  21-year-old Alexa Moreno and 20-year-old Ana Lago proved to be the two strongest gymnasts in the country and were thus chosen for the two available spots at the Olympic Test Event in Rio this April. Moreno placed first in the competition with a 53.2 while Lago was close behind with a 52.825. …

Gymternet

The fantastic Elsa García was not selected. At age-26, she’s considering her future.

Hopefully Elsa will stay on for the next quadrennial. I’m certain the Mexican team could use her leadership.