Category: Olympics

Russia will appeal the Olympic ban

Russia has been kicked out of international events for four years, with no official team, officials, flag or anthem allowed at Olympics, Paralympics and World Championships. It is a ban on a Russian identity at these events. Nor can they host.

Russia, meanwhile, is set to appeal via the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas), and has portrayed the sanction as excessive, unfair and politically motivated.

BBC

Putin loves sport. There’s overwhelming evidence of top-down government sponsored doping in Russia, though not in the Gymnastics sports.

Russia was afforded every opportunity to get its house in order and re-join the global anti-doping community for the good of its athletes and of the integrity of sport, but it chose instead to continue in its stance of deception and denial.

Around the Rings

The WADA Executive Committee unanimously endorsed the ban. I think it should and will stick.

Asia D’Amato training Cheng

This looks great.

Italy’s team podium finish at Worlds was no fluke. They are a serious contender for Tokyo 2020.

Click PLAY or watch it on Twitter.

Team Italy training in China.

Winter Youth Olympic Games – Switzerland

Coming soon.

Canada has a National Training Centre

Gymnastics Canada and the Institut national du sport du Québec (INS Québec) are pleased to announce a partnership confirming the establishment of a national training centre at the INS Québec Complex for artistic gymnastics and trampoline gymnastics.

The INS Québec also becomes the primary site for Olympic preparation for Tokyo (2020) and Paris (2024) Olympic Games for artistic gymnastics.

“We are so excited to have the INS Québec as our national training centre,” said two-time Olympian Ellie Black from the women’s artistic gymnastics national team. …

The facility has so much to offer other than a great gymnastics area. They have a workout gym downstairs and many recovery tools such as the hot/cold tubs that will be so beneficial at keeping our bodies healthy. All of this will help keep our team motivated, excited, and supported on our journey to Tokyo 2020 and beyond.”

Read more on GymCan.org

interview – Kohei’s coach Hiro Sato

After winning the 2016 Olympics, Kohei phoned his old teammate Hiroaki Sato who was coaching in Australia.

He convinced Hiro to return to Japan and become his personal coach.

Since he was training alone, Kohei was looking for someone to help and motivate, but not be too pushy. In fact, Hiro began training and conditioning alongside Kohei.

Kohei, who turns age-31 in January, currently trains 9 times a week over 5 days. Has two BIG conditioning days at the beginning and end of the week.

Though the G.O.A.T. has said he’s not sure he can qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, Hiro is planning on it. The goal and timeline for achieving that goal laid out.

Dave Tilley posted the lengthy interview which I found very interesting. Hiro is a young coach, keen and very open-minded to advice which he could take to Uchimura for consideration. For example, recovery between Floor and Pommels during competition.

Hiro’s mentors include Scherbo’s coach Sergei Chinkar, now retired. And the late, great Takashi Kobayashi who died in 2018 — far too young — of stomach cancer.

Listen now. 

Simone’s post-Olympics Tour

The Olympic and world champion is headlining a tour in the fall of 2020 that will be a mixture of sports and entertainment intended to inspire the next generation of female athletes.

The “Gold Over America” tour will visit more than 35 cities …

The women-only roster will reunite Biles with longtime friend Katelyn Ohashi. …

The plan is to utilize giant video screens, pyrotechnics and an in-house DJ.

“We want this to be completely different,” Biles said. “There will be dancing. Hopefully trampoline. Something people have never seen before.” …

USA Gymnastics typically coordinates a post-Olympic tour of its own, though there are no plans for one in 2020.

NBC Sports

Simone the biggest star in Tokyo?

At this point I’m thinking Simone will be the biggest name at the Tokyo Olympics.

Gymnastics should get a bigger Olympic bump in publicity worldwide than ever before.
#marketing

we want Acrobatic Gymnastics in the Olympics

My favourite of the FIG disciplines is Acrobatic Gymnastics.

It’s the ultimate test of what the human body can do without apparatus.

Lourenco Franca started a petition asking FIG and National Sports Governing Bodies to do more to promote the growing sport. Ultimately, to be showcased in the Olympics.

Needless to say, the IOC has dozens of sports wanting to be added. It would require a major change in order to get Acro added. Perhaps Summer Olympics every 2 years — with half the sports at each.

I did sign the petition myself though I find it a bit too harshly worded. FIG has done good work developing the Age Group Acrobatic Gymnastics coaching program with competition rules.

Click through if you’d like to sign it too:

Open letter to FIG from Acrobatics community

Click PLAY or watch men’s group (four) on YouTube.