Category: Olympics

Petro PAKHNIUK is a fantastic gymnast

With Oleg and Petro healthy, Ukraine could again be an Olympic medal contender in 2020.

GymCastic: Why don’t we talk about him more as an AA medal challenger?

Click PLAY or watch his Euros 2019 P Bars on YouTube.

Unfortunately he missed in the 2019 Worlds P Bar final.

improving World Championships

Most people agree on these points:

  • Worlds should be shorter
  • Worlds should be less expensive
  • Worlds should not showcase dangerous skills from gymnasts not at the expected level of competition
  • Smaller, poorer nations should have a chance to compete against China
In 2019 we had medalists from Croatia, Ireland and Philippines, for example. We don’t want to reduce the chances of a future Carlos ‘Caloy’ Yulo having a chance to rise to medal contender.

 

I’m OK with lower level gymnasts competing Worlds so long as their routines are not dangerous. Recall Sri Lanka’s appearance at Worlds 2003? The audience loved them. Their routines were very basic.

 

In 2019 Milka Gehani just might qualify for the Tokyo Olympics through the tripartite rule. Worlds 2003 was a step on the long road to Tokyo.

 

Click PLAY or watch her Beam on YouTube.

To shorten Worlds I’d first cut the Team competition. It would be decided through the qualification round.

IOC and FIG have broad missions. Handing medals to the best of the best is one objective amongst many. Developing sport in Sri Lanka is another.

PROPOSAL – Elite Worlds 

In Canada we have always had two major competitions each year:

  1. Nationals (regional representation, regional development, etc.)
  2. Elite Canada

At Elite Canada only the best of the best qualify. We might have 12 gymnasts from Ontario and only 1 from Nova Scotia, for example.

I’d love to see an FIG sponsored Elite Worlds. Cash prizes. 15 American gymnasts competing Floor, for example.

 

Hurd, Yile, Melnikova documentary – part 3

If you haven’t seen this already on The Olympic Channel, posted before Stuttgart, here’s an improved edit.

Both Chen Yile and Angelina Melnikova had success at Worlds, but Morgan didn’t make the U.S. team.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Mihai finishes Australia in November

Gymnastics Australia and Women’s Artistic Gymnastics National Coach, Mihai Brestyan have mutually agreed to finish Brestyan’s contract in November after two-and-a-half years working together.

The decision was reached following the recent World Artistic Championships in Stuttgart, where Australia’s Women’s Artistic Team narrowly missed Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualification. …

Gymnastics Australia

FIG names more Olympic qualifiers

OKSANA CHUSOVITINA is invited to Tokyo. Her 8th Olympics. She’s age-44.

Marian DRAGULESCU too, at age-38.

Added after the apparatus finals today:

1 YEO Seojeong KOR
2 DEREK Ana  CRO
3 ROOSKRANTZ Caitlin RSA
4 ADLERTEG Jonna  SWE 
5 JANIK Gabriela POL
6 CASTRO Simona CHI
7 RAZ Lihie  ISR
8 ERICHSEN Julie  NOR
9 ORREGO Ariana PER
10 CHUSOVITINA Oksana UZB 
11 TING Hua-Tien TPE
12 NEKRASOVA Marina AZE
13 TAN Sze En SGP

1 DOLGOPYAT Artem ISR
2 MCCLENAGHAN Rhys IRL
3 TOMMASONE Cyril FRA
4 COLAK Ibrahim TUR
5 LODADIO Marco ITA
6 AIT SAID Samir FRA
7 DRAGULESCU Marian ROU
8 LE Thanh Tung VIE
9 SHEK Wai Hung HKG
10 ONDER Ahmet TUR
11 SRBIC Tin CRO
12 BULL Tyson AUS
13 COURNOYER Rene CAN
14 ABDURAKHIMOV Rasuljon UZB
15 GEORGIOU Marios CYP
16 TIKHONOV Ivan AZE
17 RUMBUTIS David SWE
18 LIKHOVITSKIY Andrey BLR
19 HEGGEMSNES Sofus NOR

There will be more to come through the World Cup series.

Details.

Oksana in Rio

Hey – CROOKED Vault landing mat

Men’s team competition 2019 Worlds. Hopefully the Speith guys, judges or coaches will CHECK for the MAG Final.

related – Spieth is one of the providers for Tokyo. Another is Senoh. They’ll be no change from Spieth equipment used here through to Tokyo.

Sam Mikulak on finishing 4th

Coaches need show this interview to their gymnasts.

Champions need to know how to win and lose with class.

I like Ellie Black in the same way — win or lose she’s the same.

Click PLAY or watch it on Twitter.

personal best for Joe Fraser

Over the moon. 

I’d say he’s a lock for the GBR Olympic team.

Click PLAY or watch it on Twitter.

Jade Barbosa ACL injury on Vault

Rebeca Andrade suffered another ACL injury in June. It’s been a devastating year of injuries for Brazil.

Double Olympian Jade Barbosa has been diagnosed with an ACL tear … double twisting Yurchenko …

Brasil has missed the chance to qualify as a full team for Tokyo Olympics. Since her ACL tear would likely take from six to eight months recovery …

Teammate Flavia Saraiva secured her Olympic spot by qualifying to this Worlds’ all around final in 10th place. …

wogymnast

Jade tied with Ferrari for the Bronze AA medal in this same Stuttgart arena in 2007.

passion in Men’s Gymnastics

These guys train years. Suffer much. All for the chance to try for Olympic qualification.

Here’s team Italy cheering Carlo Macchini’s H Bar routine in the qualification round.

Click PLAY or watch it on Twitter.