Akash Modi interview

Former NCAA Champion and 2017 Nissen-Emery Award winner Akash Modi will be competing at the Stuttgart World Cup.

Good luck.

Here’s a recent interview.

GBC – What gym did you attend during your JO & Elite years and who were your coaches?

AM – I went to Monmouth Gymnastics Academy for my JO career from the age of 6 to 18, after which I moved to Stanford University where I’ve been for the last 4.5 years. My coach back at MGA was Yuriy Aminov, and my coaches here at Stanford are Thom Glielmi, Karl Ziehn, and Syque Caesar. …

BC – Did you find it difficult to train your Elite routines while still competing at the collegiate level?

AM – Not at all! In fact, competing in collegiate competition allowed me to experiment with new skills and routines that I would have been hesitant to do in higher pressure Elite level meets. Having a competition nearly every weekend during the collegiate season helped me gain confidence in my routines and my ability to compete well …

GBC – What goals do you have leading up to 2020?

AM – My personal goals are to improve my execution and the look of my gymnastics to be competitive with the top guys in the world. My team goals are to make the World Championships teams for 2018 and 2019 and bring back a team medal for the US. …

GBC – Who is your gymnastics idol?

AM – Raj Bhavsar

Gym Blog Central

One reason I try to avoid watching millionaire sportsmen on TV is that guys like Modi are training even harder yet have trouble meeting their monthly bills.

You can support Akash on this site:

Sponsor.me/akashmodi

climber Margo Hayes

Margo Hayes is an American professional rock climber from Boulder, Colorado.

She is known for being the first woman to climb a route graded 9a+ (5.15a) (La Rambla, in Siurana, Spain). …

Click PLAY or watch her on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GEVoQXpc4A

Margo was a gymnast who trained at Boulder’s CATS Gymnastics.

She’s hoping to qualify for the 2020 Olympics which will include a rock climbing event.

extreme Curling

Every 4 years the general public hears something about Curling. Usually it’s the pants worn by Norwegians.

But here’s one attempt to make the unfamiliar sport more exciting and interesting.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. 😀

Hamm, Liukin, Raducan to IG Hall of Fame

Olympic Champions all. 😊

Paul Hamm and fellow American Nastia Liukin will be inducted along with Romanian Andreea Raducan.

Alexei Nemov entered the Hall of Fame last year, but could not travel at the last minute. He plans come this year, however. …

International Gymnast Magazine

Olympic AA Champions montage

A montage.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-zLbOdkzSc

Yelena Shushunova – history

UPDATE – Tom points out that Lilia Podkopayeva also won AA at worlds (1995), Olympics (1996), and European champs (1996).

Yelena Shushunova (Elena Shushunova) … born 23 April 1969 … is a Russian (former Soviet) gymnast, World, European, and Olympic Champion. Shushunova is one of only two women (Ludmilla Tourischeva being the other) who has won the grand slam of All-Around titles: Olympics, World Championships, European/Continental Championships.

Height 1.47 m (4 ft 10 in)
Weight 41 kg (90 lb)

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2bKbe45_CQ

Shushunova currently lives in her hometown of Saint Petersburg.

In 2005, she was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

Lilia Podkopayeva – history

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qwd5ODQVAXY

2020 Olympic mascots

The designs were chosen after a vote involving thousands of Japanese school children. …

The two are yet to be named.

https://twitter.com/olympicchannel/status/968773397793648643

Andreea Răducan montage

Our 2000 Olympic Champion*.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGcjey4RJws

related – Currently the Romanian President, she’s cut off funding to Drăgulescu who was out of the country filming a TV show.

triple layout with 4 twists

Interesting arm action.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch what happened in the Olympic final on Twitter.

Olivier Rochon completed the most difficult skill in Korea, but did not land it cleanly enough to medal. He finished 5th.

Thanks Matt.