Category: Olympics

2/3 of Men’s qualification complete

A good meet, overall. I was impressed.

Mostly HIT routines.

MOST of the top apparatus specialists HIT. The finals will be epic.

Weirdly, Yulo took a zero on Vault. He landed on his back. That was right after having a flukey ping on Rings. The grips slipped. I don’t know whether the first fall had any effect on the second.

I was most impressed with Germany today. Despite losing Andreas Toba to injury in podium training, they found a way to put together a qualifying competition. #respect

Spain was terrific too. Turkey and Netherlands, as well.

Some nation is going to finish 13th. A huge disappointment.

China often doesn’t put much importance on the team qualification. But today was about the worst performance I can recall. They might not even make the Team Final 2023.

Kensley is reporting that that Lin Chaopan has flown in from China (Asian Games) and may be substituted in for team final.

We have Italy, Switzerland, Korea, Canada, France and others yet to compete. It’s a dogfight.

Sofus Heggemsnes interview

Great gymnast. And entertainer.

Sofus Heggemsnes represented Norway at the Tokyo Olympics.

This interview followed podium training at Worlds 2023.

Sabrina Voinea at Worlds 2023

After all the troubles with Romania, it would be terrific if Sabrina Voinea could lead this team to a Paris Olympics qualification.

She is a throwback to the great days of Romania. Amazing Floor and Beam.

Her Mom / Coach is Camelia Voinea, who competed internationally between between 1984 and 1988. In 1987 she scored a perfect 10 on Floor at Worlds.  

Men’s World Championships have BEGUN

The main Paris Olympics qualifier.

More than half of the Artistic gymnasts who compete at Paris 2024 will earn their Olympic ticket in Antwerp. …

… men’s Team and Individual qualification on 30 September-1 October, with the women taking the floor for qualification on 1 and 2 October. …

Nine men’s and women’s teams will qualify for Paris 2024 during the qualification round in Antwerp, joining the three teams already qualified in 2022 …

Three of the six 2022 apparatus World champions — Rhys McClenaghan (IRL, Pommel Horse), Adem Asil (TUR, Still Rings), and Artur Davtyan (ARM, Vault) — are returning to Belgium in search of more gold. …

FIG – 14 World titles and Olympic qualification up for grabs at Artistic Worlds in Antwerp

Click PLAY or watch a preview on YouTube.

women’s podium training is DONE

The final flight in the qualifying round will have FRANCE and Mélanie on Floor confirming their qualification to PARIS. At the same time, China will be finishing on Beam. An awesome finish.

I felt there were fewer injuries in podium training this year. Gymnasts healthier on arrival. Better prepared to hit the routines intended.

Watch a montage from WAG day 2 podium on YouTube.

Brazil will medal at Worlds

That’s Spencer’s prediction. And the prediction of many, including me.

IF Flavia and Rebeca are at full strength, I’m thinking Brazil will be 2nd after USA.

GBR with Jessica Gadirova is fantastic, of course, but had major problems on Bars during podium training. To my eyes, Brazil looks better prepared to hit routines.

Also, GBR has already qualified to Paris.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

LIU Yang – age 29

The Tokyo Olympic Rings champion:


On why he keeps doing gymnastics at the age of 29 after winning gold in the Tokyo Olympics:

“I have been thinking about this question frequently. I have been doing gymnastics for the past 24 years. I love gymnastics so much and I think I would really miss it if I decided to retire.

I will do it until the day I can no longer do it.

So age is not a consideration.”

Antwerp Gymnastics 2023

Men’s Worlds PREVIEW

➙ Your annual reminder NOT to read too much into MAG podium training. The guys who mess up in practice often nail that same routine in the qualification round when it counts.

This is the most important Worlds of the quadrennial. What 12 teams will qualify for Paris?

There are perhaps 18 teams with a legitimate chance to make the Olympics. Recall it was Taiwan that qualified for Tokyo last quad. Taiwan didn’t even make Worlds this time around.

In Men’s Gymnastics anything can happen. Pommels. H Bar. Anything.

The facility looks good. Lighting seems consistent throughout.

Inside Gymnastics posted some of the major storylines:

2021 World Champion Zhang Boheng is not here, winning Asian Games last week instead. Defending World and Olympic champ is the clear favourite: Hashimoto Daiki.

China and Japan should certainly be the top 2 teams. I’m liking the (young) USA for the Bronze though GBR has Max Whitlock back on the team.

Of course Russia is still banned. Nikita Nagornyy added to the Canadian Government’s sanctions list this week.

Max Whitlock had every reason to retire with 6 Olympic medals — yet felt driven to return to training. His Pommels is more difficult than ever before. Max did hit the set with form breaks in podium.

Jake Jarman only 😀 showed triple twisting DOUBLE layout on Floor in podium training. I suspect he’ll try the Jarman if he makes the apparatus final.

lighting the torch at Asian Games