Category: Olympics

Watanabe interview with the IOC

Our FIG President went online for an hour-long interview, discussing his campaign to be the next President of the International Olympic Committee in a forum arranged by the International Sports Journalists Association (AIPS).

● “The purpose of the Olympic Games is for as many people as possible to understand Olympism. And to contribute to the development of sports and peace. So, if we will organize this five-continent Olympic Games, we will get many benefits.”

● “For the athlete, each sport will take place in one of the five countries that offers the best climate and facilities for that sport. For the host countries, each country will host 10 sports, greatly reducing the financial burden.”

● “For marketing and the TV rights, there will be 24 hours coverage and more sponsorship potential. And new sources of continental sponsorship.” …

“In judging sports, we must be more fair. In reality, we have a problem, not just in gymnastics, and in many other sports. That’s why I started [pushing] for the AI judging system.

We need technology, so I think we will see – in this year – in the world championships in gymnastics in Jakarta [INA], we can see with the judging – AI – how is judging in that [way].

“We need more transparent [judging], we need more, better judging.”

Sports Examiner – INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: Presidential candidate Watanabe stresses innovative 5-continent Olympics, AI in gymnastics judging

Harry Hepworth & Luke Whitehouse

At the 2024 Paris Olympic Games Harry Hepworth and Luke Whitehouse represented Team GB in the men’s artistic gymnastics event. 🇬🇧

Harry made history by becoming the first British athlete to ever win an Olympic medal on the vault. 🥉

Luke performed an incredible routine which included a triple back somersault in the Olympic floor final and narrowly missed out on the podium …

The Leeds gymnastics club have now produced five Olympians and have a long rich history in the sport of gymnastics. 🤸🏼

Harry was a late starter, being very inflexible in the hips.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. (9 min 30 sec)

There’s a longer edit of this mini-documentary here.

Rebeca – Yurchenko Triple Twist?

One goal that remains for the 2022 world all-around winner is competing the unprecedented Yurchenko triple twist vault, which would have been named the Andrade if she had performed it in Paris.

The Olympic champion revealed that she is still training the skill and might debut it.

“I really wish I could have presented it last year because I was feeling well, but I hurt my shoulder [before the Games]. It worked out fine in the end because I got my medals, thank God,” she joked. …

Olympics.com

FIG Women’s Code changes

What’s changing in the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Code of Points in the 2025-2028 Olympic cycle?

The short answer is not much, and for FIG Women’s Technical Committee President Donatella Sacchi (ITA) that is for the good of the sport. “Not making critical changes provides opportunities for gymnasts to stay active longer,” she says. “This approach provides stability.”

Rhythmic judge banned – Evangelia Trikomiti

I’d stopped paying much attention to Rhythmic over the years due to blatant corruption.

But it seemed that Discipline had cleaned up their system, somewhat.

… Perhaps not.

A Cypriot rhythmic gymnastics judge has been banned for four years for manipulating scores to help her compatriot qualify for the Paris Olympics.

The Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) found that judge Evangelia Trikomiti altered the scores at the European Championships to ensure Vera Tugolukova clinched the final European qualifying spot for the Olympics. …

European Gymnastics said it would consult with lawyers before considering an appeal.

The Cyprus Gymnastics Federation said it would “thoroughly review” the ruling.

BBC – Judge banned for helping compatriot reach Olympics

Viktoria Listunova to compete in Italy

Viktoria Listunova is an Olympic gold medalist in team with Russia at the Tokyo Olympics. And the 2021 European Champion.

On 18 March, 2022, Listunova participated in the Moscow rally in support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. And was banned from international FIG competition.

But she can compete in non-FIG competitions.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Morinari Watanabe – candidate for IOC President

Morinari Watanabe has visited 162 Gymnastics nations over his years as FIG President.

He’s one of 7 candidates for International Olympic Committee President.

Read his presentation in front of voters.

MW_IOC_presentationDownload

video analysis slowly, SLOWLY replacing judges

Obviously, video and analysis by computer is better than humans at calling balls and strikes in Baseball.

Video analysis is better than a human line judge in Tennis.

And I’d argue that FIG Trampoline competitions are more fair for the electronic analysis used supplementing human judges.

BUT progress has been too slow.

There might always be a role for human judges in Artistic sports.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. (April 2004)

Li-Ning – Chinese apparel for 2025-28

After 16 years with Anta as the official sports apparel partner for the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC), the company founded by legendary gymnast Li Ning is again providing uniforms through the L.A. Olympics.

Li-Ning named COC apparel partner for 2025-28

Both companies do bigger revenue than Nike and Adidas.





Wolfgang Hambüchen interview

Like everyone, I was a huge fan of Olympic Champion Fabian Hambüchen.

Three Olympics. Three medals on H Bar.

Father / Coach Wolfgang tells that his son was VERY inflexible in the hips when he started. But loved our sport.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.