Essential equipment for high level Gymnastics.
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Category: safety
In praise of gymnast Manila Esposito
Tony Retrosi has worked with Manila for 10 years as a guest coach.
He knows the Gymnastics superstar very well.
Tony wants people to know just how hard she’s worked:
The True Measure of a Gymnast: More Than Looks
- Silver in TEAM at the 2024 Olympic Games
- Bronze on BEAM at the 2024 Olympic Games
- two-time European all-around champion (2024, 2025)
- European Beam and Floor champion 2024
Before this controversy erupted online, I watched Manila win Floor — second on Beam — at European Championships 2026 in Zagreb last week. Against Russians.
She was the gymnast who impressed me most.
At Men’s Europeans, it was AA champ Illia Kovtun who impressed me most.
With both these superstars, I can’t understand how and why they are so good. So consistent in competition.
Manila is very difficult for a judge to deduct. Her movements so fluid. On Beam she shares that kind of quality with Sanne Wevers & others of the Dutch system.
8 Aug 2026 – International Safe Sport Day
In 2026 some right wing politicians are protecting those who sexually abuse children, voting against safety bills or online privacy laws.
For example, Elon Musk’s Grok was used to generate non-consensual sexualized images and deepfakes of minors. Musk’s company, xAI, filed a lawsuit attempting to block a Minnesota law designed to penalize the creation and sharing of nonconsensual sexual imagery, including deepfakes of minors.
(FIG) World Gymnastics is proud to join the International Safeguards for Children in Sport network by taking the Safe Sport pledge and promoting safeguarding across all our disciplines. …
Safeguarding Roadmap 2028
Today, we are pleased to share our Safeguarding Roadmap 2028, developed with input from athletes, coaches, National Federations (NFs) and experts, and endorsed by the WGYM Safeguarding Commission and leadership. …
- Governance & Regulatory: Establish an up-to-date, comprehensive and binding safeguarding policy framework for WGYM & NFs, with clear standards and accountability mechanisms.
- Prevention & Education: Build a structured, scalable education ecosystem that equips athletes, coaches, NF officials and Safeguarding Leads with the knowledge and tools to prevent harm and respond appropriately.
- Safeguarding Network: Establish and sustain a global network of Safeguarding Leads, covering all regions and the majority of NFs, each trained to serve as WGYM’s safeguarding partner at the national level.
- Strategic Communication: Enhance safeguarding visibility – both internally and externally – and make WGYM a trusted and credible benchmark for safeguarding in sport.
SAFEGUARDING NEWSLETTER – N° 01 – August 2026
I had input myself on this roadmap. The consultation process seemed to work well — and was surprisingly rapid. World Gymnastics has definitely put a lot of work into the initiative.
That said — children are not yet as well protected in sport as they should be.
Safeguarding is a work in progress.
William Émard’s H Bar adventures
Broken grip. Crazy flying fall.
Sprint through the arena to find his back-up grips.
THEN having to compete as the final competitor at the Commonwealth Games. Here’s how it went …
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best Gymnastics folding mats
more uses for the Tumbl Trak T-Trainer
Canada wins Men’s Commonwealth Games
- Canada 241.400
- England 238.250
- Australia 235.650
The Canucks sent 4 of their top seniors along with rookie Ethan Ikeda, son of famed National team legend Richard Ikeda.
Ethan did the AA for experience alongside Felix and William.
Félix Dolci was the top AA qualifier. New Drăgulescu Vault. A good result considering he took a long break this year in a reality TV show.
Sadly, Gabriel Langton (ENG) was taken out on a stretcher after a fall on H Bar. He was the last minute replacement for Max Whitlock.
Read Lauren’s LIVE blog.
Double Mini Transition Mat
An excellent piece of equipment if you train Double Mini Tramp in your Gym
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Gymnastics Spotting Checklist
First ➙ are there alternatives to hand spotting? (eg. Throw mat)
Gymnasts will be more confident in their own ability when learning skills with a minimum of spotting.
Next …
UNDERSTAND THE SKILL
BEFORE YOU TEACH THE SKILL
Are you spotting for orientation? Or to help the gymnast complete the skill?
If you must hand spot, here’s a checklist from an older Canadian National Coaching Certification Course:
- GYMNAST PHYSICALLY, PSYCHOLOGICALLY, AND TECHNICALLY “READY?”
- INDIVIDUAL PHASES OF SKILL BEFORE WHOLE SKILL
- Safe landing is the most important phase for the spotter
- ANTICIPATE “NORMAL” ERRORS (eg. Under-rotation)
- Spot “just enough” and steadily reduce the amount of spot
- CONTACT EARLY AND “FOLLOW THROUGH”
- SUPPORT HAND AND ROTATION HAND
- USE GOOD EQUIPMENT (BLOCKS, BELTS, ETC.)
- USE SAFE SPOTTING PLATFORMS (eg. Uneven Bars, P. Bars, etc)
on ‘sexualizing’ camera angles
The European Broadcasting Union partnered with European Athletics to release new guidance for women’s athletics coverage, with broadcasters urged to focus on performance and technical ability.
The guidelines warn against lingering shots of athletes’ bodies, low camera angles that capture revealing views, and slow-motion replays that offer little technical or storytelling value. …
New women’s athletics guidelines crack down on ‘sexualizing’ camera angles
Gymnastics Coaching.com 