Category: snow and ice

IOC defends China

Personally, I criticize the IOC for being gutless — taking no stance on the lack of human rights in totalitarian dictatorship China.

At the same time, I praise the athletes and coaches — including those from China and ROC.

It’s the same situation where we support troops while criticizing the politicians who put them in danger.

Bach’s weak argument:

The Olympic mission is clear, he said: “Always building bridges, never erecting walls.” …

Canadian Press – In Beijing, Olympic ideals coexist with authoritarian rule

Winter Olympic sports are COOL 🏂

Yes the IOC is gutless.

Yes the IOC is happy to stay silent while taking Chinese money.

BUT the athletes are truly inspiring. And many of those little seen sports are cool.

I’m really happy there was no boycott of athletes.

Click PLAY or watch a Canadian montage on YouTube.

Apolo Ohno on mental training

Apolo Ohno is an American retired short track speed skating competitor and an eight-time medalist (two gold, two silver, four bronze) in the Winter Olympics.

He notes that he was never one of the most physically, genetically gifted for the craziest of winter sports. Mental training was his edge.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Mikaël Kingsbury dominates Moguls

Mikaël Kingsbury (born July 24, 1992) is a Canadian freestyle skier and the most accomplished mogul skier of all time. …

He will defend his Olympic title in Beijing.

Watch highlights on YouTube.

Shaun White’s 5th Olympics?

Legend in two sports.

The defending champion has still not been named to the U.S. team for Beijing.

Watch it on YouTube.

sport ethics – Brittany Bowe

It was an incredible gesture of friendship – when speed skater Erin Jackson unexpectedly failed to qualify for next month’s Winter Olympics, team-mate Brittany Bowe stepped in to rescue her long-time friend’s Beijing dreams.

Jackson, the world’s number-one ranked 500m speed skater, unexpectedly failed to make the US team after she slipped and finished third in Friday’s event at the Olympic trials in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

So Bowe, who specialises in longer-distance races but had finished first in 500m qualifying, graciously decided to give up her spot. …

BBC

Olympic Snowboard champ on aerial awareness

Former gymnast Anna Gasser talks about Simone Biles and her biggest fear while snowboarding.

Watch it on YouTube.

Winter Olympics Beijing

Olympics are scheduled 4 to 20 February 2022, in Beijing and towns in the neighboring Hebei province.

The IOC will be happy to have concluded the Tokyo Olympics as well as they did. It could have gone worse.

They know, at least, China is competent at running major events safely — while at the same time deploring their human rights record.

Click PLAY or watch a highlight from 2018 on Twitter.

on ‘Barani confusion’

An experienced coach must first FIRST decide whether a young gymnast should do aerial twists to the right or to the left.

A large number of tests will eventually reveal a preference.

Young gymnasts are rarely confused on backward salto twisting. But many suffer Barani confusion when learning forward salto twists. Especially those who related the Barani to a roundoff in the air.

David Morris explains why at the beginning of this tutorial.

Click PLAY or watch it on Facebook.

Thanks Andrew.