Category: Uncategorized

Love him or hate him, you’ve got to admit Bela is the best “promoter” in our sport.

Many coaches could learn from him.

(AP Photo/Mark Stehle)

Women’s gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi expresses his excitement over the announcement that Philadelphia will host the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in gymnastics, during a news conference in Philadelphia, in this Dec. 12, 2006 file photo. The U.S. women have a gold star from Bela Karolyi to go along with their gold medals from the world gymnastics championships. The famed gymnastics coach says the Americans are fielding their strongest team yet.

ESPN – Gymnastics Photo Wire

press release – PHILADELPHIA TO HOST 2008 U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM TRIALS — GYMNASTICS

My impression is that no other iconic gymnast has had a more troubled life.

The low point was when she was associated with a counterfeiting ring. And charged with shoplifting.

The NY Times reported both those scandals in the same article:

… Ms. Korbut, 46, was accused of shoplifting $19.35 worth of figs, seasoning, tea, cheese and syrup from a supermarket here, near her townhouse northeast of Atlanta. The Secret Service announced this week that it was investigating $30,000 in counterfeit $100 bills found in an abandoned house that she once owned in nearby Duluth, Ga., and whose last occupant apparently was her son. No one has been charged.

…

”I think she’s had a very troubled life,” said Paul Ziert, publisher of International Gymnast magazine.

30 Years of Hard Falls for Olga Korbut, After the Gold and Glory – New York Times

Her manager at the time called it an ”absurd misunderstanding”.

Where is Olga now? She’s lived in the States since 1991, bouncing from place to place.

Divorced, once again in 2007 …

… in Scottsdale, Arizona (USA).

She has developed a program for adults using basic gymnastics warm-up and conditioning exercises.

She also does personal appearances, clinics, and motivational speeches for businesses.

OlgaKorbut.com

I wish Olga well. She’s been an inspiration to millions.

The World’s best Rhythmic Gymnasts compete this coming weekend (Nov 16-18) in the FINAL of the Grand Prix Circuit.

Innsbruck will witness the GP final decisions of 2007 and the handing over of the prize money (EUR 32.000).

Also an international junior competition will be held.

2007 Grand Prix Final in Innsbruck/Austria: Join the best Rhythmic Gymnasts of the World !

Barbara Anne Elliott sent me a link to a new software product of interest to Men’s Artistic coaches and judges. There is a version for FIG. And a second version for USA JO Levels 8, 9 & 10. Each costs $25.

Now that the American Junior Olympic Men’s program has dropped the 10 maximum score (big mistake IMHO), this software helps coaches and judges print out and calculate the value of routines. Here’s a sample print-out:

If you make a single change to the routine, everything is updated automatically.

The site looks good. Unfortunately everything is displayed as FLASH movies so I cannot link to specific pages.

Check it out at – Skills Sheet Creator

If you’ve tried the software (free) leave a comment below to tell others how you like it.

Related:

If you like this, you’ll love the much different and more powerful software developed by Doug Hills: Men’s International Gymnastics Study Guide.

Xiao Qin is the strong favourite to win the Olympics.

… The pommel horse king scored 16.300 points … with a A score of 6.6, highest of the field, beating Krisztian Berki of Hungary by an amazing 0.600.

British Louis Smith, 18, took the bronze in 15.600. …

Beijing 2008

Click PLAY or watch his amazing World’s 2007 Team Finals routine on YouTube.

(via Straight to the Bar)

Karine Simard at the National Circus School in Montreal contacted me about their yearly contest open to:

athletes between 12 and 17 years of age

Canadian citizens

The contest is a promotion for their highly regarded circus arts training programs, secondary and college-level. Things kick off for for those interested in applying with an open house on November 24.

Now is the time for young people to begin preparing for the annual country-wide auditions held in February, which can springboard them into an exciting international career as a circus artist! As well, the School offers them a chance to enter its Student for a Day contest any time before November 30.

Having generated great enthusiasm among talented young people across Canada, the Student for a Day contest is again open to interested in a real-life experience of higher education in circus arts. The winners will be announced in early December during a special broadcast on Musique Plus! Then these lucky chosen ones will attend selected courses in the company of a student from the School.

Entry forms are available on the School’s Internet site and must be submitted before 5 p.m. on November 30, 2007. Contest regulations and entry forms at:
http://www.ecolenationaledecirque.ca.

Further information from info @ enc.qc.ca, or by telephone (toll free) 1-800-267-0859.

I recommend the open house tour. And if you know of a young person interested in the circus arts, forward them the contest details – National Circus School.

More excellent pics just posted on flickr.

A few samples:

source

source

I could study Nastia’s awesome Geinger all day. It’s textbook:

See them all: tmsworkshop’s photosets on Flickr

You’ve seen the fantastic man-made islands in Dubai.

In May, Cirque announced the project was a go:

… Nakheel, the world’s largest privately held developer, is bringing the world famous Cirque du Soleil to Dubai after announcing a major partnership to develop a permanent show on The Palm Jumeirah.

… The two companies have signed an initial 15-year deal with the new show expected to open during the last quarter of 2010. …

“Dubai is one of the fastest growing cities in the world and as with any city experiencing such a rapid growth curve, major cultural and civic facilities are required for a city establishing itself as a global 21st century destination. As the home of more than 30 five star hotels and 14,000 hotel rooms, The Palm Jumeirah was the natural choice to locate Cirque du Soleil and is not only a great coup for Nakheel, but the whole of Dubai.”

Cirque du Soleil Press Room

Now on the official Palm website they’ve posted a video about the project.

Looks like a winner to me. More future jobs for acrobats.

Just received an email from a group in support of granting a wild card spot to Aljaz Pegan on Horizontal Bar for the 2008 Olympics.

Obviously, he should be there.

But because he finished only 2nd on his best event at the last World’s, he did not qualify. You must finish 1st at Worlds to be guaranteed a spot.

Dear gymnastics friends

We are appealing to you to support our application for the Olympic games wild card nomination for Slovenian gymnast Aljaz Pegan.

His first participation at the World Championships reach back to Stutgart in 1989 and since then he has won more than fifty medals at the biggest international competitions. He is the top ranked gymnast on the FIG Ranking List (Horizontal bar). He also has an element, pegan, named after him.

In the last three World Championships he has won one gold and two silver medals,
yet he is denied the participation at the Olympic Games.

The support and demands of Slovenian public regarding his Olympic qualification have reached immense proportion and in this light we are obliged to turn also to international community to extend its help to country with a long-standing gymnastics tradition.

We are appealing to you to support our quest for his participation at the Olympic Games by replying to this email.

Yours faithfully,

Klemen Bedenik, President of Slovenian Gymnastics Federation
Janez Kocijancic, President of Slovenian Olympic Commitee
Miroslav Cerar, President of Slovenian Olympic Academy

GLAS PODPORE :: za Aljaža Pegana (not in English)

FIG has to change regulations so that the stars of the sport can qualify for our showcase event.

FIG made the same mistake in Athens 2004, not qualifying Leszek Blanik from Poland on vault though everyone knew he was one of the top 2 vaulters. (Blanik has qualified for Beijing.)

The real problem, in my opinion, is that we still have too much priority on “team”.

All gymnasts are individual athletes. Summing their scores and awarding medals to the group is living a lie.

That said, I love watching team competition. There is spectator appeal.

In future we need get our superstars on television at the big meet. (As they do in the X Games.) If that means even fewer teams. Or fewer individuals on teams, so be it.

Whatever system leaves Pegan out of the Olympics, has priorities wrong.

I don’t think you or I have any input on this appeal. Leave a comment if there is a way to support this athlete who certainly will one day be in a Hall of Fame.

Simply email the group to show your support of this appeal: admin@pegan.si

I know you NEED more gymnastics t-shirts …

OK, you don’t, … BUT you MIGHT need Christmas presents.

CafePress has over 2000 designs to choose from. A couple of samples:

I love conditioning T : gymnastics : CafePress.com

Gymnast Ringer T : gymnastics : CafePress.com

See them all on CafePress – Gymnastics T-shirts and Gifts

(via I-Heart-Beam on Chalk Bucket)