Team New Zealand

Avril Enslow:

The NZL WAG team competed in the 2nd to last subdivision on Monday night (in Nanning) …

New Zealand in Nanning

… then flew home and arrived Wednesday, trained Thursday and competed Friday and Saturday at the NZL National Championships.

signing autographs
signing autographs

Aerobics, Artistic Gymnastics, Power Tumbling, Rhythmic Gymnastics and Trampoline competed same time, same venue.

Gymsports

results

Arabian full-out to Rudi

Many of the Worlds competitors are on some sort of break. Not Uchimura. He flew home after the banquet and competed all-around.

Not Diego Hypolito.

This guy is mad motivated. What would he need for a medal in Rio?

Something like this new combo.

via Nico on GymFever2012

World Champions 2014

Apparatus Finals.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Thanks once again to the excellent FIG media team. Like everyone else in Nanning they were frustrated by the Great Firewall of China. But found ways to make it work.

105th annual Gymnastics Exhibition

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Nearly 100 student gymnasts and dancers will participate in one of the oldest traditions on the Springfield College campus. The college will host its 105th Gymnastics Exhibition Show, “Motion and Film,” in two performances Friday, October 17 and Saturday, October 18th ..

Stephen Posner, men’s gymnastics coach at Springfield College, said those who see the show are in for a treat. …

Springfield

Springfield College Gymnastics show upholds century-old tradition

media at Worlds

Shout out for the media at 2014 World Championships in Nanning.

Crazy about gymnastics, the keenest got very little sleep.

40min bus ride from Gym to Hotel
40min bus ride from Gym to Hotel

Photographers lug heavy equipment up and down concrete steps all day. Shooting angles were not ideal. I don’t envy them.

Most of the bloggers were paying their own costs, including me. The flight was expensive, of course. But I saved money by staying in a small hostel for about $25 / night / single private room. Air con. Reasonably good wifi. The media hotel was about $80 / night.

Organizers provided media food … though some round eyes preferred to live on McFlurries, instead.

Getting a Chinese visa was a hassle for many. Some were unable to get one. I made 4 trips to the Chinese Embassy paper pushers before actually having the essential stamp in my passport.

Hardest working media in 2014?

LIVE bloggers International Gymnast on Facebook and The All Around on Facebook. It’s nearly impossible to watch Worlds never mind trying to simultaneously record what’s happening.

We missed Blythe Lawrence, the Gymnastics Examiner. She went and got a real job. Working for the FIG. 🙂

Aliya – Unbreakable Stride

Aliya Mustafina’s career will never be forgotten. She has many faults, but lacking courage is not one of them.

Falling on double Arabian one day, she added two whips to double Arabian the next. Respect.

Click PLAY or watch a Worlds montage on YouTube.

Aliya Mustafina interview

Always interesting and informative, you should definitely read this translation of an interview with one of the most successful gymnasts that ever lived.

… On beam I was lucky. On floor I had nothing to lose so I decided to go for the harder routine. …

It is difficult to have a personal coach who is really a choreographer. I have to make a lot of decisions on my own. …

… the Americans were always doing something – running, circuit training, extra things. Some of it is probably genetics. Just look at them – they’re healthy, brimming with life. We don’t have gymnasts like them in Russia. Look at Polina Fyodorova, Masha Kharenkova, Dasha Spiridonova. They will always be small and skinny. They’ll never have the kind of muscle the Americans have. …

Aliya Mustafina’s interview translated

Aliya
10th Worlds medal