Jake Dalton – Artistic Gymnast

One of the big complaints in 2014 is the lack of artistry in Artistic Gymnastics. Beautiful and compelling routines are not often winning.

Personally, I’ve given up on evaluating and rewarding “artistry“. I’d be happy simply to deduct execution errors (legs crossed on twisting, poor body position, etc.) as specified in the Codes.

Here’s one of the best executed routines in Nanning. Geo-blocked in many nations. Sorry about that. Leave a comment if you know of a video of this routine not posted by USAG.

Click PLAY or watch Dalton’s Team FX routine on YouTube.

15.900 = 6.7 + 9.200

That was the highest E-score on Floor. (Uchimura was 2nd highest.) But the gap between Jake and the rest is too small.

full results

Abliazin vs Shirai

Which one is the World Champion?

Click PLAY or watch Denis on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch Kenzo on YouTube.

At the time I thought Kenzo had it.

Here’s how the judges called it.

1. ABLIAZIN Denis 7.100 + 8.650 = 15.750
2. SHIRAI Kenzo 7.400 + 8.433 – 0.1OB = 15.733

HYPOLITO was 3rd with 15.700

full results

Romanian Bars

Romania could have missed the Team Final in Nanning. No depth on Bars in a 5-up, 4-count competition.

… an uneven bars rotation of 39 points and 25th place on the event. Romania was luckily qualifying in 7th place for the final. …

In the 3-up, 3-count final, depth is a little less important. Romania finished 4th behind Bronze Russia.

“We have a young team, that is now growing/maturing. But we wouldn’t have come so close if others had not had mistakes” said coach Sandu after the final. …

For Worlds 2015?

… With the addition of 2015 seniors Laura Jurca and Andreea Iridon, the return of Diana Bulimar, bars is not looking as grim all of a sudden. Iridon is a polished bars worker, the only challenge for Larisa at the recent Nationals and has good difficulty on this event (Ricna, full in dismount) as is Jurca (who does a pretty good Hindorff), while Diana Bulimar does not have huge elements but manages execution scores of over 8.5 and is very consistent. …

Rom-cover (1)

click over to Bea’s wrap-up on Couch Gymnast for more – Romania says “Game On!”

Simone Biles – Floor

Undeniably the World Champion. Sky high, difficult tumbling. Decent leaps. Energetic and interesting choreography.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Some people like to complain about this routine. But nobody can claim Simone should not have won the title. 🙂

Oleg Verniaiev – P Bars

His many fanboys finally got their wish. Oleg is a World Champion.

Difficult. Interesting. HUGE stuck dismount.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Embarrassingly, organizers played the wrong National Anthem at awards. Oleg’s from Ukraine, not Uzbekistan. More Russian plotting? 🙂

full P Bar Final results

dancer Taylor Hatala

Have you heard about this 11yr-old?

This clip with Laurence Kaiwai went viral.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Here’s the follow up with Matt Steffanina.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

(via Yahoo News)

UCLA facility upgrade

The Bruins have launched a crowdsourced fund-raising campaign to raise their training equipment up on to platforms to simulate the podium used at NCAA Championships.

$150,000 in 30 days. That should be no problem with their rich & famous fan base. 🙂

Hopefully injuries will be reduced, as well.

details here