Category: Uncategorized

From a new blog out of the UK, the Men’s Gymnastics Perspective:

… With a five-man team to be selected, and Whitlock, Thomas and Oldham surely the first names on the teamsheet, Smith will be targetting one of the two remaining places on the team.

With such a strong top 3 England could have enough quality to win the Team title without even needing the 4th and 5th men. This luxury might enable some surprising or risky choices for those places – and after 18 months out of the sport Smith could certainly be considered a risk. In the end it will all depend on the selectors’ strategy.

Will the selectors buy into the romance of Smith’s last swansong, and the further exposure this will bring to a growing sport, or will they have the mindset that Smith’s time has passed and that the time is ripe to blood exciting new British talent ahead of Rio? …

Smith Comeback: Main Rivals for Glasgow Commonwealth Gymnastics Place

Louis should not be selected. He’d only compete one apparatus. And I don’t really want him over-scored. Again.

That said, I wouldn’t be astonished if he was given the nod. Louis brings great media attention.

Could he be named honorary Captain?

An assistant coach?

One commenter points out that Frank Baines could compete for Scotland. And that Brinn Bevan is competing at the YOG later on in 2014 and is not trying for Commonwealths.

Good advice from Nastia:

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

The 2014 Nastia Liukin Cup series of meets began Jan. 10-12, 2014 with the Atlanta Crown Invitational.

It was naming day at Cirque du Soleil headquarters on Monday.

Director Michel Laprise announced that the Cirque du Soleil’s new tent show, his first as a writer and director, will be called Kurios – Cabinet of Curiosities. And it will draw its inspiration from the latter half of the 19th century. …

Montreal Gazette

Delve into a world of curiosity where seeing is disbelieving: the world of KURIOS™ – Cabinet of Curiosities from Cirque du Soleil®. The show immerses you in a mysterious and fascinating realm that disorients your senses and challenges your perceptions, leaving you to wonder: “Is it real, or just a figment of my imagination?”

ABOUT THE SHOW

FIG:

… There are 70 days to go before the opening of the 12th African Gymnastics Championships in Tshwane (RSA) on March 25. Check out the beautiful competition website and get to know some of South Africa’s top contenders.

12th African Championships

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I travel to South Africa this week. Looking forward to seeing my friend Derick Sholtz at Visions Gymnastics.

related – First triple FIG Academy held in Pretoria (29 coaches from 4 nations)

The Utes won the meet with a 196.65, followed by Boise State (195.85), BYU (194.55) and SUU (192.025) in front of 14,910 at the Huntsman Center.

The night got off to a bad start when standout Kassandra Lopez tore her Achilles tendon during warmups. …

The Utes compared the situation to last year when standout Corrie Lothrop suffered the same injury early in the season.

Utah gymnastics: Utes overcome setback to win opener

It looks like Kassandra is out for the season.

At the Alabama meet, coach Patterson said that Kayla Williams injured her Achilles’ tendon in warm-ups.

What percentage of NCAA women injure their Achilles? 😦

Couch Gymnast’s Bea Gheorghisor put together 3 “So, What Did I Miss” posts.

Click through each to read more.

Sui Lu, Huang Qiushuang and He Kexin retire.

So, What Did I Miss – Part 1

Former Romanian National coach Nicolae Forminte has joined Gym East in Washington State. GO Region 2.

So, What Did I Miss – Part 2

Rowena Needham competes a high to low Bar transition something like Zuchold 1/2.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

So, What Did I Miss – Part 3

Hawaiian Island Twisters gives visiting teams competing at their GYMNASTICS IN PARADISE INVITATIONAL a personalized poster.

That’s cool. 🙂

(via Debbie Broderick Rodriguez)

The happiest Teams so far in this young season might just be LSU and Boise.

The No. 23-ranked Broncos set a school record for the second-straight year, earning the program’s best season-opening score of 195.850 at the Utah Deseret First Duel in Salt Lake City. BSU placed second in the four-team meet behind No. 6 Utah (196.650).

“I am so proud of this team,” said Tina Bird, Boise State co-head coach. “They worked hard to prepare for this and then got out there and made Utah look over their shoulder. This team is destined for greatness!” …

Idaho Statesman

Krystine Jacobsen won Beam.

Check Road to Nationals to see where Boise ranks, so far.

Shout out too to Rutgers highest-ever opening day team score 195.075.

China’s national training center. An amazing facility

//instagram.com/p/jGR-XwCpHE/embed/

Is this the first time the American National Team has trained in China?

Seven gymnasts are battling for the five spots in the Gymsports New Zealand squad for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July and August. …

The gymnasts attending the training camp were Christchurch-based Courtney McGregor, Hanna Malloch, Mackenzie Slee, Charlotte Sullivan, Anna Tempero, and Jordan Rae … and North Harbour’s Brittany Robertson, who has moved to Canterbury to further her gymnastics. …

The New Zealand squad will compete in Qatar and Canada over the next few months, before attending trials in Auckland and the Australian nationals at the end of May. …

The Press (PDF)

Thanks Avril.