Category: Uncategorized

Kieran Behan blows up in Ireland

One of the BIG good news stories of Test Meet and the coming Olympics is Kieran Behan from Ireland.

Here’s a kid who was warned he might never walk again at age-9. Was hospitalized 8wks at age-12 with brain damage. In 2008 he ruptured a cruciate knee ligament. In 2010 he did the same to his other knee.

He wouldn’t quit …

… selling sweets and washing cars to finance his trips in search of world ranking points. His father Phil, a builder, and mother Bernie, their son admits, “have put every spare penny they have into me.” His coach Simon Gale revealed that, “It’s been a struggle for him. Gymnastics Ireland hasn’t been able to fund him really and last year alone he spent thousands competing in places like Japan , Germany, Slovenia, Croatia and the Czech Republic.”…

Living the impossible dream

After all that, Kieran somehow placed 34th AA at Test Meet London, grabbing one of the last Olympic spots. He finished 4th in Floor (VIDEO), a serious contender for Olympic Finals.

Ireland has gone nuts over Kieran, despite the fact he trains in England. Here are some of the Google News stories right now:

• Irish Independent – I was told I’d never walk again — today I’m aiming for the Olympics

• Sports News Ireland – Kieran Behan has indeed ‘come from nowhere’ to gain a place in London 2012

Full Twist has been covering the story closely.

Keiran and entourage were flown last minute to Ireland’s #1 The Late Late Show with Ryan Tubridy. He’s already a national treasure just for qualifying to the Olympics.

From nobody to national celebrity. 🙂 CONGRATS to Keiran.

You can bet on whether he’ll win the Olympic medal or bring out an award winning autobiography.

what to do with old gym t-shirts?

If you’re like me you have a stack of old t-shirts you never wear.

Stephanie Wiebe, of Rosetown, SK in Canada posted this photo on Facebook.

That’s a gymnastics quilt!

Thanks Stu.

Clarifying Olympic Qualifications

THE ALL AROUND is my go to source for clarification of the bizarrely complicated FIG Olympic selection process. Albert Minguillón i Colomer is more up-to-speed on the rules than MTC, so far as I can see.

Elizabeth Long, TAA Publisher / Executive Editor, has a valuable post clarifying the dirty details on who qualifies to London.

Here’s the speculation on a question on my mind:

… Q. Who is eligible for the Tripartite Commission Invitation?

A. MAG and WAG will each have one available space for a Tripartite Commission invitation. According to the Information Papers of the Tripartite Commission, invitations are given to NOCs with “an average of six (6) or less athletes at the last two editions of the Olympic Games. Only eligible NOCs are permitted to make a request for their best athletes in the sports offering Invitation places.”

To be considered, gymnasts from eligible NOCs must have participated at the 2011 World Championships and/or the Test Event. From information found, Bangladesh (Syque Caesar) and Monaco (Kevin Crovetto) appear to be the only NOCs in Tokyo meeting the six-or-less average requirement …

TAA – Q&A: Clarifying the Olympic Qualifications

Louis Smith — Faster. Stronger. Longer..

Funny ad campaign. Especially since hydration is not a problem in Gymnastics. 🙂

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Olympic Test Meet videos

FIG has already posted over 40 videos from Test meet (including archived Finals feeds) and near 300 videos total. It’s become one of the best YouTube video channels. Subscribe. 🙂

This was the best meet yet for the FIG video team. The lack of audio, especially for WAG Floor, was the biggest complaint I heard.

For us it would be best if FIG was always their own broadcaster. Reselling their own feed to distributors. If wishes were horses …

Don’t count on this being available every major competition.

This was also a good meet for FIG photos.

See more photos on their Visa International Gymnastics 2012 Facebook album.

related – Couch Gymnast – The Test Event: Lessons Learned

Geralen Stack-Eaton – 10 Vault

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

That vault helped The Tide defeat Georgia this weekend.

(Sarah Patterson claims she has the best new “recruit” in the NCAA this season — Ashley Priess, who was sidelined last year after surgery on both ankles prior to the season.)

Remember the CNN documentary on Parkettes Gymnastics, Pursuing the Perfect 10 (VIDEO).

Yes, it was a bit of a hatchet-job. But Parkettes certainly came away from that with a worse reputation.

Geralen Stack-Eaton was one of those girls.

exgymgurl on gymtruthteller linked to a follow-up video. (2010)

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Parkettes didn’t ruin their lives.

Ex-gymnasts are disproportionately successful in “later life” as later life is so much easier than WAG.

Update – Amber Trani was forced to take medical retirement from Georgia in 2009.

Leave a comment if you’ve an opinion.

Trampoline Olympic nations

FIG has posted the list of nations qualifying bouncers. CONGRATULATIONS

See you in London.

Sixteen spots are available for men and sixteen for women, with gymnasts having qualified their NOCs at the 2011 World Championships in Birmingham (GBR) and the Visa International Gymnastics in January 2012 in London (GBR).

One nominative invitation place either for a man or a women is set aside for the Tripartite Commission. This place will be nominated in due course by the Tripartite Commission.

official list (PDF)