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World Champions 2014

Apparatus Finals.

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 College Gymnastics show upholds century-old tradition

Svetlana and Svetlana

🙂

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media at Worlds

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

Crazy about gymnastics, the keenest got very little sleep.

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. 🙂

8 memorable Nanning moments

Tsuk the Pain linked to some funny GIFs.

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.

Uchimura already competing?

From this post it sounds like Kohei is competing the Japanese National Sports Festival October 15th.

Is he superman, or what?

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

10th Worlds medal

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.