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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. 🙂

Tsuk the Pain linked to some funny GIFs.

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.

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

Is he superman, or what?

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

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

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

This is cool.

Click over to hotpinknation see the rest of the top 24.

official scores

(via wogymnastika)

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. …

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