Execution wise, I prefer this routine to Yao Jinan.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
(via The Gym Press and International Gymnast Magazine)
Gabby at Chows
GK Elite interview:
GK: What is your overall feeling about the Gabby Douglas story, as it was portrayed on television to the world?
GD: I am very pleased with the movie! So many people have told me how inspirational it was, and that was exactly the message that I wanted the move to tell. It makes me happy that it touched so many lives! It’s very humbling to know that you can have a positive effect on others.
GK: We’ve seen you make appearances on a Disney Channel show, as well as a sitcom. Do you plan on being in any other shows in the future?
GD: I really enjoy acting and would like to do more in the future. For now, I have had to turn down some amazing appearances and acting opportunities so that I can focus on my training.
Marta Pihan-Kulesza – 2 Finals
How about our flamboyant Marta?
Age-26. Still improving.
“I really don’t think about my age,” said Pihan-Kulesza, who competed at the 2008 Beijing Games and finished 19th all-around at the 2012 London Games. “I don’t feel like I’m the almost-oldest one. I feel really good, so I plan to do better in Rio than in London.”
Click PLAY or watch her Beam Final on YouTube.
Click PLAY or watch her Floor final on YouTube.
Husband, Roman Kulesza, is a coach and active gymnast. Roman is competing Worlds this week.
Trampolinist Samantha Sendel
Samantha Sendel’s big breakthrough came at the 2013 trampoline world championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, where she finished fifth in the individual final — by far her best ever international result.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Gymnastics Canada is posting a series of these profiles on their YouTube channel in advance of the Canadian Championships end of May.
Yurchenko to Hall of Fame
One of our favourite gymnasts all time.
Video recap of Natalia Yurchenko‘s career and achievements, as she was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame on May 17, 2014, in Oklahoma City, OK, USA
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Natalia:
Indeed, I was the first gymnast to do this vault during an official competition. It was in Moscow during the Competition in 1982. I am very proud and very happy that there are many gymnasts today who perform my vault.
Few people know that the first gymnast who performed this vault was a male gymnast! It was invented by Russian gymnast Victor Levinkov during a national competition in Former USSR. But this vault was not well accepted in the male Russian gymnastics. So my trainer has decided that I should do it and I began to learn it.
First I thought that my coach has gone crazy and wanted me to break my neck. I did not even succeed in imagining how I could arrive on the board back to the horse and spring without seeing where I should put my hands. …
twisting machines
The SAM Spotting System costs US$2,995 in the States.
In Europe the same thing could cost you US$4700 (31000kr).
Phillipe Chartrand was selling a similar device called “Flipping Wings“. Seems it’s no longer available.
My old coach, Physical Ed Vincent built his own with bungie and a twist belt. It’s been working for years and years, with constant maintenance. 🙂
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Personally, I don’t need any of those devices to teach twisting. The time lost getting into and out of the belt could be better used.
The Hard Way – Wyomi Masela
Trailer – The Hard Way To Success – Episode 14 – Wyomi Masela
Wyomi is training for Rio. That’s it.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Dvora Meyers – End of the 10
Dvora:
After five months of research, interviews, writing, and rewriting, I’m so excited to announce that I’ll be writing a book about gymnastics ….
Here’s the official announcement …
Freelance journalist and frequent Deadspin and Jezebel contributor Dvora Meyers’s THE END OF THE TEN: The Fall of Perfection in Modern Gymnastics, analyzing how various factors including the elimination of the “Perfect 10” have changed women’s gymnastics in the last few decades, allowing the U.S. to become a dominant power in the sport, to Michelle Howry at Touchstone, for publication in Summer 2016, to coincide with the Olympics, by Allison Hunter at Inkwell Management (World).
Dvora Meyers’s THE END OF THE TEN: The Fall of Perfection in Modern Gymnastics
Dvora is planning on attending Worlds. Planning to interview as many people as possible who were connected or affected by the end of the perfect 10.0 in Artistic scoring in 2006.
New Zealand Commonwealth Trials
A detailed update is posted on iflip4gymnastics:
Two days of trials were held in Auckland on May the 9th and 11th. There were six girls from Christchurch School of Gymnastics, Pacific Rim competitors Courtney McGregor, Charlotte Sullivan and Anna Tempero, as well as Mackenzie Slee, Hanna Malloch and Brittany Robertson. Samara Maxwell of Tristar, Auckland also is vying for a spot. North Harbour’s Jordan Rae (competed at the 2010 CWG in Delhi) has withdrawn due to injury. …
Junior Millie Williamson (also CSG) joined the seniors to trial for the Youth Olympic Games. …
NZL Commonwealth Games hopefuls from left to right: Charlotte, Mackenzie, Anna, Courtney, Millie, Brittany and Hanna (From Mackenzie Slee’s Instagram)
All gymnasts will compete in the Australian Nationals in Melbourne later on this month before the teams will be named. …
Miss Sofia 2014
Larisa Iordache from Romania …
Challengers for the title were also Vanessa Ferrari (ITA), Guilia Steingruber (SUI), Claire Martin (FRA), Aliya Mustafina (RUS), Catherine Lyons (GBR). …
Larisa might win the World Championships this year. It’s possible. Especially if she upgrades to Amanar.
But she’s hardly a candidate for the Elegance Prize.
Click PLAY or watch her Beam in prelims on YouTube.
Her feet are not great. Her lines are not great. But in this current goofy code her routine scored 8.766 out of a (normal) maximum of 8.900.
6.4 + 8.766 = 15.166
Judges in 2014 reward start scores over all else. To win you need a high start score on all 4 apparatus.
Increasingly you need a body type closer to Shawn Johnson than to Nastia Liukin.
Larisa has a winning balance of power for tumbling & vault, yet can still do good Beam, reasonable Bars.
