Kyla Ross photos

Gymnastike:

Of the thousands of still shots taken by Gymnastike photographer Melissa Perenson during the 2013 World Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, one athlete stood out to us as “most photogenic“. That athlete is the one and only Kyla Ross of Team USA. …

Kyla Beam

See more on Gymnastike.

That links to an entire Kyla gallery.

Kyla and Kohei were the most elegant. The most photogenic at Worlds.

related – Kyla’s choreography:

• Dominic Zito: Something Different Part 1

• Dominic Zito: Something Different Part 2

Dan Keatings 7.2 pommel

With Flare Hand Flare and triple Russian between the Pommels.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

GBR is the best team in the World on Horse.

preventing sexual abuse

GymCastic Episode 56 is well worth a listen:
We start our special episode by looking back at some of the physical, emotional and sexual abuse stories from gymnastics’ recent past. We start in the 1980?s. If you are a long time listener, you’ll find out why Jessica always calls the 80?s the Dark Ages. With three special guests we discover the history which brought gymnastics to this point of change, what has been done to stop abuse, what loopholes still need to be shored up, and what educational and policy programs for prevention are now available. In addition, you’ll find out how to stop and report gymnastics child pornography. Our guests are, Scott Reid, investigative reporter for the Orange County Register, Katherine Starr, two time Olympian and founder of Safe4Athletes, and Lynn Moskovitz-Thompson, Director of Educational Services at USA Gymnastics. … Episode 56: Preventing Abuse in Gymnastics
Olympic swimmer Katherine Starr was abused as an athlete. She points out that those in sports where athletes peak at a young age are more vulnerable. Good links are provided for those looking for resources. • safe4athletes.org • USA Gymnastics Clubs Care Campaign • USA Gymnastics We Care Campaign Every coach, every club should have policies and procedures to protect athletes and coaches. For example, coaches should never be responsible for athletes alone. Not in the Gym. Not in the hotel. Not even in the car. Coaches should sign a Code of Conduct. There can be no sexual relationships between athlete and coach at any age. (Unless married, for one exception.) I endorse the episode. But when it comes to discussions on coaching ethics, there’s far too much emphasis on sexual misconduct, not nearly enough on far more prevalent psychological abuse. And, as usual, there was not a mention about the wrongfully accused. Any coach accused in 2013 is assumed guilty, whether he’s guilty or not. I’ll ask GymCastic to do a future segment on psychological abuse. Sexual abuse is less prevalent in Gymnastics than in the general population. Psychological abuse is far, far more prevalent in Youth Sport than in the general population.

3 AA gymnasts / nation?

Dwight Normile makes a convincing case:

… Even if I don’t agree, I can understand the limit of two for apparatus finals.

But two per country in the all-around is too severe, especially at a time when all-arounders are a shrinking population. At the London Olympics, for example, only three men’s teams had more than two all-arounders. Two-time world all-around silver medalist Philipp Boy was among those who got bumped. Of the 12 women’s teams, six had three all-arounders, and six had two. 2011 world champion Jordyn Wieber was eliminated.

The individual all-around used to be the centerpiece of a major championship. Eliminating potential gold medalists, such as Boy and Wieber, tarnishes that title. …

The FIG Executive Committee can keep the two-gymnast limit for event finals, but it should return to three gymnasts per country in the all-around …

Japan

IG – Stretching Out: Is It Time to Drop the 2-Per-Country Rule?

I slightly prefer 2 / nation. But could live with 3 / nation as Dwight recommends.

In addition, if 4 gymnasts travel to a World Championships (e.g. Antwerp), all 4 should be allowed to compete on each apparatus, if the nation chooses to do so.

Al Fong: … fans’ loss that Brenna did not compete.

Cambodian circus acrobats

Cirque’s Marceline Goldstein linked to this indiegogo teaser for a proposed documentary on Cambodian circus artists training at a school called Phare Ponleu Selpak.

Sopha Nem and Dina Sok are two phenomenal teenage circus students from Phare. With great administrative assistance from Phare, they were accepted into the prestigious National Circus School of Montreal in 2011, where they are training now. …

Click PLAY or watch it on indiegogo.

Here’s an extended trailer for the proposed film.

related:

• Phare Ponleu Selpak’s official website

• Sopha and Dina’s personal crowdfunding page