inconsistent Chinese Bars

China is Stepping it up on Bars. Their best chance for medals at Worlds are on Bars & Beam.

Those convinced that Kyla Ross can win a Bar medals at Worlds postulate that the Chinese girls with higher start values and more real difficulty will miss.

Perhaps they’re right.

Click PLAY or watch Shang Chunsong on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch He Kexin on YouTube.

This is a very, very important competition in China. Not a meet to try new upgrades.

Zeng Siqi’s routine is weak. I assume she won’t be doing Bars at Worlds. (VIDEO)

no Aussie women to Worlds

Australian Gymnastics Blog:

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

This week marks 10 years since an Australian gymnastics team (or individual) first medalled at a world championship.

ausgold2003

Our purple-clad women’s lineup pulled off the unthinkable in the team final (technical infractions to an opposing team notwithstanding) and snatched a third place podium finish …

Belinda Archer, Jacqui Dunn, Danielle Kelly, Stephanie Moorhouse, Monette Russo, and Allana Slater (honourable mention to an injured Lisa Skinner) completed the four rotations commendably, finishing on beam …

read more – Back In Time To Anaheim

In Canada we envied the Australian system. Dana Brass and I both made research trips Down Under to study what they were doing right.

…

It looks like no Aussie women will compete at Worlds 2013.

Brigid McCarthy explains why.

The Australian Sports Commission’s new ‘Winning Edge Strategy’.

It looks like a loser to me.

Antwerp would be an ideal meet for young candidates for Rio to gain experience. Make it self-funded if money is the issue.

We have a similarly overly elitist initiative in Canada called ‘Own the Podium’.

If medals are the ONLY goal, Canadians should focus on easier-to-win Winter Olympic sports like luge and skeleton.

That would be stupid federal policy, clearly.

Those sports have very few participants. Soccer and Gymnastics have millions of participants.

The societal payoff in terms of health and fitness is far greater in some sports than others.

Olympic medals are not equal.

This is a good example of how socialist government control of sport is inefficient. I envy the USA for not having to rely on the whims of whatever politician happens to be in power.

GymCastic – Justen Millerbernd

It’s well worth listening to Episode 47: Justen Millerbernd,Tumbling and Kalon

… coach Justen Millerbernd gives us answers about how the greatest US tumbler of all time, 8-time National Champion, Kalon Ludvigson, bruised his spine in an accident that has rendered him temporarily paralyzed.

Justen tell us how he recruited artistic world champion, Chellsie Memmel, into competitive tumbling, why women in their late 30’s dominate the sport in the United States, how he overcame a serious neck injury after he retired from tumbling, what really happened at the Cali Games when the FIG asked the athletes to sign waivers to compete, but then the US team was forced to sit in stands during the competition.

Justen also shares how he is putting Kalon’s accident in perspective as his spouse, coach and gym owner. And because here at GymCastic, we adore a good gymnastics love story, Justen shares their journey from coach and athlete to married couple.

Chellsie Memmel, Justen Millerbernd, Kalon Ludvigson
Chellsie Memmel, Justen Millerbernd, Kalon Ludvigson

listen to it here

Episode 47?

We’re coming up to the first birthday of the best Gymnastics audiocast ever. 🙂

Gym Momentum Camp, NY

I’m already planning a return in 2014 to Tony Retrosi’s dedicated gymnastics camp outside NY City.

Here’s a glimpse from 2013 featuring coaches Tony Retrosi, Ivan Ivanov, Rebecca Sykes, Rob Murray, Daire Oceallag, Doug Byrnes and more.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Tony’s leading a clinic this week at Salto Gymnastics in Canada.

(via Gym Momentum)

will Rio be ready?

We’re still not sure.

Around the Rings – On the Scene — Progress for Rio Olympics Must Proceed Says IOC

Rio

Uncertainty about Rio will influence IOC voters deciding on host city 2020.

I expect them to choose the safest option – Tokyo.

Victoria Moors DTY

via GymFever

Ksenia Afanasyeva post surgery

Afan

details

(Linked by AgymnasticsFan via Pushy Queen)

Rumblings are that Komova will get the nod to compete just Beam at Worlds.

Yao Jinnan competes Mo

Gutsy routine. The most “difficult” (regardless of start score) in the world today, I’d say.

Two falls.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Not sure it’s worth competing Mo at Worlds. She could medal without it.

(via Gymnastics Examiner)