In fact, I can’t recall him ever being so enthusiastic and excited on the competition Floor as Antwerp.
Screen cap of the day: Uchimura's reaction to Shirai Kenzo's floor routine http://t.co/OxCt8Ub7wl
— Uncle Tim (@uncletimmensgym) October 6, 2013
Scary State of Vaulting
Of all apparatus at Worlds, Vault was the most troubling.
There are too many injuries.
Chantysha Netteb was injured in World Championships Finals 2013.
Chantysha has ACL and meniscus damage. She underwent surgery Oct 8th.
Ellie Black was injured at Olympic Finals.
Yamilet Pena fell at 2011 Worlds, 2012 Olympics and twice at 2013 Worlds — yet this Code of Points keeps placing her in Finals.
Arabian Punch Front:
Scarier … was Phan Thi Ha Thanh attempting the Amanar …
With the triple twisting Yurchenko on it’s way, I worry for the state of vaulting. We have gymnasts landing Produnovas to their heads (or to forward roll would be the nice way of saying it). We have gymnasts competing underrotated Amanars (think Shawn Johnson to Maria Paseka). We have gymnasts getting credit for laid out Podkopayeva’s (Yurchenko 1/2 on pike half off) when they are indeed piked. And now, joining the group of not-yet-ready-to-land Produnovas, we have gymnasts creating a new group of not-yet-ready-to-land Amanars. The same way Pena seems safer than Mahmoud, we’re entering a world where Paseka seems safer than Phan. …
Click PLAY or watch the Worlds 2013 Vault Final on YouTube.
What could be done?
Vault deductions doubled? (at least)
Improve the landing mat? (something like that used for Double Mini)
Use video analysis to award part of the score for Height & Distance? (as Trampoline does with “Air Time”)
Reward clean twisting more?
Will FIG WTC do anything this quadrennial to FIX Vault judging?
… I doubt it. They failed to fix it from last quad. Expect to see someone falling on Prudnova and someone injured in every World Final from here to Rio.
It’s going to take some accident more horrific than Mustafina or Netteb on international TV before somebody fixes the Rules.
____
It’s also the Men’s most dangerous apparatus in 2013. Changes in the WAG Code should be matched in the MAG Code.
Jennie Finch throws like a girl
And struck out Albert Pujols in one demo. 🙂
Jennie Lynn Finch … is a former American softball player who pitched for the USA national softball team and the Chicago Bandits. Jennie helped lead Team USA to the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics and a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Time magazine described her as the most famous softball player in history. In 2010, Finch retired from softball to focus on her family. …
Finch was the most dominant and recognizable softball pitcher of her era …
This is very, very cool.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
According to Mike Candrea, her coach at Arizona and through two Olympics,
“Jennie has transformed this sport, touched millions of young kids in many different ways – whether it’s fashion, whether it’s the way she plays the game – but through it all she’s been very humble.”
A Chicago Tribune editorial commented,
“She leaves with a spotless personal reputation, an intent to keep promoting softball, and the knowledge that she has inspired other girls and women who play for the love of the game.” …
“Effect” – Arthur Nory Mariano
This is cool. Stop motion Men’s tumbling from World Championships.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Tramp Olympic medalists
Click PLAY or watch Rosie MacLennan on YouTube. London Olympic Gold medalist.
Click PLAY or watch Karen Cockburn on YouTube.
Click PLAY or watch Jason Burnette on YouTube.
Thanks Brett.
Buzzfeed does Gymnastics
Worlds 2014 Nanning
@officialFIG:
The 45th Artistic World Championships will be held on October 3-12, 2014, in Nanning, China.
UPDATED: I originally had linked to Nanjing, China. Not Nanning. Apologies.
Start planning now if you might want to attend Worlds in China.
It’s not the easiest nation to travel.
… It is known as the “Green City” because of its abundance of lush tropical foliage. …
Nanning is close to scenic Guilin, with its world famous hillscape, northern and western Guangxi and its minority villages, and the border with Vietnam in the south. …
Mustafina wins Beam
A HUGE surprise. Especially since many felt she hadn’t truly deserved to qualify to the Final.
The Beam panel was the most criticized in Antwerp, Vault the least.
GNN: First off congratulations on your gold medal on beam. How excited are you?
Aliya Mustafina: Thank you!!!! I am completely amazed and happy. I never expected this, this is amazing! Finally a gold at my weakest event. Must be my greatest glory. …
Gymnastics News Network – Aliya Mustafina: “Gold at my weakest event is my greatest glory!”
Click PLAY or watch her qualifying routine on YouTube.
14.133 = D score : 6.00, E score : 8.133
Click PLAY or watch her Gold medal final routine on YouTube.
14.900 = 6.0, 8.900
Careful. Smart. … Not one of the great Gold medal routines of history, however.
Aliya did seem to get stronger and stronger as the meet progressed.
related – Never shy Carlotta Ferlito was unhappy with the Beam judging, as well.
All Results.
Watch the entire Beam Final.
Worlds promo video
It was a great honour and privilege to attend World Championships. Truly the most incredible athletes of any sport.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
USA Gymnastics – ROAR
The ladies of the USA truly are the strongest in the world as of 2013.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Of course they’ve had plenty of Russian, Romanian and Chinese coaching help. 🙂
