tumbling, tramp, diving, acrobatics, circus, cheer, dance, martial arts, X sports … and more
Finalists for the AAI Award for top Senior Gymnast are Florida’s Marissa King, Penn State’s Sharaya Musser, Alabama’s Ashley Priess, Oklahoma’s Brie Olson, UCLA’s Vanessa Zamarripa and Michigan’s Katie Zurales.
Vanessa is the favourite, at this point. She’s been carrying the Bruins week after week this season.
I truly hope she wins Nationals at home. Vanessa, Kristina Baskett and Courtney Kupets have been my favourite NCAA gymnasts.
Kylee Botterman won in 2012.
… Inspiration porn is an image of a person with a disability, often a kid, doing something completely ordinary – like playing, or talking, or running, or drawing a picture, or hitting a tennis ball – carrying a caption like “your excuse is invalid” or “before you quit, try”. Increasingly, they feature the … quote. …
“The only disability in life is a bad attitude.”
– cancer survivor Scott Hamilton
This image of a little girl running on a set of prosthetic legs alongside Oscar Pistorius is often used as an example of inspiration porn.
Those who use the term, ABC’s Stella Young for example, should advocate for the abolition of the Paralympics.
They want everyone treated equally.
When I see Said-Elmahmoudi from Morocco put himself out there on the Karate Floor, I’m inspired to shut down this computer. And jump on to a mountain bike for a workout.
Click PLAY or watch him on YouTube.
If he can do it, what’s my excuse?
If I’m inspired by Mitchell Marcus and Jonathon Montanez, I’m inspired. It’s an emotional reaction.
I’m inspired too by people who overcome obesity, poverty, other hardships.
For the record, I feel there is a place in this world for the Paralympics.
Thanks MissEducated.
… In her time away from gymnastics, she became involved in endurance sports – marathons, triathlons – won the NPC National Fitness Competition (which qualified her as a professional IFBB fitness competitor), and became a dentist.
… “I started coaching youth gymnastics in August [2012], and by November, I had decided to compete again.” …
Desiree Walker – 33 yr. old – Level 7 Bars – 1st meet in 17 years
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Respect. 🙂
(via Masters Gymnastics)
I’m not getting much online from the big competition in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica won the men’s Team. Guatemala was second, Panama third.
Costa Rica’s Tarik Soto had the highest AA score in qualifying.
Guatamala won the women’s team, unsurprisingly.
AA
1. Ana Sofia Gomez 54.65 (Guatamala)
2. Monica Yool 53,400 (Guatamala)
3. Isabella Amado 49,300(Panama)
Leave a comment if you’ve got links to more substantial information.
Many of the top gymnasts were not 100%. Coaches still must try to select “winning” teams for Europeans hosted in Russia.
VAULT
Denis Ablyazin 14.075
Kudashov 13.255
Pavel Pavlov 13.125
P BARS
David Belyavskiy 15.030
Aleksandr Balandin 14.800
Nikolai Kuksenkov 14.000
H BAR
Nikolai Kuksenkov 14.950
Nikita Ignatiev 14.850
Daniil Kazachkov 14.100
Ablyazin ends up wtih 3 gold medals.
(via Full Twist)
Mustafina was taken out of day 2 Finals. To protect her knee.
BEAM
Eugenia Shelgunova 14.050
Polina Fyodorova 13.900
Ksenia Afanaseyva 13.775
FLOOR
Ksenia Afanseyva 13.600
Christina Goryunova 13.525
Alain Polyan 13.075
(via Full Twist)
I’m also glad to see that some other older veterans like Pavlova, Myzdrikova, Kramarenko etc are still competing. Pavlova’s regional team won gold 🙂
Coach Cassie is looking to create MAG memorabilia.
Click through for more. Or to offer her advice.
SALES at Great West Gym Fest told me that men’s gymnastics is a great market. Little girl gymnasts have thousands of items to choose from each meet. The boys, very few.
I’d heard she’d stuck Maroney-like in podium training. WOGymnastike links to the video.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Grace Chiu is posting some pics on Facebook.
Brigid McCarthy is there — but why she’d leave sunny Australia for the cold and snow of Montreal, I have no idea — and posted notes on podium training for the Jr Russians, Romanians and Canadians.
UPDATE – Check the comments on this post. Very interesting. Ono is flying from California to watch Minnesota v Illinois. To see the format in person.
Men’s NCAA is failing. I’m keen to try anything to improve chances of survival. A similar format to this has worked in Germany.
The experiment reminds me of Snowboard cross (boardercross), first tried 1991. Now in the Olympics.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Ski racing for time was boring to me. But I love boardercross.
_____ original post:
An experiment this weekend. Sounds GREAT to me.
… both teams will be on the same event and will strategically select five athletes to battle, one on one against the other team. …
Winning routine gains 1-point.
Click PLAY or listen to Justin explain it on YouTube.
First team to 16 points, wins.
The trailing team competes second. Nice touch.
Tie-breaker sounds pretty goofy, however.
via @StickItMedia
UPDATE from USA FIG Judge in the comments:
… The idea (officially referred to as the “bracket system” by the NCAA Rules Committee) …
Cliff Gauthier at William & Mary has been proposing this (and an alternative) head-to-head scoring system since the early 1980s. The NCAA Rules Committee adopted it this year because a critical mass of NCAA coaches (including Justin Spring and others) signed onto the concept. The bracket system is available only in dual meets in which both coaches agree to use it.
Dave, in the comments, has some concerns.
