Canadian Olympic wear

Hudson’s Bay Company won the contract over Roots. Here’s the back story on the retro design.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

… The jean jacket reminds me of the Cub Scout jacket I had in the late 1960s — count my badges!

Thanks Tracy.

Jessica Lopez, Kohei Uchimura

#london2012

Gymnasts are amazing. The general public is reminded with sport science TV shows like these.

Click PLAY or watch Jessica Lopez on YouTube.

A true sport scientist would have some quibbles, I think.

Click PLAY or watch Kohei’s triple double off H Bar on YouTube. Super slow-mo. A Japanese sport science clip.

related – NY Times – The Near Perfection of Kohei Uchimura

Romania #1 Floor / Beam

So speculates Stoi:

As with beam, Romania are well out in front. They actually have five TF worthy routines, and are likely to bench a world and European individual medallist. The other three (teams) are all sporting a quite weak third routine. …

… the Romanians can leap. Ponor, Izbasa, and Iordache are 3 of very few that should receive credit for their Gogeans. If you’re thinking the American contingent will be receiving credit for those 1/2 arsed attempts, it might be time to reconsider and remove the blinders. …

Top 4 teams preview: Floor

Click PLAY or watch defending Olympic FX Champ Sandra Izbasa on YouTube.

I liked it when Ferrari started this trend to connecting back tuck somersault at the end of a tumbling line. But it looks totally goofball when NOT connected, like that.

related:

• Top 4 teams preview: Beam
• Top 4 teams preview: Bars
• Top 4 teams preview: Vault

circus: tramp + P Bars

This is cool.

… acrobatics/power moves and part of my act CirKolution …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

(via Frederick Nicolas on Facebook)

could Gabby win?

#london2012

Kyle Shewfelt thinks she could.

I do too.

The AA Champion will hit 4/4 very well. At least as well as Nastia in 2008.

Odds are Jordyn Wieber will win. Her or Gabby. (… If Aly somehow is one of top 2 Americans in prelims, I don’t believe she can podium.)

My best wild guess is that Larisa will be next.

Gymnast #391 has her AA D-Score = 25.2 or 25.9 with Amanar. Strong, despite Bars. Iordache could win it all, in fact.

More likely to make mistakes in the AA final: Viktoria Komova (RUS), Aliya Mustafina (RUS), Yao Jinnan (CHN), Huang Quishang (CHN) …

These predictions are mostly based on what I saw at Worlds 2010 and 2011. USA and Romania organized, disciplined. China inconsistent. Russia a mess, especially in 2010. That was a shocker.

The Olympic Champion must first qualify during prelims. Then HIT when it counts.

Anything could happen. 🙂

Gabby Douglas was one of 5 Olympic athletes each on a different cover of Time magazine in the USA. Other athletes were featured on Time in other parts of the world.

(via Gabrielle Douglas on Facebook)

Peter Parkour – Spiderman

Worth seeing. 74% on Rotten Tomatoes.

LOTS of swinging and acrobatics.

The Amazing Spider-Man (2012 film) is a reboot of the Spider-Man film franchise, portraying the character’s origin story and his development into a superhero while still a high school student.

The film stars Andrew Garfield in the title role as Spider-Man/Peter Parker, with Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy and Rhys Ifans as Dr. Curt Connors.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I like the cast. Especially Emma Stone. She reminds me of a younger version of Marg Helgenberger circa China Beach.

another Russia montage

Mother Russia will likely be the most dramatic Team to watch in London. And by dramatic, I mean … uncertain to hit. Emotional. Controversial.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I hope I’m wrong and they hit every routine. 🙂

(via Rewriting Russian Gymnastics)