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pink Olympics

The training venue truly is … PINK.

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)

retro USA Olympic gear

Too little, too late are complaints about the American Olympic uniforms. The Team is already in London.

Marketing guru Michael Jacki is appalled.

Yet these outfits are so wacky, that I can’t help but like them. 🙂

CHN Olympic coaches clinic

Full Twist:

… approximately 60 coaches from Great Britain and Ireland attended a Chinese Coaching Masterclass in City of Lisburn Salto National Gymnastics Centre. The class, taught by coach to Sui Lu and Yao Jinnan, Xu Jinglei and coach to reigning Olympic Bars Champion He Kexin, Liu Guicheng, spent two hours educating the enthusiastic coaches. Coaches were encouraged to take photographs, videos and notes, questions were also welcomed. …

details – Coaching Masterclass with Chinese Olympic Coaches

Click PLAY or watch Sui Lu training Floor on YouTube.

hmm …

USA will win Olympics

#london2012

Albert and team at THE ALL AROUND have crunched the numbers. They project:

1) USA

Russia
Romania
China

USA is the clear favourite to take team gold in London. They are in the top position in the three scenarios studied. They have a very balanced team with high scorers in all apparatus and great consistency. Their disadvantage is that they haven’t competed that much outside US territory (Jesolo this year), so home judging might play a big factor here. However, even if their scores are a bit lower in London, they have a big enough cushion ahead the other teams to afford not hit routines and even falls.

Among the top teams is not a surprise that Russia is the less stable. They have a range of 18 points between a hit competition and a melt down. Russia is able to challenge USA for gold, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if they end up outside the podium. The injuries, inconsistency and lack of depth makes Russia a big question mark. Are they going to hit?

Ready to take the podium are Romania and China. Both teams underperformed during the early competitions of the quadrennium; but seem to be peaking at the right moment. Romania would end up in the podium in all our scenarios (2 in silver and 1 in bronze) while China only manages a bronze medal at the minimum score scenario. …

details on TAA

Brazil and France are the last two teams.

Andy Thornton projects (possible) Team Difficulty scores:

1) USA 76.7
1) CHINA 76.7
3) RUSSIA 76.1
4) ROM 74.4

Injuries may yet affect the final ranking.

If Teams risk untested Amanars in a 3-up, 3-count Team final, I’ll be surprised.

introducing Stalder

Great new tutorial by Lee Woolls:

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. (7min)

For me the “late drop” (descending swing) drills shown starting at 5min are good technique. The same technique as for sole circle and free hip. And Peach on P Bars.

Many WAG coaches emphasize too much the hollow position on the drop. That technique is much more difficult. An advanced technique. Beginners should start LATE … and only MUCH later start hollowing the descending swing.