highlights of Men’s qualification – day 1

Trying to make sense of what happened the first day of Worlds?

2/3rds of the men’s teams have competed. Top 12 will win a team placement in the Paris Olympics.

Kensley will get you up-to-speed.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. (36min)

Here’s the official FIG write-up:

2/3 of Men’s qualification complete

A good meet, overall. I was impressed.

Mostly HIT routines.

MOST of the top apparatus specialists HIT. The finals will be epic.

Weirdly, Yulo took a zero on Vault. He landed on his back. That was right after having a flukey ping on Rings. The grips slipped. I don’t know whether the first fall had any effect on the second.

I was most impressed with Germany today. Despite losing Andreas Toba to injury in podium training, they found a way to put together a qualifying competition. #respect

Spain was terrific too. Turkey and Netherlands, as well.

Some nation is going to finish 13th. A huge disappointment.

China often doesn’t put much importance on the team qualification. But today was about the worst performance I can recall. They might not even make the Team Final 2023.

Kensley is reporting that that Lin Chaopan has flown in from China (Asian Games) and may be substituted in for team final.

We have Italy, Switzerland, Korea, Canada, France and others yet to compete. It’s a dogfight.

Hashimoto Daiki will compete AA

Hashimoto Daiki will compete in World all-around final despite finishing as the third best Japanese athlete

Only two athletes per country can advance to an individual final at the Worlds or Olympic Games …

Chiba Kenta, who posted the top score in the second of six qualifying sessions, a 85.799. Kaya Kazuma was second at 85.598, followed by Hashimoto’s 85.432.

Only two athletes per country can advance to an individual final in artistic gymnastics at the Worlds or Olympics, but a federation is free to substitute one athlete for another provided they would have qualified without the two athlete limit. …

“We already had a meeting because we decided to compete three gymnasts in the all around, so these kinds of things might happen,” Hiroaki said. “So we predicted it. If Hashimoto didn’t win, like, top three, and then we can just change that.”

Olympics.com

I’m fine with that decision — so long as all 3 athletes had agreed in advance.

I would make the same substitution. Daiki is defending World Champion.

Sabrina Voinea at Worlds 2023

After all the troubles with Romania, it would be terrific if Sabrina Voinea could lead this team to a Paris Olympics qualification.

She is a throwback to the great days of Romania. Amazing Floor and Beam.

Her Mom / Coach is Camelia Voinea, who competed internationally between between 1984 and 1988. In 1987 she scored a perfect 10 on Floor at Worlds.  

Eythora interview

An artist as much as an athlete, Eythora was careful in podium training, protecting her ankles. And — distressingly — she’s have some Achilles pain.

But her move to training at a MAG Gym close to home has worked well. The guys keep her more relaxed.

Watch to the end of the video ➙ Eythora’s most embarrassing moment in Gymnastics. 😀

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Sofus Heggemsnes interview

Great gymnast. And entertainer.

Sofus Heggemsnes represented Norway at the Tokyo Olympics.

This interview followed podium training at Worlds 2023.

Men’s World Championships have BEGUN

The main Paris Olympics qualifier.

More than half of the Artistic gymnasts who compete at Paris 2024 will earn their Olympic ticket in Antwerp. …

… men’s Team and Individual qualification on 30 September-1 October, with the women taking the floor for qualification on 1 and 2 October. …

Nine men’s and women’s teams will qualify for Paris 2024 during the qualification round in Antwerp, joining the three teams already qualified in 2022 …

Three of the six 2022 apparatus World champions — Rhys McClenaghan (IRL, Pommel Horse), Adem Asil (TUR, Still Rings), and Artur Davtyan (ARM, Vault) — are returning to Belgium in search of more gold. …

FIG – 14 World titles and Olympic qualification up for grabs at Artistic Worlds in Antwerp

Click PLAY or watch a preview on YouTube.

Mahdi Olfati – YDP Vault

Iranian Mahdi Olfati won the 1st Gymnastics medal in Asian Games history. Silver on Vault.

We want a showdown …

Mahdi vs Simone.

Simone’s form is better. But Mahdi might have more total height / distance relative to their respective heights and table height.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.