Paul Hamm retires

“I have decided to stop training in competitive gymnastics and end my efforts as a potential member of the 2012 Olympic Men’s Gymnastics Team,” said Hamm in a statement. “My career has far exceeded my expectations. I hope I am remembered for my gymnastic accomplishments, and as a kind person. Gymnastics has given me so much and now it is my turn to give back. I will always have gymnastics in my heart, and I will continue to stay involved with the governing body and all aspects of the sport.”

USAG

Paul was the first American to win World and Olympic all-around titles. He will enroll in the MBA program at Marquette University in the fall.

Good luck. And thanks for your gutsy comeback attempts for 2008 and 2012.

Click PLAY or watch his hit / stuck H Bar to win the AA Olympics on YouTube.

Johanna Quaas – Floor

Seems the biggest star online from Cottbus is 86-year old Johanna Quaas.

Click PLAY or watch her Floor on YouTube.

related – interview in German (VIDEO)

Team USA in Italy

For Jesolo.

Team USA lines up in Italy before their first practice.

L-R: McKayla Maroney, Amelia Hundley, Aly Raisman, Kyla Ross, Elizabeth Price, Brenna Dowell, Brianna Brown, Rebecca Bross, Sarah Finnegan, Lexie Priessman, Bailie Key and Katelyn Ohashi.

Click the photo for a larger version on the USAG Facebook page.

I assume it’s maximum 2 medals / nation. Otherwise there will be none for any other competitors. This team is powerhouse.

2013-2016 Code DRAFTS

Nations have received the new Codes by email.

1st DRAFT FIG Code of Points 2013-2016:

MAG code
WAG Code f
WAG Code e
RG Code f
RG Code e
RG Code r
TRA Code f
TRA Code e
AER Code (Appendix 2-3-4 to be available very soon!)
ACRO Code

Nationals can give feedback until April 30th, 2012. Individual comments are not accepted, so send those to your National Federation.

Yao Jinnan – shoulder therapy

This is interesting. Yao Jinnan getting treatment from an American physiotherapist. She’s on China’s physiotherapy team for the 2012 Olympics.

Yao has some shoulder problem. But some of these exercises are for injury prevention.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Shallon Olsen interview

“Get a Grip” Gymblog:

With a Double Twisting Yurchenko, a Full In floor mount and a beautiful piked Jaeger, one would expect Shallon Olsen to be a seasoned veteran rather than a mere 11 year old from Canada. …

To my knowledge, the youngest girl in the USA to perform a Double Twisting Yurchenko on an Elite stage was Lexie Priessman in 2009 who had turned 12 the previous January. Shallon first competed the vault at age 10 …

read more – Fresh Face Friday : Shallon Olsen

Find out who inspires Shallon. And see her Floor via that link.

… I don’t recall any girl so young and small who did Shallon’s kind of difficulty. There’s no explanation. She’s unique.

Click PLAY or watch her Vault on YouTube.

She is age eligible for Rio.

Shallon’s coached by Svetlana Lashina & Vladimir Lashin. Vladamir is the most controversial coach in Canada. Very severe.

related – GymCan – Shallon Olsen dazzles en route to junior victory at Elite Canada (Feb. 2012)

Dominique Pegg

Yet another strong Olympic contender for team Canada, Dominique tied for Bronze on Floor in Cottbus. (VIDEO)

Dominique Pegg, 18, is seeking a spot on Team Canada s Olympic shortlist at the May Canadian National Championships in Regina.

Fellow Bluewater club members and Canucks, Talia Chiarelli, 17, and Emma Willis, 19, are also vying for spots on Team Canada. …

Observer

2012 NCAA Regionals

36 teams qualified. Congratulations.

And good luck to the individuals announced for the April 7 competitions:

Those in bold are the top 2 seeds, expecting to move on to Championships.

NC State Regional
1. Florida
2. Ohio State
3. Penn State
4. NC State
5. Kent State
6. North Carolina

Illinois Regional
1. Oklahoma
2. Stanford
3. Denver
4. Illinois
5. Kentucky
6. Illinois-Chicago

Arkansas Regional
1. UCLA
2. Arkansas
3. Boise State
4. Missouri
5. New Hampshire
6. Maryland

Washington Regional
1. Alabama
2. LSU
3. Arizona
4. Washington
5. Iowa
6. Central Michigan

Utah Regional
1. Nebraska
2. Utah
3. Minnesota
4. Iowa State
5. Arizona State
6. San Jose State

Auburn Regional
1. Georgia
2. Oregon State
3. Auburn
4. Michigan
5. West Virginia
6. Michigan State

Watch the VIDEO ANNOUNCEMENT from NCAA.

Possible upsets?

Could Boise beat Arkansas?

NCAA – Regional championship selections

Shewfelt gymnastics pics

The atmosphere at the Kyle Shewfelt Gymnastics Festival was electric.

And intense.

Aussie cowboys Joshua Jefferis, Thomas Pichler, Sam Offord and Brody Jai Hennessy:

In the City of Calgary, we welcome visitors with Smithbilt white Stetsons.

If you’re tired of slow, long, boring Canadian gymnastics competitions, schedule Kyle’s meet for 2013. For many of the 800 athletes who attended this, the 2nd annual, it will be the most FUN competition of the season.

Kyle’s negotiating dates for the next 3 years. When the calendar is fixed, I’ll post it here.

The hosts at University of Calgary added a lot of nice touches for 2012.

There are 1400+ more photos on the KyleShewfeltGymFest Flickr photostream. Most of the best were taken by Dave Holland.

2012 RESULTS.

There was a glitch in the software for Big Show Finals. Apologies for that.