Gymnastics Coaching.com

GBR, FRA, SPN, ITA to Olympics

#FIGTest12

Great Britain was fantastic. But they really should have done this in Tokyo where I had predicted a 3rd place team rank. 🙂

Spain are the BIG winners today. Congratulations.

Olympics team qualified:
1.GBR 358.227
2.FRA 350.659
3.ESP 347.292
4.ITA 346.334

5.CAN 345.892
6.BRA 345.152
7.PUR 340.092
8.BLR 335.824

Italy surprised a lot of people too. And of all 8 teams I felt Brazil had the gutsiest performance.

Canada must go back to the drawing board. The team strategy of going “clean” on comparatively less difficult routines did not work in Tokyo or London. 😦

No disrespect to the Canadian gymnasts or coaches. I love this program. But it wasn’t enough in 2011. Men’s Gymnastics is unbelievably competitive worldwide.

Max WHITLOCK (GBR) – Pommels

Great Britain is great on every apparatus, but Pommels may be the best of all.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

15.400 (Difficulty : 6.50, Execution : 8.900)

GBR at the Olympic Test Meet

Louis Smith is the poster boy. He’s everywhere in this town. Gymnast / bad boy — a very compelling image.

That’s got to be frustrating to his GBR teammates that need to carry the AA scores qualifying the team to Olympics. Louis’ pretty much got only one apparatus.

The last of 3 flights of MAG prelims is just beginning …

The host will qualify. The bigger question is whether Spain and Puerto Rico will finish top 4 teams.

It’s a loud and raucous house. Announcers are encouraging the audience to bring the noise.

France, Italy, Canada … so far

Yeesh.

This is distressful.

Brazil had a fantastic meet but still didn’t beat Canada when you added the numbers up.

France 350.659
Italy 346.334
Canada 345.892
Brazil 345.152
Belarus 335.824

Three teams left to compete including favourite GBR. Top 4 qualify for Olympics. Puerto Rico and Spain are both strong, too.

Arthur ZANETTI (BRA) – Rings

Respect. #FIGTest12

Though Brazil lost their biggest name — Diego Hypolito — to injury, they’ve fought passionately to qualify as a team.

Click PLAY or watch the Worlds 2011 Silver medalist on YouTube.

… just as I published Arthur sat down a tumbling line. Then over-rotated dismount out-of-bounds. They do miss Diego on Floor.

no LIVE video stream prelims

FIG did not promise LIVE video until Finals. But they did hint that it was possible.

Here’s the clarification via @officialFIG:

ART and TRA #FIGTest12 FINALS only will be live on youtube.com/figchannel on January 12 and 13 – no qualifications!

The near immediate posting of routines on this YouTube playlist was pretty cool, though. And much appreciated.

Click PLAY or watch Cyril TOMMASONE (FRA) Pommels on YouTube.

O2 arena – Olympic venue

Not a sell out. But a good crowd for Men’s gymnastics.

first competition - MAG session 1 (Tue morning)

photo via FIG on Facebook

Of the 40,000+ tickets available for the Test Event, most have been sold. It’s still possible to get one, though. Take advantage of this — the next best thing to the Olympics.

The O2 Arena is a 23,000 capacity venue, primarily used for live music. It is located at the centre of The O2 and is the first American-style, multi-purpose arena in London. It is the joint largest indoor arena in Europe. …

Click PLAY or watch a feature on Entertainment Avenue at The O2 on YouTube.

it’s like a small city surrounding the arena.

Brandon O’NEILL – Floor

As much as I’d like to see fewer roll-out skills on Men’s Floor — and an option to get a high score with none — Brandon does them as well as anyone.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

14.266 (Difficulty : 5.300; Execution : 8.966).

Fact is he had a problem learning these as a young gymnast. His problem? … Intelligence. Why should we deliberately try to land on our heads?

Update: Bob notes that Brandon missed his front layout 2/1 twist dismount. Therefore gets no dismount and no skill as he had done front layout 1 1/2 twist earlier in the routine. Merde.

MAG Team Scores, so far

France 350.659
Canada 345.892
Belarus 335.824

I’m thinking France will finish top 4, for sure. Belarus is out for sure. Canada will be close. … It’s going to be a long day waiting to find out.

For Canada, Casey Sandy’s Floor score was raised after appeal. The D-panel had him 0.8 too low!

Canada also appealed Kevin Lytwin’s Ring start score. But it was not upheld.

Four of the eight teams advance to the London Olympics. The team ranking 5th will be very unhappy. 😦