It’s official.
The Canadian women have again qualified as a team to Olympics after missing out in 2008. Congratulations.
They owe part of their success to photographer Grace Chiu. 🙂
Canada to Olympics 2012
Youna DUFOURNET (FRA) – Bars
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Note how she does Blind and Pirouette on the same hand to stay centre of rail. Gymnasts need to be comfortable pirouetting both directions.
France celebrated on the competition Floor after their competition, confident that a 220.744 will qualify them to Olympics. They rank 2nd with only 3 teams yet to compete.
1. CAN 221.913 2. FRA 220.744 3. BEL 216.054 4. Spain 213.054 5. NED 212.061
Jessica Lopez (VEN) – Bars
WAG results after flight #1
A TERRIFIC meet for Team Canada — about a 6pt improvement from Tokyo. (That would have finished 6th as a team at Worlds.) I’m positive they’ll be through to the Olympics as a team. And just might be the top team score today.
CONGRATULATIONS
CAN 221.813
NED 212.061
AA
1. Lee 55.565
2. Gomez Porras 54.766
3. Vaculik 54.607
4. Moors 54.282
5. Lopez 53.999
6. Top 53.598
… The Dutch fortunes have declined since Tokyo, namely with the loss of top all-arounders Celine van Gerner and Joy Goedkoop. Their performance here wasn’t perfect by any means, but it is a good training ground for new seniors like Lisa Top, who may be the future of Dutch gymnastics. Dianne Teunisse was also very impressive — if not totally perfect — on bars, beam and vault. …
Examiner – Impressions: Flight one at the London Test Event (women’s)
Next subdivision features France, Belgium and Spain. Many feel France is the strongest team here — but one French coach told this group is quite unpredictable in competition. … Aren’t they all?
Men’s qualification wrap-up video
WAG Test Meet videos
… starting to be posted on the FIGchannel.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
One of only two double doubles in the meet. The other is Ferrari.
She’s 2nd AA so far after 3 rotations. A great addition to the Canadian team. … Update: fall on side salto Beam. 😦
what could have been …
Gymnastics is a tough sport.
And a subjectively judged sport where you don’t always get a fair score.
I always tell kids not to leave it in the judges hands. If you really want to win you have to make sure the score is not “close” to your competitors.
Edouard Iarov to WOGA
As many have speculated over the years, Valeri Liukin’s former coach, Edouard Iarov, is going to Dallas. WOGA has added another of the best coaches in the world.
Edouard and Valeri recently together taught an FIG Olympic Academy course in Tokyo. They are back working as a team, again.
Edouard was formerly responsible for the Canadian Men’s National Team. He’s currently on FIG MTC. This is another big leap in a long career. Good luck.
Click PLAY or watch a promo for the upcoming WOGA Classic on YouTube.
WOGA Classic February 18-19 2012
Pommel handstand mid-routine
I love skills like this.
Alberto BUSNARI (ITA)
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
14.966 (Difficulty : 6.40, Execution : 8.766).
Women’s Gymnastics Olympic Trial
… starting in just a few minutes. #FIGTest12 🙂
The top 4 teams of 8 qualify to London.
I’ll be cheering my homeland, Canada, in the first flight.
Avril Enslow has more photos from Beam podium posted on Facebook.
And — as I’m sitting with Netherland’s @GymPOWER1 bloggers, the Dutch girls, as well.
They just played David Bowie’s Heroes (video) in the arena. I was struck how appropriate that song is for the BIG GAME:
♪ … just for one day
We can be Heroes, for ever and ever
What d’you say? … ♪
The men were amazingly tough under pressure yesterday. GRB and SPAIN had virtually perfect meets. Whom of these young women can do the same today?
