Peña – Vault – Handspring double front

Here’s her zero vault from finals. (results)

Yamilet Peña Abreu VT 1 EF Guadalajara 2011

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I’ve seen her do it on to hard mats perhaps 8 times now. (I’m getting slightly less nervous each time.)

… Still, I’d support banning this vault for women and handspring triple front for men. For now.

Leave a comment if you see a video of her prelim “Prudnova” vault, the one that qualified her to Finals.

on teen suicide

In his weekly show Rick Mercer Report, Canadian comedian Rick Mercer shared his thoughts on anti-bullying efforts during a rant. The video segment is earning praise on social media.

He points out that 300 young Canadians commit suicide every year. …

The Star

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Shawn Johnson – Bars

Shawn Johnson’s silver medal bars routine at the 2011 Pan American Games

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

(via Lauren’s Inner Monoblog)

Bridgey Caquatto – Bars

Gold medal at Pan-Ams.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Not bad. But I don’t see this routine as one of three in the Team Final in London.

Especially since Marta didn’t make the short trip from home to Guadalajara with this team.

Marta is counting on the “flying squirrel” … and is looking for 2 more routines at Gabby’s level or better.

Nastia has a good chance to claim one of those 2 additional spots. It’s a lot of work. I wish her luck.

Anna Li too, could again get a Bars specialist spot. But it’s going to be much more difficult in London with the smaller team size. Even Beth Tweddle has two apparatus.

Gym Clubs in Japan

by site editor Rick McCharles

After Worlds I’ve been traveling Japan using an all-you-can-ride Rail Pass.

I’ve visited 3 clubs, so far:

• Tsukahara Gymnastics Center, Tokyo
• Namba Gymnastics Club, Osaka
• Tommy International School and Tomioka Sports Club, Osaka

Tomioko (Tommy) Shinichiro, President

I’d love to visit more as I learn something new at each facility. Email me if you know of more gyms in Japan where I can observe or volunteer guest coach over the next week.

Tommy Gym

One of my former coaches Shiro Tanaka pointed out that Japanese recreational kids have far better discipline (and more line-ups) than kids suffer in Canada.

Ana Lago – Floor

Gold medal at Pan-Ams.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

… Ana Lago is only in her first year as a senior for Mexico. In our Get to Know the Mexican Team post in October, Isabel Zamora reported that Ana Lago was considered to be Mexico’s new beam and floor specialist, producing the first standing Arabian on beam Mexico has ever had. …

Couch Gymnast – Ana Lago: “The Truth, I do Expect This Medal.”

more WAG videos

Apparatus Finals Pan-Ams

In case you missed the results, Amanda Turner provides her usual excellent wrap-up posts:

Day 1
Day 2

Congratulations to everyone who competed in Mexico, especially those that competed Worlds and Pan-Ams back-to-back.