RESULTS – 1/2 way thru prelims

TEAMS:

Romania 227.228
Australia 221.846
Canada 215.328
Netherlands 212.828
Mexico 206.751
Venezuela 202.294
Uzbekistan 201.861

There are more strong nations day 2 than day 1, however.

AA
1.Raluca Haidu (ROU) 56.465
2.Lauren Mitchell (AUS) 56.324
3.Celine Van Gerner (NED) 55.465
4.Ana Porgras (ROU) 54.832
5.Emily Little (AUS) 54.732
6.Jessica Lopez (VEN) 54.731
7.Peng Peng Lee (CAN) 54.632
8.Vasiliki Millousi (GRE) 53.416

Live Results
Women’s Qualifications – Vault Live Results
Rank Name NOC Total
1 PENA ABREU Y. DOM
14.466
2 MORENO MEDINA MEX
14.249
3 PHAN T. VIE
14.216
4 MAKSIUTA V. ISR
14.016
5 PLICHTA Paula POL
13.633
6 TKALCEC Tijana CRO
13.516
7 MEJIAS RODRIGU. PUR
13.499
8 CAMINO BONICEL. PER
13.133
Live Results
Women’s Qualifications – Uneven Bars Live Results
Rank Name NOC Total
1 MILLER Larrissa AUS
14.300
2 VAN GERNER C. NED
14.166
3 LOPEZ Jessica VEN
13.966
4 HAIDU R. ROU
13.833
5 LEE Christine CAN
13.800
6 ADLERTEG Jonna SWE
13.700
7 GUSTAFSSON Ida SWE
13.700
8 RACEA E. ROU
13.666
Live Results
Women’s Qualifications – Beam Live Results
Rank Name NOC Total
1 PONOR Catalina ROU
15.000
2 RACEA E. ROU
14.733
3 HAIDU R. ROU
14.533
4 MILLOUSI V. GRE
14.450
5 PORGRAS Ana ROU
14.400
6 VAN GERNER C. NED
14.300
7 MONCKTON M. AUS
14.166
8 BRENNAN A. AUS
14.125
Live Results
Women’s Qualifications – Floor Live Results
Rank Name NOC Total
1 BULIMAR D. ROU
14.400
2 MITCHELL Lauren AUS
14.391
3 CHELARU D. ROU
14.233
4 PONOR Catalina ROU
14.200
5 GARCIA RODRIGU. MEX
13.966
6 LOPEZ Jessica VEN
13.933
7 PORGRAS Ana ROU
13.866
8 GERBER Mikaela CAN
13.800

source – FIG

Double check those on THE ALL AROUND.

Yamilet Peña – Handspring Double Front

Yamilet Peña of the Dominican Republic competed a strong Yurchenko 1 1/2 twist. And then the Prudnova (Roche for men) … the most difficult vault ever performed by a woman. (VIDEO from podium training)

Nellie Kim was on the phone with the Head Judge. Since Yamilet’s feet landed first, she got credit for the Vault — 7.10 D score.

She averaged 14.466 and has a good chance to make Finals.

Family, friends and fans in the audience were thrilled.

… but I’m worried.

If you miss this vault even once, it could be a catastrophic injury. This Code is too much rewarding difficulty, aggressiveness and power. Not enough rewarding grace, rhythm, and artistry.

I was against banning the back tuck on Beam when Olga Korbut first did it. But I’d support banning this Vault for women as we’ve already banned the multiple somersault rollout skills on Floor.

I’d also ban Handspring triple fronts for men on Vault.

Canadian gymnasts at Worlds

It was an up and down day for Team Canada in preliminaries.

Some brilliant and pretty gymnastics — but 3 falls on Beam, 1 fall on Floor. Good Vault, good Bars … with one fall on release.

Canada finishes 5.5 points behind Australia with 215.028 after half the competition has finished. But most of the BIG NAME teams are yet to come. …

1. Romania 227.228
2. Australia 221.846
3. Canada 215.328
4. NED 212.828

Mexico 206.751
Venezuela 202.294
Greece 197.611

It’s still possible for CAN to hang on to 8th, but that would mean disaster for a couple of teams to come. Certainly we are safe for the top 16. Australia has a good shot at top 8, I think.

Competing gymnasts are: Kristina Vaculik of Whitby, Ont., (Gemini Gymnastics), Dominique Pegg of Sarnia, Ont., (Bluewater), Christine (Peng Peng) Lee of Toronto, (Oakville Gymnastics), Coralie Leblond-Chartrand of Montreal (Gymnix), Madeline Gardiner, (Dynamo) and Mikaela Gerber (Oakville Gymnastics), both of Cambridge, Ont. The reserve gymnast is Ottawa-born Talia Chiarelli of Bluewater Gymnastics in Sarnia.

Gymnastics Canada

Mikaela Gerber was moved on to the competing team from the alternate spot and proved her worth hitting 3 for 3 strong routines.

Christine Lee scored 54.632, enough to get through to AA Finals, I’m hoping. She’s hugely entertaining for the audience. But fell on Beam: front salto half twist.

For more read Examiner – LIVE blog of that session

Zhang (Long) Chenglong – H Bar

The reigning World Champ in podium training.

Click PLAY or watch it on Gymnastike.

http://www.gymnastike.org/embed/OTY4NTA5MzMw?related=1

Watch more video of World Gymnastics Championships Tokyo 2011 on gymnastike.org

His is the only Chinese routine I like. Big swing.

Still, he shouldn’t have won last year. And shouldn’t medal this year. There are many better routines. Hambuchen, for one. (VIDEO)

P Bars – straddle front to long hang

Sergio Sasaki from Brazil.

Click PLAY or watch it on Gymnastike.

http://www.gymnastike.org/embed/MjIyNTA5MjQ0?related=1

Watch more video of World Gymnastics Championships Tokyo 2011 on gymnastike.org

Tomi Tuuha – Finland – Vault

A unique and pretty forward layout position. Very straight.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Tomi was European Champion on vault in 2010.

Larissa MILLER (AUS) – Bars

Qualifications, Uneven Bars. … gymnast of Brisbane was impressive on Uneven Bars : 14.300, presently best score on this apparatus.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Ponor 15.00 to Beam final

She should qualify with a 15.00 in prelims, the highest score so far. Lauren Mitchell fell on to the Beam.

Click PLAY or watch Catalina on YouTube.

Catalina Ponor, age-24, was 2004 Olympic Beam Champion.

The defending World Champion, Ana PORGRAS slipped on Ring: 14.400 (VIDEO). She won’t qualify to the final on beam as two other Romanians have higher scores.