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Pommels may again — like Rotterdam — be the best apparatus final. There are a lot of great guys from all around the world.

Cyril is from France.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Women’s Podium Training Day 1 – FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships TOKYO 2011

Produced by Inside Gymnastics magazine. Sponsored by Tumbl Trak.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

The best swing so far today.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. (fall)

Donna Donny Truyens is a a Belgian … coached by Dirk Van Meldert at the Topsportcentrum in Ghent.

He was the first Belgian ever to qualify to a Worlds apparatus final last year in Rotterdam.

I watched Great Britain’s podium training with Gummi Brynjólfsson, men’s judge and women’s coach from Iceland. He’s a big fan of their men’s program, as am I.

Yet Gummi recalled being at their national training centre only 8yrs ago when the British men’s program was at low ebb.

How times have changed since London won the Olympics 2012.

In 2011 there’s a very realistic chance that GBR could finish as high as 3rd as a team, ahead of USA, GER and KOR.

How would that happen?

First, they’d need to hit Pommels. Get a lead of as much as 2pts on their strongest apparatus.

Count how many Russians they compete on pig, I dare you.

Second, they have to hope that the Men’s judges actually judge. GBR has execution in the league with JPN and CHN. … Based on Rotterdam, the men’s judges don’t seem to bother with execution, “boxing” all E scores relatively close together:

bad routine = 7.9
average = 8.4
good routine = 8.9
perfect routine = 9.1

If the MAG judges do that, the “cleaner teams” (CHN, JPN, GBR) suffer relative to the uglier teams.

Still … predicting men’s gymnastics results is a dangerous game. Anything can happen in Team prelims. And by “anything”, I mean disaster can strike on 6 different apparatus. Every gymnast might fall on Vault, for example.

It’s going to be a great battle GBR v GER v USA and perhaps even KOR.

Blythe Lawrence lives part of the year in France. She’d add that team to the mix:

… I wrote awhile ago that France, which pulled a surprising fifth place finish at the 2010 Worlds despite losing Benoit Caranobe early in the competition, could have a shot at a medal here. We’ll see.

They have two of the best vaulters in the world in Samir Ait Said (who’s also good on rings) and defending World champion Thomas Bouhail. They have good pommel horse from all-arounder Cyril Tommasone. They have pbars and high bar from Yann Cucherat. They are capable. What they may not have is a second and third gymnast on every event. …

FRA has just begun podium training. Examiner LIVE blog.

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Recently I wrote that Shogo Nonomura just might be the next Uchimura.

Now I’m thinking 18yr-old Sam Oldham just might be a future world champion. Amazing Pommels for a young guy. He trains with Smith and Keatings.

Click PLAY or watch Sam on YouTube.

The British men will qualify in the top 8 teams, no problem. It’s essential that their girls do, as well, so far as the host nation is concerned. Neither team wants to do the “test event” in January.

related – British Gymnastics – Artistic Worlds- GBR boys ready to go!

Update from @USAgym:

Alicia Sacramone was injured today at practice and is being evaluated. Aly Raisman took a short dismount off beam but is fine.

Anne Phillips:

I attended the American women’s training session this morning in the Yoyogi Training Hall and am afraid I have some very unfortunate news to report. Brestyan’s gymnasts Alexandra Raisman and Alicia Sacramone both went down with injury during the team’s practice.

details – Gymnastike – Two Americans Down in World Championships Training

Awaiting prognosis.

Alternate alternate, Shawn Johnson, is a long way away.

If this man had been a coach, he’d have been a coach of champions.

Beth:

Louise Giblin makes a body cast of me ready to be made into a sculpture in an Olympic series.

Those photos are posted on an official fan page album on Facebook.

How’s that for an attention grabbing headline?

The gymnastics start joins a long list of male and female athletes that have posed nude in celebration of the ultrafit human body.

ESPNw – Why pose for the Body Issue?

It’s a huge honor and a cool opportunity. I wanted to show that you don’t need to be 13 or 14 years old to be a gymnast. You can be older and still have good results.

When I first got the offer I was a little nervous. But then I thought, “You’ve worn a leotard in front of a billion people; this isn’t that different.” Plus, I work out really hard and I’m proud of my body.

Watch the video about the shoot from ESPNw – The Body Issue

This is good publicity for our sport, I feel.

Keith Russell brings gymnasts into his University Anatomy lectures to show real muscles. (They guys wear shorts, however.)

(via Full Twist)

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

(via Full In Full Out)

Aubree Balkan is one of several people who contacted me regarding trampoline coach Doug Boger who was placed on the USA Gymnastics ‘permanently ineligible’ for membership list June 2010.

I linked to reporter SCOTT M. REID who published an article about Boger — Banned after accusations of abuse, some gymnastics coaches continue to teach

Follow that link if you missed the story.

Here’s what one of his more recent former athletes has to say:

I am writing in response to the media outrage and allegations against Doug Boger. He was my former gymnastics coach and I feel compelled to share my experiences and those of my teammates that have been coached by him within the last ten years. Doug started coaching me when I was 12 years old in 2001. He coached, guided and mentored me through my gymnastics career and is still one of the most instrumental people in my life. Without his faith and devotion to me as an athlete, I would have never accomplished nearly as much I was able too. Without him I would have not made the national team and competed at three world championships. Doug and I made a great team. We travelled the world together and in 2009 both won awards for sportswoman and double-mini coach of the year. I would not be who I am today if it were not for his passion and love for the sport as well as his devotion to the well being of his athletes. Never in the last ten years did I experience anything to the nature of what Doug is being accused of. I have learned so much from him and will stand by him regardless of such allegations with my unforgettable memories and nothing but positive and life-shaping experiences through my gymnastics career with Doug for the past ten years.

Aubree Balkan

I once had a teacher friend wrongly accused and imprisoned. So I’m well aware that there is some chance that’s the case here.

At this point Doug Boger, family and friends must respond in the court of public opinion, as well as court, if it comes to that.