Gymnastics Coaching.com

His team uniform didn’t fit?
A weird and sad ending to this story.

GUANGZHOU, China — India’s gymnasts at the Asian Games were left without a coach after their Russian-born mentor walked out on them, claiming team officials were racist.

Vladimir Chertkov, 51, whose year-long contract ends after the Games, left the athletes village on Sunday and returned to India after being denied permission to take part in Friday’s opening ceremony. …

Indian chef-de-mission Abhay Singh Chautala admitted there was an argument with Chertkov over the uniform for the ceremony after the Russian insisted on appearing in jeans and a T-shirt.

“Our officials told him to adhere to the dress code. When he refused, they barred him from the ceremony. …

AFP

The article is based on this TV interview.

This was the “last straw”, he says. But no matter how whack-a-doodle is the sports administration of India, I still don’t like Chertkov walking out on the team at that moment. He put himself ahead of the athletes.

What a year for the wonderful Aussie.

The golden run of world champion Lauren Mitchell has continued this morning, the Perth teenager winning gold on beam, floor and uneven bars in a commanding display at the DTB Pokal World Cup in Stuttgart, Germany.

And the 19-year-old re-wrote the record books once again, becoming the first Australian gymnast to win three gold medals at a single World Cup event. …

Gymnastics Australia

That links to routine videos.

THE ALL AROUND DTB summary. More Lauren links on the proud Australian Gymnastics Blog.

Personal shout out …

Canada’s Corissa Boychuk won gold in the women’s double-mini final at the trampoline world championships Saturday.

Boychuk, from Airdrie, Alta., finished first with 70.500 points. Bianca Budler of South Africa won silver with 70.300 and Russia’s Svetlana Balandina took bronze with 70.200. …

Globe and Mail

Congrats to coach Jamie Atkin. Recall that Airdrie recently opened a huge new training centre.

Thanks Brett. Watch a terrific Cory video montage.

David Durante, Morgan Hamm, John Macready, Stephen McCain, Sasha Artemev, Alexei Bilozertchev, Chris Brooks, Wes Haagensen and Derek Shepard. What a gig!

(via Gymnastike)

Personally I like best Isabeli Fontana, the weight lifter.

More photos on Style Bistro.

From the messy floor at World Championships 2010.

see more on Couch Gymnast

Vanessa Atler was an awesome vaulter, the first American to compete layout “Rudi” (forward salto 1½).

But when I finally went back to take a look, there’s no comparing this vault to the one done by World Champion Alicia Sacramone. Even factoring in the different vault horse, boards and runway surfaces, Alicia is far superior.

Click PLAY or watch her on YouTube.

Somebody that knows Vanessa, please ask. I’m sure she’ll concur.

Vanessa was born February 1982. Exactly 6wks too young for the 1996 Olympics. And then again too young for 1997 Worlds when FIG raised the age to 16.

Galax-Arena is an award winning children’s book by Gillian Rubinstein (1995).

Kids are taken away from their families and trained as slave gymnasts. … Hey, that sounds like CHINA.

… When 13-year-old Joey, her older brother, Peter, and younger sister, Liane, are kidnapped, they believe they have been abducted by aliens and removed to the planet Vexak. Along with 20 other children from Earth, they become Peb and are trained as acrobats to perform in the Galax-Arena for the Vexa, who thrive on vicarious danger. …

The kids who don’t make it as gymnasts, become pets for the (supposed) aliens.

Hilarious.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Ryan blademonki posted that fun edit listing as a website Kinesthesist:

… (n): a weblog about acrobatics

(via FlipCatch)

I linked to one of 1996 Olympian John Macready‘s rants at World Championships.

He’s hinting at making a comeback. Let’s demand one.

John’s in shape. Check this pic by Jennifer Hardt from Oct, 2010.

… John is a Pommels / Rings specialist. … Right?

This guy’s phenomenal. Click PLAY or watch a professional edit on YouTube.

Ryan (YouTube channel) is … expresses himself though movement. … international freerunning champion at the Red Bull Art of Motion.

Ryan opened Airborn his own freerunning academy in 2004 which is now the largest in the UK. He is currently undergoing many projects around the world and co-stars in the new MTV series Ultimate Parkour Challenge in 2010.

(via FlipCatch)

FlipCatch calls for a showdown between Ryan Doyle and Damien Walters.