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#gymnastics2010

In Rotterdam, for the World Championships, the international TV feed is going to come from a flying camera. Love it.

From the Facebook album: Wall Photos by International Gymnast Magazine

Looks cool – AliciasScramone.com

There’s a blog, as well.

(via Full Twist)

This story just gets more complicated.

A few hours ago Yuri issued his first statement:

… “Since my discharge I have not used any drugs or cocaine,” van Gelder said in a statement. “The two-year recovery period has been harder than I estimated at times, and the past few weeks were a low point.”

The rings specialist said he withdrew from the world championships in order to prevent a relapse, commenting that the pressure of performing at such a high caliber event in his home country was too much. …

Universal Sports

He’s saying the Federation assumed that he had had a relapse. And announced it to the world. A “scandal” he calls it.

… I don’t know what to think.

In happier days, …

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#gymnastics2010

The Americans rocked Horizontal Bar, first apparatus. You could feel the momentum building.

I’d rank them a solid 3rd as a team with potential to defeat Japan on a good day.

Then Jon Horton missed a release. … He could be World Champion 2010 with a consistent meet.

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On Floor, second appartus, the full routines were rough. Many falls, especially on double fronts. But Jon kept doing his backward layout 1 ½ to double front until he landed one. He’s a gamer, I’ll give him that.

Jordan Jovtchev of Bulgaria warmed up Rings. And looked GREAT. And distinguished with his grey hair. How old is he now?
🙂

I hope I’m this strong when I grow up.

Click PLAY or watch Jordan’s strength sequence on Gymnastike.

http://videoplayer.flocasts.org/player.swf

The USA is not a team built for Pommel Horse. But podium training went quite well. Congrats. Jon Horton had no problem getting through.

The USA is not a team built for Rings. But it won’t keep them off the podium. Jon took it easy. He’ll be fine there. … (Toe point, please, Chris Brooks.) … Or convince Jovtchev to apply for U.S. citizenship. I’m estimating he’s got another 5 Olympics in him.

The USA is a team built for Vault. Big, strong guys. Horton only landed 2 of 4 double fronts, but it will be there when he needs it.

… Australia is having problems on Pipe. Jetlag? Commonwealthlag?

On Parallel Bars the Americans have some good tricks. Horton HIT. … Brooks was a disaster.

The American Men? … In a word, fugly. … But this is an era where high start scores and consistency matter most. There are dozens of prettier gymnasts from all over the world. Gymnasts with better form and technique.

But I still see team USA on the podium. And Jon Horton the man to beat in the all-around if Uchimura does not compete all 6 apparatus.

Good night.

UPDATE:

Blythe got an excellent interview with Jon and Chris.

#gymnastics2010

International Gymnast Magazine on Facebook:

The problems with the vaulting situation continue as I watched Jeffrey Wammes from the Nederlands who often makes the finals on vault sit down 4 or 5 Tsk 2 1/2 vaults…… I have heard that many of the coaches and delegations prepared a petition concerning the vaulting board with the suggestion that the FIG request Janssen-Fritsen to offer some of their older boards…. Appartently the petition was ignored!!!

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Many are having no problem with the new spring board at World Championships. But I have heard a few complaints, as well. Big guys are bottoming out.

#gymnastics2010

Now that host Netherlands star Yuri van Gelder is out, the home crowd at podium training cheers even louder for the man with the wild hair, wild swing, Epke Zonderland.

Watch his Silver medal routine from European Championships on YouTube.

I’d love to see more guys connecting these huge releases.

#gymnastics2010

With Cheng Fei in a 3-up, 3-count team final, China could stay close to the strongest vault teams.

Without Cheng Fei (she’s still recovering from knee surgery, so far as I know) … they are going to need a light gravity day. Guts. And some luck.

From Blythe’s Gymnastics Examiner LIVE blog:

… Three double twisting Yurchenkos. That’s what the Chinese women are training. Going into this, I figured the Chinese wouldn’t challenge for gold because of low start values on vault, no matter how hard their bars and beam were. But this is another gamechanger — if China has three 5.8 D-scores on vault, they become far more dangerous.

Whether those three gymnasts — Yang Yilin, Deng Linlin and Jiang Yuyuan — can stand up those three DTYs seems a bit questionable, however. All crashed their first few attempts. …

read more

I have my doubts. …

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As expected.

North Korea was disallowed to compete at Worlds in Rotterdam because, over the years, they had registered one of their gymnasts under 3 different birthdates.

On Oct. 11th the PRK appealed.

That appeal was just now denied:

… Indeed, the arguments and explanations provided do not justify a reconsideration of the provisional decision made by the President of the FIG Disciplinary Commission.

Consequently, the suspension, which was announced on 6 October 2010, will not be lifted. The Gymnastics Association of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (PRK) is not allowed to compete at national and international levels. …

This comes via email from FIG Press Operations.

#gymnastics2010

From Men’s podium training in Rotterdam …

Defending World Champion Kohei Uchimura from Japan is injured. This confirms a fear we had yesterday when he was conspicously missing from training.

International Gymnast Magazine on Facebook tells that he’s had shoulder problems since July. He attempted some Rings in podium training. No go. But he did a full routine on H Bar. And had no problem tumbling. Likely he’ll not be doing the all-around. Likely Japan will not be able to challenge the Chinese in the team competition, now.

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Romania’s star Dragalescu is having problems, too. He vaulted … but not near his usual quality. And he struggled tumbling, facing double double.

We talked to Fabian Hambüchen and his father coach last night. The fabulous one still looks like a kid, yet his first World Championships was 2003!

As we knew in advance of the meet, Fabian‘s only doing 4 apparatus due to injury.

#gymnastics2010

A favorite for the all-around title at the world championships in Rotterdam, rising star Aliya Mustafina can be a handful in the gym, Russian head coach Alexander Alexandrov said.

Mustafina, who turned 16 on Sept. 30 is stubborn and prone to tears when things don’t go well in training, he said.

“The girl is very talented, but with a difficult character,” Alexandrov told a Russian newspaper in Rotterdam. “However, you don’t find much complacency among champions.” 

read more – Amanda Turner on International Gymnast – Alexandrov: Mustafina High Maintenance

Note that Amanda has no link to the original Russian interview on that post.

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The Khorkina “diva” school of successful psychology? … I’m very surprised to see that on this talented Russian team. Thinking back to the ultra-disciplined Soviet teams of the 1980s … they need another Shushanova. Or from the 1970s, Tourischeva. Super stable. Super tough.

Russia is beatable in Rotterdam.

related – Aliya Mustafina Online