Gymnastics Coaching.com

The most interesting and talked about division.

1. Jordyn Pedersen (Oakville)
2. Shallon Olsen (Omega)
3. Maegan Chant (World Class)
4. Elise Bolger (Oakville)
5. Kassondra Lepik (Gemini)
6. Victoria-Kayen Woo (Gym-Richelieu)
7. Annie Sheridan (Oakville)
8. Brianna Clark (Gymnix)

High Performance AA Finals full results (PDF)

Shallon had problems on Bars, dropping her to second all-around.

Gymnastics Examiner – LIVE blog

Aunt Joyce has been following (via interwebs) the Chinese Nationals.

Click PLAY or watch He Kexin’s Bars on YouTube.

There are more on the Komova2012 channel.

Kyle Shewfelt updates us:

… Of note on the men’s side, 2009 Canadian All-Around Champion Casey Sandy is missing in action due to a torn achilles tendon suffered at a training camp in Mexico in early 2010. Also missing is 2008 Olympian and 2005 World Championship Silver Medalist, Brandon Oneill, who suffered a devastating injury to his ACL at the same training camp which requires a full reconstruction. This injury will keep him sidelined for quite some time which is a huge disappointment for the program.

There have been a couple of retirements as well with Canadian great and 2 time Olympian, Adam Wong, making the tough decision to chase his professional goals and Jared Walls, a strong member of the Senior Canadian National team for almost a decade, deciding to hang up his grips and pursue life after gymnastics as well. …

Kyle Shewfelt’s blog – Canadian Gymnastics Championships

That was posted Wednesday, before the start of competition. Very, very interesting insights along with video.

Sr. MAG results:

Nathan Gafuik – 89.550
Jackson Payne – 84.350
Kevin Lytwyn – 84.050
Hugh Smith – 84.050
Jayd Lukenchuk – 82.700
Ken Ikeda – 81.950

full results (PDF)

Kyle’s certainly correct that Nathan is one of the very best AA gymnasts in the world. But our team, rebuilding, will have a very difficult time qualifying for London. We’d need Casey and Brandon back and healthy to have a chance.

From the Facebook album: 2009 Worlds – Men’s Qualifying by Grace Chiu GraceClick

Does Jackson actually “pull” his legs straddled on that skill? … I’m going to have to watch for that.

Justin Karstadt, age-13, from Futures Gymnastics won the extremely competitive High Performance Argo division at the Canadian Championships.

Here’s my interview with Justin immediately after the meet. He hit 12 for 12. And stuck a lot of landings.

Click PLAY or watch it on Gymnastike.

http://c1403192.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/player.swf

That’s the rumour.

The 2009 Vault World Champion will Roll Tide.

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.js

From Twitter. Thanks Sher.

… nothing is official yet.

But everyone is wondering what’s happening with the first ever Youth Olympic Games. Only 1 male and 1 female gymnast / nation will compete.

Of the age eligible girls, Canada will most likely send Mikaela Gerber (left) or Madeline Gardiner (right), both born 1995.

Photos by Grace Chiu GraceClick.ca

It may be decided by coach availability. Injury is always a factor, too. Which of the girls will be in the best routine shape come August?

I’m not sure when the official announcement will be made.

I’m guessing our MAG gymnast will be Robert Watson from B.C.

Mikayla is sister of Aisha Gerber, now at UCLA.

Here’s the official press release from Gymnastics Canada:

Two-time Olympian Nathan Gafuik of Calgary and Kristina Vaculik of Whitby, Ont., won the men’s and women’s all around titles on Thursday at the Canadian gymnastics championships.

Gafuik, the men’s all around gold medal winner at the Pacific Rim Championships in Australia last month, kept up the momentum with a solid effort on all six apparatus to claim his first senior Canadian title.

“I didn’t have amazing routines on any event, nothing that really stood out,” said Gafuik who placed in the top three in all events and topped the field on pommel horse, vault and high bar for a winning score of 89.550 points. …

In the women’s all around, Vaculik capped her remarkable comeback from a career threatening injury with a top-three finish in all four routines for a winning score of 55.950 points. …

Madeleine Gardiner of Cambridge, Ont., was a close second at 55.100 and Dominique Pegg of Sarnia, Ont., placed third at 54.800.

Vaculik, who did not compete at last year’s Canadian championships, has been chalking up medals at home and abroad since returning to competition in December following a year-long rehab after surgery to correct a debilitating elbow ailment. …

read more – Gymnastics Canada – Gafuik and Vaculik win all around titles at Canadian Gymnastics Championships

From the Facebook album: 2010 Canadian Gymnastics Championships by Grace Chiu GraceClick.ca

Marceline Goldstein from Cirque du Soleil awarded prize money to the AA Gold Medalists and their coaches. Nathan’s coach, Tony Smith, promised to take his wife Lisa out to a nice dinner with the winnings. At least that’s the way I heard it.

Update: Gymnastics Examiner highlights with photos by Grace Chiu – Kristina Vaculik, Sabrina Gill, Nathan Gafuik win Canadian national titles

We’ve had an enquiry from journalist Fariha Karim wanting to do a photo story on Cirque in Bangladesh.

But I’m not aware of troupes or schools in that Nation.

Email if you know of any: farihak.bd-AT-gmail.com

Not mental gymnasts, note.

University of Nebraska Head Coach Dan Kendig is one of the good guys. And one of the best Head Coaches in the NCAA.

Here’s his Gymnastike interview – Mental Edge Monday:

http://c1403192.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/player.swf

Dan’s with us up at the Canadian Championships, as always. He’s a big booster. (And loves to recruit Canadians, one ingredient of a winning College team, it seems.)

Dan has been with Nebraska since 1993 and is a two-time National Coach of the Year (1999, 2003). Coach Kendig has led the Huskers to 12 NCAA Championships appearances and 9 Super Six Finals appearances.

1. Nathan Gafuik
2. Jackson Payne
3T. Hugh Smith
3T. Kevin Lytwyn

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.js

… Nashwan Haider al-Hazari, being coached by Jim Holt from Seattle and representing Yemen, is here as a guest competitor. Al-Hazari was the 2008 Olympic wildcard. …

Gymnastics Examiner

Nathan was named “International Gymnast of the Year” as well. His coach, Tony Smith, was honoured, as well.