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Posted by Al Fong.
… It’s all in how you raise them from the beginning. When it comes to controlling the fear factor as we teach the “scary” skills, progressions and the right training stations are critical. Our station for the split leap on balance beam is one such example.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
A lot of good scores so far this weekend. The NCAA Team Championship competition is going to be awesome.
Vanessa Zamarripa, the Pac-10 Gymnast of the Week the last two weeks in a row, scored a perfect 10.0 on vault this weekend. Her team, UCLA, hit all 26 routines (24-for-24 in competition, 2-for-2 in exhibition).
http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.js
photos Jamie Deetscreek, Utah
Utah senior Jamie Deetscreek followed the worst meet of her collegiate career with one of her best.
Deetscreek scored a 39.225 in the all-around and had a crucial 9.925 on the balance beam to help the No. 9 Utes beat BYU 195.925-194.375 Friday …
In fact, Utah nearly lost tonight 195.925-194.375 over BYU. Congrats BYU!
… the No. 2 ranked Alabama Gymnastics team beat No. 12 Kentucky in Memorial Coliseum, 197.225-195.650. The Crimson Tide scored a 49.65 on the vault, its highest total since 2004 and its second highest vault score ever during the regular season. It was Alabama’s fourth 197-plus score of the season, the most in the nation this season.
Senior Morgan Dennis led the way with a 9.975 on the vault and a 39.55 in the all-around. …
Gymnastics Examiner posted a good overview of the Chinese age falsification investigation:
… Yang, who is married to 2008 men’s Olympic all-around champion Yang Wei, was said to be 16 in Sydney. But in 2008 she gave an interview on Chinese television and stated that she was 14 when she competed at the Olympics. Yang later said she misspoke. She also won a bronze medal on uneven bars at the Sydney Games. …
Decision about age of Chinese gymnasts Yang and Dong expected soon
The decision just announced is that her teammate Dong Fangxiao is guilty, but that there’s insufficient evidence that Yang Yun was underage.
I guess this admission on National TV in China was not deemed conclusive.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. (3min 30sec)
I don’t believe for a second that Yang Yun was old enough for the 2000 Olympics. My guess is that she will admit her actual age in the massive media onslaught to come.
If China and her teammate are to be punished, I don’t think she and her Olympic Champion husband will stay quiet. He’s a national hero there.
Update with a few new details is posted on Gymnastics Examiner.
FIG dropped the hammer …
By NANCY ARMOUR AP National Writer:
Dong Fangxiao was 14 during the Sydney Games, according to an investigation by the International Gymnastics Federation. Gymnasts must be 16 during the Olympic year to compete.
A second gymnast on the 2000 squad, Yang Yun, also was suspected of being underage. But there was insufficient evidence her age had been falsified, and the FIG said it was giving her a warning.
The FIG has “cancelled” all of Dong’s results from Sydney and forwarded its investigation to the International Olympic Committee. Because the case involves the Olympics, it is up to the IOC to decide if China should lose any medals.
The IOC has said previously it would take “necessary measures” if any gymnasts were found to be underage. The United States was fourth at the Sydney Games.
“We can confirm that we have received the ruling from the FIG in the case concerning Dong Fangxiao and Yang Yun, and we take due note of their decision,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams said. “Clearly, we need to take time to consider the findings before the Executive Board can consider the matter. …
http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.js
Most gymnastics experts feel the age requirement is the wrong way to protect young gymnasts around the world. But if FIG is going to make stupid rules, they should enforce them.
Next … why was Yang Yun found innocent? I saw much more convincing “evidence” that she was underage than for her teammate.
And will IOC actually strip Dong Fangxiao and the Chinese Olympic Team of their 2000 Olympic medals?
Update: commentary from Andrew Thornton
I was really moved by the story Georgia gymnast Kat Ding tells in this, one of the Know a Gymnast series of articles:
(barely)controlledchaos: A recent article on the Red and Black website says you just wanted to get away from Reno. What were you looking to get away from? What was your gymnastics experience as a child and teenager like? To be honest, I hadn’t heard of you until you landed at UGA, so I’m curious to know how such talent escaped my notice!
KAT: I was looking to get away from an environment that wasn’t suitable to a positive lifestyle. There are gangs, drugs, and just bad things that are going around there and that isn’t me. My gymnastics experience as a kid was nothing exciting or glamorous. I worked hard, cried a lot, and felt like I never got anywhere.
In the end, obviously the hard work has paid off, but there were definitely times when I was ready to quit. If it weren’t for my mom, I would have… You didn’t hear about me until I came to UGA because I wasn’t that good. I had a talented coach for a few years, but when he left to become a college coach, I coached myself practically for the last 3 years of high school. You can only do as good as you know how to be, so after I had a great year placing 2nd at nationals in the all around, I fell by the way side and just competed when I had to and practiced when I felt like it. It was amazing Jay still wanted me!! …
read the entire interview – Know a Gymnast: KAT DING
UPDATE: The link is down right now. Hopefully it will be restored soon.
That photo is from The Peripheral, a photo blog by the wonderful Kelly Lambert who covers Georgia Sports. Check it out.
Detailed advice on hand position from the great Hideo Mizoguchi.
Click PLAY or watch it on Mizo’s GymSmarts blog.
Some Chinese coaches do drills with both hands in undergrip. And many coaches introduce single pommel circles to beginners with both hands in overgrip.
Watch more gymnastic training videos on the Gymnastic Minute Channel.
Follow them on twitter @gymsmarts
How do you like your club website … ??
It’s the first thing most new customers see when checking you out. First impressions are critical.
Direct Works Media sells website packages to clubs. Check out a few of their sites:
• Twister Gymnastics, Florida
• Gym-Nest, New York
• Black Diamond Gymnastics, Utah
Disclosure: Direct Works Media has signed on as an advertiser for this site on a 3 month trial basis. Please click through and, if you like what you see, recommend Direct Works to your club management.
Lydia Ierodiaconou Lassila just won the Women’s Aerial skiing Gold Medal for Australia.
Australia ??
… Lassila took a congratulatory phone call from Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and showed her same knack for twisting and turning on the slopes by urging him to increase funding for better facilities at home.
“I was trying to persuade Kevin, my mate Kev, to build us a water ramp so that we can spend more time at home and also encourage some other youngsters to get involved with this sport,” said Lassila, who spends more than nine months a year training abroad. …
Lydia was an Artistic gymnasts as were the Silver and Bronze medalists from China.
The judging I find quite confusing. Many of the athletes do similar jumps with similar performance. Here Lydia tries to explain the rules for the rest of us.
Click PLAY or watch it on Olympics.com.au.
The gymnast that defined the word “pixie”. The latest from MunchTheSilivasFan.
… Music: Cartoon Heroes – Aqua
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 