Gymnastics Coaching.com

I liked this preview visual posted on Gymtruthteller:

In a meet that lived up to its billing as one of the most exciting of the season, No. 1 Alabama fell at No. 2 Oklahoma, 197.950-197.275. The meet stayed tight into the final rotation in front of a crowd of 2,529 at the Lloyd Noble Center. The score was a school record for the Sooners and the Crimson Tide’s fifth 197-plus score of the season.

“Throughout the season I can only evaluate teams that we compete against on that night, and I can tell you that Oklahoma is the best team that we have competed against this season,” UA head coach Sarah Patterson said. …

GymTide

Grace Chiu of GraceClick.ca posted this photo on Facebook.

I’m guessing Kristina Vaculik was 1st AA, Cynthia Lemieux Guillemette 2nd, Nansy Damianova 3rd.

Comment if you can confirm or deny.

Lexie Priessman of Cincinnati, Ohio, won the all-around title at the inaugural Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup at the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass.

Kassandra Lopez of Tucson, Ariz., and Diandra Milliner of Andover, Kansas, finished second and third, respectively, in the 36-gymnast field that boasted competitors from 17 states across the country. Proceeds from the event go to the Nastia Liukin Fund, a charitable fund within the National Gymnastics Foundation. …

Priessman, who trains at Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy, won the all-around with a total score of 38.400. On vault, she performed a double-twisting Yurchenko to score a 9.750. She earned a 9.450 on uneven bars, landing one of the only full-twisting double-layout dismounts in the competition. …

read more on USAG

Lopez has committed to Utah and Milliner to Alabama. Priessman is only age-13.

Commentary and photos on Gymnastics Examiner.

Check out their new website, much enhanced with (flash) video.

Don’t miss the feature called IGC TV:

Their 100 acre facility is truly astonishing.

InternationalGymnastics.com

Thanks Nick Blanton.

What’s the best gymnastics meet this weekend?

Not the Women’s American Cup, I’m afraid. It’s inevitably a let down as half the astonishingly small field typically miss routines.

#1 Alabama v #2 Oklahoma on Friday?

or … #3 UCLA v #5 Georgia on Saturday?

More adversity for Georgia as Shayla Worley is out with ankle injury. Grace and her team will have to keep smiles on their faces facing a team that hit every routine last weekend.

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

For the first time ever an Alabama meet will be televised live, with Mr. Comanichi doing commentary. Bama fans are already going nuts this season, anticipating a good shot at winning Championships.

OK, truth is … the best competition this weekend will be the American Cup Men’s Meet, one of the best fields ever.

Aunt Joyce linked to yet another solid, up-and-coming gymnast from Russia. They’ve got depth.

Click PLAY or watch Tatiana on YouTube.

The “complete package”, 1996 Olympic all-around champion Lilia Podkopayeva is one of most popular gymnasts in history.

Lilia Podkopayeva & Sergey Kostetskiy finished 3rd for Ukraine at the Eurovision Dance Contest 2008.

Cick PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

(via Body Rhythm)

Kyle Shewfelt linked to this good news story: Olympic athletes get gold in federal budget

Big increases in funding for high performance sport. They’re still adding up the numbers.

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

Some had feared funding would be cut drastically as soon as public interest in the Olympics waned. But politicans bandwagoneered on huge popular support of the Games.

Women
Canada, Dominique Pegg
Germany, Elisabeth Seitz
Japan, Yuko Shintake
Mexico, Elsa Garcia
Switzerland, Ariella Kaeslin
Venezuela, Jessica Lopez
United States, Rebecca Bross
United States, Alexandra Raisman
Alt. United States, Kytra Hunter

Men
Colombia, Jorge Hugo Giraldo Lopez
Germany, Fabian Hambuechen
Great Britain, Daniel Keatings
Japan, Koji Yamamuro
Romania, Flavius Koczi
Russia, Maxim Devyatovsky
United States, Chris Brooks
United States, Jonathan Horton
Alt. United States, Danell Leyva

March 6th – competition home page

more photos of Dominique by RICARDO BUFOLIN

Dominique is the Elite Canada Champion, a new Senior who has been impressing many.

related: International Gymnast – Pegg ‘Very Honored’ to Compete at American Cup

Sports Girls Play linked to an amusing TV commercial:

… this PSA ad put out a few years ago spotlights the importance of Dad’s involvement in the development of their childrens’ self esteem. Enjoy….

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

(via Youth Sports Parents and Sports Girls Play)