tumbling, tramp, diving, acrobatics, circus, cheer, dance, martial arts, X sports … and more
Another great wrap-up by Gymnastics Examiner.
Highlights include:
• Hollie Vise is back …• Phil Cahoy Sr. is back coaching at Nebraska
• Zonderland Dutch Sportsman of the Year
• Olympic Vault Champion Leszek Blanik to retire
• Another award for Kupets
click through for details – The gymnastics week in review
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Epke Zonderland
Every year at MSN Lifestyle, we assemble our list of influential people and every year we struggle to separate the truly influential from the merely popular. The women on this year’s list come from many different fields and backgrounds but they all share one common feature: they are doing something that inspires or encourages us and yes, influences the way we live. …
Much as I’m thrilled a gymnast was listed with Oprah, Hillary, Aung San Suu Kyi, Angelina and the rest, I think it’s silly to include a young athlete (Nastia or Shawn) or young Pop star like Taylor Swift. It devalues the word “influence”.
Nastia and Taylor are popular, not influential.
These end-of-year top 10 lists are getting out of control.
medstudent24 started another great thread on IG forum:
… I ran the numbers to see what translates into more medals, a high start value, or a high execution score…
I looked at every World Championships since 2006 and the Oympics. The results are:
Probability that the gymnast with the highest SV will win Gold: 61.2%
Probability that the gymnast with the highest Execution score will win Gold: 54%Probability that the highest SV will medal (place in the top 3): 68%
Probability that the highest E score will medal: 60%
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Essentially, having a high SV is more valuable than having a high E score. This is really not that surprising, but once you break it down for each event, something interesting happens:
On FX- Highest SV means Gold 74.8% of the time
On BB- Highest SV means Gold 45% of the time
On UB- Highest SV means Gold 51% of the time
On VT- Highest SV means Gold 74% of the tie.Soooo having a high SV will serve you well on VT and FX, but no so much on BB and UB. The odds seem to be against you the most on BB, where a high enough E score is needed to come out on top.
Note- Several times, the gymnast with the highest SV failed to medal because of a fall. If those cases were not accounted for, the probabilities would rise to around 95%
click through to IG forum to comment
So, every time FIG tells us that execution is as important as difficulty, let’s quote this stat.
… Admittedly the sample size is very small. But intuitively I believe it’s correct.
Obviously we want the gymnast to win who has great execution … and the highest start value.
The rings is the most difficult apparatus in gymnastics to hold a great handstand. Here Hideo (Mizo) Mizoguchi gives several drills and tips to master this difficult skill.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Watch more gymnastic training videos on The Gymnastic Minute Channel on YouTube.
Follow on twitter @gymsmarts
From Sports Illustrated …
Often referred to by the ladies as “Sexy Alexei”, a gymnast was named one of the best of the last decade, in all sports.
The Russian won six medals at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, including two golds, to duplicate his haul four years earlier in Atlanta. In Sydney, he captured the all-around crown, certifying him as the most accomplished gymnast of his generation. He was also known for the sportsmanship he showed after receiving a low score for a sensational high-bar routine at the 2004 Athens Games. That controversy — and not the celebrated Paul Hamm controversy — led to an overhaul of the scoring system.
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Bit of a surprising choice since many of his greatest accomplishments were in the 1990s.
I don’t know how they create these video edits.
Is Shawn flipping in front of a green screen?
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Well, the latest viral videos to hit the Internet is here, and it features 2008 Olympics gymnastics gold medalist Shawn Johnson vs. 2006 short-track speedskating gold medalist Apolo Anton Ohno.
In the videos, Ohno challenges Johnson to backflip over a bobsled as it careens down a bobsled run. If she accepts the offer and completes the challenge, Ohno agrees to skate down the boblsed run. …
Click through to Gymnastics Examiner to see the Ohno stunt. Oh no!
It looks much more realistic.
There’s much positive buzz about the return to greatness of Russian gymnastics.
What are they doing right?
grishinagan from Russia has hundreds of routines posted on a YouTube channel.
Senor Nico linked to 3 of them:
Like the US, the lower levels of gymnastics in Russia have compulsory routines. But I just noticed how they go about doing them. …
Basically the actual elements they do (tumbling passes, dance skills) have to be the same. But they can choose whatever music and choreography they like. They can also arrange the skills in any order they wish.
Click PLAY or watch Floor routine 1, Baturina Ekaterina, on YouTube.
Click PLAY or watch Floor routine 2, Orlova Aleksandra, on YouTube.
Click PLAY or watch Floor routine 3, Yazidzan Aleksandra, on YouTube.
I’ve always liked the concept of “compulsory optionals”.
Read more comments on IG forum – Something interesting the Russians do with compulsories
The little girl from Iowa is still talking about a possible return to competitive gymnastics.
I doubt it.
kevinthehawk put together a lovely montage of her gymnastics and celebrity careers.
… For an amazing athlete who inspired people everwhere with her talent, dedication, and angel like attitude with her big smile that always makes me smile too, …
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
From FIG by email:
In the context of the disciplinary proceedings involving Chinese gymnasts Yang Yun and Dong Fangxiao, suspected of having violated minimum age requirements for participation in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, the FIG Disciplinary Commission invited the two athletes to appear with representatives from the Chinese Gymnastic Association at a hearing held at FIG headquarters, December 19 – 20, 2009.
Note that a legal statement issued by the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) confirmed the FIG as the authority competent to conduct a full investigation; it fell to the Federation to examine the case and draw its own conclusions as to whether or not the age limit was violated and which subsequent sanctions will be issued.
After an extensive interview with the two parties and witnesses present, the Disciplinary Commission, composed of Mr Rached Gharbi (TUN), President, Ms Margarida Dias Ferreira (POR) and Marc Schoenmaekers (BEL), will submit its recommendations to the FIG Authorities. A decision will be brought at the next Executive Committee meeting, scheduled for February 26, 2010 in Lausanne (SUI).
AP Photo by AMY SANCETTA
So, FIG has final authority to make a decision. And will make a decision. Congratulations.
The girls are 10yrs older. But I’m pleased to see a ruling will be made one way or the other, rather than sweep the touchy issue under the rug.
If you read this blog regularly, you know I’m convinced that Dong Fangxiao and Yang Yun were both underage at the 2000 Olympics.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 