… I could not stop crying before, during and after the moment Rio was announced as the host city for the 2016 Olympics. I am a native of Rio and I am extremely happy with the fact that we will be able to witness the world’s biggest sports competition here in South America! It will be seven years of hard work, but in the end I am sure that Rio will stage the most exciting Olympics ever! Congratulations to the city and THANK YOU president Lula! You are AMAZING! Truly an inspiration for us brazilians! …
It’s the first World Championships of a new 4yr cycle. There will be some surprises.
But Andy Thornton calls it this way:
… can Sloan and Bross contend for an all-around medal? I think they absolutely can. In fact, I see six gymnasts in serious contention for the all-around medals, given they remain on their respective teams’ rosters:
Ksenia Semenova (RUS)
Ksenia Afanasyeva (RUS)
Yang Yilin (CHN)
Deng Linlin (CHN)
Bridget Sloan (USA)
Rebecca Bross (USA)
I honestly don’t see anyone else challenging for a medal, although some other contenders to keep an eye on would be Rebecca Downie of Great Britain, Anamaria Tamirjan of Romania, Koko Tsurumi of Japan, Elsa Garcia of Mexico, and Youna Dufournet of France. But these are certainly outside shots. …
You might assume the Chinese men will be “weak” at World Championships considering the retirements after the Beijing Olympics.
Andy Thornton has posted analysis on the American Gymnast blog.
… Who’s going to make it? Well, you’d have to think that Zou Kai is probably a lock, given he has established himself as China’s best on two out of the six events. I think they may end up ditching any medal opportunities on vault and focusing on the other five events, but we’ll have to see. The question may be whether they even put any all-arounders on the team or simply go for individual event medals. …
Here are a couple of no names that might not make the team.
Click PLAY or watch Huang Yuguo Vault 2009 Chinese National Games AA on YouTube.
Incredible.
What a fight it must be in China to be considered the “best” on one apparatus. (Aside from HBar. They don’t have anyone competitive with the best in the world on that apparatus.)
Joshua Allen and Katee Shean were the Season 4 winners of So You Think You Can Dance.
Week 9 they did a piece to “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room” by John Mayer. The choreographer was Aussie Wade Robson.
… Wade Robson … created the original version on his beautiful dancers from his Cirque Du Soleil/Criss Angel BELIEVE show. He then decided to shoot a short film of two of his dancers that really connected with the piece, Ben Susak & Pam Chu. …
I’ve coached a few girls that swear by them. The pressure seems to reduce pain below the knee. Not prevent further injury, merely reduce pain during training.
click image to see this brand - Combination Neoprene and Lycra
This is the most common kind used. But a couple of commenters recommend the double version as being more durable and staying on better during training.
click for details
Leave a comment if you have an opinion on these. I cannot recall seeing them on any other athletes than female Artistic gymnasts.
Updates from the comments:
Kecks tells that … “patella straps are used a lot in track (condition called “jumper’s knee”) and also in Olympic Weightlifting …”
Skyrider95 sees … “a lot of of male and female trampolinists and tumblers” … wearing them
Nica tells that … “figure skaters use them ALOT, we all have jumpers knees, we practically invented that injury haha” …
Gymnastics Coaching.com 