Gymnastics Coaching.com

Canada finished 9th, just out of the top 8 for Team Finals.

2004 Olympic Floor Champion Kyle Shewfelt finished 11th on floor and 9th in vault. Top 8 make Apparatus Finals.

Kyle’s not posted anything on his blog as yet.

… Tony Smith, was stunned by what he believed was low scoring across the board for the Canadian team.

“I thought our performances were better than the scores we received today,” said Smith. “I felt we were evaluated harshly. That’s my personal opinion.”

Smith, like others before him, has called for change in gymnastics scoring, insisting that judges from competing countries should not be chosen for Olympic competiton.

“The judges for trampoline are all neutral country judges,” said Smith. “It’s been like this (in gymnastics) forever and it hasn’t changed. Countries have certain friends and friends help friends. I think we were a better team than where we ended up.”

The gymnastics team was hoping to become the first Canadian team in history to qualify for the Olympic final. And Shewfelt appeared to be back as a contender.

“To say I was disappointed in the way we ended up would be understatement.”

For the record, the Canadian team won’t be filing any kind of protest. “There’s nothing we can do,” said (Edouard) Iarov.

Toronto Sun

I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Kyle still makes Vault Final. There is always hope that one of the top 8 will withdraw.

In the individual all-around ranking the top-favorite Yang Wei (CHN) as expected took the lead with 93.865 – in front of three Japanese gymnasts: 2nd Kohei Uchimura 92.050, 3rd Koki Sakamoto 91.950, 4th Hiroyuki Tomita 91.900. That means the all-around silver medalist from 2004, Hiroyuki Tomita won’t be able to defend his all-around medal from Athens.

From the former Head Coach of East Germany Dieter Hoffman:

Impressions about the second subdivision

The team from China started on floor and pommel horse, Russia’s first apparatus was vault. Considering that the scores on vault generally are higher, the Russian lead during the first three rotations of this subdivision was not surprising. With two great routines on rings and a great rotation on vault (three scores over 16.000!) the Chinese team caught up… and took the lead after the fourth rotation!

Russia lost ground on their “weak” apparatus pommel horse and the Japanese team managed to get ahead them on the second place

Diego Hypolito, the only Brazilian starter, only showed one vault – 16.000. On floor the World Champion showed a techically brilliant routine with only one small wobble. With 15.950 he took the lead on this apparatus and certainly will have made it into the final!

On rings China presented two top routines: A lot of cheers were heard during the presentation of Yang Wei and he stuck the landing of his double-double dismount – 16.225 – and World Champion Chen Yibing even received 16.525!

Li Xiaopeng (CHN) received the up-to-now highest score of this event: 16.775 on vault. However, he only showed one vault and therefore couldn’t qualify for the final. Also on parallel bars he received the currently highest score of this event with 16.425

Further favorites on various apparatus:

XIiao, Qin (CHN) showed a brilliant pommel horse routine – 16.000!

Kyle Shewfelt (CAN) on vault, 1st: Yurchenko 2 1/2 twists, very good, and 2nd: Kasamatsu 1/1 – 16.050

Anton Golotsutskov (RUS) – another favorite for the vault final with two great vaults today: 16.575. – He also thrilled the audience on floor: 15.600.

Nikolai Kryukov (RUS) – the experienced gymnast once again in his long career showed a very good routine on parallel bars – 16.175.

The two gymnasts from France Thomas Bouhail – 16.662 (like the up-to-then highest score by Blanik!) – and Benoit Caranobe – 16.437 – also have good chances to have made it into the vault final.

With 15.850 high-bar specialist Yann Cucherat (FRA) managed to reach the current second place between Cassina and Epke Zonderland.

Croatia’s individual starter and pommel horse specialist Filip Ude also managed to get through his routine very well – 15.475 is the current second place on this apparatus.

… read more on GymMedia

One flight yet to go.

source – NBC Olympics

I’m worried for Canada. With Germany, Romania and South Korea still competing, it’s looking like the Canucks will finish 9th, just out of the Team Final.

Brandon O’Neill did compete despite an ankle injured last week. But did not finish the routine on his best apparatus, Floor Exercise.

Kyle Shewfelt scored 15.525 on FX. Respectable, but unlikely to be enough to get him into the Floor Final. With 16.050 on Vault, he has a shot. But a long shot.

CONGRATULATIONS to all the Olympic Teams. What a competition!

UPDATE: Artemev finished 7th and DID make the Final. One of the most exciting routines of these Games. Awesome!

=== Original post:

Not sure. Big range in the B-scores:

ARTEMEV Alexander 6.10 – 9.10 8.90 9.40 9.50 9.20 8.90 15.250

From the live scoring, looks like the Americans did a good job of hitting routines on 4 apparatus. But that Pommels and Rings were weak.

As predicted.

… Sasha Artemev, the last minute replacement for Morgan Hamm, had some rough spots, but manged to stay on all the apparatus. An accomplishment in and of itself considering his recent performances at Nationals and Olympic Trials where he missed several key routines in an attempt to qualify for this team. He rebounded in a big way with a huge routine on the pommel horse, his best event. …

U.S. men finish strong in prelims – NBC Olympics

Horton 91.650 points and Artemev at 89.725 will both qualify to the All-around Final. Jon really has an outside shot at a medal. That’s a good score. Especially coming out of the first flight.

I expect the USA will qualify top 8 into Team Finals.

more details on the American performance – US Men Perform Well in Qualifying – About.com Gymnastics

Spain’s Gervasio Deferr missed on vault. He won’t reach the final. Will not defend the Olympic titles he won in Athens 2004 and Sydney 2000.

He likely will reach the Floor final with a score of 15.825.

Yup. That’s my prediction.

It’s my least confident Gold Medal prediction.

Certainly I would LOVE to see Nastia win beam. She’s unique. Artistic. And has a great family history.

It would be very good for our sport if she did win.

Click PLAY to see her Olympic Trials Day 1 routine on YouTube.

Leave a comment if you know of a better beam routine shown by Nastia in 2008. I would replace the one above.

And — of course — leave a message if I am dead wrong on who will win Gold on Beam.

Christian Ivanov on International Gymnast predicts the Men’s winners:

read more – IG

… Bit of a long shot calling Dragalescu on Vault, I think.

The U.S. Men started on Rings.

screenshot

I suspect Kevin Tan will not qualify for the Rings Final. His score of 15.75 will likely not be high enough.

Watch live scoring on NBC.

UPDATE: Vault went GREAT. Everyone hit.

Congratulations China!

We’re watching the (delayed) North American TV coverage. Fantastic.

Police watch Olympic rings formed in the sky by fireworks during the opening ceremony of the Olympics in Beijing. (AP Images) – 2008 Olympics Opening Ceremonies Spectacular – Bodog Beat

I love the Olympics.

From Leo Laporte on Twitter:

I think we’ll look back at this and say, this was when the American century ended and the Chinese century began.

From F.I.G.:

Saturday 9 August, 2008 will be a nerve-wrecking day for all the participants in the Men’s Gymnastics Qualifications at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, because it is the first and vitally important step to the 2008 Olympic medals.

The outcome of this event will decide:

The top 8 Teams who will proceed to the Team Final on Monday, 11 August;

The top 24 individuals who will fight for the All-around title and medals on Thursday, 14 August;

The top 8 individuals on each piece of apparatus who will target the highest Olympic honours on 17, 18 and 19 Aug.

By far the most interesting competition, I feel, is the first one. Prelims.

“nerve-wrecking” may not be a typo.

Subdivision 1: 12:00- 14:06
ITA, ESP, USA, MG2 – 2GBR, ISR, UZB, COL; MG 6- EGY, GRE, GEO, YEM, MG 3- 2
SUI, POL, NED

Subdivision 2: 16:00- 18:06
CHN, CAN, RUS, JPN, FRA, MG 4- HUN, CRO, CZE, BRA

Subdivision 3: 20:00-22:06
BLR, KOR, GER, ROM, MG5-2 UKR, SLO, BEL and MG1- LUX, BUL, VEN, PUR, AUS

full press release from F.I.G. – PDF file

more photos – NBCOlympics.com