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At summer gymnastic camp right now, my overriding feeling is the sense of awe I get just to be in the same facility with so many fit females.
Gymnasts are by far the most impressive athletes.
But why?
It’s the training, obviously. We hardly ever compete in comparison with other women’s sport. Gymnastics is all about what kids can do during workout.
cccam spent time putting together this serious clip.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
(via WIDLES)
Who da thunk it?
Projection for the Olympics:
China: 48.0
USA: 49.3
That’s the guesstimate by Andrew Thornton on Gymnast.com.
… The U.S. girls, on the other hand, do tend to get credit for everything, and in fact have shown much more consistency on beam this year than China. I’ve seen Cheng Fei, Xiao Sha, and Li Shanshan all fall this year, while Shawn, Nastia, and Chellsie have hit every routine I’ve seen them compete. My point here is that looking at hit percentages and the chance of actually getting the “expected†start values, I would say that the U.S. is probably a little stronger on beam than China. If China nailed three perfect routines with all connections, it might be a different story, but it is VERY rare to find routines where they actually do this. …
details and video routines: Virtual Meet – USA vs China Balance Beam
Andy has previously run virtual meets between the two top Olympic teams on Vault and Bars.
Three Event Totals Thus Far:
China: 146.45
USA: 144.6
Final event yet to come is Floor.
It doesn’t look good for the USA. The difference between the two teams on Bars is HUGE.
One of the highlights of the Funtastics Summer Gymnastics Camp in Idaho is the “firing squad”.
All week gymnasts can win whip cream pies. Then gift them to any coach at the end of week.
Here are the winning coaches for 2008:
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
I will be uploading more videos and photos to the official camp website over the coming days: HPTCamp.com
UPDATE: Some think the Panel A-score assessment is wrong. Check the comments.
Dominique Dawes on Yahoo! Sports uses Shawn Johnson’s Floor routine at the 2008 U.S. VISA championships as a sample:
Johnson’s total score was determined by adding her difficulty score of 6.6 and her execution score of 9.6 for a 16.2. Her high difficulty skills and solid performance allowed her to capture another national title on the floor.
Keeping score with a new system
related post: confusing and lame and everybody hates it
I immediately recognized this pic from the past:
Dominique Dawes, 1995 – photographer Don Becker
More of Don’s photos on ArtisticGymnasticPhotography.com
George pointed me to this gem:
… history of artistic gymnastics from 1956 to 1996. It’s in French.
Posted on YouTube in 16 parts, the first is the 1956 Olympics, Melbourne (Australia).
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Gymnasts: Takashi Ono JPN, Viktor Chukarin URS; Ãgnes Keleti HUN, Larissa Latynina URS
If you enjoy it, the links are on YouTube for the following 15 episodes.
I first heard that high altitude mountain climbers were using Viagra to prevent frostbite.
Now other athletes are using it?
It seems that athletes and coaches are always one step ahead of the drug testing authorities. Athletes have discovered that Viagra might do more than just enhance bedroom performances.
The drug not only increases blood flow to that important part of the body, but also the lungs. WADA is still conducting tests on whether Viagra, or ‘Vitamin V’ as it is known to athletes, enhances performance on the sporting field.
The results of WADA’s research will not be known until next year, so athletes in theory should be able to use the drug without repercussion at the Beijing Olympics.
Beijing-bound rhythmic gymnast Alexandra Orlando knows a thing or two about falling down and picking herself back up.
The 21-year-old … missed the qualifying mark in 2004 by a tenth of a point.
Disheartened by not making the cut that year, she considered giving up on her Olympic dream.
…
“It was a huge blow to my confidence,” she recalled … “I definitely toyed with the idea, but I loved it too much to finish on such a low like that.”
She bounced back with fervour and secured a berth, this time with a personal best ninth-place performance at the World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in September.
I’ve seen Alexandra perform live only once. She’s exotic and confident. You can’t take yours eyes off her.
CLICK PLAY or watch her at World’s 2007 on YouTube.
Related: A Message from Alex Orlando – EliteRG.com
There is a kind of journalist paid to stir up controversy.
This guy must be one of those. No one truly this stupid could be published in a legitimate newspaper.
He calls gymnast “pygmies” and “victims of child abuse”:
“…
Nothing speaks to misguided and dreadful parenting like a U.S. Olympic-hopeful gymnast.
I would have no problem pressing charges against any parent who does not allow their kid to be a kid, the world a far better place without so many gymnasts and figure skaters. …
On victory parades and child Olympians by T.J. Simers – L.A. Times”
Newspapers are dying. Using this kind of over-the-top commentary to try to bolster readership is a sign the end is coming.
Is this journalist just some wacko?
No, T.J. Simers was named 2000 California Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, he has been with The Times since 1990.
If you don’t like his article, boycott the L.A. Times.
I am.
Update: I emailed Mr. Simers with our concerns over his junk journalism.
(via GymGemz)
Gymnastics Coaching.com 