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I’m in Mazatlán, Mexico.

The athletes I’m watching are not nearly so famous, or well paid, as the La Quebrada Cliff Divers in Acapulco. But the landing area here in Mazatlán — from a far lower height — may have less margin for error.

larger photo – credit McConnell Family

See a professional video of the show on Big Sea Productions.

Matt Ryan’s Random Handstands Club on Facebook is up over 1500 photos.

A few examples …

Kit Ackermann – original pic

Added by Anni Suomalainen – original pic – Facebook

Added by Sally Miller – original pic – Facebook

Facebook members can join the Random Handstand Club for free.

Coach Michael Sanders alerted me to photos of young children training in China.

As Michael says, they “sure don’t look too happy”.

Why were these pics chosen for a Reuters slideshow rather than some of the smiling, cute photos they undoubtedly captured the same day?

One of the “themes” of upcoming media coverage of China leading up to the Olympics will be the cruel treatment of young athletes in the supposedly-Godless, supposedly-Communist host country.

On the other hand, my Chinese friends who trained under that system have told me horror stories. The scrutiny of Western media will, I hope, have a positive influence on coaches in China.

… a training session at the gymnastics hall of the Shanghai University of Sports October 10, 2007.

Students of the gymnastics class of Yangpu District Youth Sports School are all aged between 5 to 9.

China’s future Olympic hopefuls train at one of the thousands of provincial sports schools around the country. Even though these athletes might be too young to make the 2008 Beijing Games, they harbour dreams of winning Olympic gold in London 2012 or beyond.

REUTERS/Nir Elias – slideshow

After months of being taught to develop courage, inner strength, and other values of the martial arts, Daniel Finkelstein finally achieved the self-confidence necessary to stand up to his parents and quit taking karate lessons, the area sixth-grader reported Monday.

Karate classes like these have given 11-year-old Daniel Finkelstein, left, abilities beyond his years to abandon things halfway through.

Finkelstein, 11, who was bullied into beginner’s classes at Dragon Karate and Tae Kwon Do Academy by his father in July, reportedly drew on a number of recently acquired skills, including poise and self-assurance, when confronting his parents about how much he despised karate.

…

Read the rest of the spoof news post – Karate Lessons Give Child Self-Confidence To Quit Karate

There’s a germ of truth in most The Onion humour. The better job we do as coaching training athletes to be independent, the less they need us.

Great news as reported by Blythe from the Gymblog:

(Wang Yan) … walked out of Shanghai No. 6 People’s Hospital using her own two feet, The Shanghai Daily reported yesterday.

Wang was reportedly paralyzed after suffering fractures and dislocation of the second and third vertebrae after falling on her uneven bars dismount at the Chinese National Championships June 10 in Shanghai.

read more … Wang Yan walks again « WordPress Gymblog

With the high profile of gymnastics in China prior to the Olympics, Wang Yan’s accident has been very much in the news there.

Beating paralysis, girl walks out of hospital – Shanghai Daily

On the Gym Chat forum there are plenty of videos of the new World Champion including Shawn on Ellen.

Click PLAY.

She seems to be handling the celebrity very well.

More posts referring to Shawn Johnson.

In Santa Monica, California … once you finish your TRAVELLING RINGS training, head over to the FLYING RINGS.

Swinging Rings – larger version on flickr

Flying Rings (Swinging Rings) – Wikipedia

tmsworkshop’s photosets – hundreds of photos from Europe

Artist Dylan Glynn on The Drawings on the Wall blog posted some digital images based on Kyle Shewfelt.

(Most of Dylan’s work is non-gymnastics.)

… Beyond his accomplishments as a gymnast Shewfelt has a really admirable attitude.

He recently sustained a pair of fractured knees as the result of a bad landing, I’ve been following his blog lately and his optimism throughout the still continuing recovery process is incredible. …

I’m not at all crazy about this study technically, but I feel my digital painting ability has improved a lot through the process of making this.

the draw’s of life: Digital painting study

I disagree. Check Dylan’s largest versions by clicking on the images on his blog (link above). They look great.

And International Gymnast magazine has an interview with Kyle. Despite complications with his injuries sustained at Worlds, the Olympic Champion is still optimistic he will be in Beijing to defend his Floor title.

I’ve been hearing some good buzz about proudly Brazilian choreographer Deborah Colker. She favours acrobatics.

photos from her 2006 production Dinamo

production – Knot

dance studio in Rio – original – flickr

She still dances in her own shows.

Deborah Colker – official website

What’s next?