Event finals - day 2 (finally!)

Unfortunately my Sunday was rather busy (as was my Monday!) So it wasn't until last night that I managed to finally watch the event finals from Sunday.

Still there were a few happy- makers to be had.

1) Ana Porgras finally some gold around her neck after beautiful performances and graceful composure all week.


2) After the floor final had begun to look like a bit of a splat-fest, brilliant performances from Ferrari, Chelaru, Raisman , Sui Lu and of course Lauren Mitchell finished the women's competition in style.


3) The Rotterdam home crowd mustering to cheer on their gymnast, the incredible Epke Zonderland. And then with no subtlety at all boo the judges when he was knocked down to silver by Zhang Chenglong of China.


4) No bronzes handed out to the women on Sunday, showing just how close the competition is!

2 Golds, 4 silvers!

So that was Worlds 2010. With only 640 days to go until London 2012 it looks like we still have plenty to look forward to.....

Event Finals - day 1

She's wanted it for so long, now comeback queen Alicia Sacramone is World Champion on Vault.

The new world all-around champ Mustafina took silver and Jade Barbossa of Brazil (also in comeback mode) took the bronze.Full results here.

One question though may be nagging on a few minds - would things have been different if North Korea and Un Jong Hong had been allowed to compete. Most likely not- full credit to Alicia for achieving her goal at last.

Also Eleftherios Kosmidis of Greece took gold in the Men's floor final ahead of Uhemura and GB's Dan Purvis. Results here.

On Pommel Horse the honours went to Kristian Berki of Hungary with silver to Britain's Louis Smith and bronze Sellathurai of Australia.

In the bars final - I'm going on quick hits from Gym examiner here as the BBC coverage hasn't started yet!
first gymnast up - reigning olympic and world champion He Kexin fell on her jeager - there will be a new world champion this year - but who?
Her teammate Huang Quishang also comes off the bars. The door is wide open.
Beth Tweddle hits her routine out of the park - 15.733.
Bridget Sloan - a clean but less difficult routine 14.666
Aliya Mustafina - Also clean but can't quite match Beth. 15.600
Elizabeth Seitz goes for her difficult 'def' skill and misses. It was a risk which didn't pay off today but good on her for trying!
Ana Porgras- a good routine but can't quite challenge on difficulty 14.6
Rebecca Bross - Knocks team-mate Bridget Sloan out of 3rd place

So it's GOLD for Beth Tweddle
A second silver to Mustafina
and a second bronze for Bross.

Congratulations to the GB gymnasts - 3 medals in 1 day.
Right- I've written the results - now I can watch it!

The money shots-
Floor
Bars
Pommel
No prizes for guessing what she's praying for!
Bars
RingsGreat Britain

Another busy day.

After all the gymnastics and skating antics of yesterday there's more to come today. The event finals from worlds are about to start at 2.30pm UK time on BBC1.

Mustafina will be looking to add more gold to her gym bag havign qualified for finals on every event. Her competition includes Alicia Sacramone on vault and He Kexin & Beth Tweddle on bars.


The starting list for todays events is here.

Meanwhile in Japan, the expected winners prevailed in the pairs and dance events

Pairs

1	Qing PANG / Jian TONG	CHN	189.37	1	1
2	Vera BAZAROVA / Yuri LARIONOV	RUS	173.83	2	2
3	Narumi TAKAHASHI / Mervin TRAN	JPN	155.66	3	4

Dance

1	Meryl DAVIS / Charlie WHITE	USA	165.21	1	1
2	Kaitlyn WEAVER / Andrew POJE	CAN	141.57	2	3
3	Maia SHIBUTANI / Alex SHIBUTANI	USA	136.93	5	2

A great outing too for the young teams Takahashi & Tran and the Shibutani siblings, testing the water on the senior level.


The surprises came once again in the ladies event. Not only Mao Asada but also mini Mao (Kanako Murakami) had disasterous outings with 3 falls a piece. Mao will need a strong victory at her second event in Paris, as well as mistakes from others to even make the final now. 2010-11 could see a changing of the guard in ladies figure skating.

1	Carolina KOSTNER	ITA	164.61	1	2
2	Rachael FLATT	USA	161.04	3	1
3	Kanako MURAKAMI	JPN	150.16	2	5

Full NHK results here and a collection of videos here.

Picked for the team.

Thanks to Elaine on the IG forum and Brigid, The Couch Gymnast for this info. More and more world teams are now taking shape. These teams are nominative only and much can (and probably will) change...

Team USA
Rebecca Bross, Mackenzie Caquatto, Alicia Sacramone, Kytra Hunter, Mattie Larson, Alexandra Raisman (Samantha Shapiro -reserve). No mention of reigning world champ Bridget Sloan - she supposedly is too injured to compete. If this team stays the same then Bross will be the only common element with last years team.


Team Russia:
Ksenia Afanasyeva, Ksenia Semyonova, Tatiana Nabieva, Aliya Mustafina, Anna Myzdrikova, Ekaterina Kurbatova (Anna Dementieva -reserve). Sad not to see olympic veteran Anna Pavlova make the cut.


Team Romania:
Sandra Izbasa, Ana Porgras, Diana Chelaru, Raluca Haidu, Cerasela Patrascu, Gabriela Dragoi and Amelia Racea (reserve). This is surprising as Racea is the reigning european champion on beam, again I suspect injuries play the part. Olympic floor champ Izbasa looks in good form.

Team China:
Sui Lu, Huang Qiushuang, Deng Linlin, Jiang Yuyuan, He Kexin, Yang Yilin Wu Liufang (reserve). If all goes well for themChina are certainly capable of stealing the beam and bars golds and possibly upsetting the US or Russia on floor or in the all around. Sui Lu is looking fantastic!

Team Japan:
Koko Tsurumi, Yuko Shintake, Rie Tanaka, Mai Yamagishi, Momoko Ozawa, Kyoko Oshima (Akiko Sato -reserve).

Team North Korea:
Hong Un-jong, Hong Su-jong, Kim Un-hyang, Kang Yong-mi.

Team Ukraine:
Yana Demyanchuk, Alina Fomenko, Angelina Kysla, Yevzhenya Cherniy, Valentina Holenkova, Anastasia Koval and Alyona Kaidalova (reserve). No mention of Daria Zgoba.

Team Belarus:
Alina Sotnikava, Nadezhda Visotskaya, Liliya Khaan, Anastasia Marachkouskaya, Volha Makhautsova, Yevzhenya Zaitseva, no reserve.

Ecuador, Guatemala and Singapore have withdrawn from the event. Several other countries have reduced the number of athletes competing, prompting the FIG to wonder whether the draw for the event should be amended.

Commonwealth Chaos

Excitement for the upcoming commonwealth games in Delhi has been tarnished as the first teams to arrive have found not only filthy conditions in the athletes village, flood waters near the site breeding mosquitoes and even competition venues falling around them.


Several nations have even threatened to pull out if things don't improve and fast. The organising commitee stands fast that everything will be ready in time. The british gymnastics teams are still in training and planning to fly out Monday. I personally want to see all the gymnasts still attend and do well, and for them all to stay healthy (particularly the ozzies, many of whom are also due to compete at Worlds.)

Speaking of Worlds. The GB world team have been training together at the Lilleshall sports hall and posed held a media day. Photos can be seen on the BG facebook page . Several more nations have also announced their world teams this week.

Romania

Sandra Izbasa, Ana Porgras, Diana Chelaru, Raluca Haidu, Ceresela Patrascu, Gabriela Dragoi, Amelia Racea (one will be the alternate)

Argentina Ayelén Tarabini, Lucila Estarli, Aldana Carraro, Delfina Ortuño
Australia

Georgia Bonora, Ashleigh Brennan,Emily Little, Larissa Miller,Lauren Mitchell, Georgia Simpson,Georgia Wheeler

Also in the world of skating. The JGP has headed to Japan this week with several rematches of medallists from some the earlier events this season. The senior international season is also kicking off with the Nebelhorn trophy in Germany.

Several of the names to watch at Nebelhorn include-
Ice Dance
Anna Capellini and Luca Lanotte - the italian olympians won the short dance earlier today.
Natalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat- always crowd favourites
Alex and Maia Shibutani - promising US juniors for several seasons now- hoping to make a splash on the senior scene.
Ladies
Kiira Korpi and Jenna McCorkell are the seasoned faces.
Ashley Wagner of the US has withdrawn due to illness and will be replaced by Melissa Bulanhagui.
Mens
Long time favourite of mine Kevin Van-Der-Perren appears to be still putting off retirement. If he's healthy I'd predict a two horse race between him and Michael Brezina for the title.
Pairs
The promising young russian team Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov are the favourites here, although I couldn't like to count out Megan Duhamel of Canada and her new partner Eric Radford.

Also Queen Yu-Na has told the LA times that she has settled in well in California, she is looking for an appartment and will announce her new coach next month. As it is someone based in the LA area some potential names include Rafael Aratunian, John Nicks, Frank Caroll, or maybe even Michelle Kwan (unlikely - but it would be cool!)

Commonwealth Games - Team England

British Gymanstics and English Gymnastics have announced the England team for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

As the Commonwealth and World teams are seperate, we can safely expect a GB world team announcement will follow soon.

The girls headed to Delhi are

Marissa King
Imogen Cairns
Laura Edwards
Rebecca Wing
Jocelyn Hunt
(Alternate - Charlotte Lindsley)


Based on this (and the recent team in Gateshead) we can guess some (fairly) safe bets for the Rotterdam Team

Beth Tweddle
Becky Downie
Danushia Francis
Hannah Whelan
Nicole Hibbert
Jennifer Pinches/Niamh Rippin

The Men's Commonwealth team will be:

Reiss Beckford
Luke Folwell
Danny Lawrence
Max Whitlock
Steven Jehu
(Alternates - Robert Payne, Mathew Firth)

Meanwhile...

Back in the world of gymnastics-

The Chinese nationals are taking place. This will be one of the first stage in selecting the world team for them. Will they be able to stay on top of the world as they were in Beijing?


Olympian Jiang Yuyuan is one of the gymnasts debuting a new floor routine. We all loved her olympic routine- but she had outgrown it somewhat.

Whilst in the USA the newly assembled national team (minus Vanessa Zamarippa- who has been nudged by Marta that her routines lack difficulty) are down in Texas for the first of 2 worlds selection camps.


The US do like to draw out team selection! As I mentioned in my previous post, my picks for the team would be -

Rebecca Bross, Mattie Larson, Alicia Sacramone, Kytra Hunter,
Bridget Sloan - if she can be ready in time (Cassie Witcombe if she can't)

I confess I can't remember if there are teams of 5 or 6 this year. Ali Raisman would be a fairly safe and consistent 6th member and it would be sad to see her miss out to her own gym-mate, Sacramone.

GBR vs ROM event finals

Sunday saw the event finals at the friendly event in Ipswich.

VT
1. Imogen Cairns 13.938
2. Jennifer Pinches 13.938
3. Raluca Haidu 13.638

UB
1. Becky Downie 14.175
2. Danusia Francis 14.100
3. Daniela Andrei 13.600



BB
1. Cerasela Patrascu 14.425
2. Danusia Francis 14.250
3. Diana Trenca 14.200

FX
1. Imogen Cairns 13.975
2. Daniela Andrei 13.925
3. Diana Trenca 13.875



Also as it seems to be the trend at the moment here are my picks for the US world team. This is based on the gymnasts needed for the team final and relies on a healthy and ready Bridget Sloan. If Bridget isn't ready then the US will need another bars worker such as Cassie Whitcome or Mackenzie Caquatto.

Team Members
Rebecca Bross
Mattie Larson
Alicia Sacramone
Kytra Hunter
Bridget Sloan

Team Final Events
VT - Larson, Sacramone, Hunter
UB - Bross, Larson, Sloan
BB- Bross, Sacramone, Sloan/Larson?
FX - Larson, Hunter, Bross/Sloan?

My picks for the AA would be Bross and Larson (but if Sloan is ready it might be cruel to not let her try and defend her title)

Finally - if anyone has been missing it- the Olympic Alphabet will continue from tomorrow!

Bolt from the Blue

17 year old world vault champion from the US , Kayla Willams has made the surprising decision to stop competing elite gymnastics and focus on getting ready for college gymnastics.

Kayla made the metioric leap from the US junior championships to world champion in a single year. We all predicted she'd be around at least until 2012 if not maybe 2016!

She was due to compete at the Classic last weekend but pulled out after a minor injury ( a torn plantar fascia tendon in her foot.) Her coach, Mary Lee Tracey said Kayla felt this would hinder her chances of making the 2010 world team so decided to start getting ready to College. Kayla committed to joining thr University of Alabama team from next summer.

Whilst I still find this a surprising decision- I wish her luck.

.....It does look then as if comeback-kid Alicia Sacramone's chances of making the world team this year have increased then, with USA minus one strong vaulter- the mighty Marta will have her eyes open!

News etc

Australia has named it's gymnastics teams for the 2010 Commonwealth Games
Men: Phil Rizzo, Prashanth Sellathurai, Sam Offord, Thomas Pichler + Josh Jefferis
Women: Lauren Mitchell, Ashleigh Brennan, Georgia Bonora, Emily Little + Mary Ann Monckton.

The alternates for the womens team are Shona Morgan and Georgia Wheeler. All these, as well as Emma Dennis, Britt Greeley, Georgia Simpson, Larrissa Miller and Natasha Hammann will attend a camp on 12 September from where the World team will also be chosen.

The FIG has announced the 2010 world championships will be the biggest ever, with 690 gymnasts due to compete. Brazil's Daiane Dos Santos is also hoping to make a comeback at Worlds this year.

The British mens gymnastics team (Yevgeni Gryshchenko, Sam Hunter, Ruslan Panteleymonov, Daniel Purvis, Theo Seager, Kristian Thomash) have headed off to train with the Japanese men for 2 weeks. (British Gymnastics)

The British Trampolining Championships take place this weekend at the NIA in Birmingham. Definitely worth a look if you're in the area. If you're in a completely different area the US Covergirl Classic is also happening.

2004 men's Olympic all-around champion Paul Hamm is planning a comeback in time for London2012. Hamm looked a safe bet for the '08 olympic team but had to withdraw at the US olympic trials after injuring his hand. He intends to begin competing again from 2011.

As was going around the rumour mill earlier - US skater Caroline Zhang has indeed changed coaches to Tammy Gambill. The announcement was posted on icenetwork and universal sports.

NISA has posted their assignment of GB skaters for the Junior Grand Prix this season.

Spelbound- ready for Worlds.

BBC news has posted a great behind-the-scenes video of the Spelbound gymnasts getting ready for the World Acrobatic Gymnastics Champs in Poland.

Adam Buckingham, Adam McCassey, Alexander Uttley and Jonathan Stranks are competing in the men's Four. I believe other Spelbound members are due to compete in the World Age-group championships, also taking place in Poland.

You may have to be in the UK to watch it. If the vid makes it onto youtube I'll replace the link.

Click the picture to go to the link (BBC) Good luck to them all!

In the Summertime.

It's a busy summer on the way in the gymnastics world.
For the USA- competition starts at home. (Click the logos to take you to the event websites)













Then in August- the world's most talented juniors head to Singapore.
The Commonwealth Games take place 3-14 October in Delhi (woefully close to Worlds- so the gymnastics competition may be rather under-attended)

The 2010 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships take place in Rotterdam, 16-24 October. This is the biggest world championships of the quadrennium, over 70 countries will send full teams, which will begin to be wittled down to the final 12 which will win tickets to London 2012.

The Worlds website also has a number of interesting interviews and articles- including this on Beth Tweddle.

Reigning world champ on floor Beth Tweddle is enjoying the rise of the British men, and not just because she enjoys seeing her home country do well at competitions. What with her male colleagues now sharing the limelight and helping her share the burden of expectations, Tweddle is feeling less pressure to do well, which she says is helping her. ‘A few years ago, when we went to a major championships, it was a case of “what result can Beth come home with?” But now it’s more about “what result can British Gymnastics achieve?” The boys have been getting lots of great results on the international circuit for some time and so the pressure has been taken off me and is shared between us, which is nice.’

Tweddle has indicated she intends to stick with the two-events-only strategy she adopted after the Beijing Olympics. Like last year, she will compete bars and floor only at the world championships. However, there are a few changes in the works. For one thing, she is going to get a new floor routine soon. ‘If you do the same thing over and over again it just gets boring, so straight after the Europeans I’m going to change it and get a new choreographer,’ she said. ‘Hopefully, it will put a bit more pizzazz back into my life.’

The 25-year-old is now gearing herself up for the world championships in Rotterdam in October, but as the gymnast explains, she will have to miss the Commonwealth Games because of a calendar clash. ‘Unfortunately the world championships clash with the Commonwealth Games, so for myself I’m hoping to go to the World Championships. All our funding is based on our World Championship results, not our Commonwealths. So our A team will travel out to Rotterdam for the worlds and the B team plus the two reserves from the A team will go to the Commonwealth Games. It works in a good way, as the B team will be the younger seniors who will also be eligible for 2012 and are not quite ready this year. They’ll get the experience of a major championships. Hopefully that will bode well for the future for us.’

The fact that at age 25, she will be one of the oldest female gymnasts competing in Rotterdam, doesn’t bother Tweddle. ‘Age doesn’t really come into it. It’s just an extra number. I’m still out there, still enjoying it and still getting the results.’ So what’s keeping her going? Why, her dream of winning a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics, of course. ‘A lot of people have said, “Why do you keep going?” The motivation is I’ve still got one dream to achieve and that’s 2012, hopefully. We’ll see what happens, and I think with age comes experience.’ (Sources: The Telegraph, 28 April 2010; Liverpool Echo, 1 and 4 May 2010; BBC Sport, 12 May 2010)