WOGA update: A layout Jaeger from el-grip by Nastia Liukin (who still hasn't said she's officially returning, but whatever). An in-shape (but still rehabbing from ACL surgery) Ivana Hong. A post-surgery Rebecca Bross. Big skills from juniors Grace McLaughlin and Katelyn Ohashi. Thank you, International Gymnast. (International Gymnast Magazine)
A warning for China: The Chinese have been warned but not punished about the gun-shaped hand gestures Chinese athletes showed up on the podium at the Asian Games. Chinese gymnasts initially said that the hand signals were modeled after the "swoosh" logo from Li Ning sportswear (which is similiar to the Nike swoosh), then later said that the gesture stood for love. Uh-huh. Bang! (AP)
10 questions with Matthias Fahrig: The bad boy of German gymnastics on concentration, dancing and abolishing the pommel horse. Hilarious! (The Couch Gymnast)
World Cup season ends: Australia's Lauren Mitchell grabbed another two golds on her best events at the final World Cup meet of the year in Glasgow this weekend. Mitchell won beam and floor, while China's World team alternate Wu Liufang picked up another World Cup title on uneven bars, and Ekaterina Kurbatova won vault. Men's champions were Alexander Shatilov (floor), Louis Smith (pommel horse), Aleksandr Balandin and Liao Junlin (rings), Tomas Gonzalez (vault), Mitja Petkovsek (parallel bars) and Marijo Moznik (high bar). (International Gymnast)
Speaking of the World Cup...: The end of World Cup season means the 2010 World Cup champions, who are determined based on a points system, has also been announced. 2010 World Cup winners are:
Women's vault: Tijana Tkalcec (CRO)
Uneven bars: Wu Liufang (CHN)
Balance beam: Wu Liufang (CHN)
Women's floor: Jessica Lopez (VEN)
Men's floor: Eleftherios Kosmidis (GRE)
Pommel horse: Krisztian Berki (HUN)
Rings: Aleksandr Balandin (RUS)
Men's vault: Jeffrey Wammes (NED)
Parallel bars: Mitja Petkovsek (SLO)
High bar: Marijo Moznik (CRO)
You'll die laughing: A montage of horrible floor choreography, much of it from Romanian teams of the late 1970s (and much of it done by Martha Karolyi, I believe). See it here. (From Nade00 on Youtube)
Toyota Cup roster: World all-around champions Aliya Mustafina and Kohei Uchimura headline the 2010 Toyota Cup next month in Japan. The Japanese men, who did not send their A-team to the Asian Games, are putting them into action for this competition. Also going: Feng Zhe, Yan Mongyong, Zhang Chenglong, Lauren Mitchell, Koko Tsurumi, Anna Dementyeva, Ekaterina Kubratova, Sui Lu, Jiang Yuyuan...and the list goes on. This is going to be a can't miss of a competition. (The All-Around Gymnastics News)
More Youtube goodness: New named skills to the 2010 Code of Points, via the Youth Olympic Games and World Championships. Includes some things we've seen before (Jump to middle splits mount on beam? Really?) and some things we definitely hadn't (thanks, Tatiana Nabieva). (From Mostepanovafan on Youtube)
Texas Olympics: Anne Phillips of Gymnastike is covering the Level 6 Texas State meet this weekend, and will be on the prowl for the next great Texan gym star. (Gymnastike)
Briannah Tseng interview: Canadian junior Briannah Tseng of Omega Gymnastics Academy is one talented gymnast (at the Canadian Nationals earlier this year she was closing out her floor routine with a full in piked, if memory serves). Surprising to think that even a gymnast like this second guesses herself, and whether she wants to be in the sport. Tseng contemplated quitting a few years ago, but is glad she hasn't given up. I think she's just barely begun. (Royal City Record)
Indirectly related to Hungarian gymnastics: 1988 Olympic pommel horse champion Zoltan Borkai of Hungary has been elected head of the Hungarian Olympic Committee (there were no other candidates). Hungary has a strong pommel horse tradition; there was Zoltan Magyar, the 1976 pommel gold medalist, then Borkai. Today, of course, there's World champ Krisztian Berki, whom people are calling the greatest pommel worker ever. (AP)
Debauve debuts, triumphs at T&T Worlds: Two-time French Olympian (and 2005 European all-around champion) Marine Debauve, now a power tumbler, earned the bronze medal at the World Trampoline and Tumbling Championships this week in Metz, France. See her passes in finals here. Hey Marine, how about an artistic gymnastics comeback again? She looks like she could do it. (The All-Around Gymnastics News)
The return of Anamaria Tamarjan: After a disappointing 2008 Olympics and 2009 World Championships, Anamaria Tamarjan retired from gymnastics. But she's back and looking to get in shape to make a run at 2012. Good for her, good for Romania. (Gymnastics No Ceiling)
Gymnasts helping gymnasts: The heartwarming story of Surgent's Elite gymnast Abigail Goldring, who decided to raise money to help lesser privileged kids experience her sport. (Westfield Patch)
Checking in with Shawn Johnson: ...before she checks out to go to the Karolyi Ranch for the first time since 2008. (AP)
Daniel Keatings update: British Gymnastics is in good health, Keatings writes on his blog for Opus Energy, even if he himself is not quite 100 percent following his ACL tear this spring. However, the British men's success at the World Championships (seventh overall team finish), Daniel Purvis's win at the Champions Trophy in Stuttgart and Purvis and Sam Hunter's sharing the British men's title all bode great things for the future. (Opus Energy Challenge)
China beats all at the Asian Games: Well, almost all. The Chinese were the absolute dominant force at home in Guangzhou this week. Here's an article in English with quotes from several of the Chinese team members, and here's a rundown of the main storylines from the Games. Although no one has been able to step up and replace Yang Wei in the all-around, Teng Haibin, Feng Zhe and World high bar champ Zhang Chenglong would all like to try. Also, here's a rundown of the events and dramas of the competition. (Xinhua and Examiner.com)
Ekaterina Szabo, then and now: Unlike former Romanian teammate Emilia Eberle, three-time Olympic gold medalist Ekaterina Szabo has chosen not to discuss her experiences as a gymnast trained by Bela Karolyi. She does, however, make it clear that she often went hungry. Szabo presently lives and coaches in France. She also suffers from a rare form of hernia that has kept her less active than in past years. (Gymnastics No Ceiling)
Tracie's triumph: Malaysia's Tracie Ang, a last-minute substitute for injured Malaysian star Cheong See Teng, unexpectedly qualified for two event finals at the Asian Games, a first for a gymnast from her country. (Malaysia Star)
Introducing Rebecca Tunney: The young British winner of the recent Olympic Hopes Cup in the Czech Republic is aiming for the 2012 Olympics. Among other things, young gymnasts in the U.K. think how amazing it would be to compete with Beth Tweddle. (Liverpool Echo)
The departure of Miles Avery: The longtime men's coach at Ohio State resigned rather suddenly this week ("effective immediately" was the wording of the press release). Assistant coaches Blaine Wilson and Doug Stibel will run the show at OSU this season while the athletic department does the national search thing to find his replacement. Avery is keeping close about why he resigned just before the NCAA season, but told the student newspaper at Ohio State he hopes to stay involved in gymnastics with camps, clinics, etc. (OSU Lantern)
Get to know Pauline Hanset: Two cool things about Stanford signee Pauline Hanset: 1. She competed at the Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup last spring, and 2. She is a native of Belgium and has competed for the Belgian national team. I wonder if she may become like other Stanford internationals Kristina Vaculik and Nicole Pechanec and split NCAA competition with international meets? (KnoxNews.com)
Fun fact for LSU gymnastics fans: A free Susan Jackson bobblehead doll comes with the purchase of LSU season tickets. (The Advocate)
Photo gallery: American gymnastics photographer Heather Maynez has generously shared some of her exceptional photos of the World Championships with Examiner.com. Click here to check out the first of Heather's Worlds albums, which focuses on some of the lesser-known gymnasts who competed in Rotterdam.
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