The gymnastics week in review

The U.S. Championships are almost here!

Photo/Blythe Lawrence

Unexpected event of the week: China's Sang Lan, who was paralyzed performing a timer vault warming up at the 1998 Goodwill Games in New York City, is reportedly planning to sue organizers of the now-defunct Games based on, um...well, that gymnastics is a dangerous sport and she never should have been doing it in the first place. Sang, who returned to China after nearly a year rehabilitating and adjusting to her paralysis in New York, is also apparently offended at not having been invited back to the national team training center (ostensibly for a visit) after her injury. I'm wondering if this article is a) a hoax of some sort or b) incorrectly translated. (Shanghai Daily)

Best of Brazil: The new Brazilian champions are two old faces on the gymnastics scene: siblings Diego and Daniele Hypolito. Diego Hypolito won the title over Victor Rosa and Mosiah Rodriguez, while his sister defeated defending Brazilian champion Bruna Leal and comebacker Jade Barbosa, a fellow Olympian. Diego, a two-time World floor champion, and Daniele, the first Brazilian to win a World medal (floor, 2001), are both committed to the 2012 Olympics. London would be Diego's second and Daniele's fourth Games. (International Gymnast Magazine)

Checking in with Mary Lou: The 1984 Olympic all-around champion, still one of the most memorable faces in the sport, reveals what prompted her to move back to her home state of West Virginia after nearly three decades in Texas. Fun tidbit: Back home in Fairmont, three of Retton's daughters train with the same coach she herself worked with before moving to Houston to train with Bela Karolyi. (West Virginia Gazette)

Cutest gymnastics wedding video ever: Many time World champion Li Xiaopeng and Anqi "Angel" Li, the daughter of two Chinese Olympians lip-synch to Michael Buble's "I just haven't met you yet." Adorbale. Style Me Pretty via International Gymnast Magazine)

Danny Pinheiro Rodrigues training footage: A nice montage of one of France's ringmasters, featuring his Victorian, an element few in the world can perform. (FinanceMoz)

Checking in with Tim Daggett: A nice feature on the 1984 Olympic team gold medalist and NBC commentator best known for his use of the word "disaster" to describe falls in competition. Daggett is also the coach of three U.S. Championships qualifiers: Josh Ungar, Jonathan Deaton and Danny DiBenedetto at his gym, Tim Daggett's Gold Medal Gymnastics, in Massachusetts. (Hartford Courant)

Bridgette Caquatto commits to Florida: That's the big news in this interview with Gymnastike. (Gymnastike)

Abigail Milliet back on track: After breaking her foot during podium training at last year's U.S. Championships, Milliet is coming to Hartford determined to at least finish the competition this year. (Denton Record-Chronicle)

Lisa Skinner on Peggy Liddick: Leads with "A member of Australia's Olympic teams before and after the arrival of American-born head coach Peggy Liddick, three-time Olympian Lisa Skinner told IG that Liddick's presence has substantially contributed to Australia's rise in the world rankings." Strikes me as a little defensive. Given the Australians's lackluster results recently, has anyone been calling for Liddick's resignation down under? (International Gymnast Magazine)

Shawn Johnson on the BBC: A far more mature-looking Johnson introduces this feature with a video message. (BBC Sport)

Rebecca Bross's goals: The American Cup and Pacific Rim champion talks about training at WOGA, witnessing Nastia Liukin's preparations for the Olympics and her goals for the U.S. Championships. (Universal Sports)

Sam Oldham on his Olympic experience: Yes, the junior European men's champion has already had one, despite being only 16. (Straits Times)

Laura Mitchell out of Youth Olympic Games: The British women's entrant has been sidelined by injury and will be replaced by Jessica Hogg. (More Than the Games)

Another Shaun profile: This one on 23-year-old U.S. Championships qualifer Shaun Antonio, a former Penn State gymnast, who is dreaming of London in 2012. (Rio Rancho Observer)

Catching up with Paul Ruggeri: The University of Illinois star on confidence, consistency and Justin Spring. (Inside Gymnastics Magazine)

On the pig: Andy Thornton dissects the pommel horse. (Universal Sports)

Did you know that Mary Lee Tracy was once a cheerleader for the Bengals?: This and other thought-provoking information in this profile compiled by Jen of the Full In Full Out blog. (Full In Full Out)

Mattie Larson update: The CoverGirl Classic champion is optimistic about her chances at the U.S. Championships and World team selection camps later this season. (International Gymnast Magazine)

Lauren Beers profile: Meet the first year senior from New York's Southern Tier Gymnastics, who dreams of competing on the national team. (The Daily Review)

Longtime UIC coach retires: "CJ" Johnson, who has led the UIC men since 1974, is moving on at the end of this month. (Chicago Daily Herald)

Danusia Francis update: This rising British prodigy, who missed the European Championships with a stress fracture just above her pelvis, is determined to make Britain's Commonwealth Games squad. (Coventry Telegraph)

More Shawn Johnson news: She's getting her own Nintendo Wii game. "Shawn Johnson Gymnastics" will debut in November. (Des Moines Register)

Full In Full Out is alive and well: And writing open letters to famous gymnasts and gymnastics officials ("Dear Bruno, ...sigh...") Hilarious. (Full In Full Out)

Youth Olympic Games participants: See the lists courtesy of the FIG. (FIG)

Back and better than ever?: That's the scoop on Olympic floor champion Sandra Izbasa. Check out the video of the Romanians training with new head coach Octavian Belu in the news report below:

Random event of the week: Was anybody else invited to be a part of Suzanne Yoculan's "Mafia family" on Twitter?

And this upcoming week...: The U.S. Championships are here! Please check back often for live updates from the XL Center in Hartford.

Follow Gymnastics Examiner Blythe Lawrence on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GymExaminer or click the "Subscribe" button above to receive the latest gymnastics news and results via e-mail.