With the highest scores in the all-around and on balance beam, 2008 Olympic gold medalist Jiang Yuyuan led China to the team title Thursday as the 25th University Games began in Belgrade, Serbia.
A team of Chinese all-stars crushed Russia by a seven-point margin of victory, 169.150-162.150. The Chinese squad in Belgrade included Jiang and Cheng Fei, members of the gold medal-winning Olympic team from Beijing, and half of the 2006 world champion team in Cheng, He Ning and Zhou Zhuoru. …
Russia, led by Olympian Svetlana Klyukina, held off North Korea by .6 to secure the silver medal. Two-time Olympian Yelena Zamolodchikova, 26, competed on vault and floor exercise, the events she won at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. …
Men’s Pommel Horse
1. BUSNARI, Alberto – Italy – 15.175
2. SABOT, Hamilton – France – 14.875
3. MUNOZ, Sergio – Spain – 14.550
Men’s Still Rings
1. PINHEIRO, Danny – France – 16.075
2. MORANDI, Matteo – Italy – 15.825
3. BENY, Pierre-Yves – France – 15.225
Amanda Turner has some commentary:
… Rising French star Youna Dufournet won vault and uneven bars Thursday, bringing her medal haul to four golds so far in Pescara. The 15-year-old Dufournet led France to victory over Italy in the team competition Monday, and won the all-around title Wednesday. …
Most are impressed. But very worried about what happens when he “misses”.
Men’s vault is by far the most dangerous apparatus right now. We might need to cap difficulty at some point. Or improve the landing surface to something like what is used in Power Tumbling.
We should ask Ronny Ziesmer, the German gymnast paralyzed training Tsuk double back in preparation for the 2004 Olympics, what he thinks of this vault.
Seems Shawn has been getting some grief online for being a “drop-out”.
Her Mom, Teri, blogged about it:
… I feel like there are so many misconceptions out there about Shawn and her intentions, I would really like you all to have the facts.
Most recently Shawn gave an interview and she stated that she was going to finish high school through an online school option. With all of her sponsor commitments and other opportunities that have come following the Olympics, Shawn had gotten so far behind in school that it was necessary to do this. Shawn desperately wanted to complete high school with her graduating class, circumstances just won’t allow that. …
While her High School friends no doubt wish she could graduate with them … personally, I think she’d be crazy not to take advantage of all the opportunities she can. Get while the getting’s good.
The more gymnasts that get “rich”, the better for us all in the long term.
Cincinnati Gymnastics offers sleepovers for anyone:
Sleepovers are open to all students ages 6 and up and their friends (even non-members).The evening begins at 7:00 PM and ends at 9:00 AM the next morning. Each Sleepover is always full of fun, gymnastics, pizza, games and movies! Parent’s Night Out (PNO’s) are for children ages 3 and up on the same evening from
7:00 PM-10:00 PM.
Kids love them. Chaperones need to ensure that everyone partipates. That no child feels excluded by cliques.
We had several sleepovers at my gym this past season. But they were geared for “team building”. No cost. Very popular.
Gymnastics New South Wales in Australia tried a sleepover as a State Team Team Builder:
… NSW gymnasts in Level 6 U/12 and Level 7 U/13 all stayed in camp overnight at the Sydney Academy of Sport with the NSW team of chaperones as many of them have not been away from home without their parents, so this was an important part of their preparation. …
… The X Factor is a television music talent show franchise originating in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for the massively successful Pop Idol. …
