2016 Rio: Women's Artistic Gymnastics

Russians need to leave Seda home. I think it was her last chance. I gotta say Russian girls appeared to be very mighty. Youngster Melnikova made a big difference. Mustafy was a hot mess on a floor again. Her coaches and Russian WAG team manager should protect Mustafy from her bad decisions (competing for AA for the starters).. Mustafy looks pretty good to be coming back into her old self of 2011-2013 (both physically and performing wise). Will see. The whole team looked kinda solid.

Girls were more focused, while Russian men were not even competing seriously, I watched few videoblogs of their young raising star Nikita Nagorny - most of them were not even serious, walking around Bern, joking, giggling and pranking each other, enjoying beautifully scenery in Switzerland. Nikita kinda grown on me, he is such a humorous goofball. Kinda very Texas American dont_give_a_fudge attitude guy. Very venturous, risky, bold and brave guy judging by his video blog. He (19yo) jokingly called his teammate David Belyavsky (24yo) "an old fart, don't even think about Tokio-2020". I ROFLed for a minute. According to his video blog. He lives a very vivid lifestyle, cruising in his shiny bmw around Moscow, recording with some rap band, going on few horror quest attractions and skydiving to train his nerves, constantly pranking and laughing out at his teammates, I wonder how they did not murder him yet.

Russian girls looked under stress, while their men were just chilling at this Euros. Nikita Nagorny didn't even looked focused or trying to pretend to be serious at least. He still needs to work on his reputation of being stable and worthy of constantly fair judging. He still on a rise of building his name, but it's already becoming clear: if he is jumping his base technical mark and performing without major mistakes - he should receive his certain amount of points, otherwise it would be an obvious robbery. All current big gymnast went through the same path, including Vernyayev. Vernyaiyev was largerly underscored every now and then until he received his first big wins and titles.

This Olympics AG gonna be extremely interesting. There are at least 8 men teams packed with gymnasts worthy of team event or individuals. Competition in women is less fierce, but it's tough as well.

 

Final WAG team results:

1. Russia 175.212

2. Great Britain 170.312

3. France 168.496

4. Switzerland 165.721

5. Italy 165.571

6. Romania 164.596

7. Germany 163.829

8. Hungary 162.762

Last day of these Europeans tomorrow!

Detailed score per apparatus: http://fs5.directupload.net/images/user/160604/n3hbknhc.jpg

The Secret Classic senior women just finished. Aly Raisman won with a 59-point-something (Simone didn't do AA), Rachel Gowey was 2nd with a 58-point-something and Alyssa Baumann was 3rd with another 58-point-something.

The plot thickens

Layback11 said:

The Secret Classic senior women just finished. Aly Raisman won with a 59-point-something (Simone didn't do AA), Rachel Gowey was 2nd with a 58-point-something and Alyssa Baumann was 3rd with another 58-point-something.

The plot thickens

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It's certainly interesting!

Speaking of Euro's - does anyone fall out spins on floor and wobble on beam as prettily as Mustafina does, lol?!

Event finals results

Vault
1. Giulia Steingruber 14.983
2. Elissa Downie 14.933
3. Ksenia Afanasyeva 14.599

Uneven bars
1. Rebecca Downie 15.500
2. Daria Spiridonova 15.466
3. Aliya Mustafina 15.100

Balance beam
1. Aliya Mustafina 15.100
2. Marine Boyer 14.600
3. Catalina Ponor 14.266

Floor
1. Giulia Steingruber 15.200
2. Elissa Downie 14.566
3. Catalina Ponor 14.466

GoddessMinerva said:

It's certainly interesting!

Speaking of Euro's - does anyone fall out spins on floor and wobble on beam as prettily as Mustafina does, lol?!

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Nah, she was the usual hot mess.. if she will be healthy enough and more fit Russians should take her to Rio only for a team event as team mascot and killer for her UB and BB. Coaches should really protect her from her own bad decisions, like wanting to participate in AA. She should stick with helping team and her one-of-a-kind UB and BB in individuals. The rest should be done by youngsters and Afanasieva would be around them for support. I just can't watch her always so sad and with deer in the headlight like eyes before every routine in AA. Lol.

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]2016 WAG EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS (EVENT FINALS) - VIDEOS & RESULT - Updated

VAULT

GOLD: Giulia Steingruber (SUI) - 14.983
SILVER: Elissa Downie (GBR) - 14.933
BRONZE: Kseniia Afanaseva (RUS) - 14.699

UNEVEN BARS

GOLD: Rebecca Downie (GBR) - 15,500
SILVER: Daria Spiridonova (RUS) - 15.466
BRONZE: Aliya Mustafina (RUS) - 15,100

BEAM

GOLD: Aliya Mustafina (RUS) - 15,100
SILVER: Marine Boyer (FRA) - 14,600
BRONZE: Catalina Ponor (ROU) - 14.266

FLOOR

GOLD: Giulia Steingruber (SUI) - 15,200
SILVER: Elissa Downie (GBR) - 14.566
BRONZE: Catalina Ponor (ROU) - 14.466

[/FONT]

Alexz said:

Nah, she was the usual hot mess.. if she will be healthy enough and more fit Russians should take her to Rio only for a team event as team mascot and killer for her UB and BB. Coaches should really protect her from her own bad decisions, like wanting to participate in AA. She should stick with helping team and her one-of-a-kind UB and BB in individuals. The rest should be done by youngsters and Afanasieva would be around them for support. I just can't watch her always so sad and with deer in the headlight like eyes before every routine in AA. Lol.

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Seriously, I was making a casual comment, nothing more. I forgot though most people are much more opinionated than I am about things like this whereas I tend to focus on positives, like enjoying the gymnastics/skating that I'm watching. Snarkiness for fun I don't mind though. I think your view is a bit extreme and I don't really understand it. Gymnasts have injuries all the time. Yeah you get some "freaks" and I mean that in all positivity - who are so strong they avoid major injuries. Like Simone and Raisman. Raisman has had some scary landings on vault in the past, landings that would gain almost any other gymnast a serious injury. Mustafina plans to retire post Rio, at least that's what been said in the past. I don't think it's crazy talk - disaster town for her muster up a decent floor routine. If it was Komova I'd agree because her ankles break every other week. I don't really know why you're trying to crap on an athletes long gymnastic career which is likely almost at it's end.

I wish you'd leave her personality out of it too, who cares? Mustafina just likes to look like that - she always has. And then later, she displays every happiness at her and her team mates successes. If this thread is going to turn into a place where all it isdebating over gymnasts, I'll opt out now. We aren't debating results we're talking a gymnast being a deer in headlights or something?

2016 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS (TEAM COMPETITION) - VIDEOS & RESULT

1. Russia - 175.212
Vault: Kseniia Afanaseva, Angelina Melnikova, Seda Tutkhanian
Uneven Bars: Aliya Mustafina, Angelina Melnikova, Daria Spiridonova
Balance Beam: Angelina Melnikova, Seda Tutkhanian, Aliya Mustafina
Floor: Angelina Melnikova, Seda Tutkhanian, Aliya Mustafina

2. Great Britain - 170.312
Vault: Elissa Downie, Claudia Fragapane, Ruby Harrold
Uneven Bars: Rebecca Downie, Gabrielle Jupp, Ruby Harrold
Balance Beam: Rebecca Downie, Claudia Fragapane, Gabrielle Jupp
Floor: Elissa Downie, Claudia Fragapane, Ruby Harrold

3. France - 168.496
Vault: Marine Boyer, Marine Brevet, Oreane Lechenault
Uneven Bars: Loan His, Alison Lepin, Oreane Lechenault
Balance Beam: Marine Boyer, Marine Brevet, Oreane Lechenault
Floor: Marine Boyer, Marine Brevet, Oreane Lechenault

Russian team gonna be interesting this Olympics. That's mostly because of the newcomer Angelina Melnikova and the return of Aliya Mustafina. Viktoria Komova will replace Seda. Maria Paseka or Daria Spiridonova - someone won't be needed because of Komova's expertise in UB. Afan got slightly injuried ankle, just before Euors, but nevertheless she performed good for a gymnast with injury, actually very very good. :luv17:

GoddessMinerva said:

Seriously, I was making a casual comment, nothing more. I forgot though most people are much more opinionated than I am about things like this whereas I tend to focus on positives, like enjoying the gymnastics/skating that I'm watching. Snarkiness for fun I don't mind though. I think your view is a bit extreme and I don't really understand it. Gymnasts have injuries all the time. Yeah you get some "freaks" and I mean that in all positivity - who are so strong they avoid major injuries. Like Simone and Raisman. Raisman has had some scary landings on vault in the past, landings that would gain almost any other gymnast a serious injury. Mustafina plans to retire post Rio, at least that's what been said in the past. I don't think it's crazy talk - disaster town for her muster up a decent floor routine. If it was Komova I'd agree because her ankles break every other week. I don't really know why you're trying to crap on an athletes long gymnastic career which is likely almost at it's end.

I wish you'd leave her personality out of it too, who cares? Mustafina just likes to look like that - she always has. And then later, she displays every happiness at her and her team mates successes. If this thread is going to turn into a place where all it isdebating over gymnasts, I'll opt out now. We aren't debating results we're talking a gymnast being a deer in headlights or something?

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Seriously, hey hey. You got it all wrong. I like Musty a lot. She deserves all the praise out there. I just hope Russians won't use her for AA. She would be great at team UB and BB, may be even floor. If her teammates perform well - Russia certainly medal - that's medal for Musty, yay. If she immediately participate in AA right after that, she will be all spent and it will be no good for her getting medals in individuals, where she is certainly can get 2 golds no doubts. Competition in AA gonna be fierce this Olymlics, I really wish Aliya would skip this hunger game and leave this nerve wrecking drama to other girls, but hit them all hard at UB and BB. With clean conscious and well-rested Musty guarantees herself 2 golds at individuals and any medal at Teams event. AA would be to much for her. She would be emotionally drained, she is moody like this. That's why I used deer in the headlight metaphor. Nothing bad was implied tho. I really wish her keep her calm and inner dzen for sure bet for gold and then stick around as long as she wants herself and retire as a legend as she is.

ETA: here I added all videos above, so you can see for yourself. At this Euros Aliya could easily have left with 2-3 individual golds, but she gave it all emotionally for the team. That's great, but other Russian girls were performing very well, more than expected, so she should have save some of herself and take it easy on few apparatus. Russian lead was so solid they should allow girls to not fight for every 0.1 so hard. Aliya is just so competitive like this.

https://thegymter.net/2016/06/07/japan-first-to-name-olympic-team/

Japan's announced their Olympic team. (Teramoto, Murakami, Sugihara, Uchiyama, and Miyakawa.)

And here's Mai Murakami doing a floor with a DLO 1/1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mx7gmUfao3Y (I still am not a huge fan of the routine, though.)

Some important news from European gymnastics: Larisa Iordache may compete at the Olympics after all, while Viktoria Komova withdraws.

From NBC Sports:

Larisa Iordache at 60 percent as Romania Olympic selection nears

Romanian Larisa Iordache, the world’s second-best gymnast behind Simone Biles in this Olympic cycle, is 60 percent healthy following March surgery to repair a broken finger, according to her social media.

She expects to be 75 percent at the Romanian Championships from July 1-3.

“I’m going to compete on all four apparatus, but I’ll have an easier and more safe exercise on uneven bars,” Iordache said on her social media. “If everything si (sic) going right, the Nationals will be the last part of my preparation to Rio.”

Iordache, who finished fourth, second and third in the last three World Championships all-arounds won by Biles, is in a race to return to top form to compete for one Romania Olympic spot.

More of Iordache's quotes translated by me:

“Right now I’m at 60% of my potential. I’m practicing uneven bars and I have faith things will start getting better and better. I have two training sessions a day and I’m working on all four apparatus. The important thing is that my hand doesn’t hurt anymore. I can grasp the bars, I can use my hand on the beam. (...) May the best win. This has always been my premise. There’s no personal competition between Catalina and I, we support each other and I sincerely regret the fact that we got into this situation and only one of us will have the right to go. I think we both deserve to be there.”


No Olympics for Russian gymnast Viktoria Komova

According to Viktoria Komova's account on Russian social media site VK.com, she has stopped her gymnastics training due to back pain and won't be ready in time to compete in Rio.

As translated by a gymnastics fan (http://papaliukin.tumblr.com/), her statement read:

"Dear friends, fans, and gymnastics lovers. Unfortunately back pain isn’t allowing me to train to my full potential and get ready for competitions. I’ve made the very difficult decision to stop training and take care of my health. I want to thank everyone for their support! Without your love and warmth it would’ve been more difficult to go all the way. Thanks everyone and see you soon! Love and kisses."

Is Komova retiring? :scratch:

invisiblespiral said:

Is Komova retiring? :scratch:

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She said she only came back for Rio so I expect her to retire. Mustafina is also likely to retire after Rio.

ioanna said:

Some important news from European gymnastics: Larisa Iordache may compete at the Olympics after all, while Viktoria Komova withdraws.

From NBC Sports:

Larisa Iordache at 60 percent as Romania Olympic selection nears

Romanian Larisa Iordache, the world’s second-best gymnast behind Simone Biles in this Olympic cycle, is 60 percent healthy following March surgery to repair a broken finger, according to her social media.

She expects to be 75 percent at the Romanian Championships from July 1-3.

“I’m going to compete on all four apparatus, but I’ll have an easier and more safe exercise on uneven bars,” Iordache said on her social media. “If everything si (sic) going right, the Nationals will be the last part of my preparation to Rio.”

Iordache, who finished fourth, second and third in the last three World Championships all-arounds won by Biles, is in a race to return to top form to compete for one Romania Olympic spot.

More of Iordache's quotes translated by me:

“Right now I’m at 60% of my potential. I’m practicing uneven bars and I have faith things will start getting better and better. I have two training sessions a day and I’m working on all four apparatus. The important thing is that my hand doesn’t hurt anymore. I can grasp the bars, I can use my hand on the beam. (...) May the best win. This has always been my premise. There’s no personal competition between Catalina and I, we support each other and I sincerely regret the fact that we got into this situation and only one of us will have the right to go. I think we both deserve to be there.”


No Olympics for Russian gymnast Viktoria Komova

According to Viktoria Komova's account on Russian social media site VK.com, she has stopped her gymnastics training due to back pain and won't be ready in time to compete in Rio.

As translated by a gymnastics fan (http://papaliukin.tumblr.com/), her statement read:

"Dear friends, fans, and gymnastics lovers. Unfortunately back pain isn’t allowing me to train to my full potential and get ready for competitions. I’ve made the very difficult decision to stop training and take care of my health. I want to thank everyone for their support! Without your love and warmth it would’ve been more difficult to go all the way. Thanks everyone and see you soon! Love and kisses."

Click to expand...

I'm heartbroken for Komova... I was so excited to see her in Rio fighting for a gold on the uneven bars. Ever since her glorious debut at the 2010 Youth Olympics, she's been one of the most elegant gymnasts to watch. She had that intangible X factor that a lot of the old Soviets from the 80s had. With Komova out, I'm pulling for Mustafina to defend her Olympic title on the uneven bars.

Here's Komova at Worlds last year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_grQzeF55xs
It's such a joke that she was part of a 4-way tie for the gold medal. The judges had no business giving the other gymnasts the same score as her. :roll5:

As for Iordache, it's also a complete joke that she was not guaranteed a spot in Rio by winning a bronze medal in the all-around last year. I wonder what numbskull came up with the brilliant idea that only medalists on the apparatus events would secure a spot. If it were in place, Iordache would have been given an automatic berth to Rio after Worlds and Ponor could have been given the Romanian spot from the test event.

As my favorite female gymnast, I really hope that the Romanian federation sends Iordache. She has such a special charisma that makes her so appealing to watch. She also has legitimate shots to medal in the AA (silver/bronze), BB (gold/silver/bronze), and FX (silver/bronze) as opposed to Ponor who really only has beam. At this point, though, I just want Romania to walk away from Rio with a single gold medal which is already a huge order. I'll support any of those two who are sent.

Here's a beam from Iordache that could win gold in Rio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQhRdG90HrA
She's actually capable of pulling off an even more difficult beam with a D-score of 7.1. She has the most beautiful triple full off the beam in the world.

Not surprised at all about komova. I mean Russia may not even be In rio anyway in any sport but she has no fight. She really embarrassed herself with comments she made after losing to Douglas.

gravy said:

Here's a beam from Iordache that could win gold in Rio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQhRdG90HrA
She's actually capable of pulling off an even more difficult beam with a D-score of 7.1. She has the most beautiful triple full off the beam in the world.

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She has no Worlds beam medals whatsoever so winning one at the Olympics would make up for that. But that's a big IF because her beam is so risky and gives away E points for the sake of D points while there are other gymnasts who have improved or caught up with her. Aliya Mustafina and Shang Chunsong are huge contenders.

ioanna said:

She has no Worlds beam medals whatsoever so winning one at the Olympics would make up for that. But that's a big IF because her beam is so risky and gives away E points for the sake of D points while there are other gymnasts who have improved or caught up with her. Aliya Mustafina and Shang Chunsong are huge contenders.

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Larissa should change her beam routine a little, maybe replace one of the 2 very risky acrobatic elements and and connect easier exercises, just like Mustafina does.

Victoria Komova decided to retire today.

http://rsport.ru/artist_gym/20160617/948759841.html