The Olympic Village is starting to get crowded. More and more delegations arrive every day and training sessions stack up. Here are the past two days’ updates in news, video, pictures and features. So, what did I miss?
in… where’s that link
Schedule for gymnastics at the Rio games [HERE]/ General Olympic Games schedule [HERE]
Also, find the current local time in Rio de Janeiro [HERE]
in … teams news
Team Russia arriving in the Rio followed by Mustafina interview and training footage (at min 1:50):
Canada’s Brittany Rogers and Ellie Black at the Rio departure [HERE]
Lee Go-im (South Korea) injured in Rio, will be replaced by Lee Eun-ju [HERE]
TSL’s David Lease interview with Miss Val, about Simone, Aly, Madison, Jordyn, UCLA recruiting, working with Sam Peszek, Gabby Douglas [HERE]
Shawn Johnson on how Simone winked at her mid-floor routine [HERE]
Catalina Ponor, at Rio departure “I do not intend to come back with medals, I intend to remain healthy so I can do what I do. And if I do what I do, the medals will come. These days I have trained more intensely, I hope to stay healthy so I can introduce what I have prepared. I have no surprises, I talked about what I wanted to do, I try a lot harder floor routine. I will compete on four apparatus. There is not much difference for me between London and Rio, have the same maturity, maybe the age, but age is just a number. This is my third edition, it was hard to come back. It’s not easy to come back after years of break. In three years you lose flexibility, musculature, strength, so it’s a lot to recover. Anyway, I am skinnier than in 2012 ” [HERE]
Thema Williams sues the TT Gymnastics Federation over her premature withdrawal from the Olympic Test Event [HERE]
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... in interview, fluffs & features
Simone Biles’ Olympics: between long time goal and formality “But once it comes true, you don’t even believe it. It’s kind of like a fairy tale, but you have to keep going, and I know this is just the beginning.” [HERE]
A couple of Aliya Mustafina interviews have emerged, both translated by Rewriting Russian Gymnastics. The first was taken before the departure to Rio; she talks about being ready for the Olympics and the bars issues at the Russia Cup [HERE]
In the second interview, she talks about her training routine, past struggles and how she sees herself in the future [HERE]
The double Downies making history together, and we get to see Rio, the cat [HERE]
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… previews & predictions
Netherlands team line-up, all around and event finals potential via the Balance Beam Situation [HERE]
Brazil team line-up, all around and event finals potential via the Balance Beam Situation [HERE]
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… history of gymnastics at the Olympics
Find a history of political protest in sports and in gymnastics, in the latest Gymcastic podcast [HERE]
Gymnastics and makeup: ‘Wearing makeup, not wearing makeup, it’s a statement no matter which way you cut it’ – in defense of makeup and its role in women’s gymnastics [HERE]
A terrible article about gymnastics, from The Cut [HERE] and Dvora Meyers‘ twitter rant in response [HERE]
Dominique Moceanu “in a good place” 20 years after Atlanta. Her relationship with USAG “still difficult” [HERE]
A thought from Refinery 29, in the SI’s MAG7 “where are they now” story [HERE]
Dominique Moceanu and Simone Biles posed together for the NY Times [HERE]
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… 2016 Rio Games multisport
360 view from inside the Olympic Village [HERE]
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… skills and training video
Maddie Kocian training in Rio:
Gabrielle Douglas training in Rio:
Simone Biles training bars:
Larisa Iordache training videos: beam and bars . Larisa is still in Bucharest, she will leave for Rio on Tuesday Sunday (later edit).
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… in pictures
USA training leo fashion
And another beautiful practice leotard:
The three US alternates (MyKayla Skinner, Ragan Smith and Ashton Locklear) are still working hard as well:
The Dutch gymnasts are settled in their new training environment (and the white and orange leo suits them)
Jessica Lopez (Venezuela) and **Madison Kocian **(USA)
And here is Jessica and another bars queen (and Olympic champion), Aliya Mustafina
Ana Sifia Gomez Porras (Guatemala) has arrived as well
The Belgians are in Rio
And here, attending their first training session in Rio:
Larrissa Miller and the Australian delegation (meeting Thomas Bach?)
The French team and Yin Alvarez
Team Japan and team Netherlands
Nastia Liukin packed for Rio
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**Also, remember to follow these blogs and websites we love: **
Coach Rick@ gymnasticscoaching.com
Ginastica Artistica Italiana (on Facebook)
Spanny Tampson’s big fake smile
Buy Dvora Meyers’ book, The End of the Perfect 10 – Dvora spoke to EVERYONE in preparation so the book contains a lot of insightful interviews and myth-busts.
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Until the next time friends, take care and continue to support gymnastics!
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Article: Bea Gheorghisor
Photo Cover: Nadia Boyce