Ellie Black might be Canada's best hope for a medal in London.
Injured for much of 2011, she made a comeback at the 2011 Massilia Cup
(November), where she dislocated her elbow. Now back in form, she looks to
be peaking at just the right time. In her World Cup debut this past
weekend, Black won gold
on the two events in which she competed: Vault and Floor.
Scoring a
combined average 14.575 vaults Black into the top 5 of all averages this
year. With Cheng Fei's (rank #6) Olympic status in question, Anna Pavlova
(rank #7) not on Russia's Olympic training squad, and Alexa Moreno (rank
#8) out (Mexico's lone spot will go to Elsa Garcia or Ana Lago), it seems
Black is a pretty good bet to make vault finals in London - if named to
Canada's team.
How do the other Canadians rank? Brittany
Rogers scored a 14,275 on the same apparatus, at Elite Canada to rank
10th (assuming bonus scoring wasn't used). Peng Peng Lee scored
15.300 on beam at the Pacific Rim, to rank #6 (or #5, considering that the
top ranked Katelyn Ohashi is age ineligible for London 2012). Finally,
Canada has Victoria Moors who danced to a 14.766 to rank #10 on
floor (or #9, once again factoring out Katelyn Ohashi).
So the
question begs, will Black's readiness and success be enough to challenge
the points-based selection criteria?
VAULT:
Average
1
Barbosa, Jade (BRA)
14,800
2
Peña, Yamilet (DOM)
14,800
3
Steingruber, Giulia (SUI)
14,663
4
Maksyuta, Valeria
(Israel)
14,600
5
Black,
Ellie (CAN)
14,575
6
Fei, Cheng (CHN)
14,525
7
Pavlova, Anna (RUS)
14,490
8
Moreno, Alexa
(Mexico)
14,413
9
Grishina, Anastasiya
(RUS)
14,340
10
Rogers,
Brittany (CAN)
14,275
UNEVEN
BARS: Total
1
Mustafina, Aliya (RUS)
16,220
2
Tweddle, Elizabeth (GBR)
15,950
3
Komova, Viktoria (RUS)
15,850
4
Jinnan, Yao (CHN)
15,675
5
Douglas, Gabrielle
(USA)
15,633
6
Grishina, Anastasiya
(RUS)
15,600
7
Huang, Qiushuang (CHN)
15,250
8
Ross, Kyla (USA)
15,250
9
Kexin, He (CHN)
15,225
10
Dufournet, Youna (FRA)
15,167
BALANCE
BEAM: Total
1
Ohashi, Katelyn
(USA)*
15,850
2
Wieber, Jordyn (USA)
15,700
3
Ponor, Catalina (ROU)
15,550
4
Ross, Kyla (USA)
15,500
5
Iordache, Larisa
(ROU)
15,450
6
Lee,
Peng Peng (CAN)
15,300
7
Chungsong, Shang (CHN)
15,250
8
Komova, Viktoria (RUS)
15,250
9
Bondareva, Maria (RUS)*
15,200
10
Jinnan, Yao (CHN)
15,175
FLOOR
EXERCISE: Total
1
Raisman, Alexandra
(USA)
15,433
2
Ponor, Catalina (ROU)
15,275
3
Mitchell, Lauren
(AUS)
15,150
4
Wieber, Jordyn (USA)
15,133
5
Afanasyeva, Ksenia (RUS)
15,067
6
Iordache, Larissa
(ROU)
15,000
7
Bulimar, Diana (ROU)
14,950
8
Ohashi, Katelyn
(USA)*
14,950
9
Grishina, Anastasiya
(RUS)
14,933
10
Moors,
Victoria (CAN)
14,766
*
age ineligible for
London 2012
Many thanks to Albert from The
All Around for the rankings!
APRIL 29 - BLACK MAKES A SPLASH IN OSIJEK
Ellie Black made the most of her World Cup debut, winning gold
on the two events in which she competed: Vault and Floor. Peng Peng Lee
also had a golden outing, winning bars. She also finished fourth on beam
and floor.
Mikaela Gerber finished 7th on vault. With a maximum 2 per
country per apparatus, she was forced to sit out her best event,
floor.
Dual citizen (Canada/Spain) Silvia Colussi-Pelaesz also competed
in Osijek, winning her first World Cup medal (silver on floor). She also
placed 4th on bars and 6th on beam.
Coach David Kukichi reflected on Black's success at the meet.
“With every successful competition her confidence is growing, and she
has been handling all of her new challenges beautifully,� Kikuchi told
Gymnastics Canada. “I think that with her good results recently she has
put herself into the Olympic picture, but Canada's depth right now is
incredible.�
“She now has a world class vault, and difficult routines with original
combinations on floor and beam that help her to stand out,� said
Kikuchi. Kikuchi knows what it takes to reach the Olympics. He competed
for Canada at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics.
The Olympic team will be selected following a final selection camp in
June, in Gatineau.
The Canadians dominated a friendly tri-meet in São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil this past
weekend. It was a clean sweep of the Gold medals for Canada, with the women's
team placing first ahead of Brazil and Korea. Kristina Vaculik took first in the
AA, showing an upgraded vault (Yurchenko 1 1/2). Brittany Rogers and Talia Chiarelli topped the field on bars and floor,
respectively.
Ellie Black announced herself as serious Olympic contender,
winning individual gold medals on vault and beam. No slouch on floor, in
qualifications she threw a 2 1/2 twist through to triple twist.
Canada fielded just one MAG athlete; Hugh Smith placed an impressive third
place in the all-around competition. Smith also impressed on day 2: 2nd floor
(14.600), 3rd Pommels (13.725), 3rd rings (14.375), 3rd vault (15.200).
Victoria Moors and Jackson Payne medalled at this weekend's Zibo World Cup, in China. Moors, who qualified to the floor final in first place, took silver in the finals with a 14.025.
With performances like these, Moors is proving to be a strong candidate for the
Olympic floor final. Jackson Payne scored 14.850 to take bronze on high bar.
Madeline Gardiner also competed at Zibo, but did not qualify to any 4-athlete final.
Watch!
MARCH 31 - 2012-2016 COP
We're still not even 100 days until the start of the London 2012 Olympics,
but people are already talking about the next Code of Points (COP). A
draft of the 2013-2016 women's COP is available from the FIG. Most
popular seems to be the change to vault.
MARCH 27 - ROMANIAN OLYMPIAN ROBERT STANESCU HOPING TO COMPETE FOR CANADA
2008 Olympian Robert Stanescu placed 7th on rings in Beijing. A
year later, at the 2009 World Championships, he placed fourth - just shy
of a medal. Later that year, he moved to Canada to join his wife, who was
already coaching at Winstars in Windsor, Ontario. Now comes the surprising
news that Stanescu isn't done with competition. “I didn’t retire,�
he told The Windsor
Star. “I want to compete for Canada.�
Stanescu is hoping to gain Canadian citizenship in time for next
year’s world championships, in Antwerp, Belgium. “It’s so hard
saying your next goal is a year and a half away,� he said. “I want to
go back and get a medal. That’s why I keep training.�
MARCH 25 - ROGERS AND PEGG MEDAL AT COTTBUS
Brittany Rogers added a second medal at this year's Cottbus Cup, bronze on beam.
Dominique Pegg
followed in the next rotation, with a bronze on floor. Both women are vying for
spots on this year's Olympic team.
MARCH 23 - A MINI COMMONWEALTH GAMES AT THE KSGF SEES CANADA WIN
Delayed flights resulted in a no-show for Team China, at tonight's Kyle
Shewfelt Gymnastics Festival. Fans were happy to take in a dual meet
instead, featuring Canada against Australia. Host Kyle Shewfelt joked that
tonight's competition was sort of like the Commonwealth Games, without
Great Britain!
Team Canada was represented by Nathan Gafuik, Jackson Payne, Kevin
Lytwyn, and Anderson Loran. Josh Jefferis led the Australians,
joined by Thomas Pichler, Sam Offord, and Brody Jai Hennessy.
Canada suffered quite a few falls, but higher start values led to their
0.5 point win over Australia. Anderson Loran, the most inexperienced
amongst the Canadians, topped the all-around standings. Australians Josh
Jefferis and Thomas Pichler went 2-3.
Competition continues tomorrow, but in a friendly/non-FIG "Big
Show" format featuring just three per apparatus. Celebrity judges
including Olympians Adam Wong (2004, 2009) and Kylie Stone (2004) will be
present. Team China is expected to arrive, and compete.
MARCH 19 - KYLE SHEWFELT GYMNASTICS FESTIVAL (KSGF)
Everything is coming together for the upcoming Kyle Shewfelt Gymnastics
Festival (KSGF), this coming weekend in Calgary. The event is headlined by a tri
meet featuring Canada, Australia, and China.
Charlotte Mackie competed in her second World Championships, in
Rotterdam in 2010. Still adjusting to a new coach and new techniques, she
competed just three apparatus in Rotterdam (sitting out bars). One of David
Kenwright's first moves was to put Charlotte in grips, and start
reworking her bar technique.
Historically, most World team members are given a bye from competing at
Elite Canada, their carding and eligibility secured. That year, with Elite
Canada ranked so much higher than World Championships, Charlotte's
attendance and performance at Elite Canada were crucial for carding
points. She impressed with a third place finish in the all-around, and
posted the second highest score on vault and top 5 on bars - not bad, for
an apparatus she didn't even compete two months prior!
Everything changed on her last apparatus, vault. Her all-around tally
secured from her first vault, Charlotte went for a second vault, to
qualify for apparatus finals. She suffered a horrific crash - one that has
taken her out of competition, ever since.
Charlotte underwent foot surgeries and extensive rehab, and talked to
Gymn.ca in November 2011 about her aspirations of returning to
competition. Unfortunately, the rehab has been more difficult than
anticipated. In an interview with Triple
Twist, Charlotte talks about how the goal has "slipped
away." "It’s been terribly sad and frustrating coming to terms
with the ultimate dream of the Olympic Games slipping away," she
admits.
MARCH 18 - FIVE MEDALS FOR CANADA AT PACIFIC RIM CHAMPIONSHIPS
On Sunday, Peng Peng Lee added a pair of silvers (beam and floor final) to her
medal haul. She also placed 4th on bars. Fellow Canadians Kristina Vaculik
and Victoria Moors also competed in the apparatus finals, placing 6th on
bars and floor, respectively.
The junior subdivision saw two Canadian medallists; Maegan Chant took
bronze on vault, and Victoria Kayan-Woo took silver on bars. Also
competing was Jordyn Pedersen (5th on vault, 7th on bars).
Scott Morgan brought a smile to the Canadian men's program, earning
their first medal of these Championships. He finished third on vault, and
also placed 4th on rings.
Also competing in the senior men's apparatus finals were Anderson Loren
(5th on floor and pommels) and Robert Watson (8th on floor). In the junior
men's division, Zachary Clay finished 8th on floor and pommels, Cory
Paterson placed 8th on p-bars, and Josh Stuart finished 4th on high bar.
MARCH 16 - BRONZE FOR WOMEN AT PACIFIC RIM CHAMPIONSHIPS
Team Canada dominated the first of two subdivisions, at today's Pacific
Rim Championships in Everett, WA. They watched from the stands, eager to
see how their scores stacked. In the end, they beat Australia, Japan, and
Russia to walk away with the bronze. Finishing in first was the host
nation, USA. Second went to China.
Canada's Peng Peng Lee was one of the big stories, of these
Championship. A combined team and All-around competition, also earned a
bronze medal for her day's work on Saturday. "I was just trying to
have a lot of fun, and also was just trying to get a little more
experience competing my new routines," Lee told IG. "My
expectations weren't too too high."
Two-time Olympian Kate Richardson (2000, 2004) turned heads
today, at the Pacific Rim Championships in Everett, WA. Kate recently
completed a Master's in Physiotherapy, and was on hand in Everett, WA as the
physiotherapist for Canada's junior men's team. So back in competition, but as staff not gymnast!
MARCH 14 - PACIFIC RIM CHAMPIONSHIPS SET TO BEGIN
Everett, WA has welcomed many of the World's best gymnasts this
weekend, for the Pacific
Rim Championships. Television coverage airs Saturday on NBC. Check
your local listings for times!
Senior women
Australia: Lauren Mitchell, Emily Little, Georgia Simpson Canada: Christine Lee, Victoria Moors, Kristina Vaculik
China: Tan Sixin, Luo Peiru, Shang Chunsong
Chinese Taipei: Yu-Chun Chen, Chia-Jung Tsai
Colombia: Jessica Gil
Costa Rica: Karina Regidor
Hong Kong: Hiu Ying Angel Wong, Nim Yan Choi, Ka Man Leung
Japan: Risa Konishi, Wakiko Ryu, Yuri Ishii
Mexico: Sandra Paola Garcia Victoriano, Karla Adriana Martinez Lozano
Russia: Kristina Sidorova, Anastasiya Marchuk, Diana Elkina
United States: To be determined.
Junior women
Australia: Alexandra Eade, Madelaine Leydin, Jazminne Casis Canada: Maegan Chant, Jordyn Pedersen, Victoria Kayen Woo China: Mei Jie, Wang Wei, Lou Nina
Chinese Taipei: Wan-Yin Chen, Yu-Chun Lai
Costa Rica: Angela Arce
Japan: Yuki Uchiyama, Sakura Yumoto
Mexico: Federica Scheiman Hernandez, Andrea Fernanda Mora Ramirez,
Shaden Michelle Cortes Herrera
New Zealand: Hanna Malloch, Courtney Mcgregor, Rebecca Morrison,
Brittany Robertson, Charlotte Sullivan, Millie Williamson
Panama: Ana Victoria De Leon, Valentina Brostella
Russia: Ekaterina Baturina, Maria Kharenkova, Anastasia Belova
United States: To be determined.
Senior men
Australia: Joshua Jefferis, Thomas Pichler, Samuel Offord Canada: Anderson Loran, Scott Morgan, Robert Watson China: Liu Rongbing, Cheng Ran, Wang Peng
Chinese Taipei: Szu-Chieh Chen, Sheng-Meng Huang, I-Hsiang Chen
Colombia: Jorge Giraldo
Hong Kong: Kam Wah Liu, Kiu Chung Ng, Wai Hung Shek
Japan: Takuya Nakase, Koji Uematsu, Tatsuki Nakashima
Mexico: Santos Martinez Reyes, Rodolfo Heron Bonilla Ruiz, Axel German
Elias Jimenez
New Zealand: Mikhail Koudinov
Philippines: Jean Nathan Monteclaro
Russia: Mikhail Bodnar, Daniil Kazachkov, Pavel Pavlov
Thailand: Bobby Kriangkum
United States: Chris Brooks, Jake Dalton, Sam Mikulak
Junior men
Australia: Brody-Jai Hennessy, Lachlan Savill, Kent Pieterse Canada: Cory Paterson, Zachary Clay, Joshua Stuart China: Wu Guanhua, Xu Kangye, Xiao Ruoteng
Chinese Taipei: Fu-Li Liu, Yu-Chin Chao, Jia-En Lin
Costa Rica: Tarik Soto
Hong Kong: Chun Kit Poon, Tzn Tak Seto
Japan: Kaito Imabayashi, Koji Nonomura, Kenzo Seryu
Mexico: Rodolfo Gomez Grosso, Andres Esteban Resendiz Sanchez, Sergio
Elias Borquez
New Zealand: Reegan Edwards, Leo Golder
Russia: Grigorii Zyrianov, Nikolay Kovinov, Sergey Stepanov
United States: Marvin Kimble, Sean Melton, Akash Modi
MARCH 13: IG: HOPFNER-HIBBS TELLS 2012 OLYMPIANS TO ENJOY EVERY MINUTE
OF IT
Canadians Victoria Moors and Jackson Payne competed at
the American Cup today, in Madison Square Gardens (New York city). Moors
finished fourth, behind World Champion Jordyn Weiber from the USA,
fellow American Alexandra Raisman, and Romanian Larisa Iordache.
Gabrielle Douglas (USA) actually posted the top all-around tally
of the meet, but was competing hors de concours so is not formally
recognized in the standings.
The men's competition was also won by an American, with Danell Leyva
rallying to after a weak start. Second place went to Ukraine's Mykola
Kuksenkov with Germany's Marcel Nguyen taking third.
Jackson Payne was a last minute substitution into the American Cup,
filling in for a German who withdrew. He cited the late entry, and
training adjustments on his 7th place finish: "I haven't really been
focusing very much on an all-around score since the London event in
January," Payne told Gymnastics Canada.
"I've been working mostly on parallel bars, high bar and pommel
horse, and going through the all-around was the first time since the
London meet.�
The competition kicks off a busy month for Canadian gymnasts. A number
of competitions take place this month, including L'International Gymnix
(Montreal), Pacific Rim (Everett, WA), and the Kyle Shewfelt Gymnastics
Festival (Calgary).
Anyone know of any videos of Jackson Payne, from the American Cup?
MARCH 2 - MOORS AND PAYNE TO COMPETE AT AMERICAN CUP
Victoria Moors and Jackson Payne are in NYC, preparing to compete at
tomorrow's American Cup. The event will be televised live on NBC. Be sure
to check your local listings.
FEBRUARY 25 - OLYMPIC DRAW CONDUCTED
The Olympic draw was conducted today at the FIG's headquarters.
Canada's women's team will compete in subdivision 3, alongside the USA,
France, Great Britain.
