A big congratulations to Australia's rhythmic star Naazmi Johnston who collected her second gold medal last night, coming out tops in the all-around final!
And she didn't just beat the Commonwealth's best gymnasts, she beat their insectoid invaders, too!"A grasshopper decided to throw Johnston a challenge of its own by joining her on the floor during her routine. To her credit, Johnston maintained her composure, completed her routine and ensured that the potential distraction did not derail her chance of victory."Read more here.
Or here.
Or here.
Fortunately for Johnston she didn't need to veer off course during her hoop due to the grasshopper, which was disposed of a by a volunteer at the routine's end.
So what would she have done if it was lying in her path.
"You just have to step on it," she admitted.
Who needs Mortein when you've got a national and Commonwealth rhythmic champion!?
Update- Naazmi has rounded out her Delhi 2010 campaign with yet another gold medal (ball) and two silvers (rope, ribbon). Congratulations, Naazmi! Australia is very proud!
Great result! Does anyone know where I can get the full results? Any idea how Janine Murray went?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Naazmi...you were a joy to watch and so gracious both in victory and defeat. Well done also to Janine Murray and Danielle Prince. Bright and entertaining routines and a credit to Australia!
ReplyDeleteAnother report from Rotterdam
ReplyDelete10:25 a.m.: Strolled through the training gyms to see what was going on. Saw more bars from the Aussie women. They really look great. Full routine after full routine, and they're sticking the dismounts. Good routines from Lauren Mitchell, who stuck the last double front I saw her do, and Emily Little, who's a rising Aussie star. Bars is not the best event for either of these gymnasts, but they do good routines here. Also good stuff from Georgia Bonora, who does a nice Comaneci off the top of her routine, and Larissa Miller.
Some nagging was heard from Peggy Liddick ("That was your warmup, right?" she snapped at one of the Georgias at one point after the girl did something that obviously displeased her. "Pardon?" Georgia asked, not hearing. "That was your WARMUP, right?" Peggy repeated, raising her eyebrows and making a face. "Right," Georgia said quickly.)
Haven't seen the Aussies do any other event, but if they're as good everywhere else as they are on bars, they'll challenge for a medal in the team competition
Reports are here
http://www.examiner.com/gymnastics-in-national/blythe-lawrence
Wow high praise indeed. Challenging for a medal seems a bit of a stretch but you never know I guess. I love Blythe's posts (mostly because they are so regular)but some of what she says is bit off the mark - including the challenging for medals remark. I'd love to believe it though! Great that Bars look good.
ReplyDeleteThere is an article up from a local newspaper saying Miller is doing FX/UB, so I guess that puts Wheeler definitely in and Simpson out.
ReplyDeletelol. And the source for the local paper? Cause we know how accurate local papers are! Can I ask what your reasoning is for Larrissa doing Floor meaning Wheeler is in? I would have thought, if anything, it would signal the opposite. If Larrissa is doing floor then the 6th team member probably isn't right? Simpson would not be competing floor so why would this mean that she is out? It might make sense but I am having trouble getting my head around it so if you don't mind explaining that would be appreciated.
ReplyDeleteIf Miller is not vaulting, then Wheeler or Simpson has to. Considering Simpson only has a layout yurchenko, I doubt they will be putting her up there, and will likely opt for Wheeler's front pike.
ReplyDeleteSo they are not just looking for an UB/BB gymnast (I would pick Simpson for that any day), they now need an UB/BB/VT athlete.
why on earth wouldn't Miller do vault? Last I heard she has a nice yurchenko full, worth nearly half a point more than Georgia Wheeler's front pike. She managed to do that vault at nationals even when she was not at full fitness, so why not now?
ReplyDeleteAlthough, it does seem unlikely she will vault - Peggy didn't mention her vault in her report, nobody saw it at PT, and now this article quotes her as saying she wont vault.
The article could be saying what Larrissa would do in TF not prelims. Peggy indicated that Larrissa would be in the floor line up. The expectations may be that she'll still do prelims vault, though I haven't heard anything about her or Simpson vaulting during podium training. Last I heard she was working on a fairly good FTY that looked upgradeable.
ReplyDeleteAustralia is looking reasonably solid on VT. Prelims are 5 up 4 count so even if we did include a layout yurchenko from Simpson it wouldn't really matter unless we have major falls. Also a front pike is only 0.2 higher than a layout yurchenko so it's hardly a huge advantage. Simpson could be one of the UB girls in TF. Those slots seem the hardest to pick. Lauren and Georgias B & S look like they'll be duking itout for those last two spots.
I'm feeling much more positive about Australia making TF now. I think we can qualify in the 7/8 slot. GB and Japan are probably stil ahead but not by as much as people may think.
The article could be saying what Larrissa would do in TF not prelims. Peggy indicated that Larrissa would be in the floor line up. The expectations may be that she'll still do prelims vault, though I haven't heard anything about her or Simpson vaulting during podium training. Last I heard she was working on a fairly good FTY that looked upgradeable.
ReplyDeleteAustralia is looking reasonably solid on VT. Prelims are 5 up 4 count so even if we did include a layout yurchenko from Simpson it wouldn't really matter unless we have major falls. Also a front pike is only 0.2 higher than a layout yurchenko so it's hardly a huge advantage. Simpson could be one of the UB girls in TF. Those slots seem the hardest to pick. Lauren and Georgias B & S look like they'll be duking itout for those last two spots.
I'm feeling much more positive about Australia making TF now. I think we can qualify in the 7/8 slot. GB and Japan are probably stil ahead but not by as much as people may think.
I'm so confused! Where is the local paper article? It must be from a while ago as I doubt Miller is giving interviews from Worlds. Maybe it is inaccurate - either because the composition of the team has changed from what was likely (Prior to Monkton's injury for example)when Miller gave the interview, or because local papers almost always are.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.baysidebulletin.com.au/news/local/sport/other/larrissa-ready-for-world-titles/1965570.aspx
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing she did it in the few days between camp and leaving for Rotterdam.
Wheeler it is I guess.....
ReplyDeleteObviously Peggy has intended to use Wheeler all along and therefore has told Miller not to worry about vault. If she was genuinely unsure about whether to use Simpson or Wheeler I'm sure she would have kept Larrissa training it just in case.
ReplyDeletePeggy will make the right descision for Team Australia.The team is more important than individuals. The girls are all aware of that. They are all amazing and all work hard. They all deserve thier positions on the team.Reserves are just as important as any member of the team.The journey,the experience and just being part of a Team with Australias top Gymnasts is priceless! Good luck to Team Australia!
ReplyDeleteEven if she misses out now, I think Simpson has a future. They key to selection for her in future will be working up that bars DV to 6+ because bars is looking paper-thin for 2012.
ReplyDeleteAnyone know when the final team will be announced?
ReplyDeleteGW definitely in. She will be competing UB/VT/BB. Which is very sad I so wanted to see Georgia Simpson and I think lots of other people did as well.
ReplyDeleteI agree with anon 9.34. With all the positive press about Simpson it can only get better for her.She has had as much coverage,comments and photos as our top gymnast during training.To be compared to Lukin, WOW.Don't forget she is the youngest and least experienced on the Team and at 15 has a long way to go.
ReplyDeleteJust hope Wheeler can pull it off!
ReplyDeleteergh beam is going to be terrifying. You just know she is going to fall, unfortunately...
ReplyDeleteWheeler is a nice gymnast, but she has never hit a beam routine in proper competition this year.
And she is looking so sloppy on bars at the moment. This is her comm games routine: worth only 5.1, huge straddle on shap, form break on bail and after stalder, form break on reverse giant, and only double pike dismount. The dismount was the only thing that made that routine cool. Without it, it is completely mediocre.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk-EYwW3bKY
I am going to be so friggin annoyed if she screws up and wastes the spot she has taken away from Simpson.
That's what's baffling to me. Wheeler looked much better earlier in the year. AT Vics her routine was worth 5.6, which is very competitive. Now at 5.1 it is likely to be dropped anyway with her built in execution faults. I don't know why for worlds you wouldn't really try and put your best arsenal out there. To lose 0.2 DV just for not having a D dismount at worlds is really inexcusable for a top 8 team in my book. It is just throwing start value away needlessly.
ReplyDeleteHow do you even know Wheeler won't be doing her dismount? Oftentimes athletes don't do their full sets at podium training. Obviously watering down at CWG wasn't a promising sign but at least wait until you know for sure what she puts on the floor.
ReplyDeleteI think we can safely assume she won't be attempting the toe full before the shap but if she adds back in her dismount at least she will have a 5.3.
Are the start lists up on the web somewhere? They should have finalised teams by now but I can't find them.
ReplyDeleteShe'll have a 5.5 with her dismount back by fulfilling the EGR and counting an E skill instead of a C.
ReplyDeleteShe's supposedly working on a lot of new combos. Shap + uprise full, tkatchev giant full, toe on full dismount and she's supposed to be training a toe ontkachev which gives her another D skill, toe on releases have been downgraded this year.
Obviously Simpson's vt must be pretty poor. Don't understand how else Wheeler got chosen, if she got chosen. Nothing has been confirmed yet.
I don't get why people are so upset at Wheeler's selection. It's not her fault she got picked. She is only young and inexperienced so obviously her coaches are removing skills she is not consistent on yet. It's gotta be a boost for her if she has a routine she knows she can hit.
ReplyDeleteSimpson seems lovely and I can't wait to see her compete next year but don't forget Wheeler is a pretty nice gymnast too. She might have a little work to do on artistry but she still has great swing on bars and great power on vault.
I will be very nervous when she gets up on the beam but she might pleasantly surprise us.I wonder if they might consider putting her late in the lineup so any fall would not have the 'CWG effect'?
The deadline for the team is 24 hours before their particular subdivision, so 3am tomorrow morning. I guess when we wake up tomorrow they should be up.
Gosh I seriously hope she goes for the dismount if it gives her a whole .4 back! They would be mad not to! Liz seemed very surprised when she didn't do it at CWG so hopefully that means she has been doing it in training and that taking it out then does not mean it is completely off the agenda, and it was just a one-off to play safe and boost her confidence.
ReplyDeleteIf they are worried they should put her last up so she can relax if the girls have hit before her.
I have seen Simpson's yurchenko layout and it is pretty nice actually.
Start list is up.
ReplyDeleteVT order:
Bonora
Brennan
Mitchell
Little
Wheeler
UB:
Bonora
Little
Mitchell
Miller
Wheeler
BB:
Little
Brennan
Bonora
Mitchell
Wheeler
FX:
Bonora
Little
Brennan
Miller
Mitchell
lmao they are totally terrified Wheeler is going to screw up!
It really does look that way. Almosylike we have a four girl team.
ReplyDeletePeggy has copped a lot of flack for her team selections the past few years but when it's come down to it they've all performed. Obviously Wheeler impressed at podium training.
Does anyone know if this is streaming online? I am soooo desperate to watch!!! If anyone knows, pleasssssssssssse share!
ReplyDeleteCouch gymnast said Wheeler is only doing the double pike dismount....
ReplyDeleteIs anyone else going to stay up and follow the meet tonight?
The Aussies are at 3am Melbourne time. I'm hoping to make it through to the Aussies.
First sub with China and Italy starts at 6pm Melbourne time.
Then at 8pm Japan and Ukraine.
Then at 10.30pm Romania and Brazil.
Britain, Russia and France are straight after the Aussies.
I think the girls should be hoping for 6th place or better after day 1. That would place them behind Japan, GBR, Romania, China and Russia, but ahead of Brazil, Italy and Ukraine. We can't be any lower than 7th because then the USA will push us out of team finals tomorrow. 6th would be a little more reassuring because if Canada or the Netherlands has a great performance they could push us out too.
to anon October 16, 2010 10:20 AM
ReplyDeleteGA has a link to universal sports where you can watch online. I think you can watch afterwards too. It costs $15. If you click on the worlds button on the right hand side of the page you will find the link.