Thursday, October 6, 2011

2011 Worlds: WAG Qualification

Hi all.

Australia's women are in preliminary competition tomorrow - 3:45pm Tokyo time, so 5:45pm AEDST. I'll do my best to advise you of streams, or cross-post whatever information I can.

I hope that by the time you read this new article, the thumbnail is actually of Lauren and not some bearded guy.


You can read Brigid's report from yesterday's training session, and see some of her photos, here.



7:01 AEDST

Hello from my new working laptop!
Australia has just kicked off another WAG training session.

They've started on beam again, and all signs point to good! Mitchell just did a layout dismount though... at floor, Miller is excelling. Has apparently stood up her double arabian to stag twice and showed one standout triple turn. Monckton is resting her ankle in a brace (eeep!)
Vault - a real mixed bag but some nice ones in there according to Brigid's reports. I don't love hearing that there is balking going on. Ash great Tsuk 1 1/2s.
Bars also turns out to be a mixed bag with hits and misses across the board. Little the standout with two good completed routines. Miller much more shaky than previous sessions on this apparatus.

I'm going to be so nervous tomorrow!

UPDATE 10:02 AEDST - prelims lineup announced


Australia has announced its lineups for the preliminary competition tomorrow.


Beam: Little, Brown, Monckton, Brennan, Mitchell
Floor: Little, Brown, Miller, Brennan, Mitchell
Vault: Monckton, Brown, Brennan, Little, Mitchell
Bars: Little, Monckton, Brown, Mitchell, Miller

Brigid has supplied a training report.

Highlights:

Georgia Rose Brown’s perfect Memmel turn.

Larissa Miller on floor in general.

Mitchell’s DTY sticks.

Ash Brennan beam in general.

Little’s full-twisting double tuck.

Monckton sticking FTY, despite what are possibly sore ankles.

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

its being broadcast on fox sports next week

Anonymous said...

Arghh...why does Australia always seem to start on beam?? How is the order of aparatus decided?

Anonymous said...

Apparatus order is determined as part of the draw.

I am sure we all join together in wishing the guys and girls a successful comp!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for all the wonderful coverage. The reports from The Examiner and Couchie have been very honest, no trying to cover things up, but still remaining to be very positve.I do worry about Lauren's ankles, BOTH heavily strapped.There is so much pressure on her.Go Loz! Your a tough cookie!
Wishing Australia all the best for a steady comp tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

Still the pic of the crusty old guy at 4pm...

Anonymous said...

Not good news for Team USA?

Anonymous said...

I hope after worlds Lauren takes it slowly before London. I know she spoke about doing Amanar's but I'm scared for her ankles and knee's!
I hope the girls do great tomorrow and show Peggy they can do it without her being a b**ch in trainig.

Anonymous said...

All the luck in the world to you Ash, Loz, Riss, Mez, Nikki, Georgia Rose and Emily! I know you can kick some ass! Show Peggy she was wrong about you yesterday!

Anonymous said...

I'm sure Peggy was only like that because it's frustrating seeing the girls make mistakes when she knows how great they can be. It was her style as a coach too. There's a video where she is completely berating the mild mannered and always hard working Shannon Miller for not nailing her compulsories leap on beam. She says something to the effect of "It can't be ordinary. It has to be SPECTACULAR to match the rest of the routine!" Miller nailed that leap in 1996 and won the gold.

Anonymous said...

I know this is totally unrelated to Worlds but I will ask all the same. When IDP 5-10 get tested by Jo Richards throughout Australia, why don't gymnasts and their parents get an e-mail showing how their child went in comparison to the rest of Australia. The kids go through the nerves of being assessed and for what? They never know how they went. They are only told their score which could be fantstic compared to others their age or it coud be dismal. I think the gymnasts and their parents deserve to know how they are going. Afterall we are paying for the training so at least humour us and give us an e-mail Jo or arrange the coaches to e-mail us.

Anonymous said...

GO TEAM AUSTRALIA!

Anonymous said...

I don't have a child in IDP 5-10 but they often put results up on the team future web page

Anonymous said...

To the person with the IDP question - valid question, wrong place to ask it IMO. I suggest you email Jo - unless your daughters program objects I imagine she will give you the information you want. Keep in mind though that it doesn't mean a great deal - some programs focus heavily on IDEAL skills - other follow their own program which may or may not include the tested skills. For example few programs aiming to get girls on national teams would have the time to spend on the endless skills that an be tested on tramp or bungy - unless the athlete is injured and can't do anything else.

Anonymous said...

Also, your program would have the information - why not speak to them? It isn't Jo's job to make them pass it on to you. As far as I know most coaches don't pass this on as it works against the idea of setting personal goals and can make girls focus too much on others.

Anonymous said...

Brigid said Ash's vault was only a tsuk full, not a 1.5. A shame, becasue a 5.5 vault done well would have been a huge boost.

Anonymous said...

Aussie lineups:

BB
Little
Brown
Monckton
Brennan
Mitchell

FX
Little
Brown
Miller
Brennan
Mitchell
(Monckton out of AA :( and we're using a 5.1 routine now too.)

VT
Monckton
Brown
Brennan
Little
Mitchell

UB
Little
Monckton
Brown
Mitchell
Miller

Anonymous said...

I don't think we should have to e-mail Jo as she has enough to do. You are right about it not being Jo's job but clearly the clubs aren't sharing the information. So seeing Jo is responsible for the junior gymnasts i am sure she could make the suggestion to the coaches. Would be great to get back any feedback seeing it is non-existent.

Anyway back to Worlds. Go Australia, i am so excited. Wahoo!,,

The Couch Gymnast said...

it was a Tsuk 1.5, I got it wrong. Sorry.

Anonymous said...

RE THE IDP Program

It is designed to be a co-operative program between GA/State Associations/Parents and Programs.

Emphasis is on physical preparations/ballet/trampoline together with apparatus skill development rather than the comp routines - particularly at the lower levels. Competitions are provided to give comp experience only. Progress should be gradual. Reports (IDP 5+) are provided individually by Jo following testing sessions. Many clubs, after the reports arrive have inidividual meetings with the coaches, gymnasts and parents to plan the way forward.

Testing in IDP 1-3 is usually done at state testing days.

Testing from IDP 5 up is done by Jo at club testing sessions 2 per year, and at state and national training camps or by way of videos supplied by programs.

Every gymnast from IDP 1 - Senior International is monitored, tracked and is skill tested even on the most basic of skills.

Gymnasts achievements are celebrated and publicised!!

Jo is only too happy to ensure that the program runs successfully within programs and that everyone is informed of results. If there any concerns speak to your programs head coach.

Anonymous said...

Oh dear, Monckton out on floor. As she had already watered down by taking out the triple twist, I'm guessing the ankles are seriously playing up.

I'm so glad that she gets to contribute on the other apparatus, though. Whatever they need to do to keep her healthy to compete...

Anonymous said...

soooo excited!!

Anonymous said...

to anonymous 5:32 & 6:51; you don't think peggy wants the girls to perform? it is easy for you to sit on your fat ass and make judgements, you have nothing at stake. also, your japanese ip address gives you away, it is so easy to know who you are!

Mez said...

Hey hey hey hey.

Remember what I said about starting fights, people.

Anonymous said...

It really does not help our girls to have every little mistake they make during training made public by the couch lady, it is really pathetic that these girls can't train in private without some sticky beak blabbing every hair out of place all over the net. The judges read this crap and it will not help the cause. Let the coaches do thier job, you really don't have the right to impose on their working area. If you do, then your integrity needs checked.

Anonymous said...

Train in private? They are at worlds! I think you will find that Bridget's comments are fair and respectful - some of the comments made in response to them are not. She is there as part of the accredited media as far as I know and doing a great job. Anyone who has been around gymnastics will not be surprised by the things she is reporting anyway - not at all unusual for coaches to get a bit hard on gymnasts during training if expected standards are not being met. There is a lot riding on this competition and I would be surprised if Peggy wasn't getting stressed. Not just for this team but anyone else who might be aspiring to make the team next year.

Anonymous said...

Seriously. Russia and China are also falling quite regularly -- you really think either the team or the judges think this matters to the final result in any way at all?

Training is training. A fabulous training session doesn't guarantee hitting in the comp. Likewise a fall in training doesn't mean the same think will happen in the competition. In fact, hopefully it makes it less likely as the gymnast has a chance to correct the issue.

I think the coverage is fantastic and a wonderful insight into elite gymnastics.

Anonymous said...

Hi, I am an ozzie parent of one of those girls in Japan and and hungry for any information. Couch please continue reporting how our girls are going good and bad. As a parent I want the truth and it helps us know were our girls are at. We know they have good and bad days but we also know they are good enough to focus on what they need to do on the day and go for it. Couch keep reporting your honest reports. It helps me feel closer to my daughter. And if Peggy did give her a chance to read couches reports she would agree with couch, they know how they have trained on the day. They can handle honest reports. I am sure all those girls know that if Peggy is yelling at them it means Peggy believes in them and knows they can do better. They should worry more if they dont do a perfect apperartice and Peggy isnt yelling at them. Keep up the good work thanks for being honest in your reports and and please send as many reports as you can - thanks

Anonymous said...

I'm here to support The Couch Gymnast too for her brilliant, tireless and selfless reporting.
The training gyms at worlds are open to media. All the coaches and teams know that. Coaches are fully aware of who is watching, etc. But they are there to get the job done.
When I was an elite and training for Nationals in a different gymsport, my coach would yell and push and tell me it wasn't good enough. But it made me feel supported and motivated me to focus better. I enjoyed and felt assisted by what in the normal world, would not have seemed acceptable. Its a bit like the military!!

Anyway, today is the day!!! no day for arguing!
And thanks to Couchy, whether there is streaming available or not, we will know what is going on!!

Anonymous said...

Thanks heaps for the updates! Soooo excited (and a smidge nervous) about tonight. All the best team AUS!!

Anonymous said...

A Romanian fell off beam and still scored a 14.066 so hopefully that's an indicator that the beam judges are willing to give out decent scores early in the prelims.

Anonymous said...

Reigning beam world champion Ana Porgras won't make the beam final, only scored 14.4 and fourth Romanian.

Good luck girls. I am sure will do us proud.

Anonymous said...

Just going by the Romanian results scoring on UB and FX looks rough. I can understand none of the Romanian's breaking 14 on UB especially when their best UB worker falls but they are generally pretty good on floor. This is just going by the quickhits as video isn't up yet. VT and BB seem to me kinder.

All this over analysing of results is making me nervous lol.