Thank you all so much for joining in the excitement of the 2012 Olympics.
Our entire gymnastics delegation should be very proud. Achievements and PBs are not just about medals. As the old saying goes:
Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow".
Congratulations to artistic gymnast Lauren Mitchell who was elected to the AOC Athlete Commission.
23 comments:
Good on you Loz
The only good thing about the Olympics being over is that we don't have to listen to Liz Chetkovich anymore
Don't get me started on Liz, I had to listen on mute because she says so many bloody stupid things. I wish we got the BBC feed.
Smart people find the BBC feeds that are being streamed for all.
Sorry - but I like liz! To me she's the voice I have grown up with! Could you imagine the commentary with the typical sports reporter???
Liz's effort was better than Mark Readings!
Tom Pichler has demonstrated his potential in front of a camera and I guarantee would be able to distinguish between a full twist and a double twist. TOM FOR 2016 COMMENTARY!!!!
Yea, Tom would be great!
I really think gymnastics has more to worry about than commentary. We had a fairly large senior group to choose from this year, however look at the numbers that were at Nationals this year. Total IDP6, IDP8, IDP10 & JNR - 38!!!! What does the next 4 years hold??? What is going on???
Even the terrible trio would be better than Liz!
I agree about Tom. I watched those videos and said "So when does his professional media career start?" He'd know what he's talking about, and he's got a great personality to go with it. Bring on Tom for 2016! (unless he's competing, and then we'll happily let him wait until 2020)
i think for 2016, we will be sending one gymnast to the olympics.
That is a very bizarre comment. Of course it could happen but we would have to slip below 12th place - I don't see it happening. Which country do you see replacing us in the top 12?
Between WAIS, VIS and QAS I can see at least 10 girls plus Angela Donald and probably a couple from NSW. I don't see that our ranking will drop - if anything it should go up by 2016.
As far as the impact the AIS closing has had - they have had only a few girls on major teams since 2000 - most of their best have continued and I don't recall them having many competing at lower levels. I've hardly noticed they closed!
i agree very strange comment if anything I think the younger girls coming through could start to put Australia on the map ! we have some juniors doing higher difficulties on floor, beam than Lauren and some great IDP 10 , IDP 8 etc coming through that are doing the same skills our olympic team did so there is definitely the potential for Australia to do very well in the future.
Any news yet on the fate of Peggy?
Let's just hope they don't hold back
My 13 yr old gymnast was commentating better that Liz ... Knew a double from a triple ... knew so much about the gymnasts from other countries, their coaches, etc ... both WG and MG ... when asked how ... You Tube mum!!! and lots of different blogs and facebook ... gotta love this addiction to gymnastics, so much better than what a lot of friend's kids are getting up to!
With reference to the closing of the AIS residential programme not having much impact,I beg to differ.
The AIS programme was the closest thing NSW WAG gymnastics had to a high performance programme, it has been 2 years now and four of the girls have retired, the others except for Mez are struggling.
Ask Mark Casis about the enourmous sacrifices his family has had to make.The programme was tailor made for gymnastics, including an educational programme.Most of the girls in the programme were originally from NSW.
Above all else, the closure of the AIS residential programme took away the opportunity for poorer families in Australia to participate in this sport at the higher levels.Kids from the PCYC(Where Mez came from) cannot even contemplate reaching olympic selection level.
At the time of the programme's closure an aboriginal girl was also getting coached.
How many potential champions are out there that would not even consider gymnastics because gymnastics has become a rich persons sport?
How many rich people in Australia would steer their kids into a sport with no hint of financial reward.
So how many kids of rich people that passionately love gymnastics; does that leave to choose from?
NSW has the highest number of gymnast in Australia, because of the lack of state government support it has been unable to run it's own WAG high performance programme so the AIS residential programme was a defacto arrangement for NSW gymnasts, and they used it.
When the Crawford report was released Gymnastics Australia wasted no time and within weeks announced the closure of the programme, this ripped the heart out of NSW and the ACT WAG and they have never recovered.
Gymnastics Australia saved very little money, because the Australian Sports Commission took back their share, so Gymnastics Australia ended up with three pillars holding up the platform instead of four and some pocket change.
Such a shame ! Gymnastics has definitely become a rich persons sport or middle income like me who are struggling to keep the dream of my gymnast alive due to financial constraints . Less and less scholarships are being offered and the tuition and travel fees go up and up each year . I often ask myself is all of it worth the cost as much as my child might love it is it all worth a at best 15 th place or 19th on the world arena Australia hasn't exactly been up there . I wish the government would get behind these athletes and put some money into the current gym programs and gymnasts
Just curious, but when people talk about gymnastics being a rich person's sport, what kind of money are we talking? How much does it cost to have a child in the higher levels of the sport?
Around 7000 per year plus about 1500 for nationals then around 1500-2000 for national clubs with camp but this year camps have been seperate so add on extras for flights accommodation food and camp entry it all adds up and if you don't have a scholarship this is out of pocket expenses for parents
I would like to give 5 star for your knowledge sharing, I would be waiting for more in future
Thanks
Marcus White Lisdoonvarna
it's more about time. Unfortunately the elite gymnasts(females) understand their unfreedom too early and if they have no motivation(money, good coach, great skills base, elite environment and good team mates who can compete together) they have no reason to spend their 3/4 of life on a gym. You can add their injures which is usually happen after they have overweight. Also the main problem is the coaches. We have so poor background, just a couple of overseas russian and chinese, and one american who can coach a right technique and perfect quality)))Where are the australian? Do you know, australian doesn't want to get such a low salary(15-25$pw) even he/she really loves artistic gymnastics.
I am superagree with the point of view about AIS residential program. The top of GA didn't think about the development of artistic gymnastics. They don't care about it now. GA have done everything to close the program but nothing to open. Ask any parents what is better for their daughter, it won't be elite gymnastics:too much time... too expensive... And I agree because this kind of sport is too hard and parents in Australia prefer enjoying their lives, no pressure)))GA supposes to give the money for open programs as AIS, scholarship salaries for coaches who have just started but have a good result, financial support to the clubs with elite programs etc.
The flop of last olympic is a reason to ask GA, head coaches MAG and WAG what do they think to change and how?
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