2008 Australian Gymnastics Blog Awards WINNERS!

That's right. Today's the day the gymfans have their piiiiiicniiic!

Without further ado, here are the winners of the inaugral AGBys. Voting has now closed and all votes tabulated, many thanks to all who participated. Let's hope 2009 has an equally, if not more, enthusiastic turnout.


The Major Categories...

Australian Female Gymnast of the Year: Dasha Joura, WA
"Onya!" Honourable Mention: Lauren Mitchell, WA


Australian Male Gymnast of the Year: Tie! Phillippe Rizzo, NSW and Sam Simpson, QLD
"Onya!" Honourable Mention: Prashanth Sellathurai, NSW


Australian Artistic Gymnastics Team of the Year: Beijing Olympics WAG Team
"Onya!" Honourable Mention: DTB Cup delegation (MAG and Wag)


Australian Coach of the Year: Martine George, WAIS
"Onya!" Honourable Mention: John Hart, Waverley Gymnastics Centre


The Minor Categories...

Routine of the Year - Dasha Joura, Floor, National Championships Team Final, which you can view again with an air of , "*sigh* If only..." here.


"Smile" Moment of the Year - Lauren Mitchell's photo with beam, Olympics team final, which you can see here about 6:20 into the footage.


"Sad" Moment of the Year - Tie. Hollie Dykes' Retirement and Dasha Joura's Beijing Injuries.


Surprise of the Year - Chloe Sims' Utah signing


Sarah Clappers Award for Team Encouragement - Olivia Vivian


Simon Reeve Award for Gymnastics Reporting - Brindabella Interviews Tain Molendijk (Congratulations, Brindy! Dasha's PerthNow column was a *very* close second, so now you can say you've beaten a national champion!)


Brittany Boffo Award for Memorable Gymnastics Mishaps - Daria Joura, Olympics, Bars. "She went to Beijing and all she got was two black eyes..."


Gymsport Athlete/s of the Year - Australian World Championships Senior Trio, Sport Acrobatics


Monique Allen Award for Successful Ex-Gymsporters - Alexandra Croak, Diving/Modelling


LOLgymnast of the Year - Tie! Chloe Sims and Philippe Rizzo.





Congratulations to all the (very deserving) winners and we thank them for a memorable year in Australian gymnastics.

Once again, thanks to everyone for their nominations and feedback. Have a nice new year and see you all in 2009 for a fresh round of gymbloggery!

Hiatus on Hold

Hi all.

I finally got near a computer long enough to give in to temptation and update here :P

I'll be heading back home this afternoon from Hobart, and in the coming days I will announce the winners of the 2008 Awards. Here are some things that have cropped up in the time I have been away:

* Both Lauren Mitchell and Dasha Joura were interviewed by IG, talking about Christmas plans and program upgrades for the new year.

* Video of the World Cup Final beam medal ceremony, in which Lauren's medal does in fact fall off the ribbon while she's on the podium...

...can be viewed here.

* Gymnastics Australia has a new-look website. Note the "featured gymnast" section and the YouTube link.

* Olivia Vivian appeared on the OSU sports program, "Beavers All-Access". Below is a transcript of the brief profile piece, as I am having trouble accessing the video. Thanks, Richard!

Todd Mansfield: When you want to build an elite program, you need to go out and find the best student-athletes. Coupled with their recent successes of three straight appearances at the NC2A tournament, Oregon State staff has been able to do that … they’ve combed the country, they’ve combed the world, to find the best student-athletes, and their most recent addition to this team is an Australian named Olivia Vivian. She was a participant in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, as a member of the Australian Olympic team, and now she brings her experience, her talent, and her smile to Corvallis.

(Title bar at bottom of screen during this segment “VIVIAN’S JOURNEY FROM BEIJING TO CORVALLIS”)

“Voice-over”: It can be hard for incoming freshmen to stand out in a room full of talented veteran gymnasts in Gladys Valley Gymnastics Center … but Olivia Vivian is not your ordinary incoming freshman. Just a few months ago Vivian was competing for Australia against the best gymnasts in the world at the Olympic Games … and now she is competing for Oregon State against the top college gymnasts in the United States. Although she competed on the biggest stage in the world over the summer, Vivian knows things won’t get any easier during her time in Corvallis.

Olivia: The Olympics gave me international experience, to come to college gymnastics, but America is very good at gymnastics, it’s a big sport here, so even when you come in to college they do big skills, you know, so I’m still going to have work hard. I don’t think it makes it any easier except that I’ve been under pressure situations.

“Voice-over”: And the most pressure packed situation wasn’t on the mat in Beijing, it was during the announcement of the Australian National Team.

Olivia: After such an intense selection process, where you know it was pretty much the worst moment of my life … where we had about five hours to wait for this decision after our last competition; and of course my last name beginning with a “V”, I was the last person called up on this team. And so I had to wait for that one more spot left , and I felt … (uhg) … but when my name was called, I just immediately just started crying … just balling my eyes out. I was so happy after … after all that hard work … it paid off.

“Voice-over”: Vivian’s hard work did pay off as she competed on bars and stuck her landing, to help Australia to its best showing in the Olympics … with a sixth place finish.

Olivia: Before the Olympics I never really got into it … it was just all about gymnastics, and then when I got to Beijing, and I was on the Olympic team, it became Australia, it was no longer gymnastics, it was Australia, … and I would cry every time I heard the National Anthem.

“Voice-over”: When she first arrived in Corvallis her teammates were eager to hear stories of her Olympic experience, … and they got an earful …

Jen Kesler: We just probably like … mind-boggled her with all these questions, and it was really cool to hear her experiences, ‘cus I think it would be amazing to go to the Olympics, but only certain people can do that …

Mandi Rodriguez: We were jokin’ on bars the other day, and I was like … “Hey Olivia, remember last summer in Beijing when you stuck your bar dismount in the Olympics?, … remember that?” … so it’s kind of surreal having someone that has reached the top level in our sport, being able to join us and share her experiences with us … it’s great!

Olivia: The team atmosphere here … it blows everything out of the water! All the girls are extremely close, we help each other get through training sessions, it’s really nice here …it’s really nice and friendly.

Todd Mansfield: She may be a long way from home, but this is where her heart is … and this is where she plans to win.

Hope you all had a really great Christmas. I know I did.
I'm pretty sure I'll have to be rolled onto the plane home Willy Wonka-style...

Ok, So I Lied!

I couldn't possibly leave you all without bringing your attention to this.
One word: Kyoooot!
It just goes to show you that gymnastics knows no language barriers.

And if that doesn't warm the heart of your cockles in time for Christmas, then you're a real Scrooge!

Have a good one, niblets. See you in the '09.

Hiatus Here I Come!

Hi everyone.


I'm going away for a week over Christmas and, seeing as the elite season proper has come to a close with the World Cup Final completed, I find it only fitting that I bid you adieu from now until the new year.

If there is something unbelievably magnanimous concerning the gymnastics world that arises, then by all means I'll get myself access to a computer where I'm staying and try to give my two cents worth. Otherwise, there isn't a great deal to talk about so why waste the broadband usage? Mind you, I will be back to announce the winners of the Australian Gymnastics Blog Awards (on which you can still vote until well after Christmas so PLEASE DO!) on December 30th so you'd best stay tuned for that.


So now to the formalities -

I thank everyone who has contributed to the blog this year, in comments or articles or news or links. I am grateful for any and all feedback I have received and am most touched by the gestures offered by gymnasts and gym families who have allowed me to share some of their special experiences with you all. In less than a year I have gained insight into the gymnastics world from coaches, choreographers, gym journalists, gym mums and Olympians (or "gym-lympians"). This kind of insight, I am sure, would never have come my way had I not decided to simply start this old thing on January 1. I'd like to think I'm a better gym fan for it. You've helped the blog along, from drooling, stumbling cyber-infant with food all over its face to stealthier, more confident and more substantial web-kindergartener, who might still get food on its face but who can at least stand up, wipe it off and fling it at you.

To the readers who tell me that they enjoy reading, that I make them laugh, that I am a good news resource - thanks. It means the world to me to get positive feedback, when I at first thought this space wasn't anything special. I live to make people enjoy themselves and to be informed in all that they do; I hope this blog serves a fraction of that purpose. To get comments from readers overseas and interstate is pretty damn cool too.

Finally, to the great exponents of the sport in this country - to our gymnasts. Thank you for the joy you give us in your performances. For giving us theatre, fashion and athleticism in one daring spectacle. For flying the flag, for not giving in, for showing us what hard work brings - all fans thankyou. We wish you a safe and happy gymnastics journey through 2009 and beyond.

So that's it from me for now.


I hope you all have an enjoyable festive season, may you and your families stay happy and healthy. Go You Big Red Fire Engine, etc.

Hold on to your trouserlegs, wombats, 'cause here comes 2009!!!

World Cup Hangover

The news is spreading about Lauren's gold medal and our other fantastic World Cup Final results. This article has quotes from Liz C, and just a *little* bit of chest-puffing-out about the WAIS.

I hope they all have a nice Christmas which, according to GA, will go thusly:

Prashanth will return home and then head to New Zealand to holiday with his family, Lauren is returning to WA to spend Christmas with her family and Phil will remain in Europe.

You can watch video of Lauren's routine here, on the right-hand side of screen. I am waiting to see YouTube clips surface, as apparently she and Cheng Fei shared 'a moment' off the podium.

Again, congratulations to all the medallists and their hard-working coaches. This has been a great year for international competition and I wish all gymnasts the best as they head into a new year and work towards an exciting World Championships.

World Cup Final Day 2

Let's not beat around the bush, shall we?

Philippe Rizzo scored a silver on high bar and LAUREN MITCHELL WON BEAM!!! Over Li ShanShan no less!

Congratulations, Lauren! We're so proud!



In fact, I'm thrilled for the whole Aussie trio - they all medalled!

World Cup Final Day 1

Results as they come in.

Congratulations to Prashanth Sellathurai who scored an excellent 16.025 on pommel, putting him in the bronze medal position behind Zhang Hontao of China and Kristian Berki of Hungary. Apparently his A-score was lower than usual.



Live "Quick Hits" from the event can be found here.

Women's beam and men's high bar to be competed tomorrow!

AYOF: Siblings' Great Expectations

A short Youth Olympic Festival preview piece featuring Jack Rickards and Natalia Joura can be found here.

In elite news, you can follow the World Cup Final live via International Gymnast or the FIG site. *fingers crossed* it works out!