Late Breaking News

Hi guys.

Check my latest tweet (Twitter link at right) for a link to a new radio interview with Lauren Mitchell from camp in Canberra.

Edit: Speaking of camp, this morning we have a brief training camp update from our MAG and WAG teams in Canberra, over at GA.

The girls are in good shape and not anything unexpected from the Physio reports. We will depart on Friday and are looking forward to arriving in Tokyo."

"The Men's team have been fine tuning their routines at training camp this week. The gymnasts are maintaining a good positive focus on the job at hand and are looking great as a team.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we also have an additional brief word from Peggy on the team trial and Lauren's championship defense chances at IG here.

Delhi/Rotterdam 2010: The Countdown Begins

News and views from training camp are coming through from Ashleigh Brennan of the VWHPC. You can read the updates here.

"We are all staying in the same building together, in our own rooms, so we tend to walk as a group to training."

I don't exactly know why, but this made me go, "Awwww. Yay them."

You can see additional photos at GA.

Pacific Rim News: Aussie MAG

Best wishes to all competitors, coaches and officials at this weekend's trial for Australia's Pacific Rim Championships men's team. Only 6 competitive slots are open - 3 seniors, 3 juniors- so it will be a tough race for the much-envied positions.

The trial is being held at the AIS from 11am on Saturday so keep yer eyes and ears open for news!

Don't forget, you can show your support to Australian gymnasts by signing my petition here.


And, just finally, I'll have yet another exclusive for you in a couple of days!

January Camp Report

Wow!

Yes, there it is at Gymnastics Australia - a real, living, breathing camp report! Thanks GA! *wink and cheesy infomercial smile*

The main focus of the camp was physical assessment and skills/program updating. All gymnasts verified their skill assignments from the National Coach.

Some highlights of the camp were:

Emily Little performed some beautiful and powerful Double Twisting Yurchenkos and a very high, dynamic Double Pike dismount from beam. Emily is in a very good physical condition and has made a very smooth transition into the Senior ranks.

First year Senior, Georgia Wheeler presented her new bars dismount of a Piked Double Arabian and with a 1/2 out. Georgia also showed her Double Twisting Yurchenko from the vault boxes, as well as her Front Layout 1 1/2 twist into the pit.

Fiona Coley came into camp fit and trim with a beautiful new floor routine choreographed by Stacey Umeh with music from "SAW 3". Fiona also has upgraded her tumbling passes and bar routine.

Britt Greeley demonstrated her "Wiler Kip" on bars, a unique connection to a Gienger and the also showed her Hindorff on bars.

Emma Collister performed a great Shaposhnikova to an uprise combination on bars. Emma's beam dismounts were dynamic and very much improved.

Naomi Lee has completed her Compositional Requirements on bars now with a good Overshoot to Handstand from high bar to low bar. Naomi also verified her double layout dismount from bars.

Shar-lee Clark will challenge for a spot on the next selection with an improved training regimen and some great skill.


Overall, National Coach Peggy Liddick, was happy with the improvements. There are still quite a few gymnasts recovering from post-World's surgeries: Bonora-ankle, Miller-foot, Mitchell-hand and with Morgan still recovering from her subluxed patella.

The next camp will be at the end of March and will include the 2010 Pacific Rim Trials.

Four for you, Georgia Wheeler, you go Georgia Wheeler!

Worlds Team Trial Countdown 2

Alternatively titled: "Eeeeeeeeeeeee!!! *clapclapclapclapclapclap*

I am completely scrunching up my face and emitting small yips with excitement. There is something about THIS world championships and THIS potential team that has me thrilled rather than nervous like selections past. Don't ask me why. I just feel like the right decisions will be made for the right reasons and we have some big opportunities this year...


Oh all right, I'll cut to the chase and give you some goss.

This came today from a source:

"Larissa won bars first day of comp with 14.1, she had an extra kip handstand in there, so that's about.5 deduction.
Amber was only trialling beam and had a fall.
The judges are being much tougher as at nationals they were 'apparently' too nice and were not giving the gymnasts realistic international expectations."

OMFG YOU GUYS.

SHIZZ BE GOIN' DOWN IN CANBERRA! SRSLY. ALERT THE MASSES AND UPDATE UR TWITTERS, STAT!!!

I am hoping the team is named by 9 tomorrow as I am having another adjustment to these damned braces of mine. I will do my best to inform you as soon as I can though I will certainly not be miffed if someone finds out and breaks the news. Please ensure, however, that you are using reputable sources when doing so. I do get miffed when people post speculation as 'official' news.

Anyway.

Here is my loud and semi-inspirational Getting Excited for the Team-Naming and What Will Happen With the Namees in London Thereafter playlist that you might be interested in.

* Queen: "Don't Stop Me Now"
* Pulp: "Mis-Shapes"
* Bluejuice "Vitriol"
* Edith Piaf: "Non Je Ne Regrette Rien"
* Jebediah: "Fall Down"
* The Cat Empire: "Chariot"

Hey, I never said my tastes were straightforward... ;)


ETA sometime later: Lauren Mitchell debuted a Baitova (Yurchenko double) at the trial.


Lauren.

A motherflippin'.

BAITOVA.

Lauren.


Sitting her in first place over the two days' trialling AND bringing the Australian double Yurchenko count up to four: Mitchell, Morgan, Dennis and Joura. Holy amazing vault line-up, Batman!

Worlds Team Trial Countdown

Thanks to the Anon who pointed out this new article on Fiona Coley. I didn't realise she was nearly 20, I thought 18 at the most! Good on her for staying in the game; it reminds me of Karen Nguyen c. 2006, talking to the media just before worlds trials about what it's like being the older athlete in the squad, battling to not be overlooked for all the young hopefuls and enduring the long chase for the big dream... hmmm... could selection indicate a sentimental element of the vote in addition to ability/consistency being taken into account? Only time will tell.


And, in a new segment I like to call, "Ummm... are you seein' it?":

In his analysis of the senior women's AA final at US nationals, Dwight Normile notes that Georgia Dabritz of Ace Gymnastics in Massachusets looks like our own Dasha Joura (only with slightly longer hair).

(These photos are a little bit dated. If I find a good quality one from '09 I will post it to help with comparison)

Heard on the Squad Grapevine

The AIS/Gymnastics Australia Olympic squad listed as per yesterday's post consists of the eight WAGs who will attend training camp at GA's expense (i.e. who will have all their necessary expenses covered). They have been deemed the only fit seniors and 'almost-seniors' GA currently have. However, as several here have suggested, there will be visiting athletes and they will be welcome to try out for the World Championship team.

It is believed that six other experienced members of the WAG program have been invited to attend camp on the proviso that they themselves or their clubs/training centres pay their way.


Speaking of squad members, Her Greeleyness appeared in the student newspaper S-Press this week. Not the best photo but *shrug* what can you do, eh...

2009-10 Squads

WAG squads announced, as per GA.

National Squad (full list):

Senior National Squad:

GEORGIA BONORA (VIC)

ASHLEIGH BRENNAN (VIC)

FIONA COLEY (VIC)

EMMA DENNIS (VIC)

AMBER FULLJAMES (QLD)

BRITT GREELEY (VIC)

DARIA JOURA (WA)

LARRISSA MILLER (QLD)

LAUREN MITCHELL (WA)

SHONA MORGAN (VIC)

Junior National Squad:

GEORGIA-ROSE BROWN (QLD)

SOPHIE BUDACK (NT)

EMMA COLLISTER (VIC)

RACHEL COLLISTER (VIC)

ASHLEY COONEY (WA)

ANGELA DONALD (VIC)

TIERRA EXUM (VIC)

NATALIA JOURA (WA)

AMAYA KING KOI (QLD)

EMILY LITTLE (WA)

ZOE LORENZIN (VIC)

MARY-ANNE MONCKTON (NSW)

SVETLANA SANDERS (VIC)

GEORGIA SIMPSON (WA)

GEORGIA WHEELER (VIC)


AIS/GA Olympic Squad:

BRITT GREELEY (VIC)

EMILY LITTLE (WA)

ZOE LORENZIN (VIC)

LARRISSA MILLER (QLD)

LAUREN MITCHELL (WA)

MARY-ANNE MONCKTON (NSW)

SHONA MORGAN (VIC)

GEORGIA WHEELER (VIC)


You can also see Britt-Britt and Lauren featured in IG's smashing Japan Cup photo gallery here.

Man Drought

Oh dear.

I've been neglecting the boys again.

Horse Whisperers...

Australia's MAG squad, namely Philippe Rizzo, Josh Jefferis, Prashanth Sellathurai, Sam Simpson, Matthew Curtis, Sam Offord and visiting athletes Sean O'Hara, Martin Jozwiak, Michael Mercieca, Jack Rickards, Mitchell "Yes, I realise my name consists of the surnames of two of the best WAG squad members" Morgans, Declan Stacey and Dominic Bedggood, have been training in Canberra. Sellathurai and Curtis are preparing for their trip to Russia, as you may already know.

Sadly, Rizzo reportedly sustained an ankle injury during training. Best wishes for a speedy recovery; hope he'll be well enough to aim for London later in the year.

*sigh* So wonewy...

Here We Go!

It's working at last.

I'm just going to look at bits and pieces. I agree that P-Liddy was vague and teasing about parts, but adamant about others. I'm just glad she's toned down the "[name] will have NO chance/is not on my radar/needs to shape up or ship out..." talk.

"Since there is no team event at the World Championships this year, we have really taken an individual approach to the seniors from the Beijing squad," said Liddick, referring to the gymnasts who helped the Australian team place sixth at last summer's Olympic Games."

Great. Let's hope some of the OTHER members of that Beijing team (particularly those that had a greater hand in our 6th place finish than others, and I don't mean that in an antagonistic way) get a shot at some more international exposure before Worlds. I'm gonna use the c-word again: Capitalise on the fact they're still brimming with confidence at what they did last August, capitalise on their ability to block out noise and focus to the extreme like they did at the Games. Use it now (or at least very soon!), let them try it in a new competition environment.

"I have taken the tack that these girls are adults now and they have been involved to a much greater extent in their next four-year plan. We are taking it slow. There is no hurry for them."

That's great to hear. We forget that these girls aren't 15 or 16 anymore; they're now very near to, or on the other side of, 18 years old. Their bodies and mentalities have changed and matured with their styles and repertoires, it's important to approach and work with these these in the appropriate way.

"Britt has been around an elite training environment since she was about 3 years old," Liddick said. "Her mother, Haedi, was an elite gymnast, and she has been on development squads that trained with Monette Russo, Stephanie Moorhouse and Karen Nguyen for the Athens Olympics, and with Ashleigh Brennan for the 2008 campaign, so she knows what it is all about and how to get there. It is nothing new for her."

I forget this sometimes. Britt, then, would know better than the rest of the new seniors what is expected of her and what she can expect as the big event draws nearer. She wasn't at her very best at AYOF or Massilia so with a few months of comprehensive training, and a week's camp experience, under her belt I hope she can pick herself up and do her abilities justice. I saw Britt working on some big skills in training, I'd wish for her to get those ready and consistent and do the best job she can do when selection time comes. She's really grown on me and if she doesn't make the Worlds team this year (I'd say it wouldn't be as an AA-er, maybe as floor specialist if Dasha's not ready???) she'd hang on for a 2010 Commonwealth Games team spot. She comes across as a real team player.

"The girls who are ready and want to, will compete in London," Liddick said. "My expectations would be to only send gymnasts who have their routines up to a World Championships standard and those who can perform at that standard."

Yeah. No more Yurchenko full vaults and single punch layouts as tumbling passes, dammit!

That said, I'm going to make a vague prediction now, and then a more decisive one after Nationals, just to see how it matches up (or how very, very wrong I might be. I'm no good at footy tipping y'know).


AA: Shona Morgan, especially if she's rocking that Baitova we've heard about.
Dasha is she's well enough, but if not then I'd say
Georgia B or Emma Dennis as the second.

Specialist/s: Lauren Mitchell for beam. Derr, Fred! Possibly floor as well if she can control her landings.
Dasha for floor/beam if she's well enough.
Britt for floor if she gets that double arabian.
Mel Jones for floor/vault.

Camp News is Good News!

Training camp has apparently resulted in several missing digits.

In attendance:
Lauren, Dasha, Emily for WA
Shona, Georgia, Britt, Emma, Chloe Turko for Victoria
Mel J for AIS/Victoria
and Amber for Queensland

Visiting:
Victoria Williams, Crystal Yeo, Natasha Hamman (Hammond?), Larissa Miller, Fiona Coley, Karina Brooks.

I found this bit rather alarming:

"There will be no plans for any Seniors to attend international events prior to Nationals".

Ash Brennan still pondering retirement but nothing permanent has been decided. No retirements spoken for from anyone else. Fiona Coley back in the mix after planning a comeback. Glad I got to catch her in action at VWHPC.

Britt and Emily, along with 16 juniors, will attend a trial for an upcoming "Pre-Olympic" youth competition in Germany. Amber was slated to attend this trial but is recovering from a hamstring injury,

TEAM (B)AMBI SENDS GET WELL SOON WISHES!!!

Dear Gymnastics Australia (again)

I know you guys work hard.

I know you're a respected organisation.

I know you're made of more than just athletes.

This shorty ain't got no beef with that (y'all).

But let's be honest here.


WHY DO YOU CONSISTENTLY MAKE A SONG AND DANCE ABOUT KEEPING US IN-THE-KNOW WITH WHAT THE VARIOUS JUDGES AND OTHER TECHNICAL MEMBERS ARE DOING AT THEIR TRAINING SESSIONS AND COURSES AND CONFERENCES? IS THIS WHAT YOU THINK COUNTS FOR KEEPING ENTHUSIASTS IN THE KNOW? I THOUGHT THAT WAS WHAT YOUR "TECHNICAL MEMBERS" ZONE, THAT WHOLE SEPERATE SECTION ON YOUR WEBSITE UNDER A SIMILARLY-NAMED TAB (WITH AN INTRANET FUNCTION NO LESS), WAS FOR.

WHAT ARE THE ATHLETES DOING?
The gymnasts?
The ones who worked their butts off at training camp?
The ones at the bottom of this picture?:

THE "GYMNASTICS" IN "GYMNASTICS AUSTRALIA"?

Can we pleeeeeeeeease get an update from training camp? Just a teeny weeny one? Even from the work experience kid who hardly gets to see the training hall because he's too busy making coffee and mental notes of everybody's names? Or even the cleaner???


In my email inbox...

Morgan MIA

GA/AIS Olympic squad training camp and visiting athletes have all been announced.

Where's our beloved DJ ShoMo!?


You can watch the sports acro action from last night's TBL here. Look out for it from 2:34 of the clip. Don't know if acro enthusiasts are insulted or pleased that the featured performers are consistently referred to as doing 'gymnastics'...

Open Day - Photos

Here are the remaining photos courtesy of Ade.
(Sorry about the size)

Goin' Down to C-Town.

If GA are to be believed, Canberra (or "Canbags" as I have heard it affectionately named) is where it's at this month. Talk of the AIS gymnastics program shutting down is certainly dispelled in their latest update. For now, at least.

All's well that ends well for AIS alum Hollie Dykes who has taken up a coaching position with the International Development Program. What a pleasant gymnastics world it would be if EVERYONE mastered the immaculate execution inherent in prima ballerina Hollie...




And yes, the Senior WAG team is there too. Including WAIS newbie Kayleigh Cooke from the UK. Fear not, AshleighAfficianados who thought Ms Brennan had up and left the squad altogether - she is, "still on holidays with her parents and assessing her competitive future". So there's still some hope there. Right?

....RIGHT!?!?
*shakes you by the shoulders*


This is the bit where you slap me and say "Get a holda yourself, woman!".
Go on.
I'll wait.

Emily Little was specifically named as one to get a new floor routine, where all of the others will have their choreography worked on (Go Stacey, Go!)

In terms of assignments, there will be no Australian representative at the WOGA Classic or Nadia Comaneci invitational this year. That looks to be about it so far, with another verification camp in April to determine participation (if any) in a May "Pre-Olympic Youth Cup" in Germany. Lauren Mitchell is thus far confirmed to head to Doha.

P-Liddy (we tight, yo) confirms that Nationals this year in July WILL be an international 'friendly' (pleaseChinaorGBpleaseChinaorGBpleaseChinaorGB) and act as a determiner for European events such as the Grand Prix events in France and Germany. Hopefully it won't just be a case of same-old-same-old, sending girls who've been before and whatnot. This is a new year and a chance to capitalise on the Olympic experience of others in the squad.

Apparently there are a few "surprise" skills and upgrades to expect among the group.

I call consistent DTYs from Dennis and Morgan, a full-in final floor pass as well as, at the very least, good foundations for an Amanar from Joura. Oh, and let us not forget that the latter is also slated for a new floor routine.

I've had the traffic counter up on the blog for less than a week, and already you wonderful readers have clocked up over 900(!) visits to this page. If it weren't so socially frowned-upon or lamely overwrought by blazer-clad beardy weirdies in YouTube videoclips for crappy Sydney emo bands... I'd run up and hug you all.

Interesting.

It turns out that it's not just swimming enthusiasts and fans that contribute to Libby Trickett's live blog at the Herald Sun.

Observe the highlighted part of the screencap (thanks to eagle-eyed anon. poster who brought it to my attention), though apologies for the poor quality:

From Canberra With Love

Awwwww.... lots of love in the WAG team training camp, and lots of fun in between training too.

DJ Sho-Mo got herself an interview at IG, hot on the heels of Georgia's interview; Dasha's latest column reveals a little bit more about training as well.

The girls are gaining themselves some valuable experience and knowledge, and I have full confidence that they'll be mentally AND physically prepared for a good showing in Beijing. They are learning how to relax, focus, and deal with any unexpected situation that arises. Most importantly, they are learning from the experiences of others - not just their teammates but from stage performers and past Olympians (such as Petria Thomas, below) as well.

The team appears to be gelling well, and this of course will be a significant factor in their Beijing performance when the time comes.

Go girls, and keep smiling!

Making It Official

1. Tain Molendijk OFFICIALLY out of Nationals with ankle injury.

2. Chloe Sims OFFICIALLY retired. Wow, I can't believe it's now, at this moment, that La Liddick finally says something positive about her... though it's a shame none of the press release features quotes from the girl herself.

3. Squad camp is OFFICIALLY over for now, according to Olivia Vivian.


4. Emma Dennis OFFICIALLY got profiled in the newspaper.




5. The Courier Mail is OFFICIALLY explaining (and speculating about) various retirements in this article. It's quite sad, really, particularly when you read some of the gymnasts' comments.

Queensland's former Olympic squad members Sims, Alyce Arrowsmith, Kayla Winch, Jasmine Webb and Hollie Dykes, who moved to Canberra about eight years ago to train at the AIS, and AIS-based Hayley Wright are among the exodus.

"Something must be going wrong – everyone is getting injured, everyone is retiring," Arrowsmith said.
"All the people I trained with, all the people I competed against – it's like the lost generation, we were one of the best groups."

Winch said: "It's a hidden thing. We are in the spotlight and suddenly we all disappear. Where have we all gone?"

Hugs Not Drugs

Gossip from Olympic squad training camp comes in the form of Olivia Vivian's latest blog entry. It's nice to know that the top gymnasts in the country are just one big, happy, cramped, diet-monitoring, pee-watching family.

When I made the state Sport Aerobics team some years ago (now there's a sentence you don't see on every CV), we trained for two days at the Victorian High Performance Centre. We had an ASADA official come and talk to us about the dangers of doping. Because... y'know... some of the kids there were aged seven and eight. I mean phwoar, if they're not the ones coked up to the eyeballs come Nationals time, then I'll be a monkey's uncle. They couldn't even spell "antibiotic" let alone administer it themselves.

Anyway. I couldn't take the whole thing seriously because
a) of the above point. Little kids? In trackies and sparkly scrunchies? Doping? I think not good sir (though you can never put it past stage mothers...)
b) The ASADA guy kept saying "ping".

"You take a cold and flu tablet? They'll ping ya for that."
"Try and use a masking agent? They'll ping you for that."
"Skip a urine test? They'll ping you for that."
"Take an energy supplement the day before? Oh, they'll ping you for that."

The poor kids in the junior divisions didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Thankfully the AIS and GA folk are getting the squad used to drug testing procedures now. They're not pleasant but at least the athletes won't freak out halfway through their Olympic competition when they go for their first drug tests after team qualifications.

And on another note - if Miss Joura gets team captain then I hereby nominate Olivia as Team Morale Officer. What a champ. I do love her personality even if I haven't always loved her gymnastics.

ETA - Dasha's new column is up with more insight from camp. When I last read about those distraction tapes, apparently they also had sounds of burps and glass smashes. If anyone burped out loud during a gymnastics competition and I was anywhere in the vicinity, I'd take them outside the venue and smack them sideways. Table manners go beyond the table, people.

Countdown to Nationals - Sound and Vision

Yeeha.

A great news update at the GA homepage made my afternoon.
It states that the MyHeroes page (see past entries) will feature Phillipe Rizzo, Prashanth Sellathurai, Josh Jefferis and Sam Simpson (for the men) and Lauren Mitchell, Dasha Joura, Shona Morgan and Ashleigh Brennan (for the ladies). It's bittersweet because we can't exactly rustle pre-Beijing support for the men's team who won't even be there (save for Sam), but by all means we can rally behind them right through to next year's Worlds in London.

Meanwhile, the WAG Olympic training squad members are looking great in green-and-gold up in the nation's capital...

L-R Rear: Ashleigh Brennan, Georgia Bonora, Olivia Vivian, Emma Dennis, Chloe Sims

L- R Front: Lauren Mitchell, Dasha Joura, Amber Fulljames, Shona Morgan, Melanie Jones

Note: Thus far, nobody in crutches or slings *touch wood* and I'm hoping Mel's bandage is just a stopgap.
Additional note: Can anyone tell me why Ms Sims insists on having her leotard sleeves pushed up all the time?
Additional additional note: Dasha's got the right idea. Fringes look quite good with ponytails and make your forehead look a bit more normal. Sure, they're not for everyone but my word those ponies are severe. I'm holding out a faint hope that the only ailment we see strike Camp Australia before August is alopecia.

Ironically, this could be the last time some of them will be wearing the green-and-gold and taking part in a group that has the word 'Olympic' tacked onto it.

Aaaaand I'm hoping they eventually play this on tv sometime soon (though it's annoying that they don't actually show any landings on the skills). Look at those evil eyes on Prashanth at the very end. Now THAT'S a game face, kids.