2009: Entry the Last

Unfortunately the 2000-2009 retrospective is still not yet finished! It will hopefully feature in the early entries of 2010. Apologies for the delay.


I'm about to whip out the door and catch a plane to Sydney where I will be for the next few days.

I hope you all have a marvellous New Year's and that 2010 itself finds you happy and healthy.

Thanks again for another year of fun and frivolity. Memories of late-night live blogging with fellow fans and friends will stay with me for a very long while. I can't wait to see what the bevvy of big competitions in 2010 will bring us to celebrate. I hope I can keep informing and entertaining you at a high standard, whatever the weather.

Best wishes from AGB Central! I couldn't do this without you guys (well, I could, but it would be six hundred times less enjoyable)!


Signing off with big festive smoochies,

Yours gymnastically,

Blog Captain Mez.

2009 Australian Gymnastics Blog Awards WINNERS!

They come but once a year!

Thanks to everyone who sent votes in, especially the gym parents who got whole families on board to vote for their nominated daughters. It was very sweet (and surprising!) to hear from so many of you. This was yet another exciting year in gymnastics with ups and downs across the male and female disciplines.

But let's have a little less conversation and a little more action! Congratulations to...

***********************************************************

The Major Categories...


Australian Female Gymnast of the Year
Lauren Mitchell, WA
"Onya!" Honourable Mention: Larrissa Miller, QLD


Australian Male Gymnast of the Year
Prashanth Sellathurai, NSW
"Onya!" Honourable Mention: Sam Offord, SA


Australian Coach/Coaching Team of the Year
TIE! Nikolai Lapchine/Martine George, WAIS
and
Michelle DeHighden/Jeb Silsbury, MLC.


Australian Artistic Gymnastics Team of the Year
European Tour Shadow Squad WAG
"Onya!" Honourable Mention: London World Championships WAG


The Minor Categories...


Routine of the Year
Lauren Mitchell, Beam, World Championships event final



"Smile Moment" of the Year
IDP Girls do Stacey Umeh's dance at camp

"Sad Moment" of the Year
Shona Morgan's Worlds injury


Surprise of the Year
The Jouras move to Queensland


Simon Reeve Award for Gymnastics Media Coverage
Gymnastics Australia, Live-tweeting AUS v JPN


Brittany Boffo Award for Memorable (if Unfortunate) Mishaps
Philippe Rizzo, Worlds, A great high bar routine spoiled by a sat-down dismount


Gymsport Athlete/s of the Year
Naazmi Johnston, Rhythmic Gymnastics


Monique Allen Award for Successful Ex-Gymsporters
Lisa Skinner, Cirque Performer


Photo of the Year
(By just one vote!)
Brittany Boffo, QLD

So pwetty! Lauren Mitchell's kiss-and-hug photo came second.

Congrats again to all the winners, one day I hope to get you all a trophy of some sort! Maybe a little gold laptop or something...

Hope to have more interesting and exciting moments in 2010 to include in next December's awards. Thanks again for voting and enjoy the rest of the year!

Interlude

*peeks out from pile of paperwork and computer cords*

Hi.

In addition to compiling votes for the AGBys, I've been putting together a 2000-2009 retrospective. Concurrent work + deadline = Can I handle two massive posts going up on the one day!?

If I don't post the AGbys tomorrow, it'll be early on the 31st for sure. Ditto the retrospective. SOMETHING will go up tomorrow, that's for sure. I just have the option of two things. ;)


Stay tuned!

Meanwhile... who's bringing the jelly shots? There be a housewarmin' party up in here!

Owchies.

Just wanted to wish rising star Larrissa Miller a speedy recovery after what I've been told was a very recent foot surgery.

Hope to see you back out there, strutting yer stuff, very soon!

Two thumbs up:

d(^_^)b


I also hope that you all had enjoyable Christmasses. I know I did! My laptop now sits pretty on a little stable table which makes sitting on the bed and typing a MUCH more enjoyable experience!

You can check out photos from Waverley Gymnastics' Coaches Christmas Break-up at their homepage here. Looks like a lot of fun was had by all.

It's still not too late to get your votes in for the 2009 Australian Gymnastics Blog Awards! (And I'll say at this point - it's extremely flattering that some people are nominating the blog itself for the Simon Reeve Gymnastics Reporting Award but I don't make a habit of nominating myself, and I don't accept write-in votes. I appreciate the sentiment greatly, though!)

Have a Bloggy Christmas

Hi all.

I might not surface for the next two days or so, but sometime between Boxing Day and New Year's Eve, I hope to post my decade retrospective post and the winners of the 2009 Australian Gymnastics Blog Awards (keep those votes coming in!)


I wish you all a safe and happy Christmas wherever you are around the world. Thanks for sticking with me for another year and helping the good word of Aussie gymnastics spread. It's nice to know my rantings are entertaining to more than just myself. Hope to catch up again in the next few days.

Very best festive wishes to you and yours,

Meredith.

And a Beaver in a Pear Tree

I couldn't not laugh at this one.

Mel Jones and Olivia Vivian star in OSU's special 12 Days of Christmas video for fans and family.

Just in case you don't catch it, Mel is "2 rope climbs" and Olivia is "11 bloody rips!"

Goodfellas

The medals keep coming for Team Australia!

Photos courtesy of Heather Maynez for WOGA.

Frodo Baggins --I mean, Josh Jefferis -- managed a gold (parallel bars), a silver (rings) and a bronze (vault) at this weekend's Valeri Liukin Invitational at WOGA. One of his best ever showings at an international event! Beijing Olympian Sam(wise) Simpson finished 23rd all-around while Josh finished 6th.

Many thanks to Rachel for emailing me the results.

And thanks to the Texas YouTuber for the video of Sam's floor!

Rank

Num

Name Gym

Floor

Pommel

Rings

Vault

P Bars

H Bar

AA

6

399

Josh Jefferis Australia

13.400 36

12.900 23T

15.800 2

15.850 3

15.550 1

14.600 8T

88.100 6

23

397

Sam Simpson Australia

13.950 20T

13.200 14

14.100 26T

15.650 9T

13.800 23

11.500 46T

82.200 23

Well That's All Well and Good For You

To all gymnastics fans in Australia, best wishes for a great Christmas and New Year.

Gymnastics Australia worked hard in 2009 to engage its members and gymnastics fans in general by providing a website with the most up to date news, photos and modern communication tools such as “twitter”.

There is more to come in 2010 so we invite you to stay connected to GA because we value your support and interest in our athletes and our great sport.

Please note that the GA e-News will take a short break over Christmas and return in the New Year. In the interim, the web site will continue to keep you up to date with all the latest news.

Have a great Christmas and New Year.

Ohhhh snap.

I'm standing right here, ya know.


Can't we all just co-exist? Or at least... can't I squishy in the middle segment of the "GA" and "AGB" Venn diagram and work among you guys for once? Even if it's for free? I don't take up much space.

Please don't put me out of business.


I kinda like it here.

:(