gymn Digest Wed, 23 Nov 94 Volume 3 : Issue 41

Today's Topics:
!!!!
Australia (2 msgs)
China (3 msgs)
Comaneci
Comaneci & Conner
Courtship
Dortmund - Men
Dortmund - Men's Finals
Dortmund - Women's Finals (2 msgs)
Dortmund - women's optionals
Dortmund Worlds, Day Three Bits
frozen (2 msgs)
Hmmm.. does anyone know this person?
More on Nadia & Bart
Question
Roethisberger
Rusan (2 msgs)
Rusan retired
Shannon Miller article
TV Coverage

This is a digest of the gymn@athena.mit.edu mailing list.

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Date: Thu, 17 Nov 1994 09:12:53 -0500 (EST)
From: ***@minerva.cis.yale.edu
Subject: !!!!

It's too early in the morning for me to deal with all this shock! At
least I got the messages about the men's results yesterday (btw, Sherwin,
Germany's team includes Toba and Belenky, which certainly helps their
cause). But this morning!! -- first the women's results, then the bit
about Rusan (she competed at the PR Cup when she was 12 and I was hoping
to see her make it to the big-time internationals like Worlds), and then
the news about Bart and Nadia! My stomach's already had just about all
it can handle, and I haven't even been to the dining hall yet today.
*And* I'm supposed to go see "Interview with the Vampire" tonight.

:) Adriana

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Date: Sat, 19 Nov 1994 13:00:52 -0500 (EST)
From: ***@tiger.hsc.edu
Subject: Australia

Did Australi not field a team?

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 19 Nov 94 19:13:21 GMT
From: ***@ic.ac.uk
Subject: Australia


> Did Australia not field a team?

No they didn't. I've been told from a reliable source in Australia
that they were not sending a team (womens anyway), because they
don't have enough elites old enough.

Sherwin


------------------------------

Date: Sat, 19 Nov 94 14:57 PST
From: ***@MVS.OAC.UCLA.EDU
Subject: China

China has gotten screwed so much in the past that it is nice to see
them on top again. They really represent what gymnastics is about.
Virtuosity, Amplitude and Risk. Not to mention originality (not that
the code actually rewards it). Plus Li Jing and Huang Liping deserve
standing ovations for their handstands alone.

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 19 Nov 94 19:52:53 -0500
From: ***@ERE.UMontreal.CA
Subject: China

Even I'm not a Chinees, I think that the Chine's team is between the
best teams in the world and may be the best.

Ben

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Nov 94 1:08:02 GMT
From: ***@ic.ac.uk
Subject: China

I am surprised but very glad that China has won the Mens Gold.
You know, they talk of crisis and all-time low after the 1993
Worlds when they failed to get a single medal (I may be wrong
here though... can't remember exactly) and the Chinese magazines
were really into why they did so badly. Things are certainly
looking up in China now with the Mens Gold and the womens not
doing too badly either with Mo Huilan and co.

Sherwin

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Nov 1994 10:53:20 -0800 (PST)
From: ***@netcom.com
Subject: Comaneci

It's already been reported in _IG_ that Nadia will visit Romania next
week, but Reuters mentioned a little more about it today.

Her visit will last 10 days and in that time she will meet President Ion
Iliescu and Patriarch Teoctist, and head of the Orthodox Church. She'll
take part in a fashion show and visit an orphanage, besides performing in
an exhibition with her "future husband." Minister of Sport Nicolae
Marasescu said, "Nadia is Romania's top sports performer and her return
is a national event." As for her upcoming marriage, Nadia said, "We
don't know when and where the marriage will be, but the most important
thing is that it will happen."

Debbie

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Nov 1994 11:16:38 -0800 (PST)
From: ***@netcom.com
Subject: Comaneci & Conner

> >From the AP wire:
>
> Comaneci and Conner got engaged on Saturday (Nov. 12, which was Nadia's 33rd
> birthday). No date has been set.
>
> And a direct quote: "The couple will compete in the World Team Gymnastic
> Championships next week in Dortmund, Germany." Say what??!?
>
> Debbie

This is a joke, RIGHT ?
I mean no WAY could this be happening.
If it DID, how long do you think it would last ?
REALLY !

Bart getting MARRIED ?!?!?!

I can NOT believe it !

I know too much & I talk too loud....
It CANT last, she would never put up with him and his antics...
-texx

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 17 Nov 1994 18:05:16 -0500
From: ***@aol.com
Subject: Courtship

To All:
Ummmmm, question please.
Was this Nadia/Bart courtship the longest in recorded history?
Just curious.
-- Ronald

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Nov 94 00:58:00 UTC
From: ***@genie.geis.com
Subject: Dortmund - Men

>From the AP:

The 6 men's teams to qualify for the finals are...

1. RUS 560.034
2. GER 557.986
3. CHN 557.722
4. UKR 557.023
5. BLR 554.986
6. JPN 554.599

Other placings are...

7. KOR 549.424 11. ITA 544.737
8. BUL 549.112 12. FRA 544.537
9. USA 548.037 13. HUN 542.000
10. ROM 545.650 14. SUI 538.562
15. CAN 537.725

And a quick translation of the more interesting stuff from DPA (Germany)...

GER had the highest total on FX (46.325), led by Belenky with 9.275, but was
only 3rd-best on PH (45.575) behind RUS and UKR due to errors from Nikiferow
(8.575) and Wecker (8.825). RUS was 1st on R and V, with GER 2nd on both
these apparatus. Wecker scored 9.9 on PB (team total here was 46.300), and
going into the final rotation RUS was leading GER 513.747 to 512.961. But
GER came apart on HB, with falls from Franke (8.1), Walther (8.425) and
Nikiferow (8.925), and Wecker scored only 9.125.

Chief trainer Franz Heinlein said, "The team performed well for a long time,
but then on HB they almost became side-tracked. But we have reached our 1st
aim. In the finals we'll all start from zero -- and that is good. Since we
had 4 falls on HB, we shouldn't expect a medal, rather 4th or 5th place."

Debbie


------------------------------

Date: Sat, 19 Nov 94 18:54:00 UTC
From: ***@genie.geis.com
Subject: Dortmund - Men's Finals

>From the AP wire:

The Chinese men have won the team worlds over Russia, 283.333 to 282.158.
These 2 teams were quite close going into the final rotation. Voropaev fell
twice on HB, while Huang Huadong got the highest score in the competition on
PH (9.837). Ukraine finished in 3rd (281.086), followed by BLR, GER and JPN.

Ivankov (BLR) had the highest AA score (57.148) and Scherbo was 2nd.

[AP writes that Scherbo's 9.675 on V "helped Ukraine win the bronze", and
that the world AA champion is "Ivan Ivanko of Ukraine." Who knows, maybe
BLR won the bronze? I'll post again when I find confirmation of the
standings.]

Debbie


------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Nov 1994 10:48:06 -0800 (PST)
From: ***@netcom.com
Subject: Dortmund - Women's Finals

>From the AP wire...

Final women's team standing are

1. ROM 195.847
2. USA 194.645
3. RUS 194.546
4. CHN 194.132
5. UKR 191.734
6. BLR 189.021

ROM began on V and each girl scored 9.8 or higher. The silver was
decided by the final routines in the last event (V for the US and B for
RUS). Dawes scored 9.887 to Lebedeva's 9.775. Milosovici received 9.95
for her FX - the highest score of the day.

Mary Lee Tracy said, "Every gymnast pretty much had the meet of their
lives. We were sure we could do it [win a medal]. That's the first step
-- you have to believe it."

Debbie

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Nov 94 19:33:12 GMT
From: ***@ic.ac.uk
Subject: Dortmund - Women's Finals


> Final women's team standing are
>
> 1. ROM 195.847
> 2. USA 194.645
> 3. RUS 194.546
> 4. CHN 194.132
> 5. UKR 191.734
> 6. BLR 189.021

I, and I'm sure many of you out there, am still surprised that Russia
team standings have been "so low" throughout the championships. Anybody
knows what the Russian team is? I guess Kochetkova was still plagued by
her injury (if she competed) and Fabrichnova hasn't been herself all
year.

We need those Gymners who went to Dortmund to tell us the details quick!

Sherwin

~~ Drooling at home wondering what's happening out there ~~

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 19 Nov 94 00:16:00 UTC
From: ***@genie.geis.com
Subject: Dortmund - women's optionals

>From AP:

Here are the final qualifying standings for the women..

1. ROM 386.878
2. USA 385.577
3. CHN 385.527
4. RUS 385.515
5. UKR 382.254
6. BLR 379.292
7. FRA 370.017
8. ESP 369.077
9. JPN 368.466
10. CAN 366.626
11. HUN 364.301
12. GBR 361.716

According to AP, Miller *didn't* compete in optionals "because she wanted to
lighten her tournament load." Podkopayeva had the highest individual score
(78.222), followed by Milosovici, Mo Huilan, and Dawes.

A few quotes from the US girls --

Kerri Strug: "I'm glad we're in second because we had a few mistakes. We
haven't been second since the 1991 world championshipa - and we didn't have
Shannon."

Amanda Borden: "Our team did well, but there's definitely room to improve.
Hopefully we can stay in the top three and medal."

Debbie






------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Nov 94 2:41:58 GMT
From: ***@ic.ac.uk
Subject: Dortmund Worlds, Day Three Bits

Dortmund Worlds, Day Three

According to AP, Russian men has bounced back from fourth after the
compulsories to first place after the optionals. Germany are down to
second. (Russia 560.034, Germany 557.906) They are followed by China,
Ukraine, Belarus and Japan respectively. The US finished ninth and
failed to qualify for the final stages. Vitaly Scherbo is the leader
in individual standings, scoring a total of 112.974.

Sherwin

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 17 Nov 94 17:56:00 -0800
From: ***@hpflash.rose.hp.com
Subject: frozen

I wanted to get some feedback concerning a problem a gymnast is having
at our club. I am a parent of another gymnast on the team and we are
puzzled over the problem.

The gymnast is a 13 year old Level 9 member of the team. She has a "block"
when doing her flip flop layout on the beam. The strange thing is that
it's not usually on the 1st attempt. She can usually bang out 8 of them
before confronting this block. She simply can NOT perform the trick after
the block hits. This has been an on-going problem and has resulted in a
very frustrating situation. Frustrating for the gymnast, the coaches and
her parents. This girl has been in gymnastics for nearly 9 years and
is extemely skilled. She loves gym, the friends there, etc. For the time
being, the coach, mother and gymnast jointly decided that a week (or 2) of
time off might help. We are just afraid that she'll give up gymnastics with
this lay-off. (This girl is a good friend of our daughter's and we'd hate to
see her go).

Anyway, this "blockage" is obviously something that comes up with many gymnasts.
Are there any tried and true approaches? I think she's received some counciling
on this from professionals but apparently with no success. I guess I should
throw in that she's very shy and often keeps quite quiet.

If anyone has been down this road....it may make for interesting discussion.

Thanks,
Mark

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Date: Fri, 18 Nov 1994 10:36:11 -0500 (EST)
From: ***@qlink.queensu.ca
Subject: frozen

I seem to have the same probelm in my back handspring. I'll pull off
about 9 or 10 of them, and then leave floor or may be not, and then suddenly
land on my head, as though i'd never done one before. I'd be interested
to find out about other people's experiences with this. Myself, I haven't
overcome this problem yet, but I guess back-handspring is still
relatively new for me. More on this as practices go on...

Bryan

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Date: Thu, 17 Nov 1994 19:08:30 -0400 (AST)
From: ***@is.dal.ca
Subject: Hmmm.. does anyone know this person?

There this gymnast I know.. name of Courtney Gaines, from the states.
Anyway I was just wondering if anyone has heard anything about
her in various meets etc etc..
thanx in advance..

Staulker

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Date: Sat, 19 Nov 94 03:38:00 UTC
From: ***@genie.geis.com
Subject: More on Nadia & Bart

Because it's so funny, I'm posting an article about Nadia & Bart in its
entirety. Adriana, sorry to ruin your appetite yet again! :)

"Dream Pair Comaneci/Conner: Gymnastics, Work, and Family"
By Ulli Brunger, copyright dpa 1994

Her eyes sparkled from the brilliant ring. "I was totally happy, because he
presented me with the ring on my birthday," said the former Romanian gym.
queen Nadia Comaneci at the Dortmund Worlds. Together with her future
husband, Bart Conner, 1984 US Olympic gold medalist, she pursued her
interests and relaxed at the Worlds. "The engagement was exactly how one
dreams it always would be," said Conner, "with candle light, a romantic
dinner, and all that..."

The circumstances of the engagement -- it occurred on Nadia's 33rd birthday
this past Saturday, at a hotel in Amsterdam -- suited the restless life of
the "world traveler." While the 36-year-old from Oklahoma traveled around
Dortmund working for a US newspaper and TV station (ABC), the Romanian came
from Japan, where she had met with the organizing committee of the '95
Worlds in Sabae. Both earn their "bread" mainly with promotions and
marketing activities for US companies.

Comaneci and Conner have been living together for the past 3.5 years in
Norman, OK, where they work with 35 coaches at a commercial gymnastics
school. Conner: "We became acquainted with it back in 1976, a few months
before Nadia won the gold in Montreal. It wasn't announced until much
later." By the way, the pair led a colorful gymnastics show in Mexico
before the Worlds. Next year they'll go to South America -- "we'd really
like to come to Europe in 2 years." Possibly they are already married.
Conner: "We'll work hard during the next 2 years and then retire. We want
to have 1 or 2 kids."

=END=

Debbie



------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Nov 1994 20:46:10 -0500 (EST)
From: ***@ERE.UMontreal.CA
Subject: Question

Does any one know the dates of the next international competitions ?
Good night every one.

Ben

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Nov 1994 20:20:35 -0700 (MST)
From: ***@asu.edu
Subject: Roethisberger

They're damn fine athletes!

Don't ever forget!!!

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 17 Nov 1994 17:38:11 -0500 (EST)
From: ***@delphi.com
Subject: Rusan

What happened to Rusan? How was she injured and what was the injury?

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Nov 94 15:02:00 GMT
From: ***@ic.ac.uk
Subject: Rusan

Michelle wrote,

>
> What happened to Rusan? How was she injured and what was the injury?
>

All I know is that when the Romanian coaches came for the GBR v ROM
Seniors match in March, they said Rusan had a serious back injury.
Now last week I've been told by a friend that she had been forced to
retire. (It must be something close to your heart Michelle, back injuries...
I'll try to see if I can find out more info.)

Sherwin

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 17 Nov 94 11:50:18 GMT
From: ***@ic.ac.uk
Subject: Rusan retired

It is said that Romanian Claudia Rusan has to retire
from gymnastics due to her serious back injury. She
was one of my faves and will be sorely missed.

Sherwin

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 17 Nov 1994 18:06:20 -0500
From: ***@aol.com
Subject: Shannon Miller article

I just got my Sports Illustrated For Kids and a SMALL Shannon article. Not
about worlds or results, but how she collects sports pins with other gymnasts
since she was 8. She started at that gymnastics camp in the Soviet Union.
Anne

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Nov 94 15:37:18 CST
From: ***@admin.stedwards.edu
Subject: TV Coverage

Does anyone know if ABC or another network is planning to cover the Dortmund
World's? If so, any idea when?

You can bet that with the US men's team placing out of the top six, the men will
get little or no coverage.

Cole
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End of gymn Digest
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