A BAGA interview with Beth Tweddle
by Vera Atkinson, Jan 20, 2005

BT: It all went very well and after only three and a half weeks I am able to tumble on the trampoline; hopefully I will be back to full training very soon!

Q: Which are the first major international events you intend to participate in?
BT: I am not entirely sure but it could be the American Cup which is in 5 weeks, then Cottbus Grand Prix & World Cup and then British University Championships.

Q: Your main target for 2005?
BT: It’s obviously the European Championships in Debrecen in May, which is on Individual Apparatus. A lot of faces have retired and a lot of new faces have emerged, so it will be a good challenge for me. The same relates to the World Championships in Melbourne in the end of this year.

Q: Tell us more about your actual student’s life.
BT: I absolutely love it! I am living in a house with three other sports scholars from Liverpool University: one of them plays for England Football girls, one is a high jumper and one plays in the Rugby League. We are all top level competitors and therefore understand each other very well, (when we see each other between trainings, trips or camps!). I also receive much support from the University. They are giving me a day off if necessary, or if I miss work they are giving me extensions and help me find a way to catch up.
I love what I learn in the Uni! It is all very interesting to me. Last year, when I was doing my A levels, I was often bored and was pestering my mum or Amanda (Kirby, Beth’s coach) about it. Now I feel absorbed with what I do and learn, I have support from everybody, I have a new group of friends who understand me very well- it’s great!

Q: Where did you spend Christmas?
BT: At home, it was just after the operation and the first two days I was sliding around the floor, I tried crutches on Christmas day.

Q: What would you like to wish all the gymnasts in GB and your numerous fans in particular?
BT: All of you keep working hard, so that you have your big day to remember in gymnastics as soon as possible. To all my fans- Thanks for supporting me! To those who came to Birmingham - you were absolutely fantastic and it helped me perform better! Thank you!

Interview by Vera ATKINSON, BAGA

AOC President John Coates (AUS) singled out the Chinese team, which almost matched the host nations medal tally despite sending a vastly smaller team: "In gymnastics, people tell me that the Chinese athletes in the artistic gymnastics for the girls will probably be the makeup of their team in Beijing,” Coates said.

13-Jan-2005: GYMmedia
Canada's National Coach changed back to Russia again...
Rodionenko - new Russian Technical Director

The Canadian Gymnastics Federation announces the departure, at the end of March 2005, of its Women’s National Coach, Andrei Rodionenko, who recently accepted the position of Technical Director for Artistic Gymnastics (Men and Women) for the Russian Gymnastics Federation. ...
“Andrei will be deeply missed,” Canada's President Jean-Paul Caron. “Over the past eight years, he has contributed tremendously to our organization. He has inspired us with his desire to excel internationally.”
“Andrei was instrumental in working with the Canadian athletes, coaches and other partners to build a very good system for high level gymnastics in Canada. We benefited from his years in Artistic Gymnastics in the Soviet Union and have greatly appreciated his expertise.” said Lise Simard, Women’s Program Director.
Source: gymcan

... most successfully period!
In the past four years, USA Gymnastics earned 56 World, Olympic and Pan American medals – including nine Olympic medals in 2004. Under Colarossi's leadership, USA Gymnastics also launched several new on-line initiatives, successfully organized two World Championships and the 42-city post-Olympic T.J. Maxx Tour, and saw membership and sponsor involvement reach new heights.
“I cannot express enough my heartfelt gratitude to USA Gymnastics, its athletes, members, staff and sponsors, for giving me the opportunity to work with such wonderful individuals over the past six years,” Colarossi said. “I believe we, as an organization, accomplished many great things, and laid the foundation for many great years to come.”
“The entire USA Gymnastics family is very sad to see Bob go, and we greatly appreciate all of his hard work and long hours in support of the sport he truly loves,” said USA Gymnastics Chairman Ron Froehlich. “USA Gymnastics accomplished many great things the past six years, and I am sure he will remain successful in his new role.”

He will remain involved in gymnastics through his position as an Executive Committee Member of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and on the Executive Committee of USA Gymnastics.
Source: usa gymnastics / Brian Eaton

World Cup 2005 '2nd Siegfried Fischer Trophy'
April 9 - 10, S?o Paulo

Men's Floor Exercise
1. Robert Gal HUN 9.200
2. Jeffrey Wammes NED 8.700
3. Alexander Rodriguez PUR 8.650
4. Manuel Campos POR 8.650
5. Samuel Piasecky SVK 8.500
6. Nathan Gafuik CAN 8.450
7. Matthias Fahrig GER 8.450
8. Stepan Gorbachov KAZ 7.650

Pommel Horse
1. Dong Zhendong CHN 9.500
2. Krisztian Berki HUN 9.475
3. Mosiah Rodrigues BRA 8.725
4. Luis Rivera PUR 8.350
5. Jani Tanskanen FIN 8.300
6. Manuel Carballo ESP 8.150
7. Robert Juckel GER 7.300
8. Ildar Valeyev KAZ 6.450
Still Rings
1. Chen Yibing CHN 9.725
2. Yuri van Gelder NED 9.675
3. Ildar Valeyev KAZ 9.425
4. Regulo Carmona VEN 9.425
5. Grant Golding CAN 9.350
6. Robert Juckel GER 9.000
7. Danilo Nogueira BRA 8.650
8. Luis Rivera PUR 8.100

World Cup 2005 '2nd Siegfried Fischer Trophy
April 9 - 10, S?o Paulo

Women's Vault
1. Oksana Chusovitina UZB 9.200
2. Lais Souza BRA 9.150
3. Tania Gener ESP 9.050
4. Daiane dos Santos BRA 8.925
5. Zuzana Sekerova SVK 8.750
6. Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs CAN 8.612
7. Kylie Stone CAN 8.465
8. Merlina Galera ARG 8.325

Uneven Bars
1. Zhang Yufei CHN 9.475
2. Tania Gener ESP 9.400
3. Camila Comin BRA 9.300
4. Jana Sikulova CZE 8.825
5. Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs CAN 8.700
6. Daiane Dos Santos BRA 8.650
7. Oksana Chusovitina UZB 8.000
8. Kylie Stone CAN 7.700

RESULTS
>> Detailed results, All by the Brazilian hosts;

Qualification:
The Brazilian Gymnastics Federation hosts >> Qualification results (Friday)!

Remembering
>> Last year took place the premiere (2004) in memoriam the FIG Vice president Siegfried Fischer, who passed away 2003 in March.

Excellent Italian results...
The legislative period 2000-2004 was crowned with excellent results of the Italian gymnasts during the Olympic Games of Athens and the delegates gave him the power to lead the FGI for a new Olmypic cycle.
He will be helped in his tasks by both Vice-Presidents Graziella Pasquinelli Candiani and Guido Menchi.
Riccardo Agabio has also been a member of the Executive of the European Union of Gymnastics (UEG) since 1993.
Source: UEG/D. Duchoud

'It's been two weeks but I've already started jogging,' she told BBC Sport.
'I will know more on Monday when I see the specialist. But I have not been in any pain which is a good sign.'
After missing out on a medal at the Athens Olympics, Tweddle ended 2004 on a high - winning silver in her main discipline, the asymmetric bars, at the artistic gymnastics World Cup Final in Birmingham.
She also scored a personal best when she finished fifth in the floor exercise.
The City of Liverpool athlete, who won gold on the uneven bars at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, now hopes to get her new season underway at the German (Tournament of Masters, Cottbus) and French Grands Prix in two months time.