Seven time Olympic champion Boris Shakhlin (UKR) will be the first person to carry the Olympic torch when it arrives in Kiev on July 5. The 1960 Olympic and 1958 world AA champion is one of over 100 runners that will take the flame on a the 38km long journey through the streets of the Ukrainian capital. Shakhlin will hand it over to Vyacheslav Oleynik, the first Olympic champion for independant Ukraine.
In total, the Olympic torch will travel more than 78.000 km covering all five continents before returning to Greece for the Games in August.
IOC members in Ukraine Valeriy Borzov, a 1972 double Olympic sprint champion, and Sergei Bubka were present at the Lighting of the Olympic Flame on March 25 and were among the first torch bearers on the first legs of the relay in Greece.
Credit: NOC of Romania Legendary gymnast Nadia Comaneci has been awarded the Olympic Order by the IOC President, Jacques Rogge, during an official ceremony in Bucharest (Romania). IOC President Rogge was in the Romanian Capital for the celebration of the 90th anniversary of the Romanian Olympic Committee, whose President is Ion Tiriac. Furthermore, President Rogge has been bestowed with the title of Commander of the National Order of Merit of Romania....
Nadja 1976
Perfect score Nadia Comaneci entered the history books of gymnastics and world sport forever in 1976 in Montreal, at the age of 14. Not only did she win three gold medals, one silver and one bronze, but she also became the first gymnast ever to score seven perfect “10”s. Four years later, in Moscow – her last Games – she won two more gold medals and two silver.
The idol of young gymnasts In his speech, President Rogge stated, “Since that day in Montreal, when you captured not only the gold medals but also the hearts of the world, you became an idol for thousands of young girls. You made them dream of becoming great gymnastics champions.”
Give back to sport After her sports career, Nadia Comaneci decided to give back what sport and life had given to her, by teaching gymnastics, first in her home country then her adoptive country, the United States. As she often says: “It is now my turn to repay all that was given to me with so much generosity and human solidarity.” source: olympic news
The awards ceremony of the first Laureus China top ten athletes was held in Shanghai.
<< The Chinese top ten are male gymnast Li Xiaopeng, female diver Guo Jingjing, female table tennis players Wang Nan and Zhang Yining, female swimmer Luo Xuejuan, female short-track speed skating athlete Yang Yang (A), men's 110m hurdles athlete Liu Xiang, figure skating pair Shen Xue/Zhao Hongbo, men's basketball player Yao Ming,and female volleyball player Zhao Ruirui.
All the top ten athletes have made great contribution to China sports last year and were selected by a committee of Chinese sports officials and journalists. .
Li, Xiaopeng won the men's team, vault and parallel bars for China at the World Gymnastics Championships in Anaheim, piling up a total of 13 world and Olympic titles to his name. His aim is to overtake Li Ning who holds 14 world and Olympic titles as a Chinese record.
LAUREUS WORLD SPORTS AWARD
The annual Laureus World Sports Awards honours the achievements of the world's best sportsmen and sportswomen. It is the only truly global awards for all sports.
The fifth annual Laureus World Sports Awards is to be held in Estoril, on the Lisbon Coast, Portugal, from May 8th - 10th, 2004.
The Olympic Movement Tripartite Commission has allocated its invitations for the Olympic Games Athens 2004 (artistic gymnastics) to Dimosthenis TAMPAKOS (GRE), Maria Jose DE LA FUENTE PARADA (BOL), and to Vania VICENTE MONTEIRO (CPV) (rhythmic gymnastics ). The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) is acknowledging the above. The Trampoline invitation ....
F.I.G.: OLYMPIC DRAWING of LOTS: - Athens / GRE, 2004, Friday, March 19 -
The trampoline invitation has been returned to the International Gymnastics Federation and was assigned following the FIG Technical Regulations to the next reserved countries as per the qualifications during the last World Championships in Hannover 2003. Men's Trampoline : Great Britain (1 gymnast) Women's Trampoline : Japan (1 gymnast) >> ...full story and drawing of Lots
Winning start for Swiss team at the 17th International Junior-Team-Cup 2012
The Swiss winners!
Like already in the last year the Swiss team was one of the favourites for a medal at the 17th International Junior-Team-Cup 2012 in Berlin. However, different from 2011 the boys from Switzerland were not overtaken by Great Britain in the last rotation this time. They won the team ranking with 248.95 points in front of Great Britain (247.200).
The bronze medal position was reached by Team France I and only narrowly behind them could be found the second French team.
Brazil and Spain as well as Germany were left behind them on the places 5 - 7. For the European teams out of the 27 participation ones, this competition was a good test for the upcoming Junior European Championships....
The company Bänfer is the official supplier of the this year's Intl. Junior-Team-Cup ... and supported specially the VIDEO IMPRESSIONS!
** GYMmedia exclusive-video --: Summary from the 17th International-Junior- Team-Cup 2012:
(C) gymmedia, supported by *Bänfer, Germany * ... more GYMmedia Gym-Videos you will find on our GYM-video channel on
>> www.gym-tube.com ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Despite of the success Switzerland's coach Domenico Rossi was not satisfied: "Our team had a few instabilitites. The British team certainly was superior to us on floor and pommel horse. However, now we know on which things we still have to work before the highlight of this competition year, the Junior European Championships in Montpellier!"
Where did the German team end up ...?
If you consider that Germany was the Junior European in Volos six years ago, they can't be happy with the 7th rank at this year's Intl. Junior-Team-Cup. This can be said especially considering that a few strong gymnastics nations like Russia, Italy or Greece were not present at the competition in Berlin.
27 teams from 21 countries with 109 gymnasts in three age groups
* The team results:
1. Switzerland - 248.550
2. Great Britain - 247.200
3. France I - 246.850
4. France II - 244.150
5. Brazil - 240.800
6. Spain - 239.050
7. Germany - 237.700
... >>Junior-Cup team results
Great Britain: Last year's winners in Berlin - this time narrowly behind Switzerland
France/b> with 2 teams on the places 3 and 4!!
In the age-group of the juniors (years 1994-'95) two Swiss gymnasts dominated the field with the winner Edy Yusof (83.450) in front of Christian Baumann (83.050).
Brazil's Lucas de Souza Bitencourt (82.450) proved with his third place that also the organisers of the Olympic Games 2016 (Rio de Janeiro) are making good progress.
>> all-around ranking years 1994/1995
In the age group of years 1996 and 1997 especially the first two showed a very high level of performance. They almost managed to present the same level like the best gymnasts in the field of the older gymnasts: Jay Thompson (GBR; 83.300) and Paul Degouy (FRA; 83.200) showed very good technical basics and an already remarkable level of difficulties. The third place went to another French gymnast, Rémi Clerc (81.250).
In competition group 3 of the youngest gymnasts (1998-2000) one of the smallest gymnasts thrilled the audience: With 79.100 Joe Frazer from Great Britain won more than 3 points ahead of his competitors. Behind him followed Johannes Mairoser (Austria; 75.800) and the youngest gymnast of the event, David Rumbutis from Sweden (74.950).
>> all-around ranking 1998 and younger
It was the first participation for the gymnasts with the longest way to Berlin - the team from Ho-Chi-Minh-City in Vietnam. They reached a remarkable 14th place among the 27 teams. With asiatic elegance they showed that more can be expected from them in future.
The organisers from the club SC Berlin with its' main sponsor Howoge as well as Steridest and the official apparatus supplier Bänfer as well as other partners and with the support by the Berlin Gymnastics Federation continued the tradition of this world-wide known junior tournament in a remarkable way.
You are able to see the generation of the future Olympic cycle at this tournament!
Many gymnasts who later became champions at major international events like the World Championships and the Olympic Games made their first international competition experiences at the Junior-Team-Cup in Berlin.
And it should be continued like this!
(c) GYMmedia / -ehe-
Translated by Lisa Worthmann
Relaxed atmosphere in the team of the Swiss winners
<< Australia's National champion Lauren Mitchell (18) Mitchell - 2008 World Cup winner on balance beam - will headline a team of four gymnasts selected to represent Australia at the FIG World Artistic Championships in London this October following the conclusion of the final selection trial in Canberra on Wednesday.
Mitchell will be joined by fellow Beijing Olympians Shona Morgan (VIS) and Georgia Bonora (VIS) and young up-and-coming gymnast Larissa Miller (MBC).
The FIG World Artistic Championships will be held from October 13 – 18 at the O2 stadium in London – the same stadium that will host the gymnastics competition at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
After a dominating display at the national championships earlier in the year taking out the coveted all-around title and three of the four apparatus finals, Mitchell, from the Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS), is the only confirmed all-around competitor. Shona Morgan and Georgia Bonora, (both from Victorian Institute of Sport athletes from the Waverley Advanced Gymnastics Club), are in contention for the final all-around nomination with selectors electing to wait until the final training camp in September before making their decision.
The call between the pair, who finished 15th and 13th respectively in last year’s Beijing Olympic all-around title, is very close and will be a tough decision for national coach Peggy Liddick.
The trio’s return to international competition following the Beijing Olympics is a boost for gymnastics in Australia given they have all previously competed at world championships over the last three years. This ensures the 2009 world championship team will not be short of big-time experience. Adding an injection of enthusiasm Miller, from the Moreton Bay College in Brisbane, will make her world championship debut in October, selected on the basis of her world-class uneven bars routine and potential for the future
Supporting the world championship team, Gymnastics Australia has also selected a ‘side tour’ team who will travel at the same time to compete in invitational events in London and Paris.
With the aim of long term development for the 2010 Commonwealth Games and world championships five gymnasts, including four from the VIS, have been selected including Emma Dennis, Britt Greeley, Fiona Coley, Emma Collister and Emily Little (WAIS).
Gymnastics Australia’s CEO Jane Allen is pleased with the mix of gymnasts putting themselves up for top international competition. “It’s great to have the three girls, Lauren, Shona and Georgia, back in international competition following the Beijing Olympics. They have had some great major event experience over the past few years which will put us in good stead coming into the Commonwealth Games next year,” Allen said. “Larissa and the five girls in the side tour will gain invaluable experience from these competitions and add that to their natural talents shown at a domestic level, the future is bright for women’s gymnastics in the next couple of years.”
* Source: Gymnastics Australia Press release
The Australian men’s team’s world trials are set for Saturday, August 29.
Ten men, including Australian champion Sam Offord and 2008 Olympian Sam Simpson, are in contention for six spots on the world team.
Others competing for a spot are 2006 World high bar champion Phillippe Rizzo, Prashanth Sellathurai, Luke Wiwatowski, Joshua Jefferis, Ben Astley, Tyson Bull, Mitchell Morgans and Michael Mercieca.
Olympic gold medalist Sandra Izbasa has snapped her Achilles' tendon and will miss the world gymnastics championships.
The 19-year-old gymnast also broke a bone in her foot during training Thursday in Buzau.
Romanian Gymnastics Federation chairman Adrian Stoica said it will take Izbasa "months, years even, to recover."
She was taken to Bucharest after the injury and will have surgery on Monday, September 21. Izbasa won the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in the floor exercise and the bronze for the team event.
The O2 Arena, formerly the Millenium Dome, will be renamed for the duration of the games and play host to 20 events across the gymnastics and basketball disciplines during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is one of the largest arenas in Europe, and the second largest in England. Located in Greenwich, it is in close proximity to the ExCel centre across the Thames, and has hosted a variety of sport events. Tennis, Ice Hockey, Darts and Boxing are just a few of the sports to have graced the main arena at the O2. The venue itself was constructed to celebrate the turn of the millennium, but its opening was underwhelming and as a result of the closing of the 'millennium experience' Meridian Delta turned it into an entertainment complex.
The transition has been highly successful, and among the various events held at the venue has been the ATP World Tour finals each year, demonstrating the Arena's capacity to hold major sporting events. Work to transform the venue into an arena to stage Olympic competition begins in May 2012, with tents, cabins, services and equipment being installed around the arena, which lies on the south side of the River Thames. With a range of restaurants and bars and a capacity of 20,000, it is an ideal location for Olympic action. As well as hosting the gymnastics the arena will stage the semi finals and final of the basketball tournament
Challenge Cup Circuit 2012 _________________________ Cottbus, Doha, Maribor - that were the first three stations of the Challenge Cup circuit in this spring.
Now, at the last weekend of April, 38 countries announced their arrival to the 4th edition of the FIG Challenge Cup which will be held once again in Osijek this year. Sports Hall Gradski Vrt, hosts again from 27th to 29th of April some of the world's best gymnasts...
(4) Challenge Cup Osijek 2012 - Osijek, Croatia, April 28 - __________________________
Note with greatsadness, theinternationalgymnastic family farewell toNorway'sgymnastics legendAgeSTORHAUG. Shortlyafter his74thbirthdayon 5April he died yesterday,the Vice-European Championon vaulthorsein 1957(Antwerp),two-timeOlympian(1960 /'64)and the 14-timesNorwegianchampion leaves alarge,painful void.
"Storhaugembodiesthe gymnasticssports in Norwaylike noother" was the verdict,oncethe Oslo sports-journalistRolf-ArneOdiin. In a countrywhere even theformer King OlavV. was a skiing sportsman himself,itwasnot easyto getspecialattentionas a gymnast.
Age Storhaug and King Harald (2009)
Between 1957 and 1967 Age Storhaug took part in six European Championships, was in his best year, 1965 in Antwerp, 5th of all-around - and this despite the overwhelming dominance at the time of Soviet athletes he won behind Viktor Lissitzki (URS) silver at the vault and was in this decade, a total of 9 times in continental apparatus finals. Even today people remember in Norway on his hard and consistent type of training. "He trained like a wolf," said the legend! With the help of his father and the family he built gym equipment in the loft of a barn in the village of Klepp, about 30 km southeast of Stavanger, and the most suitable as a teenager himself, without a trainer to help. Then it was realized the talent of junior and took him into the national squad. Twelve times he was Norwegian all-around champion. Every time awarded witha trophy from King Olav V ...
Age Storhaug (Hintergrund) and his protege, Espen Jansen, one of the longest running top gymnasts, here last year at the Junior Team Cup in Berlin
After ending his active career Age Storhaug was the Noewegian national coach from 1973 - '83. His athletes, such as Ivar Loege and Finn Gjertsen made it to the World Championships 1979 (Fort Worth) even in the all-around final.
Superior promotion conditions at that time not enjoying the Norwegian gymnastics. Age Storhaug then retired and worked as a coach for young talents. For years, the enthusiastic and warm-hearted man coached children and juniors. Most recently he was with them a regular guest at international tournaments, welcome and popular with the GWG Cup in Cottbus, at the International Junior Team Cup in Berlin, last year. The fact that he is no longer, leaving a painful gap in the Norwegian gymnastics and in the hearts of his friends around the whole world.
In a video will be remembered in Norway at the career of this former athlete, creative and principled coach and very kind person ...,, * Youtube-Video --:
... to remember Age Storhaug,allthat remainsunforgotten (C) E. Herholz / Gymmedia
