GYMN-L Digest - 17 Apr 1995 to 18 Apr 1995

There are 16 messages totalling 619 lines in this issue.

Topics of the day:

1. USA College Nationals (Texas)
2. Scherba interview
3. miscellany
4. Mo and Li profiles (2)
5. Used Gymnastic Equipment Wanted
6. Bela as judge (3)
7. high school
8. USAIGC Nationals
9. Penpals
10. USA College Nationals (Te...
11. Mitova's Blues
12. Boys gymn no legs
13. Zmeskal's second Vault

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

Date: Mon, 17 Apr 1995 23:16:22 -0400
From: ***@MINERVA.CIS.YALE.EDU
Subject: Re: USA College Nationals (Texas)

> 4 Sinaisky Nunez Miami 55.3

!!! Somebody didn't waste any time! Sinayski defected from Cuba only
last July, while he was in Puerto Rico for the Worlds qualifier.

Question: event finals at this meet combine "club" and "team" gymnasts?

:)
Adriana

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

Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 00:07:27 -0400
From: ***@AOL.COM
Subject: Scherba interview

Vitaly Scherba
by Celine Nony, FFG Bulletin, March 1995.

Six-time gold medalist from the Barcelona Olympics, Vitaly Scherba is
the most decorated gymnast in the sport. We met up with him at the
Gymnastics and Sports Acro Gala at the Pierre de Coubertin Arena in Paris.
At our first request for an interview, Vitaly was cordial, two minutes after
his floor routine. After some pleasantries we engaged in a long interview.
Here are some excerpts. . . the most interesting.

FFG: When one is as titled as you are, how do they keep up their motivation?
Haven't you won enough medals?

VS: It's hard to explain. You know I love gymnastics and I love winning.
And so, after Barcelona I promised I would continue until Atlanta. And I
keep my word. . .

FFG: So it's a moral obligation?

VS: No, just a pretexte. So, if I make it to Atlanta, it won't be just as a
token. I'll go to win!

FFG: What confidence! Do you think you can keep up with your competition?

VS: I am no longer learning technically. It's not pride or claim, but I am
far ahead of my competition. To stay at the top I only have to polish up the
new "trendy" elements. As for my competition, I don't fear them. I respect
them. And so recently, certain gymnasts have succeeded in beating me at big
competition, but it is only because I don't want to discourage them! (laughs)

FFG: Seriously, though, do you truly believe that you can repeat as Olympic
champion when your training is so spotty?

VS: For Barcelona, I was training three times a day with Mr. Leonid Arkaev
in Moscow, with the Soviet team. Now, I can no longer support this rigor and
discipline, I tell you. I am living in the US, near Penn State with my wife
and my daughter. It's true, I am less strict with my training, and
accordingly I train by myself. But before the big competitions I rejoin my
national team in Minsk. The rigor of this environment permits me to attain
my physical form and improve my technical combinations.

FFG: In these conditions, you never envision retiring?

VS: [No]. . . I need to support myself for the long run. As long as I can
do it, I want to practice gymnastics. So I would like to keep myself between
the two. I would like to become a coach in the US.

FFG: And what about returning to life in Belarus?

VS: Certainly not. I don't want more hardship, even less do I want to steal
for the local mafia like most of my compatriots. I want to earn money,
prosper in life, and spend quality time with my family. Besides, I often go
see my mom who still lives in Belarus.

FFG: Before you leave, I would love for you to tell us a little anecdote
that to you will stay among your best memories. . .

VS: Sure!. . . Okay, a few days before the Olympics, I called my wife
Irina, who was staying at home. And she told me: "Win lots of medals and I
will give you a surprise when you come home." Since I was so intrigued, she
explained to me, telling me, on the phone you see, that I was going to be a
father. And this gave me the wings upon which I flew [I'm pretty sure that's
what it says!] to six gold medals. But the best came seven months later.
Her name is Kristina and today she is two.

FFG: Well definitely, you are not this horrible and surly bear like you are
rumored to be by journalists.

VS: It's a legend! (laughs). Ask my friends, the former Soviet and foreign
gymnasts. I am a very lively person and I like to tell jokes. But I am not
always nice to the press. But you know, after Barcelona, it was not always
livable. I was always bugged by the press and they meddled into my private
life, no matter what. Now I'm working on my image and I'm trying to be more
accesable to them. More likable. You can't really say I've been the
opposite since you've trapped me for a good half hour!

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

Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 00:08:17 -0400
From: ***@AOL.COM
Subject: miscellany

GRS International Juniors
Sicily, 25 to 27 November, 1994

1. Anna Shishova (RUS) 36.30
2. Olessia Iovenka (RUS) 35.80
3. Yelena Shlamova (RUS) 35.60
4. Dora Toth (HUN) 35.35
5. Letizia Rossi (ITA) 34.75

Trophee Massilia
26 and 27 November 1994

Based on the results and invitees I'd have to say this was the most
prestigous invite of last year.

Team:
1. Russia (77.925)
2. Romania (77.824)
3. France (77.425)
4. China (77.024)
5. Ukraine (76.587)
6. Greece (75.837)
7. Belarus (75.387)
8. Spain (74.362)
9. Canada (67.374)
(It was sort of like worlds with three or four making up the team and only
two scores counting per event)

All-Around

1. Khorkina (RUS) 39.025 (9.95 on bars!)
2. Fabrichnova (RUS) 38.725
3. Canqueteau (FRA) 38.525
4. Olga Yurkina (BLR) 38.35
5. Amanar (ROM) 38.312
6. Begue (FRA) 38.187
7. Lin Lin Ye (CHN) 38.112
8. Boulakhova (UKR) 38.037
9. Shapornaya (UKR) 37.937
10. Tsavdaridou (GRE) 37.650
11. Karentzou (GRE) 37.362
12. Teza (FRA) 37.3
13. S. Garcia (ESP) 37.275
14. Apostolidou (GRE) 36.9
15. Kulbitskaya (BLR) 36.65
16. Polozkova (BLR) 36.637
17. Juarez (ESP) 36.525
18. Mo Huilan (CHN) 36.162 (7.150 on bars!)
19. Lagagnaire (CAN) 33.687
20. Marin (CAN) 32.337
21. Beaulieu (CAN) 31.575
22. Maranduca (ROM) 29.112
23. Cacovean (ROM) 29.962
24. Kochetkova (RUS) 28.612
25. Kniznik (UKR) 28.525
26. Noia (ESP) 26.237
27. Loaies (ROM) 19.475
28. Qiao Ya (CHN) 19.175
29. Yuan Xexia (CHN) 19.075
30. Malaya (UKR) 9.7
31. Groscheva (RUS) 9.65
32. I. Garcia (ESP) 9.275

EF:

Vault
1. Khorkina (9.737)
2. Fabrichnova (9.637)
3. Amanar (9.625)
4. Mo (9.612)
5. Teza (9.537)
6. Maranduca (9.525)
7. Polozkova (9.412)
8. Boulakhova (9.3)

Bars:

1. Khorkina (9.95)
2. Tsavdaridou (9.8)
3. Shapornaya (9.775)
=3. Kochetkova (9.775)
=3. Polozkova (9.775)
6. Begue (9.75)
7. Juarez (9.725)
8. Yurkina (9.575)

Beam:

1. Fabrichnova (9.75)
2. Kochetkova (9.725)
3. Maranduca (9.65)
4. Cacovean (9.625)
5. Teza (9.6)
6. Kniznik (9.55)
7. Ye (9.5)
8. S. Garcia (9.5)

Floor:

1. Begue (9.85)
= Yurkina
= Groscheva
4. Mo (9.825)
5. Maranduca (9.825)
6. Amanar (9.8)
= Canqueteau
8. Boulakhova (9.75)

Here's a quote from the best, Khorkina: "When I as little, I was passionate
about artistic gymnastics, and especially the performances of my compatriots,
Shushunova, Omelianchik. . . But at the local school, when I took the tests,
I was entered into rhythmic gymnastics because of my shape. I only took one
class. I wasn't very good and I lacked the back flexibilty. So, with my
mom, I went to the gym for artistic gymnastics, against everyone's advice!
Since I kept growing a lot (around 7 cm per year), my coach made up a
special training program for me."

All of the above from the FFG Bulletin, January/February 1995

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

Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 00:06:35 -0400
From: ***@AOL.COM
Subject: Mo and Li profiles

From FFG Bulletin, March 1995

CHINA, CHINA. . .
by M.-F Rouil

Huilan (her first name) trains (obviously well!) at the National
Training Center in Beijing. She was born in Guanxi, in the south of China,
near Canton. All smiles and easy going, she knows how to charm those
surrounding her. . . or maybe they are charmed by her smile alone! The
whole world has embraced her, so we talked to her, surprised by her ease in
presenting herself to the public and her refreshing and beguiling laugh. A
show-off, Huilan, very attentive to the questions posed to her, constantly
joked with good humor to avoid any indescretions.
Life in the empire of China is not always easy. . . No TGV [the "Tres
Grande Vitesse" or very fast speed, France's famous train-AT] is available
for crossing the 10 million square kilometers that make up the People's
Republic of China. Also, Huilan only sees her parents once a year, and that
is when they come to see her in Beijing.
Did you know? Huilan has a twin sister, and as they are a pair, her
double also does gymnastics, but only for a regional team. Mo says, "It's
neat that people can't tell us apart!"

Mini-Portrait:

Born in 1979, Huilan was born in the year of the horse, and if you
believe thet Chinese legends, she has inherited the qualities of the animal.
Huilan strated gymnastics at 6 years old. Her best events are beam and
bars (no surprise as these are the strong points traditionally of the Chinese
women).
She trains six hours per day.
Typical day: Huilan wakes up at 6 am. From 6:30 to 7:30, she does
conditioning exercises, then after that eats her breakfast and goes back to
training. Then from 3 pm to 6 pm, she finally goes to school. Her favorite
subject: math.

More Twins: Li Xiaoshuang and Li Dashuang

Their gymnastic career: They both started gymnastics at six as well.
Noticed by their coaches, they qere quickly moved to Beijing to join the
ranks of the elite Chinese gymnasts.
Their family: One sister (in China, in the country, the government
allows parents to have two children. Otherwise, having only one child is
strongly recommended because of the large population of the country. . .).
Their parents are factory workers.
Life at the National Training Center: Today, their hours of training
have payed off obviously, leading them to the top of the podium in Dortmund.
The education is good at the center. . . Some gymnasts were in the movie,
"Farewell My Concubine.". . . Many of the actors from the Beijing Opera were
former gymnasts from the national center. . .
The difference between them: One is more outgoing than the other [it
doesn't say which one!].
Their future: They want to be coaches.
Outside of gymnastics: They enjoy singing popular Chinese songs
[they're in a band with Yang Bo- AT].

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

Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 01:22:11 -0400
From: ***@AOL.COM
Subject: Used Gymnastic Equipment Wanted

I am looking for used equipment in good condition.

Anyone with used equipment for sale (even if it is no longer regulation),
please contact me at my e-mail or business address:

Fun & Fit Gymnastics
1919 W. Burbank Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91506

Thank you,
Jeff

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

Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 02:37:45 -0400
From: ***@AOL.COM
Subject: Re: Mo and Li profiles

What a piece of journalism. <gag> This post may come as an irritation to
some of you, but it is so filled with inaccuracies and nonsense that I would
be remiss in not pointing them out to my fellow GYMNers. Thanks AT for the
post!

>near Canton.

Guangzhou, folks. Canton is the colonial name for the place, and went out
with "Peiking."

>Life in the empire of China is not always easy. . .

This must have lost something in the translation. This is too trite for
words.

>No TGV [the "Tres
>Grande Vitesse" or very fast speed, France's famous train-AT] is available
>for crossing the 10 million square kilometers that make up the People's
>Republic of China.

Uh, yes, well, in the "empire" of China, we have something that the
diminutive republic of France still apparently only dreams about. AIR TRAVEL.

> Their family: One sister (in China, in the country, the government
>allows parents to have two children. Otherwise, having only one child is
>strongly recommended because of the large population of the country. . .).

So, uh, lets see, twins plus sister equals...two? Seriously, in the
countryside enforcement of the single-child is lighter in certain areas and
at certain times, depending on what you do and who you know. And BTW, the one
child policy is not a strong recommendation. Having multiple kids in the
cities without permission will get you fines, jail time, increased taxes, and
demotion at work.

>The difference between them: One is more outgoing than the other [it
>doesn't say which one!].

Li Xiaoshuang, the younger, is much more outgoing than his brother, but
Dashuang is gradually improving in that area. Nicest guy in the world. You
wish YOU had a brother like him.

>Their future: They want to be coaches.

BS. This is party-line stuff. That is the short term plan, but they will not
spend their lives in the gym like generations of gymnasts past.

More stuff on the twins, trivia mostly:

The "Li" is the same surname as Li Ning, and they are also from the Guangxi
province in the south. No relation, at least not for dozens of generations.

As to their given names, the "shuang" part means "double" or "twin," and "Da"
means "big" or "elder," and "Xiao" means "small" or "little" or "younger."
Translated, then their names are "Elder-twin Li" and "Younger-twin Li."

They do like singing, and they are in fact planning on doing some recording
either right before or right after Atlanta. CD would be released in Hong Kong
and China, some Cantonese songs, some Mandarin.

Xiaoshuang has been quietly but faithfully dating the same girl since 1991.
She was a gymnast at the National Training Center but never made the cut to
the competitive squads.

Among their peers, the Li twins have a relatively high level of freedom in
terms of going out and about, but are self-disciplined to the point where
control is not necessary. I have been fortunate to hang with Xiaoshuang on
several occasions until late in the evening, and although those around him
are drinking hard and smoking like chimneys, he keeps a slow but steady pace
and is always in control. He often is happy simply to sit down at one of
Beijing's late-night cafes in the Chongwen district near the Training Center,
enjoying tea, conversation, and food in the traditional late-night meal of
"xiao-ye."

Hope this adds some color to the greyscale...


David

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

Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 09:37:09 -0400
From: ***@MHC.MTHOLYOKE.EDU
Subject: Re: Bela as judge

I disagree about Mitova's version being better. Hers was good, but
she didn't have a partner and weird rules to deal with. Cam you imagine
what floor routines would look like if the had to conform to ballroom
dance (and if playing to the judges was encouraged)? Of course, I'm not
exactly unbiased :-) and I love Maya and Sasha (the ones who SHOULD be
Olympice gold medalists!)

-Emily

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

Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 10:23:29 -0400
From: ***@CAPACCESS.ORG
Subject: high school

My friend Courtney and I are both going to high school nationals
this year and I was wonedering if any one else out there was
going either as a competitor, coach, spectator, or judge. I'm
really excited about qualifing (from Maryland) and was also
wondering if anyone had any other information or opinions
about this competion.
Megan

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

Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 10:54:04 -0700
From: ***@VPL.VANCOUVER.BC.CA
Subject: Re: Bela as judge

> I didn't see that, but on Saturday (I think), I saw the exhibition
> performances from some pro skating meet, and Usova and Zhulin did theirs
> to the same music Mitova used. Does anyone know the name and/or
> composer? I thought Mitova's interpretation was better.
>
> :)
> Adriana
>
I, too, love this piece of music and I've been searching for it ever
since I first saw Mitova's floor routine. Recently, I saw Usova & Zhulin
in meet on Canadian TV using it for their program. The announcer said
the title was "Blues for a Clock" by Eddie Louis (Lewis?) I have
Australian footage of the 1992 Olympics and the announcer also said the
music was by Eddie Louis (or Lewis). I don't know if they mean that he
is the composer or artist.

Despite much determined sleuthing, I've never been able to track down
anything more. Phonolog comes up blank on both the title and
artist/composer. Maybe somebody with a background in jazz or blues could
locate it.

Wish I could be more help on this one. I've looked in every source I can
think of, and I just seem to hit a dead end :-( Maybe if someone does
locate it, they could let me know too!

Lorraine

P.S. - I agree with Adriana - Mitova's interpretation was MUCH better
Usova & Zhulin's (Never liked them much anyway!) She just blew
me away with that routine :-)

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

Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 15:08:10 EDT
From: ***@EOS.NCSU.EDU
Subject: USAIGC Nationals

Greetings fellow Gymn'ers!

I was just wondering if anyone will be attending the USAIGC Nationals in
Orlando (actually Haines City), FL. They are scheduled for 4-10 June.
I know it's kinda early to make plans for June, but time flies. If
you're going, drop me a email. I'd love to meet some of my fellow gymn
nuts in person.

Later,
--Brent

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

Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 15:24:44 -0400
From: ***@AOL.COM
Subject: Re: Penpals

I am looking for several gymnastics penpals around 10 years old. Please
write to ***@aol.com. Thank you, Amy

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

Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 17:31:48 -0400
From: ***@AOL.COM
Subject: Re: USA College Nationals (Te...

Hi everyone
*** asked:
Question: event finals at this meet combine "club" and "team"
gymnasts?
The answer is yes. collegiate team and collegiate all-around are seperate
from club team and all-around but event finals is combined (top 8 people
compete in finals).

Peace :O)

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

Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 18:34:18 -0400
From: ***@AOL.COM
Subject: Mitova's Blues

> and Usova and Zhulin did theirs
to the same music Mitova used. Does anyone know the name and/or
composer? I thought Mitova's interpretation was better.

I havo to agree. Perhaps it was just that Mitova's was so good that I always
thought of *it*, even when U&Z were skating. The composer's name was Eddie
something, I think...

Mara

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

Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 17:38:29 -0700
From: ***@NETCOM.COM
Subject: Boys gymn no legs

Feed back from friends on another list.
Sheely's got her head screwed on pretty well, si I should have
KNOWN she'd have answers...

> Dear Texx:
>
> Have him concentrate on the parallel bars & rings, but only in
> conjunction with a good bit of weight training. The little guy probably
> has good basic muscles in his shoulders & biceps, but his age and size
> will mean he has no triceps. You'll need to be careful & do many reps
> of light weights b/c he's too young to bulk. He should also work w/
> back muscles & lots of stretching. B/c he doesn't have legs, the young
> man's balance will have to be re-trained for the spins etc., but he may
> also discover he is able to do intermediate things on say, the pommel
> horse. The legs don't do much on the pommel at all--that might be a
> good place to start once he's got a bit of muscle in his back and triceps.
>
> W/ respect to tumbling, etc., I don't see any reason why he can't do
> rollovers, summies, etc. He may not at his age be able to do the floor
> routines, but as time goes by, if he likes the sport, he'll think of his
> own adaptations.
>
> Please wish your friend much luck & an encouraging hug to his protege.
> If your coach friend isn't sure, he can always ask the kid himself. The
> kid has already got innate adaptive skills & courage: he's sure to have
> ideas of his own, maybe for adaptive equipment, maybe for techniques.
> Let the kid try anything he can think of, & if it doesn't work, what the
> hey,...all coaching is trying out different stuff for each athlete!
>
> Take care! Good Luck!
>
> Shelley

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

Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 20:51:36 -0400
From: ***@MINERVA.CIS.YALE.EDU
Subject: Re: Bela as judge

> I disagree about Mitova's version being better. Hers was good, but
> she didn't have a partner and weird rules to deal with. Cam you imagine
> what floor routines would look like if the had to conform to ballroom
> dance (and if playing to the judges was encouraged)? Of course, I'm not
> exactly unbiased :-) and I love Maya and Sasha (the ones who SHOULD be
> Olympice gold medalists!)

It was an exhibition number -- there are no rules.

Even if they do use the number in competition, they're professionals and
the pro rules are much less restrictive (as evidenced by the fact that
the music itself doesn't have a ballroom beat).

:)
Adriana

PS
T&D should've won! :)

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

Date: Wed, 19 Apr 1995 12:36:15 +1000
From: ***@STUDENT.GU.EDU.AU
Subject: Zmeskal's second Vault

> I wouldn't even think of putting a gymnast who can do only one decent vault
> on the list. Zmeskal may have had a powerful Yurchenko-full, but she
> couldn't do a simple handspring front. And she never showed anything
> harder, like a Y-double full.

Just for the record, Zmeskal did show something harder. At the 1989 DTB
Cup and the 1990 French International she did a handspring piked bariani,
and it was fairly good (certainly a world better than her pathetic
handspring front!) I have often wondered why she didn't use it in
Vaulting finals after that since it would have given her a chance at a medal.

BTW does anyone know if the FIG is considering using the average of two
different vaults for team and AA in the next code? It seems to me the
only way to seperate the true vaulters from 'the rest' and give them the
scores they deserve. It will also increase the competitivness of Vault
finals.........

Michelle

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

End of GYMN-L Digest - 17 Apr 1995 to 18 Apr 1995
*************************************************