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Written by John Crumlish Tuesday, 17 April 2018 08:33

Rogers: 'I'm Going To Let The Wind Take Me'

(3 votes, average 5.00 out of 5)

Two-time Canadian Olympian Brittany Rogers told IG that, despite intimations of her imminent retirement, her medal-winning performances at this month’s Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, have her eying the 2020 Olympics Games in Tokyo.

“My performances in Australia could honestly go either way,” said the 24-year-old Rogers, who won gold in the team competition and silver on uneven bars in Gold Coast. “It could seal the deal and give me satisfaction and closure on my career, or it could motivate me to continue on. Considering I’ve been pushing back my retirement for a few years now, all signs would point to me continuing on to Tokyo.”

As fans reveled in the Canadian women’s first Commonwealth Games team victory in 28 years, Rogers, who competed for the University of Georgia, said teamwork and confidence assured her of their potential for gold in Gold Coast.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say it was a surprise that we won the gold, due to the amount of talent and experience within the team,” said Rogers, who competed at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. “I think the key this time was the unity and bond we developed throughout the week that really made us trust each other and step up when it mattered the most. I had no doubts that this team was going to have a successful Games. It was more of a question regarding which color medal we’d win.”

Rogers, who placed first on vault and fifth on balance beam at last summer’s University Games in Taipei, said she is not rushing a decision relating to Tokyo 2020.

“All I know for right now is that I am soaking in all of the success the team and I had in Australia, as well as giving my mind and body a break,” she told IG. “I have a few job opportunities in the works which I am really looking forward to, but in the meantime I’m going to let the wind take me where it wants to take me.”

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Written by John Crumlish Wednesday, 04 April 2018 08:11

Doha Silver Gives Kimble 'Upper Hand'

(4 votes, average 5.00 out of 5)

U.S. gymnast Marvin Kimble told IG that winning the silver medal on high bar at last month’s World Cup of Doha served multiple advantages as he eyes this fall’s World Championships, which will also take place in Doha.

“Every meet is a stepping stone,” said Kimble, who also finished seventh on parallel bars and eighth on rings in Doha. “I just want to hit my routines to the best of my ability. It was a good opportunity to compete where Worlds will be held. I feel like I have a little bit of an upper hand knowing what it’s going to be like.”

Kimble, who finished 0.267 points behind 2017 world high bar champion Tin Srbic of Croatia in the high bar final in Doha, said better execution can help him match Srbic in future meets.

“I’m working on cleaning up my high bar each meet,” he said. “I think that’s what it’s going to take to make the jump.”

Kimble, the 2017 U.S. co-champion on rings and champion on high bar, placed second all-around and first on vault at the Winter Cup Challenge, a U.S. ranking meet, earlier this year. Although a few of his apparatuses are particularly strong, he plans to remain a competitive all-arounder.

“I am hoping to make a big impact in the all-around,” Kimble told IG. “As I’ve seen in the past, that’s the best way to punch your ticket onto any team.”

To subscribe to the print and/or digital edition or to order back issues of International Gymnast magazine, click here.

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Written by dwight normile Monday, 26 March 2018 08:04

Chusovitina Wins Vault In Doha World Cup

(5 votes, average 5.00 out of 5)

At 42, Oksana Chusovitina keeps winning vault. At the 2018 World Cup in Doha, Qatar, March 21-24, she won the event with a layout Rudi and a Tsukahara-11/2 twist.

In qualifications, Kohei Uchimura competed on pommel horse (where he fell), rings, vault and high bar, but did not qualify to any finals. The closest he came was on vault, where he placed ninth (two vaults).

“I will check all the footages of my performances when I get back to Japan,” the 29-year-old Uchimura said. “I need to work on my weaknesses. Training was excellent, but I wasn’t in the best mood.”

Dmitri Lankin of Russia claimed the floor title, mounting with a roundoff triple back. Ukrainian Igor Radivilov won rings and vault, and Zou Jingyuan of China won pommel horse and parallel bars. 2017 World high bar champion Tin Srbic won that event in Doha.

Nina Derwael of Belgium won uneven bars by a wide margin, and Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos clinched the balance beam title. And there was a three-way tie on women’s floor exercise.

Women’s VT: 1. Oksana Chusovitina UZB 14.433; 2. Pyon Rye Yong PRK 14.383; 3. Colin Devillard FRA 13.949.

UB: 1. Nina Derwael BEL 15.300; 2. Uliana Perebinosova RUS 14.566; 3. Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos FRA 14.400.

BB: De Jesus Dos Santos 13.933; 2. Marine Boyer FRA 13.466; 3. Derwael 13.400.

FX: 1(t). Axelle Klinckaert BEL, Elisa Meneghini ITA, Kim Su JONG PRK 13.333.

Men’s FX: 1. Dmitri Lankin RUS 14.733; 2. Carlos Edriel Yulo PHI 14.433; 3. Ryohei Kato JPN 14.200.

PH: 1. Zou Jingyuan CHN 15.100; 2. Lee 14.800; 3. Alec Yoder USA 14.700.

SR: 1. Igor Radivilov UKR 15.266; 2. Ibrahim Colak TUR 15.000; 3. Zou 14.966.

VT: 1. Radivilov 14.599; 2. Qu Ruiyang CHN 14.566; 3. Ferhat Arican TUR 14.533.

PB: Zou 16.200; 2. Xiao Ruoteng CHN 15.233; 3. Arican 15.166.

HB: 1. Tin Srbic CRO 14.800; 2. Marvin Kimble USA 14.533; 2. Deng Shudi CHN 14.500.

For complete results, click here.

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Written by dwight normile Friday, 23 March 2018 07:44

Nonomura, Melnikova Clinch Birmingham World Cup

(6 votes, average 3.00 out of 5)

Shogo Nonomura of Japan and Angelina Melnikova of Russia (pictured) won the men’s and women’s all-around titles, respectively, in Birmingham (England), held March 21-22. It was the third of four all-around World Cups. The first two were the American Cup in Chicago and the DTB Cup in Stuttgart, Germany, and the last will be in Tokyo on April 14.

Nikita Nagornyy of Russia placed second and Britain’s James Hall finished third in the men’s competition. Margzetta Frazier of the U.S. claimed the silver and another Brit, Alice Kinsella won the bronze.

Men’s AA: 1. Shogo Nonomura JPN 84.797; 2. Nikita Nagornyy RUS 84.731; 3. James Hall GBR 83.531; 4. Dominick Cunningham GBR 82.531; 5. Sun Wei CHN 81.999; 6. Marcel Nguyen GER 81.232; 7. Donothan Bailey USA 79.231; 8. Lucas de Souza Bitencourt BRA 77.698.

Women’s AA: 1. Angelina Melnikova RUS 54.465; 2. Margzetta Frazier USA 53.932; 3. Alice Kinsella GBR 53.099; 4. Jade Chrobok CAN 51.366; 5. Hitomi Hatakeda JPN 51.133; 6. Vera van Pol NED 51.032; 7. Liu Jieyu CHN 48.832; 8. Sarah Voss GER 48.131.

For full results, click here.

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Written by dwight normile Monday, 19 March 2018 13:11

Uchimura Featured In April Issue Of IG

(2 votes, average 3.00 out of 5)

The April 2018 issue of International Gymnast is coming out soon, and will include a feature on Kohei Uchimura of Japan. Its title is “Snapped Streak: At age 29, can Kohei Uchimura win another World all-around title?”

It’s a question worth pondering, especially since more men’s all-arounders are closing in on him.

Recently, IG was able to secure an exclusive interview with Uchimura.

Following are a few excerpts.

"My ankle (which he injured on vault during the 2017 Worlds qualifications) is recovering well,” says Uchimura, who plans to begin his 2018 season at the Doha, Qatar, World Cup this week. That will enable him to get a feel for the Aspire Dome, the same arena that will host the 2018 World Championships in Doha, Oct. 25 - Nov. 3.

Of his ankle injury he says, “I am very frustrated with myself that I could not compete in all six events (at the 2017 World Championships).” Asked if he plans to do the all-around at the 2018 Worlds, he says, “Yes, of course.”

Even at his age, Uchimura says he is not training fewer hours than he did when he was younger. “It hasn’t changed much."

But the aches and pains are always a factor. “As a gymnast, everyone has nagging injuries. In my case, it’s back pain.”

Uchimura’s consecutive world all-around titles ended at six, but his gymnastics philosophy just might have been the reason for such an amazing, unprecedented streak.

“I think the performance that touches people’s hearts is beautiful,” Uchimura says.

Read the whole story in the April 2018 issue. To subscribe to the print and/or digital edition, or to order back issues of International Gymnast magazine, click here.

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