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Written by dwight normile Sunday, 21 April 2013 14:46

Mikulak Adds Two More Titles at Men's NCAAs

(6 votes, average 4.33 out of 5)

Michigan junior Sam Mikulak added two more titles to his all-around crown, winning parallel bars and high bar, the latter by more than a full point. Had he upgraded his Kasamatsu-1.5 twist to a Lopez, he might have grabbed a third, but he's learned that staying healthy is important. "I think injuries are something we're trying to stay away from," Mikulak said, adding that he plans to replace a Tkatchev on high bar with a Cassina.

Mikulak also said he wasn't tired from three days of competition.

"I think I was kind of numb from the whole weekend," he said. "It felt easy going with the flow."

Floor exercise went to Penn State freshman Trevor Howard, who thrilled the home crowd with clean, high tumbling a stuck dismount. Howard's 6.7 D-score and 9.1 E-score were the highest of the floor competitors. His victory also was the first on floor for a Penn State in 50 years, when Tom Seward earned that honor.

"When I stuck that first pass it was a great feeling, and having the crowd behind you was awesome," Howard said.

The Penn State men's team was disappointed with fourth place on Saturday, so Sunday's final helped.

"Today I was seeking revenge against the Wolverines," Howard said with a smile.

Michael Newburger, whose Ohio State team did not qualify to the team championship, earned the pommel horse title for the Buckeyes. His technique and line were superior to the rest of the field. His 6.2 D-score tied for first with runner-up Ellis Mannon of Minnesota, and his 9.25 E-score was well ahead of the field.

Oklahoma, which placed second as a team, produced the top rings performer in the compact Michael Squires. He edged William & Mary's Landon Funiciello, 15.775-15.675. Penn State ring master Scott Rosenthal won the bronze for Penn State. Funiciello had the top E-score with 9.275 (6.2 D-score), but Squires trumped the field with a 6.4 D-score.

Handing out the awards for the six events were Penn State alumni Bob Emery, Mark Sohn, Kevin Tan, Greg Weiss, Gene Whelan and Mike Jacobson.

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Written by Amanda Turner Sunday, 21 April 2013 10:16

Russians Rule as Moscow Europeans End

(12 votes, average 3.67 out of 5)

The host Russians won three out of five gold medals Sunday as the 2013 European Gymnastics Championships ended in Moscow. Pictured: Floor exercise champion Ksenia Afansyeva (Russia) with runner-up Larisa Iordache and Diana Bulimar (Romania)

The host Russians won three out of five gold medals Sunday as the 2013 European Gymnastics Championships ended in Moscow.

Olympic medalist Denis Ablyazin (Tsukahara double pike and Yurchenko half-on, Randi off) ran away with the vault gold medal in an mistake-filled final that saw half the competitors fall at least once. Defending champion Flavius Koczi (Romania) took second over Armenia's Artur Davtyan.

Moscow's own Emin Garibov successfully defended his high bar title from Montpellier, swinging a 7.0-Difficulty routine (Yamawaki-half; Layout Tkatchev to Tkatchev-half; stuck layout double-double). British Olympian Sam Oldham won the silver with a beautifully executed routine, followed by Belarusian Alexander Tsarevich in third place.

Two-time Russian Olympian Ksenia Afanasyeva — whose serious errors in qualification cost her a spot in the all-around final — redeemed her European championships by winning the gold on floor exercise. Afanasyeva, 22, had the best combination of difficulty and artistry, tumbling a double layout, two whips to triple twist, 2 1/2 to front layout and double pike.

Romania and Ukraine each took one title Sunday. Ukrainian Olympian Oleg Stepko shone brightest in the parallel bars final, which featured five gymnasts scoring above 15.00 points. Lucas Fischer thrilled himself and the Swiss delegation by taking the silver medal, just a .1 behind Stepko. All-around champion David Belyavsky of Russia won the bronze, a further .1 behind.

Larisa Iordache was untouchable on balance beam (solid ff, tucked full; nailed RO, ff triple twist dismount). Teammate Diana Bulimar had not a single wobble for second, giving the Romanians another 1-2 beam finish like the 2012 Europeans in Montpellier. All-around bronze medalist Anastasia Grishina (Russia), who replaced the injured Gabby Jupp of Great Britain, won the bronze with an elegant routine.

Iordache (tucked double-double mount) and Bulimar (double layout; 1 1/2 to double tuck; piked full-in) won two more medals on floor exercise, finishing second and third, respectively.

The dates and the locations have yet to be confirmed for the 2014 European championships, which is scheduled to feature senior team and apparatus finals, plus junior team, all-around and apparatus finals.

Read more about the 2013 European championships in the May issue of International Gymnast Magazine. To subscribe or order back issues, click here.

External Link: Russian Gymnastics Federation

2013 European Gymnastics Championships
April 21, Moscow

Balance Beam Final		D	E	Score
1.	Larisa Iordache	6.4	8.866	15.266
2.	Diana Bulimar	6.0	8.833	14.833
3.	Anastasia Grishina	5.6	8.766	14.366
4.	Carlotta Ferlito	5.8	8.266	14.066
5.	Katarzyna Jurkowska	5.5	8.366	13.866
6.	Ruby Harrold	5.1	8.533	13.633
7.	Elisa Meneghini	5.7	7.433	13.133
8.	Olena Vasilyeva	4.1	5.833	9.933

Women's Floor Exercise Final		D	E	ND	Score
1.	Ksenia Afanasyeva	6.3	8.866		15.166
2.	Larisa Iordache	6.1	8.633		14.733
3.	Diana Bulimar	5.8	8.733		14.533
4.	Anastasia Grishina	5.8	8.433		14.233
5.	Carlotta Ferlito	5.6	8.616		14.216
6.	Giulia Steingruber	6.0	8.300	0.2	14.100
7.	Roxana Popa	5.7	8.200		13.900
8.	Krystyna Sankova	5.7	7.166		12.866

Men's Vault Final		D	E	ND	Score	Average
1.	Denis Ablyazin	6.0	9.433		15.433	15.408
		6.2	9.183		15.383
2.	Flavius Koczi	6.0	9.158		15.158	14.887
		5.6	9.016		14.616
3.	Artur Davtyan	6.0	9.366	0.1	15.266	14.866
		5.2	9.266		14.466
4.	Petrus Laulumaa	5.6	9.466		15.066	14.799
		5.2	9.333		14.533
5.	Igor Radivilov	6.0	9.391		15.391	14.678
		6.0	8.066	0.1	13.966
6.	Oleg Vernyayev	6.0	9.466		15.466	14.666
		6.0	8.166	0.3	13.866
7.	Jeffrey Wammes	5.6	9.200		14.800	14.333
		5.8	8.066		13.866
8.	Matthias Fahrig	6.0	8.166		14.166	13.849
		5.6	8.233	0.3	13.533

Parallel Bars Final		D	E	Score
1.	Oleg Stepko	6.6	9.166	15.766
2.	Lucas Fischer	6.5	9.133	15.633
3.	David Belyavsky	6.4	9.133	15.533
4.	Marcel Nguyen	6.8	8.700	15.500
5.	Oleg Vernyayev	6.5	8.833	15.333
6.	Emin Garibov	6.2	8.000	14.200
7.	Andrei V. Muntean	6.0	7.866	13.866
8.	Pascal Bucher	5.7	7.866	13.566

High Bar Final		D	E	Score
1.	Emin Garibov	7.0	8.433	15.433
2.	Sam Oldham	6.5	8.633	15.133
3.	Alexander Tsarevich	6.5	8.333	14.833
4.	Alexander Shatilov	6.5	8.233	14.733
5.	Andrei Likhovitsky	6.0	8.466	14.466
6.	Fabian Hambüchen	6.4	7.566	13.966
7.	Marijo Moznik	6.4	7.533	13.933
8.	Ashley Watson	5.8	7.033	12.833

International Gymnast Magazine Related Features:
Ksenia Afanasyeva: "Poised for Perfection" (interview and cover photo) - January/February 2012
Anastasia Grishina: "Fresh Start" (interview) - March 2013
Larisa Iordache: "Growing Pains" (interview and cover photo) - March 2013
Giulia Steingruber: "A New Hit for the Swiss" (profile) - December 2009
Matthias Fahrig: "Giving It His All" (profile) - July/August 2007
Fabian Hambüchen: "All-Around Great Guy" (profile, cover photo) - November 2007; cover photo - June 2007; center poster - April 2007; "German Giants" (profile) - May 2003
Marcel Nguyen: "Silver Streak" (interview) - November 2012
Sam Oldham: interview (June 2010)
Alexander Shatilov: "Aiming High" (profile) - January/February 2009
Jeffrey Wammes: "Comebacks Complete" (profile) - October 2007; "Destiny's Child" (profile) - August/September 2002

To subscribe or order back issues, click here.

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Written by John Crumlish Saturday, 20 April 2013 22:40

Sloan Leads 'Unstoppable' Florida to NCAA Title

(5 votes, average 5.00 out of 5)

After leading the University of Florida team to victory at the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships on Saturday night in Los Angeles, 2009 world and U.S. all-around champion Bridget Sloan said her team was "unstoppable" in its successful pursuit of the school's first team title in NCAA history.

"I don't think you can compare it to a Visa (U.S) Championships or a world championships, or even an Olympics," said Sloan, a freshman at Florida. "But you know what? This feels pretty dang good."

Sloan, who won the NCAA all-around title on Friday night, also topped the all-around standings in Saturday's team final at UCLA, where Florida finished first. The University of Oklahoma placed second, followed by defending champion University of Alabama, which placed third. UCLA, Louisiana State University and the University of Georgia were fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.

Florida's surge after a rough start on balance beam in the first rotation attested to the team's fortitude, Sloan said. The team rallied on floor exercise in the second rotation, and pulled into first place after solid performances on vault and uneven bars.

"We are unstoppable right now, facing the challenge that we had," said Sloan, a member of the silver medal-winning U.S. team at the 2008 Olympic Games. "Before floor I actually (asked) everybody, ‘Are you ready for 10.0 floor routines?' We were like, ‘Yes, let's do it!' And we came pretty close to 10.0s on some of those."

Among Sloan's most credentialed teammates are 2008 British Olympian Marissa King, who finished in a four-way tie for third place all-around on Friday and celebrated her 22nd birthday on Saturday; 2012 NCAA all-around champion Kytra Hunter; 2010 World Championships team silver medalist Mackenzie Caquatto; and 2011 Pan American Games all-around champion Bridgette Caquatto, Mackenzie's younger sister.

Florida head coach Rhonda Faehn praised her team's tenacity.

"It was not an ideal opening to a competition, having to count a fall on beam," said Faehn, the top U.S. all-arounder at the 1987 World Championships in Rotterdam and alternate on the fourth-place U.S. team at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. "But what I loved was that this team rallied and didn't let that affect them. They came back on floor and it was really like lights-out, and continued for the rest of the meet. After beam anyone could have laid down and said, ‘We're done.' They did not let that happen, and I'm really proud of them."

Sloan agreed with Faehn in crediting the team for remaining confident and focused throughout the final.

"That's what it takes, as Rhonda said, that never-giving-up attitude," Sloan said. "We fought. This competition just goes to show you that, even with mistakes, if you fight till the end, you can have a great outcome. That's exactly what we had."

trong>External Link: Team Final Results

Read coverage of the 2013 NCAA women's and men's championships in an upcoming issue of International Gymnast magazine.

International Gymnast Magazine Related Features:
"Sitting Pretty" – Sloan profile, Sloan center poster (March 2008)
Sloan cover photo, 2009 U.S. Championships coverage (October 2009)
2009 World Championships coverage, Sloan center poster (December 2009)
"Royal Ambitions" – Marissa King interview (April 2008) "10 Questions with Rhonda Faehn" – interview (December 2012)
Kytra Hunter cover photo, 2012 NCAA Championships coverage (May 2012)

To subscribe or order back issues, click here.

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Written by dwight normile Saturday, 20 April 2013 11:19

Mikulak Leads Michigan to NCAA Title

(1 vote, average 5.00 out of 5)

Michigan ran away with the 2013 NCAA team title, defeating Oklahoma, 443.20-440.10, but the Wolverines sure made it interesting. Leading the Sooners by .50 after five events, Michigan began well on its final event, floor exercise. No, the Wolverines were outstanding on floor until anchor Stacy Ervin fell twice, sitting down consecutive passes (layout double Arabian, and a twisting pass) after nailing his crazy mount of front-full to piked double front.

Michigan's depth on the event, however, carried the team to the highest floor total of the meet to secure the win.

"We knew we were going on floor which is a good event for us," said Sam Mikulak, who won the all-around. "[Stacy's] got the Start Value. If anyone could mess up, it was him. … We're still proud of him."

The real star of tonight's meet was Mikulak, who went six-for-six to claim his second NCAA all-around crown (91.15). He also won as a freshman two years ago, and tied for second last year.

Fellow Wolverine Adrian de los Angeles finished second with 88.35, and Nissen-Emery Award recipient Eddie Penev of Stanford finished third with 87.35.

"Great victory for Michigan," said Kurt Golder, who now has three under his belt as head coach.

He actually chose to start his team on pommel horse, explaining that if they struggled, five events remained to make up for it. But the Wolverines looked focused and relaxed and set a positive tone early by hitting all five horse routines. Michigan's first fall wasn't until vault, and it was perfect until Ervin's mishaps.

"That's what we did in prelims and we won," Golder said, adding that there was no need to change it.

Tonight, the six-team contest was a nail-biter. Penn State was lifted vocally by the home crowd, but flawed efforts eventually dropped the Nittany Lions to fourth, just .05 behind third-place Stanford's 436.150.

Stanford might have challenged for second had it not faltered on pommel horse in rotation five.

Iowa was fifth with 426.450, and defending champion Illinois finished sixth (422.55), competing without key gymnasts because of injury. C.J. Maestas is coming off a torn triceps tendon.

Michigan has a dynamic duo with Mikulak and de los Angeles, both of whom trained together at SCATS Gymnastics. And with both returning next year, Michigan is in good position to challenge for the title when it hosts the NCAA championship next April.

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Written by Amanda Turner Saturday, 20 April 2013 09:37

British Men Win Twice in European Finals

(6 votes, average 4.33 out of 5)

British Olympians Max Whitlock and Daniel Keatings were golden Saturday while gymnasts from Israel and Sweden made history at the 2013 European Gymnastics Championships in Moscow. Pictured: All-around champion Mustafina won the uneven bars over Sweden's Jonna Adlerteg and Russia's Maria Paseka.

British Olympians Max Whitlock and Daniel Keatings were golden Saturday while gymnasts from Israel and Sweden made history at the 2013 European Gymnastics Championships in Moscow.

Whitlock, second all-around to Russia's David Belyavsky on Friday, picked up the floor exercise title. The two-time Olympic bronze medalist tied for first place with Alexander Shatilov, who became the first Israeli gymnast to win a gold medal at the senior European championships. Italy's Andrea Cingolani won the bronze medal, while defending champion Flavius Koczi fell on his piked double front to place fourth.

Keatings, a 2008 Olympian, earned a stunning victory on pommel horse over Hungary's Krisztian Berki, the reigning world, Olympic and European champion on the event. Keatings, who was left off Britain's team to the 2012 Olympics, won a tight final where seven of eight gymnasts scored 15.000 or higher. Whitlock won another medal for Great Britain with the bronze.

There was shared title on still rings, where Ukraine's Igor Radivilov and France's Samir Aït Saïd matched scores. Italian veteran Matteo Morandi and France's Danny Pinheiro-Rodrigues tied for the bronze. Favorites Denis Ablyazin (Russia) and Eleftherios Petrounias (Greece) were equally frustrated in fifth.

In the women's competition, Switzerland's Giulia Steingruber won the vault gold (layout Rudi and full-twisting Tsukahara). The judges could not separate all-around silver medalist Larisa Iordache (Romania) and Noël van Klaveren (Netherlands), giving them the same marks for the same vaults (double-twisting Yurchenko and Tsukahara full).

Russia's Maria Paseka, the bronze medalist on vault at the 2012 Olympics, decided to risk an Amanar but came up short. Looking dejected, she then fell on her layout Podkopayeva for seventh place.

All-around champion Aliya Mustafina, a Moscow native, was untouchable on uneven bars (inside-Stalder-full to Maloney-half; inside-Stalder blind to piked Jaeger; Stalder-full to Pak to Stalder-half; toe-shoot to high with a slight pause; stuck full-twisting double). Compatriot Paseka perked herself up after her vault disaster to take the bronze with a much-improved routine (Maloney to uprise full to Tkatchev-Pak;; Maloney-half; double front).

Olympian Jonna Adlerteg claimed the silver with a beautiful routine (Shaposhnikova to Pak; Maloney to bail to toe-shoot to high; toe-on full to Tkatchev; Jaeger; double layout), becoming the first female gymnast from Sweden to win a medal in a fully attended European championships. Swedish women won five medals at the 1963 Europeans in Paris; however, all the Eastern-bloc nations boycotted the event.

Competition concludes Sunday with the second day of apparatus finals. The competition will be streamed live to viewers in Europe at this link.

External Link: Russian Gymnastics Federation

2013 European Gymnastics Championships
April 20, Moscow

Women's Vault Final		D	E	ND	Score	Average
1.	Giulia Steingruber	6.2	9.100		15.300	14.750
		5.2	9.000		14.200
2.	Noël van Klaveren	5.8	9.100		14.900	14.466
		5.2	8.833		14.033
2.	Larisa Iordache	5.8	9.100		14.900	14.466
		5.2	8.833		14.033
4.	Ofir Nezer	5.3	8.900		14.200	14.166
		5.2	8.933		14.133
4.	Teja Belak	5.3	8.900		14.200	14.166
		5.3	8.833		14.133
6.	Chantysha Netteb	5.3	7.766	0.1	12.966	13.533
		5.2	8.900		14.100
7.	Maria Paseka	6.3	7.766	0.1	13.966	13.499
		5.6	7.533	0.1	13.033
8.	Tijana Tkalčec	5.3	7.566		12.866	13.183
		5.3	8.200		13.500

Uneven Bars Final		D	E	Score
1.	Aliya Mustafina	6.3	9.000	15.300
2.	Jonna Adlerteg	6.0	8.633	14.633
3.	Maria Paseka	5.8	8.600	14.400
4.	Sophie Scheder	6.0	8.366	14.366
5.	Giorgia Campana	5.6	8.466	14.066
6.	Ida Gustafsson	5.8	7.366	13.166
7.	Beckie Downie	5.9	7.100	13.000
8.	Ruby Harrold	5.8	7.100	12.900

Men's Floor Exercise Final		D	E	ND	Score
1.	Max Whitlock	6.6	8.833	0.1	15.333
1.	Alexander Shatilov	6.4	8.933		15.333
3.	Andrea Cingolani	6.2	8.700		14.900
4.	Flavius Koczi	7.0	7.666		14.666
5.	Sam Oldham	6.3	8.200	0.1	14.400
5.	David Belyavsky	6.3	8.200	0.1	14.400
7.	Matthias Fahrig	6.3	7.433		13.733
8.	Jeffrey Wammes	6.5	7.466	0.3	13.666

Pommel Horse Final		D	E	Score
1.	Daniel Keatings	6.7	8.900	15.600
2.	Krisztian Berki	6.7	8.833	15.533
3.	Max Whitlock	6.7	8.800	15.500
4.	Alberto Busnari	6.7	8.733	15.433
5.	Harutyum Merdinyan	6.4	8.966	15.366
6.	Donna-Donny Truyens	6.6	8.533	15.133
7.	Sašo Bertoncelj	6.5	8.500	15.000
8.	Filip Ude	6.2	8.066	14.266

Still Rings Final		D	E	Score
1.	Samir Aït Saïd	6.8	8.666	15.466
1.	Igor Radivilov	6.7	8.766	15.466
3.	Danny Pinheiro-Rodrigues	6.7	8.733	15.433
3.	Matteo Morandi	6.7	8.733	15.433
5.	Eleftherios Petrounias	7.0	8.400	15.400
5.	Denis Ablyazin	6.7	8.700	15.400
7.	Yuri van Gelder	6.8	8.566	15.366
8.	Marcel Nguyen	6.3	8.833	15.133

International Gymnast Magazine Related Features:
Jonna Adlerteg: "Swedish History-maker" (profile) - November 2010
Ida Gustafsson: "Swedish Upswing" (team profile) - November 2010
Larisa Iordache: "Growing Pains" (interview and cover photo) - March 2013
Aliya Mustafina: cover photo - December 2010; "The Mustafina Mystique" (profile) - January 2011; cover photo - July/August 2012; center poster - January/February 2013
Giulia Steingruber: "A New Hit for the Swiss" (profile) - December 2009
Matthias Fahrig: "Giving It His All" (profile) - July/August 2007
Daniel Keatings: interview and center poster - June 2009); "Early Graduation Day" (profile) - July/August 2007
Marcel Nguyen: "Silver Streak" (interview) - November 2012
Sam Oldham: interview (June 2010)
Daniel Purvis: "Pure Purvis" (interview) - March 2012; "Lilleshall: Backstage in Britain" (British team profile, with Purvis on cover) - November 2011; "In Steady Pursuit" (profile) - June 2009
Alexander Shatilov: "Aiming High" (profile) - January/February 2009
Filip Ude: "Great Expectations" (profile) - June 2011
Yuri van Gelder: "Power Trip" (profile) - January/February 2009; center poster (June 2008)
Jeffrey Wammes: "Comebacks Complete" (profile) - October 2007; "Destiny''s Child" (profile) - August/September 2002

To subscribe or order back issues, click here.

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