Japanese Gymnastics

USA Nationals Preview

japanesegymnastics — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 06:21:09 +0000

Made by Me.

Nothing Has Been Happening

japanesegymnastics — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:10:14 +0000

Nothing really has been happening in the Japanese gymnastics world lately.
For the next approximate week and a half, this blog will temporarily turn into a USA gymnastics blog.
I will be attending all sessions of Nationals in Dallas next week.
And will be blogging about my experience here.
Woot!

Koko Tsurumi @ Japan Cup

japanesegymnastics — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 08:10:08 +0000

Her awesome floor from the all around competition. 14.150 (which I thought was underscored).

Gloria Estefan

japanesegymnastics — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:37:14 +0000

Hanako Miura’s 1990 Floor Exercise. Very good.

I have another video of this routine, form the Japanese Junior Invite. I’ll upload next time I’m on the desktop

New Montage, “Bulletproof”

japanesegymnastics — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 06:06:34 +0000

My new montage, to the music “Bulletproof” by La Roux.

Countries Sending Gymnasts to London 2009

japanesegymnastics — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:44:47 +0000

The draws have been posted for the 2009 World Championships in London this October. With 168 WAG gymnasts competing, it will be one of the biggest (if not the biggest) post-Olympic Worlds ever. Many countries are sending gymnasts that usually are not involved with international gymnastics. Here is a list of the countries on the draw as of now, with the number of gymnasts their sending beside. A country can send a maximum of four gymnasts to these individual Worlds.

Albania
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Belarus
Bermuda
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada
Chile
China
Columbia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Egypt
El Salvador
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Lebanon
Lithuania
Malaysia
Mexico
Netherlands
North Korea
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Romania
Russia
Singapore
Slovakia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States of America
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam

Japan’s Vault Problem

japanesegymnastics — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 06:36:03 +0000

Very interesting observation, about Japan’s current lack of good vaulters. Koko Tsurumi even said today to International Gymnast magazine that she now knows that she can’t medal in the all-around with only a full twisting vault, that she has to do the double to be competitive.

The top six seniors in Japan right now (Tsurumi, Uemura, Shintake, Oshima, Minobe, and Tanaka) all have a 1-1/2 twisting Yurchenko or lower. However, six gymnasts currently have a double twisting Yurchenko or more. The most famous of these gymnasts is both Momoko Ozawa, who was a 2007 World Championship team member and Natsumi Sasada, famous for her layout Garrison mount.

Why is it that all these lower level gymnasts have higher vault scores than the top six? Risa Konishi (who, if I remember correctly is a senior, I know she competed at the Hong Kong International at the very beginning of this year) got only a 9.850 on bars but was able to break 15 on vault.

I’m just happy to know that Japan has both Sasada and Yoshino Taniguchi who will turn senior in 2011 and their skill level now both who have great double twisting Yurchenkos as well as decent abilities on the other events. Hopefully they’ll be great by the Tokyo Worlds.

More, Japan Cup

japanesegymnastics — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 18:25:15 +0000

A quick video from yesterday, He Kexin’s 7.4 D-Score bar routine. She’s the first woman to score over a 16 on any event in the new COP.

Huang Qiushuang won the all-around competition on the women’s side with a fall on uneven bars. The two Russian juniors then filled up the remaining spots on the podium. Koko Tsurumi finished fourth, with her full twisting Yurchenko instead of a double.

http://www.jpn-gym.or.jp/english/events/2009/japancup/pdf/09jc_wi_e.pdf

Tatiana Nabieva attempted a 7.2 start value vault, a triple twisting Yurchenko. She didn’t fully rotate it, and she had bad form, but it’s still interesting to watch.

Koko Tsurumi nailed her floor routine, and I feel she was underscored; only a 14.150

Here is Lauren Mitchell’s floor routine, the highest scoring of the meet.

Japan’s WAG Team Get Bronze

japanesegymnastics — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 16:32:09 +0000

Olympic order (the order of the scores) is vault, bars, beam, and then floor. Last it of course the total. Bolded scores is the highest out of all four teams.

1. CHN – 43.350 44.200 42.300 41.350 171.200
2. RUS – 43.800 44.800 41.950 40.550 171.100
3. JPN – 39.250 43.600 42.400 41.250 166.500
4. AUS – 41.050 39.750 39.400 39.650 159.850

Japan’s scores were on track with both Russia and China, except for a lousy vault rotation that produced 12.650, 12.900, and 13.700. This is where the new juniors will come in handy, like Sasada who has a DTY.

He Kexin scored a massive 16.250 on bars, with a bar routine valued out of 7.2. Rumours of her routine are this;
Jump to High Bar. Kip Cast Hand Stand (KCHS), Ono, Jaeger 1/2, Jaeger
KCHS, Giant 1/2, Healy, Layout Jaeger, Pak, Stalder 1/2, Stalder to High Bar
KCHS, Giant 1-1/2, Ono-1/2, Full-In Tuck Dismount.

Lauren Mitchell scored the highest on floor, a 14.500. Zhang Jing had the highest vault with a 14.950, and Xiao Sha had the highest beam score at a 15.550.

To see all the individual scores, go here
http://www.jpn-gym.or.jp/artistic/2009/result/pdf/09jc_wt.pdf

Cirque Du Soleil Casting in Japan

japanesegymnastics — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:59:32 +0000

I just got this exciting comment from the Cirque Du Soleil casting team about upcoming try-outs in both Osaka and Tokyo.

Cirque du Soleil Try Out
TOKYO & OSAKA – NOVEMBER 2009

Cirque du Soleil is seeking new talent. Come meet us and live a dynamic experience in the company of other athletes and our acrobatic talent scout.

SPORTS
Acrobatic, artistic & rhythmic gymnastics
Trampoline – Twirling – Skipping – Other sports

TOKYO – NOVEMBER 23
Location: TSUKAHARA GYMNASTICS CENTER
5-18-12 KITA KARASUYAMA SETAGAYAKU, TOKYO

OSAKA – NOVEMBER 30
Location: NANBA GYMNASTICS CLUB
1-3-19 NIHONBASHI NISHI NANIWAKU

Please be on-site to register at 9 A.M.
Latecomers will not be admitted.

All candidates must be 18 years of age or older. Please bring a photo, a resumé and a demo video of your act or skills. Appropriate attire required.

For more information, please contact:

SADAO HAMADA
Cirque du Soleil Casting Partner
090-3229-7375
s-hamada-4@hotmail.co.jp

Learn more about our on-stage career opportunities at:
http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/jobs