GYMN-L Digest - 21 Apr 1996 to 22 Apr 1996 - Special issue

There are 20 messages totalling 619 lines in this issue.

Topics in this special issue:

1. The new 'Net Gymnastics Guide
2. GYMN-L Digest - 20 Apr 1996 to 21 Apr 1996
3. Dawes
4. Worlds: Final Results Session 2
5. Worlds on CBC TV
6. Worlds: France Telecom Trophies for Sporsmanship
7. New FIG photo book - "Gymnastics - The Art of Sport"
8. WORLDS on ABC Television.
9. WAG: BEAM
10. Portuondo's Vaults
11. Gymnastics Camps
12. Pae Gil Sue and Annia Portuondo's Olympic eligibility
13. SEC's
14. Questions-all small, some silly
15. US-France dual: bars score q, french v. us fx style
16. BUDGET
17. USA Today has gymnastics pages
18. budget
19. Keith Russel
20. Joan Ryan's Oprah response

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Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 14:17:21 +0200
From: ***@PI.NET
Subject: The new 'Net Gymnastics Guide

CETATE WORLD GYMNASTICS is proud to present the complete new
'Net Gymnastics Guide. *The* guide for gymnastics on the Internet.
Much links to websites, information about IRC, NewsGroups and
e-mail facilities. You can add your info too! Something to add
to your bookmarks?

This is the address where you can find the 'Net Gymnastics Guide
http://www.pi.net/~cetate/netgymguide.html
To add your site, use the following address
http://www.pi.net/~cetate/add.html

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Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 07:27:29 -0700
From: ***@IX.NETCOM.COM
Subject: Re: GYMN-L Digest - 20 Apr 1996 to 21 Apr 1996

You wrote:
>=3. Dominique Dawes (USA) 9.800




I am very glad that Dom came out of this
World Championships w/a medal. Maybe she had hoped for gold but she has
to be proud of herself. She overcame those injuries, the disaterous
bars routine and the disappointing finishings she's had latley. I
really think that she will be able to pull it all together in Atlanta
and win a medal, possibly gold. What does everyone else think?

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

Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 10:41:26 PDT
From: ***@EPIX.NET
Subject: Dawes

Did anyone else notice that they said two or three times that
Dawes was trying to win her first worlds metal. I thought that
she won the All Around and all the Events at worlds a couple
of years ago. Am I wrong?

Tara

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Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 11:44:07 -0400
From: ***@COQUI.NET
Subject: Worlds: Final Results Session 2

1996 WORLD GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO

APPARATUS FINALS RESULTS

SECOND SESSION - APRIL 20, 1996

MEN'S VAULT

1 Alexei Nemov RUS 9.756
2 Yeo Hong-Chul KOR 9.743
2 Andrea Massucchi ITA 9.743
4 Sergei Fedorchenko KAZ 9.643
4 Vitaly Scherbo BLR 9.643
6 Dieter Rehm KAZ 9.556
7 Valeri Belenki GER 9.437
8 Alexei Voropaev RUS 9.431
9 Zoltan Supola HUN 9.400


WOMEN'S BALANCE BEAM

1 Dina Kochetkova RUS 9.887
2 Alexandra Marinescu ROM 9.812
3 Liu Xuan CHN 9.800
3 Dominique Dawes USA 9.800
5 Vasiliki Tsavdaridou GRE 9.675
6 Mercedes Pacheco ESP 9.637
7 Jaycie Phelps USA 9.187
8 Gina Gogean ROM 9.075


MEN'S PARALLEL BARS

1 Rustam Charipov UKR 9.750
2 Vitaly Scherbo BLR 9.737
2 Alexei Nemov RUS 9.737
4 Ivan Ivankov BLR 9.725
4 Jung Jin-Soo KOR 9.725
6 Ivan Ivanov BUL 9.650
7 Pae Gil Su PRK 9.625
8 Valeri Belenki GER 9.587


WOMEN'S FLOOR EXERCISES

1 Gina Gogean ROM 9.850
1 Kui Yuanyuan CHN 9.850
3 Lyubov Sheremeta UKR 9.800
3 Lavinia Milosovici ROM 9.800
5 Gemma Paz ESP 9.775
5 Vasiliki Tsavdaridou GRE 9.775
7 Ludivine Furnon FRA 9.712
8 Roza Galieva RUS 9.637


MEN'S HORIZONTAL BAR

1 Jesus Carballo ESP 9.800
2 Krasimir Dounev BUL 9.775
3 Vitaly Scherbo BLR 9.762
4 Aljaz Pegan SLO 9.750
5 Chainey Umphrey USA 9.712
6 Sergei Fedorchenko KAZ 9.475
7 Zoltan Supola HUN 9.375
8 Richard Ikeda CAN 8.075

These and other results can be found under the Gymnastics Canada web
site at: http://www.capitalnet.com/~chiug/cangym.html

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

Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 11:45:16 -0400
From: ***@COQUI.NET
Subject: Worlds on CBC TV

1996 WORLD GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

CBC Sports Programme Preview

These World Championships will be broadcast in Canada by CBC in a full
programme that will air on Saturday April 27, 1996 from 16:30 to 18:00
(Eastern).

Performances by each medallist will be presented.

All Canadians that competed here will be shown with one routine each.

There will be a feature on the Canadian Men.

They have prepared international stories with interviews from:
- Vitaly Scherbo (Belarus)
- Alexei Nemov (Russia)
- Rustam Charipov (Ukraine)
- Dominique Dawes (USA)
- Liu Xuan (China)
- Lavinia Milosovici (Romania)

There will be a profile on former Puerto Rican gymnast and GYMNer,
Adrianna Duffy, who did a great job as the English announcer at this
competition!

"Chalk Talk" with Carol Orchard will educate us on what to look for on
parallel bars and floor.

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

Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 11:46:21 -0400
From: ***@COQUI.NET
Subject: Worlds: France Telecom Trophies for Sporsmanship

1996 WORLD GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

APRIL 20, 1996

FRANCE TELECOM, OFFICIAL PARTNER OF GYMNASTICS, PRESENTS A SPECIAL PRESS
EVENT.

The journalists who have covered the World Gymnastics Championship '96,
have
decided to attribute to the best sportsman and sportswoman, the France
Telecom Trophy to

Liu Xuan from China

and Yuri Chechi from Italy

The criteria are based on the performance, the personality, and the fair
play of the gymnast.


Miss Liu's innovative uneven bars routine with included a one-arm giant
and one-arm Gienger combination was truly awesome. She maintained a
consistently high level of virtuosity throughout the three rounds of
competition with a first-place ranking the the preliminary round.
Amidst the series of blunders by the uneven bars' judging panel during
the semi-final round, Liu Xuan maintained her composure and went about
her job to perform her best for the finals. The judges were predisposed
to discourage one-arm elements, and when her start value of only 9.9 and
final score of 9.700 was posted, the judges were booed for a full
minute.
Through all of this, 17 year-old Xuan was not displaced and showed no
disappointment. Today, she returned to the competition on the balance
beam and finished with a bronze medal for a beautiful and daring
performance.

Italian Yuri Chechi is simply unbeatable on the still rings. The "Lord
of
the Rings" dominated all rounds of the rings competition and displayed
great humility and respect for his fellow competitors.

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

Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 11:47:36 -0400
From: ***@COQUI.NET
Subject: New FIG photo book - "Gymnastics - The Art of Sport"

GYMNASTICS - THE ART OF SPORT

The FIG is pleased to announce the publication of a new and unique book
dedicated to the sport of gymnastics.

This high quality, lavishly illustrated publication features the work of
FIG Official Photographer EILEEN LANGSLEY whose work in sport has been
recognised by several prestigious photography awards.

Over 300 colour photo graphs (many previously unpublished) will feature
in this book of 208 pages. The universal nature of the sport of
Gymnastics
is reflected in the images of gymnasts from all over the world and the
book
includes many exciting action pictures of World and Olympic Champions.

Both Artistic and Rhythmic Gymnastics are featured in the book which
celebrates the sport at its most exciting and beautiful; it is also a
unique book that invites those within the sport - gymnasts, coaches and
judges - to express their views and feelings about Gymnastics, giving a
special insight into their hopes, motivations and beliefs.

The book is now released in April 1996, but numbers are limited. To
reserve your copy of what is sure to become a collector's item and a
valued souvenir of the sport, it is possible to order now from the FIG!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ORDER FORM

Price per copy: Sfr. 40.--, Plus postage
Postage costs: for European countries: Sfr. 15.--,/
for all other countries: Sfr 25.--

Name __________________________________

Address _______________________________

_______________________________

City ___________________

State _________________ Code _______________

Country _____________ Phone ________________

Payment Options: (cross as appropriate) Copies required [ ]

[ ] Post Transfer
[ ] Bank Transfer to Swiss Bank Corp., in 2501 Bienne, Switzerland, FIG
Account Nr, 56-301.649.0
[ ] Cheque: Drawn on a Swiss Bank in Swiss Francs
[ ] Credit card: [ ] MasterCard/Eurocard [ ] Visa [ ] Diners Club
[ ] American Express

Card No. __________________ Valid until: ___/___

Signature _______________________________________
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note:
Your book(s) will be sent under Registered Air Mail - Allow 3 weeks for
delivery.
For more than 5 copies per order, a special discount is granted. Please
call
for details.

Send your order to:
Federation Internationale de Gymnastique
P.O. Box 359 - Rue des Oeuches 10,
2740 Moutier 1 - Switzerland

Phone: ++41.32.936.666, Fax ++41.32.936.671

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Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 10:52:45 -0600
From: ***@ZEPHYR.MEDCHEM.PURDUE.EDU
Subject: Re: WORLDS on ABC Television.

Alot, and I mean ALOT of the times gymnasts will over shoot handstands
on giants to get speed up for dismounts. An excellent example was Gutsu,
who did it to generate the 'tap' for her powerful double layout. There
appears to be no deduction for it with her scores in the past.

Jeff

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Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 11:03:55 -0600
From: ***@ZEPHYR.MEDCHEM.PURDUE.EDU
Subject: WAG: BEAM

I am SO HAPPY for Dina. I've always thought she was the best in the world
on beam and I thought that in Sabae she was robbed of a medal and
wrongly scored in AA on beam. I am happy that this innovator finally won the
title on this event and hope for her best in Atlanta.


As for Dawes, I was psyched to hear she won a medal, too. Her and the chinese
gymnast tying for the bronze simply shows that they are excellent gymnasts
who's UB problems should not be used as indicators of their abilities.


As for Marinescu, If I were Milo or Gogean, I'd be worried. She's been an
in the pack of Romanians just 'below' them for awhile. She could be number
one in Atlanta for them. Remember, people though Bontas was going to be th e
number one in Barcelona, but Milo shot past her. It could happen to Milo
this time. And Gina too.

All and All, I can only say: I wish I was there to see this Worlds!!

Jeff


P.S. Beth: Krassmir finally won a medal :) !!!!!!!!

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Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 12:06:47 -0400
From: ***@COQUI.NET
Subject: Portuondo's Vaults

I would agree that Annia Portuondo's Yurchenko double twist is the best
one here. However, in finals, the requirements are FIG Competition III.
This means that on vault, the women must perform two vaults from two
different families. Her first vault (which I can't remember at the
moment) started from a 9.90. Gogean and Amanar both performed two
vaults that started from 10.0. Did your TV broadcasts not explain this?
;^}

Regards,

Grace

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Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 12:28:29 -0400
From: ***@AOL.COM
Subject: Gymnastics Camps

Has anyone out there ever heard of or been to Island Gymnastics Camp?? I'm
thinking of going there this summer with some friends, and just wanted to
know if any gymners have gone there, or will be there. It's located in South
Hampton, Long Island, in New York. Thanks.

Write back with private email
THANKS!!

Gymnastically yours,
Sara

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Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 10:32:00 MDT
From: ***@RMII.COM
Subject: Pae Gil Sue and Annia Portuondo's Olympic eligibility

>From: Christopher Scott <yu131649@YORKU.CA>
>Subject: Pae Gil Sue and Annia Portuondo's Olympic eligibility

> Since PRK and the Cuban women didn't compete in Sabae, I was
>wondering if these two world medallists would be able to qualify for
>Atlanta based on their performances this week in PUR. Does this world

I do not know about Pae Gil Su particularly, but Annia Portuondo remains
ineligible for the Olympics. Sabae Worlds is the only qualifier. Cuba did
not send their women's team to Sabae Worlds because they could not afford
it, according to the newswires. In an article distributed by the AP, she
says (before the start of competition), "I won't be going to the Olympics,
so this is my chance to show everybody that I should be going. This is my
chance to say that I belong in Atlanta."

Rachele

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Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 13:57:42 -0400
From: ***@AOL.COM
Subject: SEC's

Gymners,

Did anyone tape SEC's that were aired on April 13 (Prime sports channel)? If
so, can you please e-mail me. Thanks.

Gymnastically yours,

DAVID

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Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 15:05:13 -0400
From: ***@AOL.COM
Subject: Questions-all small, some silly

Hi--I have three small questions:

1. What's a korbut?

(That's the only legitimate question, so quit here if you're serious minded!)

2. Is it BAY-Zhu or BAAH-Zhu?

3. At the Atlanta Invitational, Mohini had on a No Pimentos shirt--today on
Budget on TV, we saw the same shirt on John R. What gives? Is this a
gymnastics thing?

As always, much thanks to the knowledgeable ones!

Meg

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Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 18:21:48 -0400
From: ***@EROLS.COM
Subject: US-France dual: bars score q, french v. us fx style

Just saw this meet (France-US dual meet) televised. Can anyone explain to me
how Jennie Thompson outscored Letitia Begue on bars? Was there a start value
problem with Begue's routine, or have I forgotten some errors? I expected
Jennie to be penalized more for major form deductions throughout (not just
the usual toes or slight knee bends, but big knee bends -- sometimes almost
90 degrees; and leg separations, etc.); and she lacked not only the polish,
but also some of the height and rhythm, of the others, so that even if she
had been clean she probably shouldn't have scored quite as well as any other
gymnast doing a clean routine). (Not that I would have scored her terribly,
but I would have been less surprised if Begue had outscored Thompson by .10
or .20, rather than the other way around -- i.e., with Begue in the 9.6-9.7
range, and Jennie in the 9.40-9.55 range. The other scores seemed fair,
though, and I certainly wasn't consulting a code or anything.).

And it was great to see the French floor routines finally! For those who
want to see professional gymnastics take off, I think this sort of style
could work much better as a model for a potential professional tour than the
costumes and props and waving to the crowd approach we saw in March (sorry,
blanking on meet name, but with Kristie Phillips, Bogi, Roethlisberger, et
al; and the meet actually took place earlier) -- genuine gymnastics, but with
great rewards for sophistication and innovation, rather than for perkiness or
theatricality that does not combine well with the athletics. Seeing the
Americans do their FXs after the French, I couldn't help but thinking (since
the French girls are about the same age -- from barely 15 to 16 -- well,
slightly older than Ingram and Thompson) that a great part of the problem is
that American choreography can be somewhat patronizing to the athletes (and
to the audience). It's as if no one expects more of the gymnasts than that
they be cute or dynamic -- or that the coaches don't think that creativity
and sophistication is an important part of the package, and so not worth
spending much effort developing. There's very little reward for taking a
risk to put together an innovative, sophisticated routine rather than a
by-the-book one. The best routines, like Amanda's, are polished and make you
want to root for the gymnast, as an engaging person -- but they are a great
deal less interesting and display far less "personality" than the French
routines (yes, Amanda's routine is not Alecia's, etc. (nor is Begue's like
Teza's or Furnon's, except in that all are sophisticated) but still, you
could imagine discussing life and art and so on with the French girls, and
discussing going shopping and how to study for a biology test with the
Americans!). It's not that I don't think there isn't more there there (or at
least potentially: it does develop the artistry and sophistication of the
individual to put together a more serious routine -- to really put yourself
out there on the floor), but that I think it's a mistake not to develop the
expression of it; and that I think treating athletes like very young girls,
and rewarding them as much for acting so young as for asserting their
individuality and acting like young women, tends to make everyone around them
treat them like kids rather than young women. (Before anyone jumps, I should
add that Amanda Borden has become a very poised and impressive interview
subject, and that I really liked the nature of the interaction between Mary
Lee Tracy and Borden and Phelps: definitely no sense of patronization there.
But the bear hugs from Bela and Nunno do strike me as the way you reward a
10-year-old, not a 17-year-old, and that this type of interaction tends to
encourage kids to continue to act like kids when they could be doing more.
Contrast the French coach who just looked so proud and impressed with her
gymnasts -- not just their tricks, but them). Anyway, back to relatively
juvenile styles: I certainly think cutesy routines play into the perception
of outsiders that gymnastics is a sport of little girls: the French, even
Elvire Teza with her tiny physique, are clearly young women, and as a result
it's a lot easier to identify with them, as opposed to saying "how cute!" and
wanting to give a gymnast a hug or a stuffed toy. If we encourage young
gymnasts to stretch artistically -- to act more grown up on the floor -- I
think they will feel more grown up, and less like talented kids, and the
audiences will likely respond in kind. Then you have what skating has: fans
who are older than 17 who still want to *be* like the stars, rather than just
being awed at their tricks.

It seems to me that the French team is picking up a lot of ideas from
rhythmic; perhaps that would help the US as well? Or copy the sort of
technique that Michelle Kwan's figure skating choreographer used with her, to
find music that suited her and enabled her to bring out her personality: she
played a bunch of different styles of music and just encouraged Michelle to
move, however she felt, to them, and see what she liked. And parents or
coaches could make sure gymnasts are exposed to rhythm gymnastics, skating,
ballet, modern dance, etc., to see what looks like it would be fun to play
with, and just to get ideas.

(Leotard choices also made the US girls look less sophisticated, i think --
bright and cheerful rather than designed to show off body line in a way that
enhances the movements on all events. The US leotards tend to make even the
older girls look as much like 12-year-olds as possible.)

But -- it was *great* to see Amanda and Jaycie in such good form, & to see
Jennie back throwing such impressive moves after all those injuries. Come
Atlanta, though, I may find myself rooting for the French because I like the
direction they're taking the sport (on floor and bars, that is).

--Ann (reeda@erols.com)

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Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 17:20:01 -0600
From: ***@ZEPHYR.MEDCHEM.PURDUE.EDU
Subject: BUDGET

I was really surprised CBS gave them 2 h and did all the events, even the
men!

Jeff

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Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 18:42:34 -0400
From: ***@EROLS.COM
Subject: USA Today has gymnastics pages

I discovered some good urls clearing out my sports bookmarks last night
(and looking for fresh Saturday worlds coverage):

1. USA today now has not only worlds results, under its Olympics page,
but also a men's artistic page and a women's artistic page. Mostly,
they borrow from the USAG press releases, but still, it's nice to see.
They also include results and info on events leading up to the olympics.
Urls are as follows:

http://www.usatoday.com/olympics/oly.htm [worlds coverage is here]
http://www.usatoday.com/olympics/oga/ogaw.htm
http://www.usatoday.com/olympics/oga/ogam.htm

2. CNN Olympics page, article (with 2 pics) on Shannon Miller:

http://www.cnn.com/wires/SPORTS/04-19/shannon.miller/index.html

--Ann

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Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 19:29:29 -0400
From: ***@UMICH.EDU
Subject: budget

I have to agree that the budget broadcast was well done! it was so nice
to see all gymnasts - even those that had mistakes...
the features were new and interesting.

the men did great! i was so happy to see CBS show all of their routines...
And the french women, wow! Such talent and great skills, really
original and a nice change.
I can't wait to see them in Atlanta

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

Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 20:48:20 -0700
From: ***@PRIS.BC.CA
Subject: Keith Russel

Hi all,

Does anybody have an email address for Keith Russel?? Grace can you help me
on this one. I am compilling a list of Gymnastics related email addressed,
and his is one which I don't have.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

TIA
Chad

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Date: Mon, 22 Apr 1996 02:10:59 -0400
From: ***@AOL.COM
Subject: Joan Ryan's Oprah response

Just a quick follow-up to the Oprah trash - Joan Ryan published her
impression of the show in her column in this Sunday's San Francisco
Chronicle. Titled "Losing Yourself On Oprah" the article mentions how excited
Ryan was to appear on the show and how nervous she was to make a good
impression. She points out that she never met Oprah before the show and
actually spent time in the green room with the "gymnasts, figure skaters, and
parents from her book... passed the time catching up on each other's lives
and drinking bottled water." Ryan also states that "the interviews jumped
like pinballs from one topic to the next. Because there were so many guests,
none of us told our stories with any depth or impact." I think it's obvious
that almost everyone involved in that show felt manipulated and used. I agree
wholeheartedly with Don Speare -the agenda was yellow journalism, a hit piece
meant to cripple our sport. Oprah is using her mock sincerity to ruin the
livelihoods of perfectly innocent people. If you have not yet written a
response to that show - please do so now. We must defend ourselves and I
think we should demand an opportunity to show what REAL gymnastics is.

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End of GYMN-L Digest - 21 Apr 1996 to 22 Apr 1996 - Special issue
*****************************************************************