Recently announced:
Pan American Gymnastics Union Individual Event Championships, Rosario, Argentina, Nov. 19-23
Rebecca Bross of Plano, Texas/WOGA
Olivia Courtney of Orlando, Fla./Orlando Metro
Corrie Lothrop of Danvers, Mass./Hill’s Gymnastics
Samantha Shapiro of Los Angles,CA/All Olympia
I'm loving that team right there, especially Lothrop and Shapiro. Likely Bross will be competing all but vault, Lothrop bars and FX (and I'm hoping she's developing a second vault because she could be the vault specialist of the next quad), and Shapiro bars and beam. I'm not too familiar with Courtney's gymnastics to make any guesstimations on what she'll be competing.
International Artistic Gymnastics Challenge, Woluwe Saint-Lambert, Belgium, Dec. 13
Amanda Jetter of Milford, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy
Olivia Courtney of Orlando, Fla./Orlando Metro
Corrie Lothrop of Danvers, Mass./Hill’s Gymnastics
Funny how that Lothrop gets Olympic alternate before we really see her get any other assignments. I don't recall seeing her elsewhere as junior. Good on her either way. Obviously she and Courtney are showing something that Marta is liking to get these two assignments.
Jetter is a junior that will be going senior next year, so this may be good preparation for her. Her gym-mate Cassie Whitcomb was originally slated to go, but isn't now for reasons unknown to me.
Also Notable:
Ivana Hong (who has gone to the media about her complaints with her coach) was off the National Team roster for a short while, but is now back on there under "Independent." Still no definite word as to where she will end up for her 2012 bid. Chow's and WOGA are the loudest rumors, though. I still say AOGC is the best choice.
How many gymnasts (past and present) can you fathom doing this, so many years after an injury-forced retirement? With such a look on their face throughout?
Or participate in a rather original dance routine to music from the best movie EVER Amelie?
According to Dutchfan on The All-Around Forum, the Dutch federation is forcing the closure of all but two gyms in the Netherlands, and these two particular gyms are known for having weaker gymnasts. This forces gymnasts two choices, go to these substandard gyms or retire. If I read things correctly, the members of the 2008 European Junior bronze-winning team will likely retire. Sanne Weavers is coached by her parents and will no longer be allowed to do so (gymnasts can't bring their personal coaches). Yuri van Gelder, known for his brilliant rings work, is no longer being allowed to concentrate mostly on rings.
The main reason behind this seems to be that the Dutch Olympic Committee has decided, for some reason, to stop funding and that's where the gyms get their money from. Athletes and coaches are searching for new sponsors to keep the gyms open.
What I don't understand is why the two weaker gyms are being allowed to stay open and everybody else is being shut down? A little counter-productive, if you ask me.
