Fangymnastics - Romanian gymnastics blog

Aliya Mustafina is definitely the gymnast to watch in Moscow. The star of the last Olympic cycle, Aliya, is going to start a new journey, aiming the Rio Games, right on home soil in Russia. Coming after the Olympic Games is not an easy job, not even for Mustafina who seemed to struggle a little bit during the spring competitions, but we all know she is a fighter and a strong competitor. Today she may struggle or have a bad day, but tomorrow she can shine like nothing has happened. Europeans haven’t been so successful or lucky for Mustafina until now. Yes, she won some medals but no individual titles yet. Also in 2011 she faced a difficult moment right at the beginning of the competition when she torn her ACL on vault. So it will be really interesting to see how things will turn around for her this time.

All Around and Uneven Bars seem to be the events where she can get some medals, but we shouldn’t take beam out of discussion. Her BB routine is one of the highlights of the year because of those unique and interesting combinations (eg: switch half + Mostepanova + double turn). Her problems come on floor where she struggles big time. I really don’t think she is ready on this event. She looks out of shape, out of breathe and in pain. Well, this pain can be the key element of her performances. We don’t know how serious it is, but as I said before she is a fighter and very ambitious, so I’m sure she can manage it quite ok, as long as her health condition is not in danger…hopefully!

STRENGHTS: a great competitor, her UB routine can weight a lot in the AA competition. Also she is a strong personality which can give her an advantage in front of others. AA is her favourite event and she always gives 100% when this title is at stake.

WEAKNESSES: inconsistent on beam, not in shape on floor.

OPPORTUNITIES: the fact that the competition is being held in Russia, this could give her the energy to fulfil her goals even though she is not in shape.

THREATS: the pain in her leg/knee, this could really affect her performances. Also she will face some real competition from the Romanian Larisa Iordache and also from her fellow Russian -Anastasia Grishina.

And now the question….is Mustafina going to rule the competition once again?

Photo: Inside Gymnastics

- Mihai

Nici cea de-a doua zi a calificarilor de la Cottbus nu a fost mai buna pentru gimnastii nostri, ei nereusind sa se claseze in primii 8 la sarituri, paralele sau bara fixa. Astazi doar Cristian Bataga si Vlad Cotuna au concurat, fiecare la cate doua aparate, iar rezultatele obtinute sunt urmatoarele:

Cristian Bataga:

• sarituri - 13.487 (locul 19);
• paralele - 14.075 (locul 16);

Vlad Cotuna:

• paralele - 14.150 (locul 14);
• bara fixa - 14.025 (locul 12);

Ingrijoraor nu este faptul ca nu au reusit sa se califice in finale pentru ca nivelul concursului a fost foarte ridicat, iar in conditiile acestea nu exista o certitudine in ceea ce priveste rezultatul final. Insa nu e bine ca gimnastii nostri nu au reusit sa gaseasca un echilibru intre dificultate si executie. Au gresit atat exercitiile cu o dificultate mai mica, iar atunci cand s-au prezentat cu exercitii cu dificultate competitiva (exemplul lui Ursache la cal) au avut de asemenea probleme. Altfel spus, nu a mers nicio strategie…cu toate ca un exercitiu de o dificultate mai mica ar trebui executat fara greseala pentru ca altfel perspectivele de a creste in dificultate (dar pastrand nivelul executiei) nu sunt tocmai optimiste. Dar trebuie sa ramanem pozitivi si sa speram ca lucrurile se vor imbunatati. Tare in continuare, baieti!

Cupa Mondiala de la Cottbus este una dintre cele mai importante competitii ale primaverii dinaintea Campionatelor Europene. Romania este reprezentata doar in competitia masculina de catre Cristian Bataga, Vlad Cotuna, Andrei Ursache si Ovidiu Buidoso. Din pacate, la finalul primei zile de concurs (dupa trei aparate), gimnastii nostri nu au reusit sa se califice in nicio finala, dar si maine este o zi si sa speram ca va fi mult mai bine.

Rezultatele gimnastilor nostri in prima zi a calificarilor

Cristian Bataga:

• sol - 13.800 (locul 18);
• inele - 14.575 (locul 12);

Andrei Ursache:

• cal cu manere - 14.125 (locul 10);

Ovidiu Buidoso:

• cal cu manere - 12.025 (locul 32);

Vlad Cotuna:

• sol - 12.350 (locul 41);

Doua medalii de aur si un bronz. Acestea sunt medaliile cu care Andreea Munteanu se intoarce de la Gymnix 2013. Ziua de ieri, dedicata finalelor pe aparate, a fost una de exceptie pentru Andreea, care a impresionat prin modul in care s-a prezentat la fiecare aparat. Exercitiile dificile si sigure au fost dublate de o parte artistica desavarsita, care a pus-o in valoare si mai bine.

Andreea a inceput concursul la sarituri. Se stia dinainte ca favorita este canadianca Olsen si asta deoarece avea avantajul dificultatii, prima saritura fiind un Yurchenko cu doua suruburi (5.80 dificultate). Cu toate astea mai erau doua locuri pe podium, iar Andreea nu si-a ratat sansa. Un Yurchenko cu un surubub (5.0) si o ronda-flic salt inapoi intins (4.40) au fost cele doua sarituri care i-au adus medalia de bronz. Un rezultat foarte bun, care speram sa-i deschida apetitul si pentru alte medalii la acest aparat!

[Read the rest of this entry...]

Cu toate ca Gymnix este un concurs la care participa si gimnaste senioare, pot spune fara indoiala ca junioarele au tinut capul de afis. In ultimele zile toata lumea a vorbit de fetele noastre, de rusoaica Bondareva sau de noua speranta a Canadei - Olsen. Concursul de aseara nu a dezamagit si am avut parte de o gimnastica de calitate din partea tuturor participantelor.

Dupa cum bine stiti, echipa Romaniei nu a ajuns in Canada in formula completa, fapt ce a ingreunat putin sarcina fetelor noastre. Sistemul de concurs a fost 4-3. Asta inseamna ca in totalul echipei intra doar cele mai bune 3 note, cea mai mica, a patra, fiind exclusa. Noi nu ne-am putut bucura de acest, sa-i spunem, avantaj pentru ca am avut doar 3 gimnaste. Cu toate astea Andreea, Paula si Laura s-au descurcat foarte bine!

[Read the rest of this entry...]

De foarte multe ori am spus ca gimnastica este un sport al oamenilor sufletisti si cu adevarat pasionati de activitatea pe care o desfasoara. Una dintre pozele primite de la Tess mi-a dovedit acest lucru inca o data. Zambetul acestor oameni, stralucirea din ochi si caldura sufleteasca pe care o degaja te fac sa-i admiri din ce in ce mai mult. Poate celelalte mari puteri din gimnastica mondiala sunt peste noi la momentul actual, dar pot sa bag mana in foc ca nimeni nu ne egaleaza cand vine vorba de unitatea grupului. Suntem toti pentru unul si unul pentru toti!

Multa bafta pentru astazi, Andreea, Paula si Laura! Succes si antrenorilor vostri, Cristi si Adela!

Continuam seria de articole despre Gymnix cu cateva filmulete de la antrenamentul oficial:

Andreea Munteanu la sarituri:

Andreea Munteanu la barna:

Laura Jurca la barna:

Laura Jurca la sarituri:

Paula Tudorache la barna:

Paula Tudorache la sarituri:

Andreea Munteanu, Paula Tudorache si Laura Jurca, insotite de antrenorii Cristi Moldovan si Adela Popa, sunt gimnastele care ne vor reprezenta in acest weekend la concursul international Gymnix. Fangymnastics are in Canada un reprezentant in persoana bunei noastre prietene, Tess, care ne va tine la curent cu ceea ce fac fetele noastre.

(Paula Tudorache, Andreea Munteanu si Laura Jurca
alaturi de antrenorii Cristi Moldovan si Adela Popa)

Poate va intrebati de ce concureaza doar trei fete, desi initial au fost anuntate patru. Din pacate, Andreea Iridon nu a mai putut face deplasarea din cauza unor probleme cu viza pentru Canada. Tess ne-a transmis urmatoarele: “Am ajuns in Montreal pentru Gymnix si am intrat direct la antrenamentul pe podium. Vazandu-i pe Cristi Moldovan si Adela Popa pe langa barna, m-am apropiat si m-am apucat de treaba. Una, doua, trei…o data. 1, 2, 3 de doua ori. Dar unde e a patra? Ma gandesc ca doar 3 fete vor concura la fiecare aparat si….dar nu se poate. Sa le privesc mai bine pe fete: Laura Jurca e, Andreea Munteanu e, Paula Tudorache de asemenea. Unde e Andreea Iridon??? Apoi am aflat. Andreea Iridon nu a primit viza. Este sanatoasa, cu antrenamentele in grafic, in forma si gata de concurs….. dar fara viza!”

In absenta Andreei, celelalte trei fete vor trebui sa participe la toate cele patru aparate. In concursul pe echipe vor incepe la paralele, in aceeasi rotatie cu gimnastele din Franta, in timp ce rusoaicele si canadiencele vor incepe cu solul, iar japonezele vor debuta la sarituri. Concursul de calificare si cel pe echipe va avea loc sambata, iar ziua de duminica va fi rezervata finalelor pe aparate.

Vom reveni cu detalii. Pe pagina noastra de Facebook am inceput sa incercam si cateva poze!

Andreea Raducan, Romania’s gymnastics star and role model, launches in Las Vegas “The Other Side of the Medal” - story of one of the most disputed controversies in gymnastics history.

13 years ago, during the Sydney Olympic Games, the whole world was debating about one of the biggest controversies in gymnastics history. Andreea Raducan, the multiple World and Olympic Champion, was stripped of her AA Olympic gold medal after testing positive for pseudoephedrine, a substance that she had been given in a cold medicine, provided by the team doctor.

Visibly tired and bewildered after four sleepless nights and barely able to see over her microphone, a wonderful child had to confront the world’s media am proclaim her innocence.

“My whole life I dreamed of coming to the Olympics and winning a medal. I did that. Then I lost that medal, but in my soul I know it was mine.” said the little girl weighing around 80 lbs and standing just 4ft 11ins, winning over the world’s sympathy.

That was the moment that changed us all and wrote a remarkable chapter in Olympic history. A girl that dedicated her life to her passion, a girl that won it all and lost it, but carried on learning and teaching the lesson that she learned: “never defeated, always passionate!“

“Never stop just because you feel defeated. If 90 seconds, the time of an Olympic exercise, has the power to give you worldwide success, only a certain amount of time will cure the disappointment of the loss and bring back the excitement and memories of the journey.” These were the words that motivated and help Andreea through one of the most incredible moments in the history of the Olympic Games: the dream of an extraordinary Olympic Champion shattered by a common cold remedy.

Today, the Sydney Gold Champion understands the meaning of her past and launches “The Other Side of the Medal“, the true story of her Olympic experience, her loss and real success.

If you are in Las Vegas, you can meet Andreea and hear more about her amazing story and vision. Join her on January 19th at 12pm at South Point Hotel (Las Vegas).

Photo source: Andreea Raducan’s official Facebook page

Larisa Iordache @ 2012 American Cup

According to the Romanian Gymnastics Federation, Larisa Iordache will be competing at the 2013 American Cup. The official roster published few days ago raised some doubts on the gymternet regarding Larisa’s chances of competing in Worcester, but now I think it’s pretty clear she will be there (unless something happens).

Raluca Haidu, the 2012 European Champion with the Romanian team, is not a member of the National team anymore. A local newspaper from Deva, Mesagerul Hunedorean, revealed that she left the team and went back to Deva.

From the same article we found out the first results of the Selection Camp from Izvorani. It looks like Andreea Munteanu (1998), Stefania Stanila (1997), Ana Maria Ocolisan (1997), Andreea Iridon (1999), Asiana Peng (2000) and Madalina Blendea (1999) are the ones who will move to Izvorani in order to train with the Senior Team. But the camp will last till the end of the month, even though it was supposed to end yesterday, so things are not decided yet.