The Russian MAG and WAG teams take their preparation for World Championships in Nanning one step further this week, as key players compete in the annual Russia Cup in Penza. There will be team, all around and event finals. The WAG team Last year the gymnasts were rather depleted and suffering the effects of injury; this year the national squad is still short of some of its top members, but has greater diversity and experience up and coming into the ranks, so it will be an interesting time. Last year saw St Petersburg gymnast and fan favourite Tatiana Nabiyeva lead the all around, ahead of Alla Sosnitskaya, Anna Pavlova, Anna Rodionova, Ekaterina Kramarenko and Polina Fyodorova. With the individual-only World Championships up coming in Antwerp, I remember writing that Russia might well decide to send a team of only three gymnasts, such was the paucity of available talent. The final reckoning saw Russia fare a little better than this, although performance ...
The end of this sport if the judges cannot differentiate those routines!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad for Komova, she is so exceptional when she hits!
But I prefer Spiridonova's routine. I think the composition is better.
Both were clearly ahead of Kocian.
I am American. I agree with this statement. The UB judges were lazy. How can we get the judges to utilize the entire E-score range of 1-10? They seem to believe that a very bad routine is a 7, and that a good routine is a 9.
DeleteThe EF is about crowning the best of the best. It's not about giving participation medals to everyone who doesn't fall.
When I saw it live it appeared to me that Komova, Spiridnova and Kocian's routines were on the same level. However after re-watching it several times i think Kocian and Spiridnova had more little errors than Komova. Kocian's in-bar stalders don't go as deep as Komova's and her legs come slightly apart towards the end of her full twisting double back dismount.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand I felt that Shang Chungsong was heavily underscored. Her rountine appeared to be fairly clean yet she only received an execution score 2 tenths higher than Sophie Scheder who practically fell on her dismount
Shang's routine was very clean except for the dead hangs.
DeleteYou cannot deduct for lack of "deepness" of inbar stalders. As long as the feet clear the bar it's fine, but other than you're talking about the aesthetic of the skill which the judges do not deduct for.
Deletehave u looked the code of points? The picture clearly demonstrates a proper inbar stalder...Kocian was closer to toe on.
DeleteI will never forget Komova's reaction after she saw the score board, it's something like "8.766 really? what should I have done more than that to get 9.0 or 9.1?" and if I remember correctly Aliya said the same thing last year!! while the judges have no problem giving Douglas 8.933 in the Team Final and Biles 8.800 in AA Final, what an irony ...
ReplyDeleteJohn
John
John, perhaps you are new to gymnastics, it is not uncommon for EF to differ from AA of TF in what the judges are willing to give. But I agree that Komova should have won outright. Daria was short on all her handstands and had a fugly dismount, Fan has to muscle her handstands and pike the DLO and Kocian has funky foot form and slight leg sep on transfers.
DeleteMimi
No I'm not new to gymnastics, and I compare the judges' scoring pattern to a different routines which is obviously lower than what Komova and Spiridonova presented...
DeleteJohn
For Kocian to get the same execution score as Komova is the greatest joke
ReplyDeleteNow that worlds has ended and I can relax. After that disappointing team final, the event finals were much better. Gold on vault, bars, and silver on floor; not bad at all. Too bad for Seda on beam.
ReplyDeleteVika should have given her spot to Kharenkova since she has no EF. I wonder if the outcome would have been better or possibly a medal if she hits.
ReplyDeleteQueen E.,
ReplyDeleteAre you going to do an article about Afan winning a silver medal on floor after having a kidney infection? Also will you do an article on Maria Bondareva having to retire.
As always I enjoy your blog. Please keep up the good work!