APF Photo Edit Challenge Results!

The results are in for the first Arabian Punch Front Photo Edit Challenge! Thank you all for the submissions. I decided to make another division so only the Top 2 pics in each division are represented here. Click the photos to enlarge.

Please do not steal the photos. If you put them on tumblr, twitter, etc. please make sure to give credit to the person who made it. The link is above the photo.

Olympic Moments: In Case You Missed It

Here are youtube videos of the US coverage from the Olympics (so no guarantee it will be available much longer). These are a few key videos below: interview after qualifications with Aly, Gabby, and Jordyn, Uchimura's inquiry, and the "Home" fluff. There are many more videos on Gabriel McDonough's channel. There is also a bonus video that someone took of USA waiting for Aly's score and Aly's reaction afterwards - she goes and congratulates the Russias.

Aly, Gabby, and Jordyn are interviewed by Andrea Joyce and Bela Karolyi discusses the 2-per country rule with Bob Costas.



Men's Team Final inquiry of Kohei Uchimura. It starts with Kristian Thomas' floor routine, GBR realizing they're in 2nd, and Ukraine tentatively waiting as Japan protests Uchimura's score.

Mexico Gala: One Full Routine and Favorites

The Gala de Estrellas Mexico 2012 has wrapped up and the athletes are returning home. Ciciginastica has made a playlist with many of the routines. You can check out a live tweet of the gala @ArabianPF_blog. Overall, the athletes look to be in great condition. Ana Lago, Elsa Garcia, and Marisela Cantu of Mexico all looked to be in great form. Ana and Elsa even did a few dances together and showed off their lovely lines. As much as we enjoy athletes on the beam rather than dancing around it, Elsa had lovely around-the-beam choreo for her beam routine. Aliya Garayeva, a rhythmic gymnast from Azerbijan, had a lovely ring jump at the start of her routine. The height she got was astonishing.

Maria Paula Vargas of Spain was the only one to do a full routine. Here is her floor exercise - 4 tumbling passes, and she seemed to have full dance requirements too. I really enjoyed it. She was also the only athlete to vault doing a Yurchenko timer and full-twisting Yurchenko. Vaults here.
Watch FX here:


Marian Dragulescu proved to be entertaining with this floor exercise. The music included We Will Rock You, Michael Jackson's Beat It and, of course, Gangnam Style!
Watch here:


Links to Rebecca Bross and Catalina Ponor below.

Montage Monday: Rio 2016 Candidates

This week's Montage Monday features the future of Chinese, French, and American gymnastics. Take a look at the current juniors and those who are eligible for Rio 2016 in those 3 countries.


This video has gone around featuring Chinese contenders for Rio 2016 by HuangQiushuangFan. I think my absolute favorite from this video is Huang Huidan and Zeng Siqi is growing on me. The other athletes featured are Shang Chunsong, Tan Jiaxin, Lou Nina, and Yi Liting. I'm curious to see who will still be around from the 2012 team for China in 2016. Both Sui Lu and Huang Qiushuang just missed on making the 2008 team so they will be around 24 years old come 2016 as will Deng Linlin. Yao Jinnan will likely want to redeem herself and He Kexin is retiring within the next year. China may have an all new squad come 2016 and these athletes seem to be the ones that China is focusing on developing.
Watch here or below:

Gymnastics Coverage - It Just Ain't Fair

I was recently thinking how it's unfair that gymnastics gets so little coverage throughout the year. Here in the USA, there are very few competitions that are televised. I'm forever grateful that so many competitions now offer live streaming yet it's still unfortunate that gymnastics gets so little TV time except for the Olympics. I take a moment to compare the coverage of gymnastics, both elite and college, with that of basketball and (American) football. It just ain't fair!

Case 1
College basketball player goes pro: televised production on ESPN in prime time of the player's name being announced, his family's reaction, him taking a picture with the manager of the team and some of his new gear.


Gymnast goes pro: all we get is a tweet

Montage Monday

There are 3 montages in this week's Montage Monday. Vika & Aliya, Andreea Raducan, and one of Rebecca Bross, Sarah Finnegan, Sabrina Vega, and Elizabeth Price, and the dynamic between the gymnast and the coaches.

This is a fabulous edit by Chris of the friendship between Russia's Viktoria Komova and Aliya Mustafina. He tried a few different effects and I really liked how it turned out. Viktoria's sheep jump looks like it's in an orb that protects all things fragile and beautiful. Aliya has sparks firing from her hands, which goes well with the drama that she normally creates with her performances. Chris also uses a cartoon-esque effect which I really like. Vika has shared the video on her VK :) Congrats Chris!


Viktoria Komova, Aliya Mustafina - BY YOUR SIDE from CSaccullo on Vimeo.

Interview with Amanda Jetter

Copyright USA Gymnastics

Amanda Jetter first qualified to elite in 2008 and made her first Junior National Team in 2009. In 2010, her first year as a senior, she finished 2nd at the US Classic placing ahead of athletes like Aly Raisman and Mackenzie Caquatto. In 2011, Amanda attended the City of Jesolo Trophy in Italy where she helped USA earn gold but unfortunately injured her ankle on vault. Due to the injury, she was only able to compete bars and beam at the 2011 US National Championships but was able to place 5th on bars.

In 2012, Amanda attended the US Classic where she placed 10th in the all-around and 8th on floor exercise. She qualified to the 2012 US National Championships and competed in the all-around placing 14th in what was likely her last elite meet. After that competition, Amanda announced her retirement from elite gymnastics and her excitement for a future at the University of Alabama.

Throughout the years, Amanda has shown amazing difficulty. She opens her floor exercise with a very high and tightly tucked double Arabian and is able to vault a 1.5 Twisting Yurchenko. On bars, she has a straddled Jaeger, Ricna (stalder+Tkatchev), and a double front dismount. Jetter's beam is full of difficulty with a standing full, standing Arabian (yes, she does BOTH! 2011 Jesolo BB), and a double Arabian/Patterson dismount. She will definitely be an asset to Alabama in the years to come. 

Montage Monday: Viktoria Komova

This week's Montage Monday features Viktoria Komova. There were so many great montages so I could only embed a few. Hope you enjoy!

Viktoria Komova - Only Human
Song: Thriving Ivory - Flowers for a Ghost
"Who will bring me flowers when it's over?" This montage was made by SuperGymmie and opens with her crying for both of her all around performances at 2011 Worlds and 2012 Olympics but she is only human, as the title states. Rather than focusing on her errors, it goes on to highlight why she's such an amazing gymnast and that she's a beautiful gymnast on all events which is rare to see these days. This montage made me realize how much she's grown and matured since 2011 Worlds and all we can hope is that she continues to do so and that, someday, the odds may be in her favor.
Watch here or below:


Viktoria Komova ~ Proud
Song: Instrumental + Stop Crying Your Heart Out by Oasis
This montage is great. It feels like there are 2 parts to it with the instrumental at the beginning for Olympic qualifications and team final and the Oasis song for the all around, and Vika's event finals - uneven bars and balance beam - starting at 2:20. Unfortunately, Viktoria did not have the Olympics she was hoping for and this song is very well suited to the situation. 'Cause all of the stars have faded away, Just try not to worry, you'll see them some day." She is already training and has put the Olympics behind her. Hopefully, we see a healthy and confident Viktoria for 2013 Worlds.
Watch here or below: