Author Archives: Daniel Rothwell

Chinese Women Confident After Podium Training

After the first day of podium training at the Olympic Games, Team China had the opportunity to talk to the press for quick thoughts following training: Tang Xijing: I basically the same feeling as training at home, here [the vault] is just a little firmer. At home no matter how many times I did thisContinue reading “Chinese Women Confident After Podium Training”

Veteran Fan Yilin Ready for A Very Different Olympic Experience

Fan Yilin first turned heads when she- along with Madison Kocian, Daria Spiridonova, and Viktoria Komova- became world champion on uneven bars back in 2015. Her brilliance on uneven bars and her stable beam work set her up perfectly for the 2016 Rio squad. Five years and another World title later, she heads the 2021Continue reading “Veteran Fan Yilin Ready for A Very Different Olympic Experience”

Li Shijia Early July Knee Injury Update

After suffering a knee injury on vault at the first Olympic Trials selection camp, Li Shijia returned to Sichuan, her home province, for recovery. Upon arrival she was diagnosed with an acute bone injury. Although not too serious, it has caused her to withdraw from Olympic contention. According to the video, Li Shijia was addedContinue reading “Li Shijia Early July Knee Injury Update”

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Games Guide: Men’s Floor

Death-defying elements like the triple-back tucked (Liukin), triple-back piked (Nagornyy), and triple-twisting double layout (Shirai III) give you a taste of what kind of incredible elements we’ll see for the upcoming Olympic Games. The Tokyo Men’s floor final will be a culmination of the hardest elements in gymnastics all combined into one competition loaded withContinue reading “Games Guide: Men’s Floor”

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Wang Hongwei: “Zhang Boheng Could be Substituted In”

Despite winning the all around at China’s final Olympic Selection Camp, the controversial decision was announced last week to leave Zhang Boheng off the Olympic team. Wang Hongwei, the head of the men’s program, justified the decision to the press: “The coaches all agreed the top three athletes of the men’s program (Xiao Ruoteng, SunContinue reading “Wang Hongwei: “Zhang Boheng Could be Substituted In””

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Amplifying AAPI Stories: Anna Glenn

During the live broadcast of the 2017 U.S. Classic, Morgan Hurd had just dismounted beam. The NBC commentators were gushing over Hurd’s talent and gymnastics potential when they said one line that made me spit out my water: “I have a feeling if China could take her [Hurd] back they would take her back inContinue reading “Amplifying AAPI Stories: Anna Glenn”

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Zhang Jin Tops All Around at Second Round of Chinese Olympic Trials

In the ongoing process of selecting the athletes who will represent China at the Tokyo Olympic Games, news came out of Shanghai that Zhang Jin, Tang Xijing, and Lu Yufei finished top three in the all around respectively. Zhang Jin finished in the top spot with a 56.399, Tang Xijing second with a 56.365, andContinue reading “Zhang Jin Tops All Around at Second Round of Chinese Olympic Trials”

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The Mai Stans Stay Winning: 2021 Women’s NHK Cup Recap

With Olympic spots on the line and only a few tenths separating who would get an automatic birth to the games, the stakes at this meet were extremely high. In conjunction with the All Japan Championships earlier last month, the standings from the NHK Cup-All Japan Championships saga was used to decide who Japan wouldContinue reading “The Mai Stans Stay Winning: 2021 Women’s NHK Cup Recap”