Yussupova got hitched

Aliya Yussupova (KAZ) married Nurzhan Altaev, a high level lawyer who is working in the Kazakhstani government. She was presented from her car by Nursultan Nazarbayev, president of Kazakhstan.

Here's a Russian language news video showing the bride; groom; Yussupova's father, Maksut Yussupov; and Aleksandra Solovieva, who looks like a different person.

Yussupova, or rather Altaeva, also will not be retiring.

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Sources:
1. Today (http://www.today.kz/ru/news/sport/2009-12-09/16779)
2. KTK (http://www.ktk.kz/art/?id=6628)

WTF FIG?

If you look at the apparatus schedule for the next two cycles, you may notice that rope mysteriously disappears after 2010. That is because the rope will be taking rope out of the senior program... forever.

Gymnasts have been making rope routines progressively more interesting over the years (just take a look at Kanaeva), and the FIG now decides to remove it.

These are apparently the reasons why they're getting rid of it (with my rebuttals):

1. Repetition of many jumps risks to overload leg, knee and instep
(causing "minitrauma" for many gymnasts).

So jumps and leaps are so dangerous that the TC decided to make them a compulsory body group for ball and ribbon?

2. Rope as apparatus is often connected to children and, therefore,
this apparatus will only be left to categories for juniors.

Ribbons, rubber balls, and hoops are also associated with children.

3. In many cases, TV media are not interested in sending rope
finals, since the rope is not easily visible for the viewers on the TV
screen.

This can be a problem for group routines for all apparatus, but with advancements in the clarity of television broadcasts, this isn't really a problem anymore.

I'll end this post with a lovely rope routine from Kanaeva:

The things I miss about Rhythmic Gymnastics

Inpired by The 10 Things I miss about Gymnastics from Gymnastics Coaching.

I miss:
1. back when the perfect score was realistically achievable.
2. when being super-ultra flexible didn't matter as much.
3. when gymnasts didn't have to put so many jetes with backbends or rings into their rope routines (i.e. pre-2009)
4. When you judges actually took execution deductions appropriately.
5. When creativity was what mattered the most, more than trying to have the highest D and A/D1 and D2 scores.

Are there any things you miss about RG?

Azerbaijan Begins Construction of a new Gymnastics Complex

The FIG released this press release:

BAKU (AZE) - LAUSANNE (SUI) FIG Office, September 5, 2009: The groundbreaking ceremony for a new Gymnastics Complex was held in Baku on August 26. President Ilham Aliyev and his spouse, President of the Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation Ms Mehriban Aliyeva, took part in the ceremony.
Representatives of the sports community and contractors attending the ceremony warmly welcomed President Ilham Aliyev and Ms Mehriban Aliyeva, who was given a generous bouquet of flowers.
President Ilham Aliyev had an opportunity to become acquainted with the project; a vast sports complex will be built, and improvement and planting works will be carried out on an area of 3.5 hectares. Training and sports halls, offices, cloakrooms, a cafe, restaurant, workshop and storehouses will be located within a three story complex on a 15 thousand square metre lot. The complex will be equipped with telecommunication and management systems. There will also be a boiler-room, a pump-house and other ancillary facilities and buildings, underground parking for 500 cars and surface parking for 100. Six thousand viewers will be able to watch the sporting events held at the complex.
All the conditions necessary for both training and national and international competitions will be provided at this exclusive complex. The venue should be operational as early as 2011.
Ms Mehriban Aliyeva placed a time capsule into the foundation and filled it with liquid concrete, ceremoniously marking the launch for construction, after which Head of State Ilham Aliyev was asked to do the same.
After the ceremony, President Ilham Aliyev and Ms Mehriban Aliyeva met with a group of gymnasts who expressed their gratitude to the delegation head and first lady for building such a splendid complex. President Ilham Aliyev and Ms Mehriban Aliyeva had their photos taken with the gymnasts.
Because of Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation’s commitment to this discipline, the sport has seen substantial success in Azerbaijan. The European and World Championships in Rhythmic Gymnastics were held in the country, while Azerbaijani gymnasts represented their homeland with pride at the Olympic Games. At present, influential international gymnastics organisations have show interest in Azerbaijan as a direct result of the attention and concern so outwardly evidenced in the dedication of Federation President Mehriban Aliyeva.
President Ilham Aliyev once again congratulated those attending the ceremony, offered insight into the construction of the complex and wished the tradesmen successes in their work. AzerTAc

Sources:
1. FIG

Retirement Report: Anna Bessonova

The Ukranian press is reporting that Anna Bessonova, 2007 world rhythmic AA champion, will retire after the 2009 World Championships. This is Anna Bessonova's 10th year as a senior gymnast.

Even though my enthusiasm waned for her this year, I'm still kind of sad about this.

Now a tribute to Bessonova:

Li Ya Suing a Restaurant for millions

Intl Gymnast is reporting that Chinese gymnast Li Ya, who competed in the 2004 Olympics and won the team gold medal at the 2006 World Championships, is suing a restaurant for almost $4 million (USD):

2004 Chinese Olympian Li Ya is suing a Beijing restaurant for millions after an accident left her severely burned, Chinese media reported Tuesday.

The 21-year-old Li filed suit this week against the restaurant, asking for 26 million yuan ($3.8 million) in damages after a waiter dropped a pot of of soup on her June 29, scalding her legs and right side.

"Over almost two months, the wound basically healed, but the scar is very obvious — I have no way of wearing shorts," Li said. "The injury not only affected my life, but also endangered my financial prospects. Therefore I request compensation from the restaurant for medical costs, lost income and mental anguish totaling 26 million yuan."

Now a student at Beijing University of Physical Education, Li is also pursuing a career in performing arts.

"During the recuperation I had to turn down tapings of two shows for CCTV," she said. "Next month I will be going abroad to perform in a musical, but the scars will definitely affect the performance."

Sources:
1. Intl Gymnast Magazine

Nastia's New Floor Routine

The blogger at Aunt Joycie's Ice Cream Stand says, after doing some research, that he knows what music will be used for one of the most anticipated routines of the year. The music will be from the Opera "Carmin".

Nastia earlier stated that the music selection was commonly used in figure skating. I was hoping that she would use "Young Prince and Princess (from Scheherazade)" by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov.

Here are some of the routines that she'll want to exceed in greatness (listed by Aunt Joycie's):




I certainly think she can do better jobs than them. She won't have to put in much effort to exceed this routine (although it's not completely Kabaeva's fault):


Sources:
Aunt Joycie's Ice Cream Stand