International Gymnast - October 2010

Uchimura’s to Lose EVEN in a perfect worlds, Japan’s Kohei Uchimura would probably have little trouble defending his all-around title. But the Rotterdam field will be diluted by the absence of the silver and bronze medalists from 2009. Runner-up Daniel Keatings of Great Britain is rehabbing the torn ACL he sustained after the Europeans, and bronze medalist Yuri Ryazanov died in a car crash after returning to his native Russia last October.

Fabian Hambüchen (Germany)

In the Mix
DEFENDING CHAMPION
KOHEI UCHIMURA/JPN
• Fabian Hambüchen/GER
(2007 silver, injured in ’09)
• Feng Zhe/CHN (2010
Chinese champion)
• Koji Yamamuro/JPN (2010
Japan Cup silver)
• Maxim Devyatovsky/RUS
(5th AA at 2009 worlds)
• Jonathan Horton/USA (4th
AA at 2007 worlds)

don) heals in time. (He missed the 2009 worlds with a sprained ankle.) The 2007 world silver medalist told IG he’s been concentrating on improving his overall execution. “I’m working hard on my E-score and also trying to improve my D-score, but it’s really tough to find the right balance,” he said.

WORLD PREVIEW

Possessing beautiful form and
technique already, Uchimura, 21,
also is looking for more horse-
power in Rotterdam. “I do
plan to upgrade my D-
score on floor exer-
cise, pommel horse
and rings,” he told
IG.

Should Uchimura show
up with harder routines along with
the same silky execution, the gold is
his. “I don’t think I could beat him
right now, but I think I can be sec-
ond-best in the world,” says U.S.
champion Jonathan Horton.
“That’s what I want.”
And that’s really all anyone can
hope for against Uchimura, who
could become the next in a long
line of Japanese legends.

All-Around

A Second Chance?

AFTER American Rebecca Bross coughed up a huge lead with her final tumbling pass on floor, she handed the 2009 all-around title to teammate Bridget Sloan, a worthy contender in her own right. But on that day in London, Bross had the goods over Sloan and everyone else, if not the good fortune to finish the job.

Life rarely offers a second chance, and for someone like Bross, 17, gymnastics is life. Likewise, Sloan, 18, cannot rely on such serendipitous circumstances to wear the gold again.

But the most pertinent question
now could be, Who will prevent
Difficulty can help, and Aus-
tralia’s Lauren Mitchell, fourth in
2009, was second only to Bross in
London in total D-score: 23. 8 to

23. 6. But post-worlds injuries have hampered Mitchell’s quest to add content to her routines, particularly on her weak event, bars.

Others are dealing with injuries or weak events too. Romania’s Ana Porgras, sidelined with a leg fracture in the spring, might not be 100 percent in Rotterdam, and Beijing bronze medalist Yang Yilin has been slowed by a back injury. 2009 bronze medalist Koko Tsurumi needs a more difficult vault to boost her all-around total.

Russia still lacks a consistent all-arounder and dependable team leader. Can it be Aliya Mustafina, who won the Russian Cup in August, or will Japan Cup champ Ksenia Afanasyeva step forward and challenge for a medal? And are the best all-around days behind 2009 European queen Ksenia Semyonova?