Warm-up
Edited by Dwight Normile
10 Years Ago in IG
FOTO FUN
THOUGH she placed a close sec- ond at the American Cup,
Courtney Kupets made the April
2002 cover. (Some say she should
have won.) And after rupturing an
Achilles’ tendon prior to the 2003
worlds, Kupets went on
a competitive tear. She
tied for first at the
2004 U.S. champi-
onships and won the
Olympic trials. After
snapping her other
Achilles’ tendon, she
went on to become
the best collegiate
gymnast ever, representing Georgia.
The U.S. Men’s Winter Cup
Challenge saw an upset, with Todd
Thornton defeating Paul Hamm, the
latter going on to win the 2003
worlds and ’04 Olympics.
The issue also included an inter-
esting Guest Opinion by Betsy
Cooper, “Gymnastics from the Other
Side: How television and the Internet
have changed the fan experience.”
How true!
THOMAS SCHRE YER
What’s Next?
7-8 World Cup (App.)
Zibo City, China
11-14 11th African Championships
Tunis, Tunisia
19-21 NCAA Championships (M)
Norman, Oklahoma
20-22 NCAA Championships (W)
Duluth, Georgia
20-22 Nordic Championships
Greve, Denmark
APRIL
9-13 European Championships (W)
Brussels, Belgium
23-27 European Championships (M)
Montpellier, France
M AY
THE GIRL WITH THE BUTTERFLY TATTOO: That girl would be 2006
world champion Vanessa Ferrari of Italy, shown here at the 2012
Olympic test event in January. Let’s hope she doesn’t sprain that
ankle, which would then be wrapped in tape!
1-3 Salamunov Memorial
Maribor, Slovenia
JUNE
ONtheNUMBER
6Minutes per day non-rights hold- ers can broadcast Olympic material from London this ummer.
IG’s Picks of the Month!
NATALIA SHAPOSHNIKOVA
1979 (uneven bars)
Shaposhnikova opens with her signature skill, which looks much less
spectacular than today’s version. Still, she was extremely innovative.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dpp9OR6U4_k&feature
GymnasToon
ESZTER OVARY
1988 Olympics (floor exercise)
Profiled in this issue (p. 50), Ovary presented mature choreography in
this “West Side Story” routine, which included two full-ins.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDjSOeOOr4c&feature
UNIQUE MEN’S SKILLS Compilation of original and difficult skills through the years From insane to incredible, these skills will raise your eyebrows, drop your jaw and, at times, leave you scratching your head! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k0y WTCcbkE
YOUNA DUFOURNET 2012 Olympic Test Event (uneven bars) Much like Beth Tweddle, Dufournet swings a brilliant set that shines for its endless connections. And she wisely ditched the Def. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KClFDx6gROQ
He’s a freak of nature. He can do anything
you ask him, and if you tell him he can’t do
something, he’ll prove you wrong every time.
“Sorry I’m late again, Coach.
This time I really DID have homework.”
—Sean Melton (USA), on USOTC training mate John Orozco
(Orozco interview on p. 40)
Oklahoma has a legitimate chance this month of becoming the first school to win the men’s and women’s NCAA team titles the same year.
THE
BOTTOM
LINE
