Welcome to Behind The Scenes!
This is our weekly Q&A episode. We also have live exclusives after competitions all year long. We’ll start at noon Pacific. Login to reveal the show below. Here’s how to ask questions live. Can’t make it live? Add BTS to your favorite podcast player (instructions here).
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- 0:00 Introduction
- University Games Women’s All-around final, too long (2.5-2.75 hours) due to two rotation groups and showing every routine, despite a preference for a shorter meet. The University Games are a competition for university-enrolled athletes, especially significant for countries without a strong university athletics system like the US.
- The Japanese women’s team is highlighted for their strong performance, featuring gymnasts with World or Olympic team experience.
- A “horrific” injury at the University Games is detailed: Italian gymnast Lorenzo suffered a severe injury during a triple pike dismount on rings, requiring surgery and an induced coma. The positive outcome is noted as the entire Italian men’s team withdrawing from the competition in response, which is seen as a “massive positive” for team care. An update confirms Lorenzo is “stable” and out of his coma.
- The European Youth Olympic Festival is also mentioned as ongoing, showcasing the “next generation” of French and German gymnasts.
- 10:00 Behind-the-Scenes Travel & Personal Embarrassing Moments
- Jessica’s creatine-related dehydration issue exacerbated by humidity, leading to intestinal problems.
- Should one carry a “travel plunger”?
- 25:00 Coaching Hires, Team Selection & USAG/FIG Protocols
- Haley Bryant’s appointment as LSU’s assistant coach is viewed as a “smart” move for enforcing team culture and providing paid employment for gymnasts post-college.
- Michigan’s search for a third assistant coach
- Myli Lew bars routine error (repeated element) is discussed, noting the inability to correct it at USAG meets due to the lack of an overseeing judge AKA a Nellie Kim.
- A fan asks about the last time the US sent a World or Olympic team without any prior experience, leading to a historical discussion about teams from 1991 and 2002.
- Nemour’s statement and the French Federation’s response against abuse, and Sunisa Lee taking Dr. Marcia to an award show and USA Gymnastics canceling her contract.
- 40:00 Simone Biles’s genius PR move
- Simone Biles’s breast surgery, challenging the “outdated way of thinking” that large breasts hinder high-level gymnastics, citing examples like Elise Ray and Olivia Karas.
- A fan query about Jordan Weber’s and Viktoria Komova’s 2011 World’s all-around floor routines is addressed, specifically how they would stand up against today’s artistry checklist.
••Next “week’s episode is with Katya Zamolochikova, the drag queen extraordinaire for a gymnastics coffee klatche episode.
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- MEMBER VERSION
Behind The Scenes is a weekly Q&A live podcast and post-meet live exclusive. It’s all part of the bonus content for our Club Members who supporting our work year around.NON MEMBER VERSION
COMING AFTER LIVE
This is our weekly Behind The Scenes Q&A live podcast. It’s all part of the bonus content for our Club Members who support our work year around.
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- Club members can watch Vanessa Atler’s live show by logging in to her live show page, it will appear below.
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- MEMBER VERSION
As a long time Sports Fan, I am definitely OK with a 3 hour gymnastics meet. Think tennis, football, playoff baseball [the only kind of baseball I watch], professional cycling, basketball (which has way too many commercials that break up the action, by the by, and consequently goes on ~ 2 hours), etc. Especially for few and far-between competitions, like high-level gymnastics meets, I personally would look forward to a 2-3 hour ‘sit down and watch’ event. Just my two cents!