News etc

Australia has named it's gymnastics teams for the 2010 Commonwealth Games
Men: Phil Rizzo, Prashanth Sellathurai, Sam Offord, Thomas Pichler + Josh Jefferis
Women: Lauren Mitchell, Ashleigh Brennan, Georgia Bonora, Emily Little + Mary Ann Monckton.

The alternates for the womens team are Shona Morgan and Georgia Wheeler. All these, as well as Emma Dennis, Britt Greeley, Georgia Simpson, Larrissa Miller and Natasha Hammann will attend a camp on 12 September from where the World team will also be chosen.

The FIG has announced the 2010 world championships will be the biggest ever, with 690 gymnasts due to compete. Brazil's Daiane Dos Santos is also hoping to make a comeback at Worlds this year.

The British mens gymnastics team (Yevgeni Gryshchenko, Sam Hunter, Ruslan Panteleymonov, Daniel Purvis, Theo Seager, Kristian Thomash) have headed off to train with the Japanese men for 2 weeks. (British Gymnastics)

The British Trampolining Championships take place this weekend at the NIA in Birmingham. Definitely worth a look if you're in the area. If you're in a completely different area the US Covergirl Classic is also happening.

2004 men's Olympic all-around champion Paul Hamm is planning a comeback in time for London2012. Hamm looked a safe bet for the '08 olympic team but had to withdraw at the US olympic trials after injuring his hand. He intends to begin competing again from 2011.

As was going around the rumour mill earlier - US skater Caroline Zhang has indeed changed coaches to Tammy Gambill. The announcement was posted on icenetwork and universal sports.

NISA has posted their assignment of GB skaters for the Junior Grand Prix this season.

News Bits

Georgia Bonora is leading the All Around competition at the Australian Gymnastics hampionships. You can read a great article by the Gymnastics Examiner here, or Australian Gymnastics here.
The nationals will help to decide the World and Commonwealth teams.


American Skater Johnny Weir is taking this season off to try and develop his skating and persue his other interests.
(Surprise Surprise!)

You can read a full article from icenetwork as well as a written statement from Johnny.

Johhny tweeted "I am sorry to disappoint you all. I will be back. Don't be sad. I love you so much."

To be fair, Johnny has been focusing more on the celebrity than on the skating recently. But he says he'll be back so we'll watch and wait.

If he and Evan both sit out Nationals this year it will make way for a new wave of talent.

Also, Michelle Kwan and Yu-Na kim are to skate a duet to Maria Carey's song 'Hero' in Yu-Na's show - All That Skate Summer. Yesterday was Michelle's 30th birthday. That these two champions who have done so much for the sport have a mutual appreciation society is great.

Also This Weekend

The Japan Cup international competition is taking place in Tokyo. The event includes Mens and Womens team events and all-around.

The Participant list is here

MEN

WOMEN

FRA FRANCE RAYEPIN, Yann AITSAID, Samir VIEU, Cyril AUGIS, Axel WILLIG, Arnaud GBR GREAT BRITAIN HUNTER, Samuel THOMAS, Kristian PURVIS, Daniel SEAGER, Theo GRYSHCHENKO, Yevgen GER GERMANY BOY, Philipp FAHRIG, Matthias HAMBUECHEN, Fabian NGUYEN, Marcel SPIRIDONOV, Eugen KOR KOREA KIM, Hee Hoon HA, Chang Ju YOO, WonChul KIM, Soo Myun YANG, Hak Seon ROU ROMANIA DRAGULESCU, Marian COTUNA, Vlad MUNTEAN, Andrei URSACHE, Andrei RUS RUSSIA BODNAR, Mikhail BALANDIN, Aleksandr BELYAVSKIY, David PAKHOMENKO, Igor PETROV, Matvey USA UNITED STATES BROOKS, Christopher CAMERON, Christopher HORTON, Jonathan NADDOUR, Alexander RUGGERI, Paul JPN JAPAN UCHIMURA, Kohei YAMAMURO, Koji UEMATSU, Koji TANAKA, Kazuhito KOBAYASHI, Kenya

KOR KOREA JO, Hyun Joo PARK, Ji Yeon PARK, Eun Kyung MOON, Eun Mee SEO, Yi Seul RUS RUSSIA MUSTAFINA, Aliya NABIEVA, Tatiana DEMENTYEVA, Anna MUSINA, Ramilya AFANASYEVA, Kusenia VIE VIETNAM DO, Thi Ngan Thuong DO, Thi Thu Huyen PHAN, Thi Ha Thanh JPN JAPAN TSURUMI, Koko SHINTAKE, Yuko TANAKA, Rie YAMAGISHI, Mai OZAWA, Momoko OSHIMA, Kyoko * Yet to be selected fro

The Australian Womens Gymnastics Championships take place in Perth, Australia. Aussie Star Lauren Mitchell is sitting them out to recover from an adductor strain, but still hopes to compete at Worlds AND Commonwealths.

As mentioned- the British Championships take place in Guildford.

Today - Happy Canada Day!

Tomorrow - My first year med-school results, wish me luck!

Indian students protest in Australia against racism

Indian Students who are in Australia showed their concern to their friends and organized a protest rally against racism in Melbourne.The Indian students are continuously being harassed by the Australians and some of them are even brutally beaten up.

The protest was mainly to show their concern and this has become a very sensitive issue world wide.Australian Prime Minister had called Indian Prime Minster Manmohan Singh.Amitab Bachan has also protested against this and he has not accepted the doctorate given by one of the Universities in Australia.

The Australian Government must consider this as an serious issue and take the neccesarry steps to prevent not only the Indian students but also name that Australia has that it is a safe place for studies.

Australian Squad for T20 World Cup

Australian Team announced the 15 member squad for the T20 World Cup starting next month in Engalnd. Ricky Ponting will lead the side and Michael Clarke will be the vice captain for the side. Inclusion of Brett Lee and Symonds is a big surprise because bot the players have not played competitive cricket for the past one month.The 15 member squad is ...



1) Ricky Ponting (Captain)

2) Michael Clarke (Vice - Captain)

3) David Warner

4) Shane Watson

5) Andrew Symonds

6) Mike Hussey

7) David Hussey

8) Brad Haddin

9) James Hopes

10) Mitchell Johnson

11) Brett Lee

12) Nathan Bracken

13) Peter Siddle

14) Ben Hilfenhaus

15) Nathan Hauritz

Will this Australian team play well.They have dominated other forms of the gam both ODI and Test.Can they do well in this format too.We have to wait and see.

South Africa win the series against Australia

South Africa seem to be unstoppable.They are on the verge of proving their supremacy in the World Cricket both in One day and Test match.The only competitive team against them is India.Only when these two team meet we will know who are th most dominant in the World Cricket.

South Africa lead the 5 match series against Australia 3-1.Thanks to the great batting by Gibbs.He scored a superb 100 to take his team to a great position.SA scored 317 in their allotted 50 overs.Australia managed only 256.In the process they lost all their wickets.Thus SA won the match by 61 runs.