BREAKING NEWS : Senior Scratch List

I just got a list of girls who will NOT be competing all 4 events tonight. Here are the events that they WILL be competing.

Of these girls, Magee is the only one who we're sure needs to qualify to Championships.

Rebecca Bross - UB, BB
Gabrielle Douglas - UB, BB, FX
Sarah Finnegan - UB, BB, FX
Nastia Liukin - BB
Casey Jo Magee - VT, UB, BB
McKayla Maroney - VT, BB
Chellsie Memmel - BB
Jordyn Wieber - UB, BB

I don't know why this is the case, and I suppose that it's subject to change. I'm just relaying the info I was given.

Shawn to possibly not compete at Championships...

Property of Brad Penner

So today, the wonderful folks at GymNewstics posted a link from the Des Moines Register stating that Shawn Johnson may not be ready to compete at Championships.

The reason that Chow gives is that she's still recovering from a knee injury. Which, honestly, she's been recovering from for two years! So I don't really get it. I can't say I'm surprised since she seemed to be the only girl at the media summit refusing to be seen who we didn't see in a leotard.

I'm confused. What do you have to lose by competing in a meet that you've already qualified for that could possibly qualify you for Trials AND comes out right around when your book does? Even if she were to do a Make it or Break it-esque beam routine, they'd still show it on TV, likely mention her book and BAM, sales go up. But if she doesn't even compete, from a marketing standpoint, she's not even relevant. So I don't get why she wouldn't at least go and try, unless her leg is falling off or she is having legitimately scary weight issues. I'm not saying that either of those are the case and I certainly hope that they aren't. But, how does someone go from Marta declared "#8" in the country a year after an injury to being possibly unready to even compete a year after that? I don't know. I just hope we get to see her fight for a spot. She's talented and I'd love to see her at least be an alternate. 

Based on her recent tweets though, she seems more excited about the possibility of returning to Dancing with the Stars. Bummer. 

Charlotte Church 'sickened' by NoW phone hacking

Charlotte Church

Charlotte Church says she was "sickened and disgusted" by what she discovered during her legal action against News International over phone hacking.

Ms Church and her parents have agreed damages and costs of £600,000 with News Group Newspapers - publishers of the defunct News of the World.

The High Court heard the singer's phone was hacked when she was 16 years old.

The court agreed that 33 articles in the paper had been due to her family's voicemails being hacked.

The settlement includes £300,000 in legal costs and a public apology.

Speaking outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Ms Church said it was an "important day" for her and her family.

"I brought this legal claim with my parents, as many others have done, because we wanted to find out the truth about what this newspaper group had done in the pursuit of stories about our family.

"What I have discovered as the litigation has gone on has sickened and disgusted me.

"Nothing was deemed off limits by those who pursued me and my family, just to make money for a multinational news corporation."
'Deeply traumatised'

The court heard Ms Church's phone was hacked in 2002 and journalists also placed her under surveillance and gained access to her medical records.

The court heard her mother, Maria, was at "her lowest ebb" and was "coerced" into an interview with the paper's journalists about how she had self-harmed and attempted suicide after reporters gained information from hacked voicemails about her medical history.

The family's solicitor, Mike Brookes, told the court: "She felt she had no choice but to give the interview and was deeply traumatised by the publication of the story in the NoW."

He said: "The NoW targeted Charlotte and her voicemail messages repeatedly, and in doing so unlawfully obtained her private medical information and details of her personal relationships with her family and friends.

"Even her first teenage boyfriend. They then ran stories about Charlotte using this information."

BBC legal affairs correspondent Clive Coleman said the award, the last of the first wave of 60 settlements, was one of the highest. Former cabinet minister Tessa Jowell was awarded £200,000, while actor Jude Law received £130,000.

He said it gave an insight into some of the things that had taken place and the deeply personal nature of the intrusion which Ms Church was clearly very, very angry about outside court.

"We got a sense of how important the process of litigation here is, the process of discovery, with Ms Church saying it has only been in the last few days that she really learned the full extent of what had been happening," our correspondent added.
'Not truly sorry'

Ms Church said she had discovered that, despite an apology she believed the paper was "not truly sorry, only sorry they got caught".

She added that "money could never mend the damage that was done," and she would use her portion of the settlement to protect her children from further invasions of privacy.

Michael Silverleaf QC, for NGN, said: "NGN acknowledges that they should never have had to endure what they have suffered and that NGN are liable for the damage that they have caused," he said.

The 26-year-old singer said she was now planning to focus on helping the criminal investigation and Lord Justice Leveson's inquiry into media ethics.

In November, she told the Leveson Inquiry that her mother had attempted suicide "at least in part" because she had known the newspaper was going to publish details of her father's affair.

She told the hearing paparazzi had taken pictures up her skirt, there were photographers outside her house on most days and her manager had found evidence of a camera hidden in a shrub outside her home.

 News By BBC

Read more current news at http://bbc-cnn-worldnews.blogspot.com

Your Questions Answered - What happened to Keely McNeer?

KB asked: "Do you know what happened to Keely McNeer?" 

Keely McNeer was a 2010 National Team Member who gained the attention of the gymnastics world when she moved to Chows in late 2009. Her 2010 season went well, and she placed 9th on bars at Championships.

(Property of Brigid McCarthy) 

When we saw Keely next, she was at the 2011 Classics, competing for Gymsport USA. She only competed 2 events after falling off bars. I've seen a lot of stuff, but when this girl was limping in the hotel lobby post competition, she looked like she was in SO much pain. It really was disheartening.

So, back to KB's question...

While I'm not sure where Keely currently stands, here's what I know about her leaving Chow's.

Keely never really "clicked" with any of the other girls in her training group. Apparently this is often the case with girls who transfer into Chow's late in their careers. Chow and Li didn't seem to "click" with Keely either. He also had concerns about her safety while training.

Finally, Keely's mom was overprotective, coming to nearly every practice, and that didn't sit well with Chow. Keely even would sometimes direct her attention to mom when Chow or Li was talking to her.

When all of these factors came to light, everyone involved concluded that Chow's wasn't the right place for Keely.

This all came from an insider at Chow's. I have been unable to reach Keely McNeer for her own comment.

Where does Keely stand now? I'm not sure. I'd love to see more of her because she's unbelievably talented. Is that's possible at Gymsport? I don't know.

Do you have a Gymnastics Question you want answered? Just ask!

Physical Struggles keep Moore out of Elite Competition

Earlier this year, rumors widely circulated about 2008 Junior National Team Member Kamerin Moore returning to Elite competition after spending this season as a Level 10. Other blogs have even reported that she confirmed her comeback on several social networking sites.

Unfortunately, it looks like circumstances have changed.

I spoke with coach John Geddert who said the following:
"Kami is focusing on gaining a scholarship. She would love to do elite gymnastics, but it's just not in the cards. Her mind is willing, but we can't get the body to cooperate."

(Property of Geddert's Twistars)

Kamerin has experienced numerous physical challenges in the past including a torn labrum, a hip socket issue, and a foot surgery late this spring.

I wish Kamerin the best in her future endeavors, wherever gymnastics may take her. Best of Luck in 2012!

Casey Jo Magee moves to Michigan!

(Property of Kelly Lambert)

Former Arkansas Gymnast Casey Jo Magee has stated that she's leaving Capital in Texas, home of elites Mackenzie Brannan and Nicole Lehrmann.

She's moving to Michigan to train with a former coach Dave Kuzara who coached her in Arkansas and is now the head coach of Western Michigan University's gymnastics team. Magee will help assistant coach the team while continuing to pursue her own elite career.

About the move, Magee says, "[It] should be a fun experience. I'm pretty excited."

Casey Jo is a 4 time first team All American and a 2011 Visa National Qualifier. She's known for her signature triple turn on beam.

Koko Tsurumi to train at Chow's this month!

(Property of Intl Gymnast, Thomas Schreyer)

Koko Tsurumi has traveled to West Des Moines, Iowa to train at Chow's!

In a relationship that most likely started at the Uneven Bars Finals at this years Worlds, Japanese team leader Koko Tsurumi is training at Chow's Gymnastics, home of Olympian Shawn Johnson and World Champion Gabrielle Douglas.

Koko is training with the group of Elites and Level 10s on a purely temporary basis, and was seen working hard, conditioning yesterday. Her coach did not travel with her.

The biggest challenge for Chow so far? Finding someone in the gym who speaks Japanese!

More details to come!

Koko was on Japan's 2008 Olympic Team, won 2 medals at 2009 Worlds and lead the Japanese team to 5th place in 2010 and 7th place in 2011.

Camp News

After Polina Shchennikova posted a picture of everyone, including Rebecca at Camp, it appears that Marta has asked for things to be kept quiet regarding "big names".

(Was on Polina Shchennikova's FB)

This was a working camp. Girls verified individual skills and combinations and continued to work out. There were not winners of these verifications.

I will tell you, of all of the people who I've talked to, I've asked, "How are Becca & Nastia?" The consistent answer has been "working hard". I'm sorry guys, that's all I know. I've been trying I promise.

Here are updates on girls, as I receive them, in alphabetical order:

Simone Biles is training an Amanar into a pit. It doesn't seem too far off.

Rebecca Bross has a knee brace on, but is working bars and doing a ton of conditioning.

Brianna Brown of CGA won the Physical Abilities Testing.

Nia Dennis is training a Double Twisting Yurchenko.

Ericha Fassbender was invited to camp but did not attend due to an injury just before camp.

Amanda Jetter has been added to the National Team.

Bailie Key has added a standing arabian on beam, and is training a Double Twisting Yurchenko. She's also training a BHS-BHS-LO, Shawn Johnson Style. (To 2 feet).

Lizzy LeDuc is still recovering from elbow injuries that she sustained before moving to Zenith.

Nastia Liukin is "working out like crazy", verified skills on bars and is working beam and floor. She's been added to the National Team.

Katelyn Ohashi has the same bar set plus some new 1 hand pirouette work, like Onos.

Kyla Ross has no major upgrades on beam or floor yet. She's still got the Amanar, which looks good, and I'm not sure how her bars look.

Polina Shchennikova is training a BHS-BHS-5/2 beam dismount. She's also working a BEAUTIFUL L-Grip Endo to Jaeger! She has a minor knee issue, but nothing too serious.

McKenzie Wofford is reportedly training a tkatchev half into jaeger & a double double into pit on bars. HOLY UPGRADES!

All of the Texas Dreams girls look lovely on Bars and Beam.

Currently, I haven't heard about any girls going to Top Gym (begins 11/25).

Please don't ask "How is so-and-so?" You know everything that I know currently, and I will let you know more as soon as I find things out. More info will be coming later today.