A. USA Gymnastics Changes Men's Core Hydration Classic Schedule
With the final qualifier for the U.S. national championships having incredibly lax standards, it is no surprise that record-breaking numbers (141) of gymnasts elected to compete on the big stage in Illinois this year.
"Any USA Gymnastics athlete member 18 years of age or older (must be 18 in 2023) may enter the U.S. Classic with the intent of qualifying to the Senior Division at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships,"
It immediately became clear that the scheduled one session could not reasonably accommodate 141 athletes in one-2.5 hour session. On July 14, USA Gymnastics released an updated schedule in which, the U.S. men were moved to two sessions on Sunday, rather than one session on Saturday. Tickets originally purchased for the single session on Saturday will be honored for both sessions on Sunday.
Information on the draw for each session can be found here.
B. International Training Camps
Members of the U.S. Senior National Team have had training camps in Funabashi, Japan since before the Tokyo Olympics. This past week, the Level 10 National Team traveled to Japan where they worked on skill development and also got to meet Olympic Champion, Hashimoto Daiki.
Italy and Germany also had a joint training camp in beautiful Porto San Giorgio, Italy
C. Courtney Tulloch Podcast
Photo: Courtney Tulloch
Tulloch details his life from birth where he nearly died to becoming the first British man to win a medal on still rings at the World Championships. Don't miss this candid interview between former national teammates Sam Oldham and Courtney Tulloch. Listen on Apple Podcasts here.
D. EYOF Gymnastics Rosters Announced
The 2023 European Youth Olympic Festival is set to take place from July 23 - July 29 in Maribor, Slovenia. No official cumulative roster has been announced, but Lauren at the Gymternet has curated a list based on team announcements.
E. NCAA Gymnast and Tik Tok Star, Dylan Kolak Announced Retirement from Gymnastics
Illinois gymnast, Dylan Kolak, announced his retirement from gymnastics. The Big Ten floor finalist had planned to take his 5th year, however, after a back fracture and Achilles tear, decided to medically retire. The Tik Tok star has gained over 750k followers during the course of his collegiate career where he posts content on gymnastics and fitness. He plans to transition from gymnastics to bodybuilding and to use his platform to inspire others.
F. Brody Malone and Curran Phillips moved to EVO.
After graduating from Stanford University earlier this summer, World Champion, Brody Malone, and Pan American Champion, Curran Phillips, moved to EVO in Sarasota to continue training for the 2024 Olympic Games.
G. Sean Melton Selected for OSU Hall of Fame
The Ohio State University released its Class of 2023 Hall of Fame. Among them is former national team member, Sean Melton. During his career, Melton amassed 10 All-American honors, seven Big Ten Championship titles, and in 2018, Melton was awarded the prestigious Nissan-Emery award for being the best NCAA athlete.
H. GymACT College Bound Camp
Historically, universities use summer camps as recruiting opportunities, but if a gymnast is interested in more than one university, it can make for a very expensive summer. For those interested in competing within the gymnastics association for college teams (GymACT), they only need to go to one camp to meet with all of the different program coaches.
XTreme Altitude Gymnastics, based in Lafayette, Colorado, is a world-class facility that plays host to the College Bound Camp. This year, 80 gymnasts gathered to work with representatives from each of the GymACT programs.
I. European Silver Medalist, Maxime Gentges Gets Married
This has been a banner year for Belgium's Maxime Gentges. Earlier this year, Gentges won Belgium's first medal at a European Championships, and on July 15, he wed his longtime partner, Julia, in an intimate ceremony. Hours before the wedding, he posted an urgent message for a photographer because the one they had hired had broken their wrist; he later posted that a new photographer had been found. As is the case for so many weddings of gymnastics royalty, the dance floor was filled with tricks, including some nice flair work from brother and coach, Gilles Gentges.
J. Nick Kuebler Creates YouTube Channel
Stanford University gymnasts including Ian Gunther, Khoi Young, and Riley Loos have been taking the internet by storm with their engaging YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok videos. Junior, Nick Kuelber is the most recent teammate to start bringing content to YouTube. Check out his first video below!
K. Swedish Olympian, David Rumbutis, seeks second Olympic Games after Injury
In an interview with International Gymnast Magazine, Swedish Olympian, David Rumbutis detailed his injuries and comeback in an effort to make his second Olympic Games.
L. 2023 Colombian Gymnastics National Championships
Many of the top gymnasts who competed at the Pan American Championships, such as Andres Martinez Moreno did not compete at the Colombian National Championships this past weekend. Marcos Norte de Santander won the all-around with a 71.333 followed by David Mateo Bogata with a 66.000, and Juan Felipe Bogota with a 63.933. Full results can be found here.
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Article by: Kensley Behel