This spring has been a gymnastics whirlwind!  So exciting to see so many international competitions taking place, and all of the world’s top gymnasts gearing up for the fight to make their respective Olympic teams.

 

Catching up on just a few recent highlight routines on the men’s side:

 

 

Epke Zonderland High Bar 2012 Cottbus World Cup

 

 

7.5, 15.725

 

Flavius Koczi Floor 2012 Zibo World Cup

 

 

15.45

 

Steve Legendre Floor 2012 Zibo World Cup

 

 

15.45

 

Alexander Shatilov Floor 2012 Zibo World Cup

 

 

15.3

 

Eleftherios Kosmidis Floor 2012 Zibo World Cup

 

 

14.725

 

 

Igor Radivilov Vault 2012 Zibo World Cup

 

 

16.125

 

Steve Legendre Vault 2012 Zibo World Cup

 

 

15.687

 

 

 

Epke Zonderland’s routine here is one of the most spectacular ever done.  The Cassina to immediate Kovacs combination is a little bit sloppy, but this is a legendary combination that would have been thought impossible even just ten years ago.  The Takamoto-half to immediate Gaylord 2 is pretty darn cool as well.  What a stunning routine.

 

Flavius Kozzi’s floor has gotten better and better over the last few years.  Interesting that he does one of his easiest passes first – the 2 ½ to front full – and then later throws the stunning 3 ½ to barani that looks way too easy.

 

This was one of Steve Legendre’s better floor routines…one of the few times I’ve ever seen him stick that double Arabian dismount – and this one was piked.  His first vault was awfully scary though.  H really isn’t quite getting the upward trajectory he needs to complete that Dragulescu really well, which is why he often tends to still be finishing the turn as he lands.  I’m not sue he actually got credit for this one, as a matter of fact.  I think he’s going to need to make a pretty drastic improvement on this vault in the next couple of months if he wants to make this Olympic team…I can’t see the U.S. team putting this out in team finals the way it is right now – inconsistent and potentially dangerous.  The Kasamatsu 1 ½ was really nice, however.

 

Alexander Shatilov’s floor was a standout here – one of the smoothest and most elegant routines in the world, and with only one small landing deduction.  I love the way he floats his tumbling skills – notice how is 1 ½ on that second pass almost seems suspended in the air, as if in slow motion.  Exquisite routine.

 

Ukraine’s Igor Radivilov might have the best Dragulescu in the world right now – notice how he kicks out of it!