Gymternet Weekly: Miss Val abuse allegations, two NCAA teams to be discontinued, and more (August 15 – 22, 2020)
It’s never a dull week around the gymternet! Here’s our weekly roundup of news, videos, and more from your favorite gymnasts!
Click here to read last week’s edition of Gymternet Weekly.
P.S. Have a news item or video you think should be considered for “Gymternet Weekly”? Email a link to [email protected]!
Carly Patterson Caldwell pregnant with baby no. 3
Carly Patterson Caldwell and her husband, Mike, are expecting once again!
The 2004 Olympic champion will add a third little one to her growing family in February 2021.
Click here for more details on the Caldwells’ newest addition!
Le Rêve – The Dream closes for good
Last week, Wynn Las Vegas announced that Le Rêve – The Dream would not return to the iconic Encore Theatre, as the show is now permanently closed.
Performers, including UCLA gymnastics alumni Angi Cipra, shared on social media to pay tribute to the show.
See Cipra’s posts and get the details on the closing here.
Memmel’s comeback featured on GMA
Chellsie Memmel’s comeback is making national headlines!
The gymnast, who has confirmed she is making a comeback, was recently featured on Good Morning America.
In regard to trying to make the Tokyo 2020 team, Memmel told GMA, “I haven’t said that out loud yet. My goal is just to see where this takes me. I’ve committed to training and to try to get to competitions and just to see where it goes.”
Read the full feature here.
Nikita Nagornyy and Daria Spiridonova go paragliding
Russia gymnastics’ power couple, Nikita Nagornyy and Daria Spiridonova, are enjoying an adventurous summer despite coronavirus. Recently, the married couple went paragliding together, and all we can say is WOW. Check out those views!
HBCU athletic opportunity for gymnasts
Bluefield State College recently announced the addition of 12 new sports to its athletic department for the 2021-2022 school year, including an opportunity for gymnasts.
While not a gymnastics team, BSC Athletics is adding an acrobatics and tumbling team that is another great opportunity for gymnasts to compete at the collegiate level. BSC is the first HBCU to offer an acrobatics and tumbling program.
Click here to read the full announcement, and click here to find out how Brown Girls Do Gymnastics is petitioning to get gymnastics teams at HBCUs.
Ashleigh Gnat returns to LSU gymnastics as an assistant coach
LSU legend Ashleigh Gnat is heading back to Baton Rouge!
After spending two years as the Tigers’ graduate assistant and one year as an assistant coach with the Penn State women’s team, Gnat returns to her alma mater to join Jay Clark’s coaching staff for his inaugural season as the sole head coach of the LSU program.
Clark was promoted from co-head coach to head coach when D-D Breaux retired earlier this summer after 43 seasons leading the team.
Click here to read more about the hire.
Douglas surpasses 1 million followers on TikTok
Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas is making a name for herself outside of gymnastics with her success on TikTok!
The two-time Olympian recently surpassed one million followers on the popular social media platform and celebrated in socially-distant fashion with some balloons in her front yard.
Douglas’ TikTok features a mixture of popular dances and, of course, gymnastics, including the below TikTok that spread like wildfire through the gymternet a few weeks ago. Congrats, Gabby!
Two NCAA gymnastics programs set to be discontinued
In more somber news, it was announced this week that not one, but two NCAA gymnastics teams are being discontinued from their respective universities’ athletic departments, including the University of Alaska, Anchorage women’s team and the University of Iowa men’s team.
While the University of Iowa’s decision seems to be final, the University of Alaska, Anchorage’s recommendation must be voted upon by the state’s Board of Regents and can still be fought.
Click here (and read the post below) for more details on how you can help save UAA gymnastics!
Miss Val accused of coaching abuse by former athlete and Olympic alternate
On Friday, 2000 Olympic team alternate Alyssa Beckerman penned an open letter to her former college coach, UCLA’s Valorie Kondos Field, accusing her of coaching abuse and mistreatment prior to Beckerman’s dismissal from the team.
You can read the open letter here.
Kondos Field responded to the accusations in a Twitter thread on Saturday. You can read the thread by clicking on her tweet below.
Training clips: Memmel’s back on bars, Biles photobombs Madsen, Bryant channels Liukin, and more.
This week’s training clips section includes 20 videos and features Chellsie Memmel (USA), Donnell Whittenburg (USA), Joe Fraser (GBR), Laney Madsen (BGR), Simone Biles (USA), Haleigh Bryant (USA), and many more national and international athletes!
Meme of the week
Why can’t it be just one time through, and we get in shape???
