MCSMaria's Artistic Gymnastics Blog

Queen Elizabeth of Rewriting Russian Gymnastics has posted a translation of a recent interview with the glorious Aliya Mustafina. She talks about everything from her experiences at worlds, winning the beam gold medal in Antwerp to losing Alexandrov as a coach. I've posted some of the highlights here. It gives great insight into what her life is like and her thoughts on winning the gold medal. She talks about what her plans are for her post gymnastics life. She says she has the option to become a coach, but isn't sure she'd be successful because she "loves children too much" to be what they need.  Surprising, because she's a bright girl and could really do anything she wants. Read more of Aliya's thoughts after the cut.

For the second year in a row, Simone Biles of the USA was named the World All-Around Champion, she is the first woman to win back to back world titles since Svetlana Khorkina in 2002 and 2003. Simone is the first US woman since Shannon Miller in 1993 and 1994.

Summertime, that time of year to sit by the pool or the beach sip margaritas (if you're old enough to drink) and go see the latest summer blockbuster. Feeling inspired by the slew of summer movies I'm dying to see, for this edition of Favorite Routines, I'm rounding up some past floor routines featuring movie themes for their floor music. The young lady in the below screen shot performed to a very familiar movie theme very recently.

Yao Jinnan is back (not like she ever went anywhere) and is looking fierce. Maybe it's the black flame leotard that she's sporting.

The first day of the event finals turned out to be a great continuance from the high of yesterday's women's all around finals. USA put four more athletes on the medal podium with three silvers, a gold and a bronze medal.

The newest world all-around champion has been crowned, after a night of joy, a night of triumphs and perseverance. The night can be focussed on four stories, Kyla Ross, Simone Biles, Larisa Iordache and Aliya Mustafina. It was a four way battle for the podium, and only one could triumph.

The drama that were the Worlds qualifications are over and it was much like an episode of the Twilight Zone. Judges overscoring, underscoring, falls, you name it! The craziness!

Here is Aliya Mustafina training on the uneven bars during podium training for Worlds. I expect a knockdown, hair-pulling brawl for the uneven bars gold between her and Yao Jinnan.

More podium training awesomeness. Yao Jinnan shows everyone just how much of a bad ass she is with her uneven bars routine.

China's got a preliminary list of athletes selected for the World Championships in Antwerp at the end of September. This is a preliminary list and could be subject to change. So take this list with a grain of salt.