An Inspiring Greeting from the Bulgarian National Championships 2012

A huge THANK YOU to Dimo Dimov for taking these truly wonderufl pictures and allowing me to post them here. I had a very difficult time picking only about 20 of nearly 300 photos but I went with some amazing shots of my favorites Sara Staykova and Biliana Prodanova, and some of other future stars! And, of course, the Italian champion Julieta Cantaluppi,  grand daughter of the legendary Bulgarian coach Julieta Shishmanova and a true heiress of her style.

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Dream Team Belarus

This year Belarus steps out on the international carpet with a stronger group than ever, especially after one of their strongest individuals, the wonderful Sasha Narkevich,  joined the group.

Their 5 ball routine, interpreting Vivaldi, impresses with a crisp choreography, a lot of difficulty, and some of the most synchronized group movements that you would ever see.

Clearly, Belarus has 5 gymnasts of absolute, top world level: Maryna Hancharova, Ansatasiya Ivankova, Nataliya Leshchyk, Yana Lukavets, Ksenia Sankovich, Aliaksandra Narkevich. Each of them could compete successfully as an individual, but, as a group, they all move like one. They completely live up to this magnificent choice of music. If I were their coach, I would feel like I have wings growing on my shoulders. I would feel that I could ask them to climb Everest!

Although Italy's routine has a lot of originality, and Bulgaria's routine has a lot of emotion, I believe this routine surpasses them both by far. This group should medal every time, even if they make some minor mistakes, because their level of physical preparation is far beyond what most group gymnast, and many individual ones, can ever hope to achieve. But if they do not make mistakes, they are going for gold this year, and they deserve it.

Attention: Exceptionally Elegant Korean Next to Kanaeva on the Gymnastics Podium

For the first time, a South Korean beauty takes the bronze at a gymnastics Grand Prix event, right after the world champions Kanaeva and Dmitrieva.

Son Yeon-Jae, a 17-year old from Seoul, was the Asian Games bronze medalist in 2010 when she made her entry into the "senior" category. At the time she allegedly said in an interview, that she deserved better than bronze. Well, 2010 is far in the past now, and I have to say, that if she stays in good shape during this season, she definitely has a chance to prove herself worthy of gold at the 2012 Asian Games.

For this routine, the young Korean received 27.750, higher than Garaeva, Miteva, Staniouta, and Rivkin who have all medaled at World Championships. I especially like her arm positions and the risky throws with the hoop that she performs.



In addition to being an absolutely beautiful girl with breath-taking classical technique, she is also expressive. Her passion in performing this routine really moved me. She joins the other two strong gymnasts from Asia, Trofimova from Uzbekistan and Alyabieva from Kazakhstan, as the top 3 on her continent, and as a contender for a spot in the world's top 10.