Finally, Video Footage of That Hambüchen Routine!

Finally we've found a video of the record-breaking high bar routine (7.5 start value) Fabian Hambüchen performed last weekend at KTV Straubenhardt's final "regular" Bundesliga match of the season. Click here to see it!

We have to agree with Rick McCharles that Hambüchen's Pineda (the big, G-rated skill he does at the beginning, officially described as a barani-out Gaylord 2) doesn't look all that different from a Kolman or a Cassina. It's just a piked Kolman really. It's still pretty spectacular stuff though. Wahnsinn, as Hambüchen himself would have it!

About That World-Record-Breaking Hambüchen Routine...

We reported earlier that Fabian Hambüchen had shown the most difficult high bar routine ever during his club's last Bundesliga match before the grand final, a routine with a 7.5 start value. At the time we didn't know what element Hambüchen had added to his already ferociously difficult routine to account for the higher start value. We do now. According to a German source, Hambüchen has added a G-rated Pineda to his set. A Pineda, for those who don't know their MAG code by heart, is a barani-out Gaylord 2. Basically it's a full-twisting back somersault over the bar, like a Kolman, but with half turns before and after the somersault rather than a full turn during the somersault. You can watch the skill as performed by its originator, Mexico's Tony Pineda, here!

Just to Prove That Sandra Izbasa Isn't the Only One Who Occasionally Gets Dolled Up by a Magazine...

THIS is a video of Cheng Fei doing a photo shoot of sorts.

We fear that La Cheng doesn't quite have La Izbasa's flair in these matters. She looks distinctly awkward. Also, that outfit? We're sure it's fashionable, but still. Weird, man. Weird.

If anyone has copies of the pictures of Cheng coolly kicking air while wearing those giant puffed sleeves, we'd love to see them. Pretty please?

Update: No pictures of the air kicks, but thanks to one of our readers, we did manage to find these shots!








Thanks, Anonymous!

Update No. 2: The kick! We think those puffed sleeves are hilarious on a girl who's trying to look tough.



Update No. 3: The whole series of photos can be seen as a slideshow here. Click on the right-hand button above the slideshow and you'll see the whole thing!

Sandra As You've Never Seen Her Before...

Well, we did say we wanted to post something cheerful and uplifting. A happy gymnastics story. Something that had nothing to do with either injuries or scandals. Something nice.

We guess we found it. And not surprisingly, it concerns Sandra Izbaşa, whom we can't help loving despite the fact that she's not the most elegant gymnast in the world. There's just something fabulously refreshing and wholesome about her. And we're going to post the video because it's cute and because it's been 11 days since we last posted anything about Sandra, and 11 days without news about Sandra is, like, a long time, y'all.

So. Today we'll show you Sandra as you've never seen her before.

THIS LINK will take you to a video posted by The One, a Romanian online magazine. It shows Sandra getting professionally made up and looking very pretty indeed. At the end of the one-minute video, she tells the viewer that her plan for next year is to get the world title which has so far eluded her. We don't know about you, but we like the sound of that!

As a teaser, here's a photo from the shoot. However, we think Sandra looks much prettier in the video. Do check it out!


Sandra Izbaşa (photo: The One)