Evolving

Kaylia Nemour is leaving Avoine-Beaumont, Chinese Championships, the Koper World Cup, and a Mini-Commision on Civil Rights and the NCAA Not a member?

Support independent journalists by joining here.

HEADLINES

• Kaylia Nemour announced that she has left her club, Avoine-Beaumont, and is currently training in Dijon under Nadia Massé
• The Brazilian gym gods have answered our prayers because Daiane dos Santos is getting her own movie, The Girl Who Could Fly
• Becky Downie took to Instagram to raise share her struggle with fibroids
• Sugihara Aiko wore a half-turtleneck, half denim jean shorts singlet and obviously we need to talk about it for three hours
• Follow-up on the Crandall-Howell's move to Clemson: Greg Marsen's response to Jessica's comments

Chinese Championships

• Chinese Championships are underway. If you don't have a 6.8 D-score on beam, you should just go home
• Ou Yushan had a hilarious post-meet interview moment that most gymnasts can relate to about the social media gremlins
• Zhou Yaqin deigned to bless us with her beam excellence, scoring a 15.0 with a 6.8 D!
• Huang Ziyi's chest roll mount to shoulder roll charm offensive and a casual 6.8 D
• What skills, combos, and code hacks did we learn from this meet?

Koper World Cup

• Why this was the "involvement of all the body parts" Championships
• Individual event titles
  • Teja Belak took the vault title with a 13.516
  • Lucija Hribar won bars with a 12.400
  • Georgia-Mae Fenton won beam with a 13.166
  • Julia Coutinho won floor with a 13.100

Gymternet News

• Who is transferring and changing commitments?
  • Double the Price in Arkansas: As reported three weeks ago, Morgan Price announced her departure from Fisk to Arkansas
  • Morgan Reihl and Sydney Snyder change their commitments from Cal to Clemson
  • Alexis Czarrunchick is transferring from Georgia to Maryland
  • Molly Brinkman changed her commitment from Clemson to LSU
• Mizzou's Kaia Tanskanen will represent Finland at the 2025 European Gymnastics Championships
• Jordan Bowers was named the Honda Sport Award Winner for gymnastics
• Hire all the gymnasts: Suni Lee, Livvy Dunne, and Jordan Chiles are Sports Illustrated swimsuit models
• Start your engines: Paul Juda is the Grand Marshall for the Detroit Grand Prix
• Beth Tweddle, Andreas Wecker, Catalina Ponor, and Paul Ziert were inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame
• Pauline Schaefer-Betz announced on Instagram that she's working toward LA 2028

What's on the Socials?

• Frederick Richard is training in Beijing with the Chinese National Team and also creating hilarious high five-content while he's at it
• SAY IT LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK: Shawn Johnson addressed the sexualization of leotards on a podcast
• Suni said hell no to snowboarding in this interview with Chloe Kim at the Gold Gala

Mini Commission: Civil Rights Attacks and the NCAA

• From World Champion level Club Gym Nerd member "Gymnastics Fan"
  • "We're experiencing the spread of laws in the US that promote sexism, homophobia, transphobia, etc., in addition to a lack of accountability for those who promote racism, violence, etc. What is the likelihood that the championship might move if an NCAA team refused to travel somewhere? Could the athletes unionize as a team, or does it have to be an entire school's athletes? I know not all athletes have the same core beliefs, so that would create more challenges, but could the progressive athletes create change?"
• Examples of successful campaigns
  • In 2016 the NCAA moved 7 championships out of North Carolina
  • Colin Kaepernick's kneel during the national anthem helped propel the Black Lives Matter movement into the sports world
  • The Sporting Boycott of South Africa during its apartheid policy
  • The Iranian Women's Stadium Entry Protests of 2019
• What is the likelihood of any of this happening in gymnastics? Can athletes unionize? Could a team boycott championships? Mid-meet walk out? IRONIC STICK CROWNS?

Feedback

• Follow-up on routines that should be retired like a Jersey
• Is having "bow legs" an advantage in gymnastics?
• How can international fans follow along with NCAA gymnastics?

UP NEXT

• Behind The Scenes: at noon Pacific on Friday 3:00pm Eastern/7:00pm GMT

CHECK OUT FACT CHECKER'S NEW BOOK WITH AIMEE BOORMAN

• The Balance: My Years Coaching Simone Biles by Aimee Boorman with Fact Checker is topping the sport charts - SUCK IT SPORTS BALLS! Get your copy now. And if you loved reading (or listening) to the book, please leave a review.

PARIS FX FINAL DEETS with ROMANIAN HEAD COACHES

Jessica and Spencer were joined by former professional musical theater boys turned super choreo-coaching duo, Daymon Jones and Patrick Kiens to discuss Celine van Gerner's iconic Cats makeup, the Paris Olympic FX final from their perspective as Romanian team head coaches, choreographing in over 15 countries combined and being the new coaches at WCC. Replay tickets available for a limited time.

BONUS CONTENT

• Join Club Gym Nerd (or give it as a gift!) for access to weekly Behind the Scenes episodes.
• Club Gym Nerd members can watch the podcast being recorded and get access to all of our exclusive extended interviews, Behind The Scenes and College & Cocktails.

MERCH

• GymCastic Store: clothing and gifts to let your gym nerd flag fly and even "tapestries" (banners, the perfect to display in an arena) to support your favorite gymnast!
  • Baseball hats available now in the GymCastic store

NEWSLETTERS

• Sign up for all three GymCastic newsletters

RECENT

• Behind The Scenes: Calzones Confessions
• Demand More
• Behind The Scenes: Pottery Wheel Massacre

RESOURCES

• Spencer's essential website The Balance Beam Situation
• Gymnastics History and Code of Points Archive from Uncle Tim

RESISTANCE Submitted by our listeners.

• ACTION
  • Indivisible
    • Practical ideas about what you can actually do in this moment, check it out: indivisi.org/muskorus
  • 5Calls App will call your Congresspeople by issue with a script to guide you
    • • Make 2 to your Congressional rep (local and DC office). 2 each to your US Senators (local and state offices)
        • State your name and zip code or district
        • Be concise with your question or demand (i.e. What specific steps is Senator X taking to stop XYZ)
        • Wait for answer
        • Ask for action items - tell them what you want them to do (i.e. draft articles of impeachment immediately, I want to see you holding a press conference in front of...etc.)
  • ResistBot
    • Turns your texts into faxes, postal mail, or emails to your representatives in minutes
  • ACLU Mobile Justice App
    • Allows you to record encounters with public officials while streaming to your closest contacts and your local ACLU; REPORT any abuse by authorities to the ACLU and its networks.
• LAWSUITS
  • Donate to organizations suing the administration for illegal actions
    • ACLU, Southern Poverty Law Center, Northwest Immigration Law Project
• STAY INFORMED
  • Suggested podcasts: Amicus, Daily Beans, Pod Save America, Strict Scrutiny
• Immigrant Rights
  • Know Your Rights Red Cards, We Have Rights Video, Your Rights on trains and buses video