gymnastics news stories on Newser

Champion Gymnast Found Begging on Beijing's Streets

Kevin Spak — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 10:30:05 CDT

The fate of one former gymnastics prodigy has sparked outrage in China, following revelations that he has been reduced to begging on the streets of Beijing. Zhang Shangwu, 28, was sent to a gymnastics academy at age 5, made the national team at age 12, and in 2001 won two...

Baby-Flipping Russian: It's Real

Mary Papenfuss — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 03:39:30 CST

A video showing a Russian woman bending and swinging a baby in such a disturbing way that it's been banned from YouTube is real—and the baby has suffered no life-threatening or permanent injuries, or so says the flipper. Lena Fokina, who twists and turns a two-week-old infant like a...

UC Berkeley Dumps Rugby, Baseball, Lacrosse Teams

Mary Papenfuss — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 05:11:47 CDT

In a shocking cost-cutting move, UC-Berkeley has dumped its baseball, gymnastics, lacrosse, and rugby teams. Rugby, the most successful team in the history of the university, will be turned into a club team, while the others will be completely eliminated. The rugby and baseball teams have existed at Berkeley for...

IOC Strips China's 2000 Bronze Medal

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 10:23:11 CDT

China was stripped of a bronze medal from the 2000 Sydney Olympics today for fielding an underage female gymnast, with the women's team medal now going to the US. The International Olympic Committee acted after investigations by the sport's governing body determined that Dong Fangxiao was only 14 at the...

Evan Lysacek Wants a Girlfriend

M. Morris — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:07:24 CST

Never mind the rumors about Evan Lysacek dating gymnast Nastia Liukin—the Olympic champion in men's figure skating is single and looking. "I haven't had any time for dating while I'm training," Lysacek tells Entertainment Tonight . "I'm lonely." As for Liukin, herself an Olympic gold medalist, "we're very close friends...

History's Most Badass Jews

Will McCahill — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 05:10:42 CST

The beginning of Hanukkah gave Sam Greenspan the excuse to give us his list of history’s most-badass Jews. Some highlights: The Maccabees: “Led Jewish fighters into battles against the armies of Seleucia, Syria, and Rome … and won,” leading to the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem that the holiday...

Johnson Stalker Hit With 3-Year Restraining Order

Harry Kimball — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:23:21 CDT

The restraining order against Shawn Johnson stalker Robert Michael O’Ryan has been extended to 3 years, E! reports today. The Johnson family is “pleased with the decision,” their lawyer said. O’Ryan is being held in a California jail for trespassing on a studio lot—guns, duct tape, and all—in...

Officials Clear Chinese Gymnasts

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:30:06 CDT

China's 2008 gold medal gymnasts are in the clear, after international gymnastics officials said today the documentation provided confirms the women were old enough to compete. But the Chinese team that won the bronze medal 8 years ago still faces questions about the age of two competitors.

IOC to Probe Chinese Gymnast's Age

Jess Kilby — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:53:00 CDT

The International Olympic Committee has launched an investigation to determine if Chinese gymnastics gold medalist He Kexin is under the minimum age of 16, after a computer security expert turned up a document indicating that she's 14. Mike Walker yesterday posted an account of his search, in which he found...