Michelle Obama likes gymnastics, she really likes gymnastics — Other gym news — Thoughts from the nationals podium (juniors too!)

The IX: Gymnastics Saturday with Lela Moore, Sept. 3, 2022

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So this happened: 

Shilese Jones was stoked too: 

And Jordan Chiles:

UCLA Gymnastics commented, tagging Chiles:

UCLA head coach Janelle McDonald also commented:

So did Cecile Landi:

Suni Lee, Becky Downie, Liv Karas, Umme Salim-Beasley at Rutgers, USA Gymnastics, Team USA, and former Five at The IX interviewees the Half In, Half Out Podcast and Jackson Harrison, all retweeted.

Blake of HIHO had the same reaction I did:

Also, I found adult gymnastics classes near me, and I’m going to sign up. I haven’t done gymnastics in 35 years, 10 inches, two degrees, and a baby. Watch this space.


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Other gym news

A few gymnastics things happened that did not involve Michelle Obama. 

Dominique Dawes said on IG that an interview she did with NBC was canceled after she, in her words, “didn’t sugar coat” her answers. (Neither NBC nor Tom Llamas, who interviewed Dawes, has given their reasons for canceling.)

We love to see Laurie happy at college: 

I think I forgot to mention this because she announced it when I was on vacation, but it’s notable: We’re getting Marz back, and we’re not worthy.

Tom Forster will be working with Queen City Gymnastics in Cincinnati:

Skye Blakeley casually shows us a laid-out Jaeger in training one week after nationals:

And Canada’s Ella Douglas did a quintuple turn on beam (!):

2004 Olympic double silver medalist Terin Humphrey started a Change.org petition to start a gymnastics team at Kansas. 

Five at The IX: Konnor McClain, Shilese Jones, Jordan Chiles, Madray Johnson, and Jayla Hang (with bonus Simone Rose)

Inside Gymnastics interviewed the three women who comprised the U.S. nationals podium after the competition two weeks ago. Given that I touched on their magnificent and historical achievement last week but spent a lot of time talking about the commentary, I wanted to put the focus back where I (and Michelle Obama) think it should be. 

Inside Gymnastics also interviewed junior national champion Madray Johnson and junior silver medalist Jayla Hang (along with Simone Rose) so I’m putting those here too, to make it a true Five at The IX.

Mondays: Soccer
By: Annie Peterson, @AnnieMPeterson, AP Women’s Soccer
Tuesdays: Tennis
By: Joey Dillon, @JoeyDillon, Freelance Tennis Writer
Wednesdays: Basketball
By: Howard Megdal, @HowardMegdal, The Next
Thursdays: Golf
By: Addie Parker, @addie_parker, The IX
Fridays: Hockey
By: @TheIceGarden, The Ice Garden
Saturdays: Gymnastics
By: Lela Moore, @runlelarun, Freelance Writer

Written by Lela Moore