Great spotting or predictable good spotting?
A number of people seem to be praising this- non-gymnasts and gymnasts alike- due to the fantastic rescue spotting being performed....twice:
Italian gymnast Sara Berardinelli had a bit of trouble with the uneven parallel bars at the L’International Gymnix competition in Canada, but fortunately her coach was there to bail her out of trouble. When Berardinelli just missed clearing the bar, sending her spinning to the ground, Berardinelli’s coach stopped her momentum just a few inches from the mat.
Berardinelli reacts to the fall like a total pro. Despite nearly landing on her head, she immediately pops up without missing a beat and gets ready go back on the bars. She made the same mistake again, but her coach was in the right place at the right time.
That she does this a second time and that her coach catches her a 2nd time, makes one wonder if Berardinelli hasn't hit the bar like this before during practice and he already was anticipating what might happen that first time.
Some commenters also question the coaching judgment, wondering that she shouldn't be competing this; but spend more time on practicing the technical aspect.
The problem in my opinion is that improving upon the technical aspect of this technique isn't the primary problem: It's teaching this kind of technique, itself- the swing through bail with no real tap and up to handstand, arch and sit-up then dump yourself over the bar kind of technique usually only seen in women's gymnastics; as opposed to the technique taught "men's style", push away from the bar and open on the bail, kick forward early and pull down on the bar, stop the feet and throw. This type of technique is more a "true" Tkatchev, generating strong counter-rotation and not just a sit up, fall on the other side of the bar with no swing.
Even in prelims, you can see she barely scrapes over the bar:
I know a lot of girls are successful with this kind of technique (maybe Berardinelli herself, usually has a hit more than miss percentage, too); but I think it's bad technique.



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