There are very few gymnasts in the last fifteen years I can actually call myself a fan of. The power gymnasts don’t have enough artistry. The Artistic gymnasts couldn’t sniff the real artistry we had back in the 80’s and 90’s and gymnastics as a sport doesn’t hold a candle to what made me a fan back in the day that is why it is so rare for me to actually call myself a fan of a specific gymnast.
That is why Jiang Yuyuan is the only gymnast who has competed in the last fifteen years I am proud to call myself a fan of.
Powerful enough to do an Amanar. Clean enough to swing the Uneven Bars with precision and good form and artistic enough to make ME (yes me) love a happy go lucky gymnast that smiles for the camera even if she doesn’t hit her best routine.
So thanks Yuyuan for your contribution to the sport. You literally made my Century in gymnastics and I will go to my grave convinced you should have won the bronze medal on floor at the 2008 Olympic Games.
Have fun at University:)
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Some of my favorite Jiang Yuyuan moments
Winning the Silver medal in the AA at the 2010 World Championships. Of course you can’t watch NBC and get this kind of coverage. Thank you Telemundo:) She tears up when she see’s her score. Aww
CCTV interview after her win
The 2008 Olympic Event Finals Floor. She was robbed in favor of Nelli Kim’s favorite little Russian bitch. Shame on the politics of the Olympic Games. Sadly the only version I could find was NBC. The comments section is full of people thinking she was robbed and the worlds resident stalker fanatic defending the Russian bitch’s win. Color me shocked:)
China wins team Gold. Parts ten and Eleven. Jiang’s floor is in part ten and the celebration is in part 11
Tags: fuck you nellie kim, jiang yuyuan, jiang yuyuan was robbed in 2008
Gymtruthteller's Blog 
September 9, 2013 at 2:36 AM |
Cannot agree with you more – she was always such a joy to watch perform, and was most definitely robbed on floor in 08.
I was disappointed in her Amanar in the AA in 2008. Her vault was just off that entire competition, and it’s really sad, because I’ve seen videos where she’s performed a pretty clean, well executed vault.
September 9, 2013 at 2:57 AM |
She was injured and competed hurt. I read it while doing re-search for the blog
September 9, 2013 at 2:47 AM |
Such a great performer, it was almost impossible not to smile while watching her floor routine!
September 9, 2013 at 5:04 AM |
I don’t know how anyone can not smile watching Jiang on floor lol
September 9, 2013 at 10:43 AM |
She’s one if the few gymnasts whose fx I’ve enjoyed watching over the years. Even her run as shes preparing to vault or do a round off back handspring is always neat and clean.
September 9, 2013 at 5:03 PM |
Yeah I always remember her for her run/entry on to vault or before a tumbling pass. There was always something so neat/clean about her.
Why Nastia was on podium AT ALL for FLOOR EXERCISE is at the Olympic Games is beyond me. She was never a strong floor worker and all of a sudden she’s one of the best in the World? Something was up there – this girl got totally robbed.
Eff Nellie Kim.
September 9, 2013 at 5:29 PM |
Totally agree with you Sanity, and I think it says a lot that Nastia, with her crappy twisting form and the worst double front in history, had the highest execution score in the entire damn final.
September 9, 2013 at 7:47 PM |
I desperately wanted Jiang to win that floor medal – what a joy to watch. I also remember being really sad that Cheng Fei and Anna Pavlova messed up, although I LOVe Isbasa so at least one part of the floor final went well.
Best of luck to her! She’ll always be one of my favorites.
September 9, 2013 at 8:07 PM |
A mixed bunch of farewells… He Kexin hit 2/4 bar routines- competing injured- and got to salute the crowd and the jumbotron displayed congratulations etc..but she fell on a stupid mistake in her last routine.
Deng Linlin performed fairly badly but scraped herself together and got the bronze in the AA- though it was a bit gifted, her FTY got an enormous score and bumped the super talented Wang Yan out..so, it’s a controversial win.
Jiang Yuyuan did not get to go the NG at all.
Huang Qiushuang is supposed to compete at the east Asian games in October. Sui Lu..it’s not known what she’ll do, but she did so well!
September 9, 2013 at 8:10 PM |
Oh and Shang Chunsong’s 3 golds and 2 bronzes earned her the equivalent of $123,807. In her interview when asked she stated that the money will go to buying her family a house and treating her elder brother’s eyes (he’s blind). Her monthly allowance will also go up, and will help her family too- they are extremely poor.
Say what you want about He Kexin’s age, but she will be sorely missed. By all accounts she is also a lovely person (super nice to her young teammates) as well as a fabulous bars worker.
September 9, 2013 at 11:15 PM
i never blamed he kexin or deng for possibly being underage in 2008. they didn’t make the choice, their coaches did. they were both huge talents to the sport. just beautiful. i couldn’t believe he kexin got through all the hard stuff and fell on such a simple move.
also PLEASE DON’T RETIRE SUI LU.
September 9, 2013 at 11:41 PM
I am actually excited for Shang Chungsong and to see what she does at worlds. Its nice that she is able to help her family and maybe crack the tier I of Chinese gymnastics that she wasnt previously in. Shes only 16 so hopefully more to come like Kyla since she didnt compete in London for them. It would be nice to see her compete full difficulty at Worlds / Rio so I hope she goes and does. That should also help her family.
September 10, 2013 at 1:35 AM
It’s so sad that I get touched when I hear that Shang is going to buy a home for her family and help her blind brother, YET feel totally outraged when I hear that gabby is helping her family. Somewhere I feel/know there is a double standard, but my emotions want to override it. Why do I feel it’s okay for Shang to do it…but not Gabby? Is it because we know about Natalie and her “situation”? Or because I never really liked Gabby? Who’s to say that Shang’s parents aren’t freeloaders like Natalie (I don’t think that way…but I don’t really know)? Isn’t it the same? Both are trying to help their families?
Whatever the answer is…I find myself questioning why I feel the way I do. Does anyone else feel this way???
September 10, 2013 at 1:59 AM
That is a good point but it doesn’t bother me that Gabby is buying her mother a house it bothers me that we can’t trust Gabby’s mother to leave anything for her in ten years when the fame train is dead and she is the same uneducated idiot we see now.
That little Chinese girl is set for life and will be educated if that is what she wants to do. She already has her free pass to University. Gabby has no future if she doesn’t get an education. Someone will take advantage of her.
I hate Dominique Moceanu but I give her a lot of credit for going to school after her father stole all her money. Of course she married a Doctor and that helped.
Deep down inside even those of us that don’t like her don’t want to see Gabby homeless and strung out in ten years because her mother spent all her money and she has no future. Gabby isn’t smart enough to secure a future for herself and it doesn’t look like her mother will help in that department.
September 10, 2013 at 2:48 AM
I want to add Natalie is NOT part of a communist system, where you have no control over where you’re positioned class-wise. China does not have the “American Dream” that America does. Let’s be honest Natalie just took advantage constantly of the ‘American system’ and collected welfare/disability when it’s more than obvious she’s capable of getting a job. She accepts hand-outs whereas Shang’s family does not get that from their system; they have to work their butts off to stay alive. So we admire hard work and determination and can’t help but applaud when it pays off for a family that is poor and working hard and has no way out the way Natalie does/did via the US handouts. Shang had to also sacrifice most of her life away from her family for this (the Chinese way – yes, Gabby left her family for 2 years but they were still able to talk on the phone and visit during holidays; I’m sure Shang’s family didn’t have the means to do that) so it’s even more pleasing when something comes out of her hard work and sacrifice. Kind of like when Cheng Fei was doing really well – I believe she also set her parents up for life, no?
I also have to add that I applaud this because in China isn’t it considered a “downfall” if you have a daughter over a son? (BTW, how did Shang have a brother with the 1 child per family rule?) And I can’t help but smile when a daughter brings the wealth to her family – that’s a real accomplishment in the Chinese communist system.
September 10, 2013 at 1:59 AM
There is a huge difference between “helping your family buy a home and helping your blind brother get surgery” and “helping your mom buy a million plus crib in Malibu ( one of the most expensive real estate markets in LA County, and no I dont expect her to live in Compton, but there are more modest places to purchase a home) ” and “helping your mom buy a 20K handbag” There is a huge difference. Natalie gets on social media and complains about everyone and everything, and gets handed HUGE corporate freebies, and has her daughter in front of the camera for meaningless teen choice awards constantly. I mean really if one of Gabbys siblings needed surgery, or her mom was really disabled and not able to work even though she collected SS disability for a long time……
September 10, 2013 at 2:01 AM
20 K hand bag?
September 10, 2013 at 2:04 AM
Im being hyperbolic but probably easily some of the bags and gowns Fatalie is pictured in are 1K plus….. you get my point….. surgery for your blind brother is different than blowing it on shoes and purses
September 10, 2013 at 2:58 AM
I mostly agree with the discussion here, as there are different circumstances in China, and upward social mobility is much more difficult with the system they have in China, whereas I’m under the belief that if you work hard, you can work your way up (my parents are both immigrants who came from fairly poor families).
Also, Sanity, the one child policy I believe only applies to urban families. I think there are exceptions in case of ethnic minorities and families which live in rural areas.
September 10, 2013 at 7:27 AM
Shang Chunsong is a minority, and they are in general not subject to the one child per family rule. Other people who have the means pay to circumvent the rule to get the second child into education. I don’t believe you can do that in a city but you can in a rural area. Yao Jinnan has an elder sibling as well as a twin, I think her parents just paid to get around the rule…not too sure.
September 10, 2013 at 10:25 AM
I think there are also exceptions to the one child policy if your firstborn is disabled, but I’m not totally sure. Yao Jinnan has a twin sister who was also a gymnast, and I’m assuming twins don’t count under the one child policy.
September 10, 2013 at 6:19 PM
Also, Natalie declared the bankruptcy right before the Olympics counting on Gabby getting some endorsements. Meanwhile, all of her creditors including Excalibur got stiffed. And fine, it’s gabby’s money, but if she’s gifting money to Natalie, the very least Natalie could do would be to pay back the people that made a huge effort to get gabby to the Olympics and THEN buy a house. I cannot stand when people treat bankruptcy like its wiping e slate clean. There are a lot of “creditors” aren’t credit card companies or banks or hospitals that get screwed by bankruptcy. Struggling small businesses are the ones who get crushed by other peoples financial irresponsibility.
September 10, 2013 at 10:44 PM
Yup, Natalie completely and totally took advantage of the BK laws. Honestly I wish there was a law stating if you collect welfare/disability then part of that money gets cut automatically and goes to pay off your debts on a pay plan. I have no clue why she was “allowed” to declare when she’s just collecting off of all of us taxpayers. Her son probably got a grant to go to school, too because he couldn’t financially afford it and in this Country they give you all sorts of special freebies if you’re not white (it’s true, that’s not a racist statement).
September 10, 2013 at 2:03 AM |
What is really sad is Fatalie was just counting on Gabby getting famous. Its like they bet the whole farm on it, and these things rarely if ever end well. The one exception is the Williams sisters but they have been able to play tennis for a long time. Tennis is a money sport not a four year olympic sport.
September 10, 2013 at 2:52 AM |
Agreed. I mean, Serena Williams won $3.6 million the other night ($2.6 for winning the U.S. Open and an extra $1 million for winning the series leading up to it).
September 10, 2013 at 9:20 AM |
Yeah the major difference between the two is that Shang’s opportunities for her own education and advancement as well as helping her family come from her gymnastics and medals. Gabby’s opportunities come from endorsements and gymnastics training is a financial black hole..though she won’t last forever on the back of one win. Gabby’s family seem like they are freeloading off her, and maybe just maybe influencing her not to go back and train, or not until she has to to get more endorsements.
Shang’s parents work in construction, but she has been supporting them since the age of 10 with her acheivements. Her support of her family is heartwarming by comparison to what could be exploitation against her wished with Gabby.
September 10, 2013 at 10:28 AM
Also, Gabby’s money is controlled by her mother since she is a minor. Shang’s prize money has is probably more controlled, and she will receive a government stipend for the rest of life as well as free university tuition, so even if her parents were free-loading she has a safety net. Gabby, on the other hand, is screwed if the money is misspent, like Moceanu was. In Moceanu’s book, she said she made something like $1 million (in 1990s money!) in post-Atlanta endorsements, and her dad had spent almost ALL of it by the time she was 15.
September 10, 2013 at 11:33 AM
Gabby turns 18 in January and it will be interesting to see what happens then and what her mom has obligated her to. I wonder if thats why DWTS is waiting until next season when she is actually 18 and doesnt need Fatalie around. Im sure Aly Raisman being 18 helped, but Im sure Fatalie pokes her head in a lot. Leann Rimes parents signed record deals that tied her up for a long time when she was under age that she couldnt get out of. Gabby has no safety net. I dont even think she is in high school. I think they think they are getting a reality series in LA like the Braxtons or something….. but it would not surprise me.
Interesting that Chris Waller is having some kind of fundraiser for his gym and Jordyn and Van Zam are involved but no Gabby. Shes not training. She needs to if shes serious about Rio as does Aly but I dont think either of them are.
September 10, 2013 at 3:23 PM
Heard from someone involved in producing a couple of the shows that Aly turned down invitations to about a half dozen shows at fashion week this week in NY because she didn’t want to miss multiple days of training in a row…
Alicia didn’t start her 2010 comeback until October of 2009 because of shoulder surgery (not to mention being world class on 2 events 8 months after achilles surgery.) I don’t think we can assume because they aren’t yet that they aren’t serious about coming back. If they choose to go to camp in 2013 it probably won’t be until the end of November although there is a camp a couple of weeks after worlds in October.
I can’t imagine the dynamic if both Jordyn and Gabby are training at the same gym. Very strange. I’m torn between wanting Jo to come back and end her career on a positive note and wanting her to actually enjoy college. The idea of being the gymnastics team student manager, taking a full course load (which she has to in order to be a student manager), plus maintaining the hours of elite training seems daunting. Plus national team camps as we all know how Marta feels about girls who dont go to camp (ie CFM).
September 10, 2013 at 10:41 PM
I think Jordyn is mostly done, given her move and decision to attend UCLA this year. If she were going to be making a full comeback she probably would have postponed going to college. It seemed she was leaning that way when she started her comeback initially w/Geddert. The whole Geddert situation probably threw that idea out the window since she can no longer really be safely associated with him if that rumor is true. And she probably figures ending her career on an Olympic gold medal isn’t the worst of things, and why bother making such an effort with a comeback when you don’t have Marta in your corner. I think for her life Jordyn probably made the best decision, although it would have been great to see her make a final run for it. She was looking so good at one point. Maybe she’s just seeing how things go and if she finds her passion again, she’ll put college to the wayside and decide to train full-time either with this guy in LA or maybe somewhere else (who knows, it doesn’t look like she’ll be going back to Geddert even though she had indicated before all the crap happened that she would only do it with him if she did make a comeback).
As for Aly I think she’ll come back but she’s taking her time – why rush this year?
I think Gabby is done as long as opportunities come her way, even the lame ones. Natalie would rather her daughter cash in than go back to training. Natalie needs her nails done and all, yo.
September 10, 2013 at 5:41 PM
Gabby turns 18 on new years eve! Talk about lucky, scraping in to 2011 worlds. Had she still been a junior that year she may not have gotten it together in time.
September 11, 2013 at 1:36 AM
RE: Jordyn – I agree. I was a D1 soccer player in college (graduated this past spring, sadly…I miss it!) and it was definitely challenging (though manageable) to balance my pre-med/biochem major schedule with training and the few other activities I did, not to mention keeping a social life. I can’t imagine how that would go while training for elite gymnastics – we only trained between 2.5 and 4 hours per day, and although we did travel long distances for games we could always do homework on the bus/plane. I believe most elites train 6-7 hours per day? Managing the UCLA team on top of that and a full class schedule would be absolutely INSANE.
September 10, 2013 at 8:10 PM |
Oh, also, Aly started classed at Babson College.
September 11, 2013 at 2:04 AM |
Good for Aly! I wasn’t sure where college fit into her plans but I’m glad she’s making time for it.
September 11, 2013 at 3:37 AM |
Now 4 of the fierce 5 are training…. and 4 of them are in school. Yeah….. I dont think Gabby is training with Chris Waller unless he gets $$ upfront, otherwise like Jordyn and Van Zam she would be headlining that fundraiser….
And Good for Aly…
September 11, 2013 at 6:07 PM |
Kyla Ross and her mother are being interviewed on this weeks Gymcastic podcast if anyone is interested. Just started listening now. I’ll comment when I finish.
September 11, 2013 at 11:31 PM |
Would be great if you could tell me what they say. I can’t listen to that show. I hate people that laugh at their own jokes. Thanks
September 12, 2013 at 2:58 PM
@gymtruthteller If you go to their website you can read the episode transcripts (that’s what I do sometimes if there’s only one part of an episode that I care about), the most recent episode’s isn’t up yet but it probably will be before too long.
September 12, 2013 at 1:39 PM |
I agree, I don’t have the patience to listen to the whole thing but would love to know what she says. Looking forward to your recap Tortuga!
September 12, 2013 at 9:01 PM
Okay sorry it took so long for me to write this.I got interrupted and didn’t get to finish the interview till today.
Sometimes the podcast can be hard to listen to for me. I appreciate Jessica’s enthusiasm and knowledge but it can be soo exhausting!!
Non Kyla related they said that Gabby is “working out at GymJam” I don’t know if that means training or just conditioning. Not really sure on details.
Anyway… on to Kyla. In her interview Kyla say’s that Marta does try to lead you in the right direction and let you know where you stand as in what events to go for and your chances etc. Her two best friends from the gym (the twins) are going to Stanford. Kyla was asked what her top colleges are or a top 3 she could only list Stanford and UCLA and if she thinks she can fill the academic requirements with training I’m sure she will go to Stanford. She was asked if she has break down moments in the gym like “I just can’t go on!” she said she has really rough days but her coaches work with her schedule and talk through things with her. When asked about up grades she really only tells us that she is working on a back handspring arabian on beam. Says the amanar might be back after worlds. Her lipstick color was borrowed from Aly at nationals. I thought that was cute and shows they really are friends. She gets to pick her leos for competition since she is the only elite at her gym. She was asked the hardest part of floor is to her, she admits she is really working on endurance. Jessica asks her if she is trying to communicated a message with her floor routine and working with the choreographers lately. (I saw Jessica tweet something about Kyla’s routine doesn’t bring across a message during Championships) Kyla said no they have just been teaching her more the real technique of dance. Oh and for the record Kyla said she is only 5’4″!! Thank God. She says her legs just make her look really tall. The most interesting thing her mother mentioned was that her coaches kind of don’t fill the parents in on their master plan they just go along in a do our best sort of way. And that’s all that I found interesting.
September 12, 2013 at 9:52 PM
Thank you so much for posting this. I am stoked to see an arabian off beam from Kyla – wish I could see it this year, but I guess they’re saving all for next.
I don’t remember Aly wearing the bright red lipstick, but that’s a cute story.
September 13, 2013 at 1:10 PM
I’m not sure if Aly was wearing any that day but Kyla had said she went to Aly’s room and searched through her make up bag and picked it out that way.
A back handspring arabian on beam is exciting hopefully she will have that and the amanar next year.
September 12, 2013 at 12:07 AM |
Adidas commercial with Jordyn. Very simple and beautiful. The behind the scenes had Mckayla vaulting (of course) can’t wait to see that one!
September 12, 2013 at 2:03 AM |
Makes me miss Jordyn competing. 😦 I hope she does come back…
September 12, 2013 at 6:27 AM
I feel the same. 😦
September 12, 2013 at 2:05 AM |
I think there is a good possibility once Gabby is 18 shes on DWTS. I have also heard about the reality show for her family with mom and bro, though Im not sure how much they shopped it. If Seacrest or Oprah is behind it it explains how they afford a house in Malibu. Especially if it is outfitted with production lights. It wouldnt surprise me if ABC uses DWTS to promote Gabbys reality show.
September 12, 2013 at 2:09 AM |
How do we know Gabby moved into a home in Malibu?
September 12, 2013 at 4:21 PM |
I don’t know if gabby will ever do dwts. The time to do it, for gymnasts at least, is right after the Olympics.
September 12, 2013 at 5:00 PM
The gymcastic report made it seem like she had committed to do DWTS next season. Especially considering when all these reports came out about her joining, this season’s cast was more or less set.
It would suck if she was pressured to sign a contract to do the show next year by ~someone~ else. In the mean time she goes back in the gym and gets back in shape but has to stop training and go on DWTS because she already committed to it.
I’m just going to stop speculating on the FF and let the chips fall where they may. If Jordyn, Aly and Gabby come back then great! But if they don’t then I sincerely hope they don’t drag it out like certain other gymnasts.
My respect for Jordyn and Aly is 100% and I hope they don’t go the Nastia “I can train for 5 minutes before the Olympics and make the team because I’m NASTIA BITCH”
Or the Shawn “No you guys I’m totally training right now I’m just sick and can’t make it to Classics even though I was photographed shopping and going to DWTS in LA and my book tour happening during Olympic Trials is a total coincidence and wont interfere with my training at all.”
September 12, 2013 at 6:28 PM |
OMG Kyla is training a BACK-HANDSPRING ARABIAN on BEAM!!!!!
….for next year. Prayer circle.
September 13, 2013 at 2:14 PM |
DUDE YES that was the best thing EVER. Go Kyla! I love her so I’m a little frustrated she didn’t upgrade more this year but I keep reminding myself that her coaches know what they’re doing. In 2010 she was only at a 5.0 difficulty on bars and by 2010 she was at 6.4. They know to build up as the quad goes on and really with all the height she gained this year I think its kind of amazing she was able to upgrade floor by 4-5 tenths
September 13, 2013 at 1:09 AM |
I think Jordyn is training. shes officially on ucla gymnastics page as team manager same as cassie whitcomb
October 4, 2020 at 7:28 PM |
[…] Jiang Yuyuan : If you read this blog then you should have known who was number one. She’s probably the only gymnast that will ever receive a retirement blog from me. She was pure joy to watch and well, the link explains it all. My favorite gymnast to watch, the […]