With the 2014 Youth Olympic Games starting this week and artistic gymnastics beginning on Sunday, August 17th, we will be taking some time to get to know the athletes competing in the Games. Each country is eligible to send one female and one male gymnast between the ages of 15 and 18 years, though some have chosen to send only one athlete. Team USA will not be represented on the women’s side because the Youth Olympic Games conflict with the P&G National Championships; however, Alec Yoder will represent the USA on the men’s side. We’ll start by taking a look at some of the women competing in the event, then move on to the men.

 

Laura Jurca—Romania

We got our first look at Laura during the 2014 City of Jesolo Trophy, and we absolutely fell in love with her spunky routines and sassy dance moves! She is a key member of the Romanian junior national team, although she is German-born, and will be one to watch in the next few years leading up to the 2016 Rio Olympics.

• Birthdate: 9/14/1999

• Hometown:

• Club: CNS Cetate Deva

• Coach(es): Popa Adela

• Notable accomplishments:
      2013 Romanian junior VT gold

      2014 European junior AA silver/VT silver/ team bronze

      2014 Jesolo junior team silver/FX silver/ VT bronze

 

Yan Wang—China

This is Yan Wang’s second year on the junior international elite scene, and she already has several national and international medals under her belt. At last year’s Japan Junior International competition, Wang placed second in the AA behind the USA’s Bailie Key and just ahead of Laurie Hernandez.

• Birthdate: 10/30/1999

• Hometown: Chaoyang

• Coach(es): Qunce Wang

• Notable accomplishments:

     2013 Japan Junior International AA silver/VT silver/BB bronze

     2014 Asian Championships junior AA gold/FX silver/team silver

     2014 Chinese junior VT gold/AA bronze/FX bronze

 

Seda Tutkhalyan—Russia

Tutkhalyan has been an international elite gymnast for three years, with 2013 being her big breakout season. She is coached by Marina Ulyankina, who also served as the personal coach for 2012 Olympians Viktoria Komova and Maria Paseka.

• Birthdate: 7/15/1999

• Hometown: Moscow

• Coach(es): Marina Ulyankina

• Notable accomplishments:

     2013 Russian junior AA gold/VT gold/UB gold/FX bronze/team gold

     2013 Olympic Hopes AA silver/VT gold/FX silver/team gold

     2014 Russian junior AA silver/VT gld/UB silver/team silver
     2014 European team gold

 

Sae Miyakawa—Japan

Sae is a powerful gymnast known on the international stage especially for her strong floor tumbling. Her routine starts with a very unusual pass—a punch front layout to double front—and ends with a lovely double layout. She also shows off her power on vault with a DTY and fhs front layout.

• Birthdate: 9/10/1999

• Hometown: Seiran

• Club: Saints Gymnastics Club

• Coach(es): Hayami Yuto

• Notable accomplishments:

     2013 Japan Junior International FX bronze

     2014 Junior Asian AA bronze/VT gold/FX gold/team gold

     2014 Japan Individual junior VT gold/FX silver


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Read Part 2 Here