Grand Prix Osijek 2013

"The Flying Dutchman" Continues to Amaze the World

"The Flying Dutchman" Continues to Amaze the World

Sep 12, 2013 by Jennifer Teitell
"The Flying Dutchman" Continues to Amaze the World


When the high bar rotation gets underway in Osijek this weekend, you can bet that all eyes will be watching Epke Zonderland of the Netherlands. Zonderland ignores gravity, logic, and possibly sanity with his death defying combinations and high flying release moves. Zonderland completes insanely difficult combinations that no one else in the world dares to even attempt.



 
Zonderland's incredible performance at the 2012 London Olympic High Bar Final goes down in gymnastics history as one of the most exciting and complex routines ever performed, with an unreal 7.9 difficulty rating.  Even non-gymnastics fans remember the man dubbed the "The Flying Dutchman." Fellow high bar finalists had to look on in awe as his routine featured  an incredible Cassina, Kovacs, Kolman combination and a stuck double twisting double layout dismount. 2008 Olympic silver medalist Jonathan Horton of Team USA said, "I knew no one was going to beat that. That’s the most incredible high bar I’ve ever seen!"

In London, the 26-year-old Zonderland with his score of 16.533 won the first Olympic gymnastics gold medal in 84 years for the Netherlands. This gold medal was extra special for the Dutchman because he had been oh-so-close to gold, earning silver medals at back-to-back World Championships in 2009 and 2010.


Zonderland training Cassina, Kovacs, Kolman, Gaylord II combination

In this year after the Olympic Games, with a more difficult code of points, there is always uncertainty about what the future holds for many gymnasts. Many wondered if Zonderland would retire following his magical performance in London. Instead, he is making his routine even more difficult training a Cassina, Kovacs, Kolman, Gaylord II combination. Zonderland is the favorite for gold on high bar at the upcoming World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium.  Will we see Zonderland compete his new combination this weekend in Osijek? Watch LIVE to find out! 

Gymnastike is thrilled to bring you LIVE coverage of the 2013 Osijek Grand Prix, which will stream this weekend, September 14- 15. 


All Gymnastike Gold subscribers in the USA will be able to access the live Osijek Grand Prix stream.  To sign up for Gymnastike Gold click here