British WAG (and MAG!) talk

[Puffin]

Is there any news on Jenn Gadirova? I remember she posted some stuff (late April?) of her tumbling (soft landings) progressing from a back tuck to a double lo/full in. But nothing recently

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

This from June of her training leaps and salto skills on high beam with a mat is the most recent I'm aware of.



I think the most we can say at the moment is they've both got a long way to go, but plenty of time to get there.

It's a long time since the sport's given athletes the opportunity to have a classic post-Olympic, low stakes year. A whole generation of pretty experienced gymnasts have just never done it. We have a lot to see about who prioritises what.

 

[MaryClare]

What actually was Jennifer’s injury? Do we know?

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

What actually was Jennifer’s injury? Do we know?

She said the arthroscopy back in January was to 'wash out' her ankle. I'm not sure if that's the same issue that kept her out in 2023.

 

[KorbutFan]

Ellie Downie will be on the new series of Celebrity SAS starting next Sunday 22 September.

 

[Samxo]

Jen competed today, although I’m yet to see any results

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Aylesbury's socials say it was a Bucks county competition, so obviously very low level. Still, something to celebrate after 18 months out!

 

[Samxo]

Aylesbury's socials say it was a Bucks county competition, so obviously very low level. Still, something to celebrate after 18 months out!

Probably wanted something low attending crowd wise purely bc it’s been so long, I wonder if she’ll compete at British teams now

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Alice has posted on her IG that she's engaged, and also a poster on Reddit said she gave a podcast interview stating that she's planning a bit of downtime in 2025, and will train but not try for major teams. I haven't heard it myself.

So that's interesting, as I'd been wondering what she might do about next year. On the one hand, she's basically not stopped since 2020. On the other hand, next year is probably going to be a good time to pick up medals, and as Alice said herself she's been best friends with 4th place this quad. Looks like she's choosing to take her foot off the break for a bit.

 

[MaryClare]

Glad she’s taking a break, she’s carried the team for 2 years

 

[RAFIKI]

Dragged GB through a lot of the Tokyo quint as well.

 

[OnlyBeansOnToast]

Got on the train this morning and found myself sitting literally opposite a Gadirova twin. Think it was Jessica. I didn't say anything as she had her headphones on and was intently staring at her phone and the snowy Chiltern landscape, plus we were in the quiet zone and in any case it would have been deeply weird. So that's it, that's the story. But I felt it was worth noting. Oh and she was rocking a slicked-back bun, which seems excessive on her day off but I guess gymnasts gonna gymnast.

 

[RAFIKI]

Thanks for sharing. I would be so excited in that situation but would probably also respond in that very British way!

 

[MaryClare]

Got on the train this morning and found myself sitting literally opposite a Gadirova twin. Think it was Jessica. I didn't say anything as she had her headphones on and was intently staring at her phone and the snowy Chiltern landscape, plus we were in the quiet zone and in any case it would have been deeply weird. So that's it, that's the story. But I felt it was worth noting. Oh and she was rocking a slicked-back bun, which seems excessive on her day off but I guess gymnasts gonna gymnast.

Slicked back buns are very much in fashion at the moment

 

[OnlyBeansOnToast]

Slicked back buns are very much in fashion at the moment

Yeah but it struck me as like wearing school uniform on a Saturday.

 

[Doug1233]

Think it was Jessica.

This made me lol!

 

[OnlyBeansOnToast]

This made me lol!

I'm not saying I spent the following 45 minutes googling "how to tell which Gadirova is which" but it definitely looked like she had one small freckle just above her left eye.

 

[Gymfan93]

They have- or did have- quite different eyebrows, although that may only be helpful if they are together!

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

A surprising number of the British posters here have a gymnast on train story. My mother had a lovely chat with a relative of Josef Stalder's on the way to Glasgow worlds. And there's someone else, I want to say @KorbutFan?

 

[MaryClare]

A surprising number of the British posters here have a gymnast on train story. My mother had a lovely chat with a relative of Josef Stalder's on the way to Glasgow worlds. And there's someone else, I want to say @KorbutFan?

You know that weird British thing we do where it’s really awkward if you have to get on the same train as a colleague and you don’t really want to acknowledge them because they might feel obligated to have a conversation but you’re also panicking inside in case they think you’re being rude by ignoring them?

I spent 3 years not talking to Natalia Ilienko on the Piccadilly line