Flawed System Leaves Vaculik out of Olympic Games Article

[Ingymmom]

How very sad for this girl. I don't know enough about the Canadian system to agree it is flawed, but it does seem crazy to me that the gymnast of "now" would not make it.


Flawed system leaves Vaculik out of Olympic Games

 

[gracefulone]

That just stinks! I was looking forward to watching her. Do you know how old she is? Would she make the attempt for 2012?

 

[Ingymmom]

"Do you know how old she is?"

I know she was born in 92. Not sure if she is 15 turning 16, or 16 already. 2012 is so far off, it is always tough to say who will still be around...

 

[bogwoppit]

Kristina is 16, as in just old enough to go to the Olympics. She is a mazing for a Canadian gymnast. We saw her compete in Montreal in the international meet.

She is Canada's strongest AA gymnast and likely only her and Elyse Hopfner Hibbs are the only two Canadian gymnasts that could make it to an event finals. The other Olympic bound Canadian gymnast is from Montreal and is just not as strong AA, though a lovely young woman too.

I do know the points system in Canada, it is very flawed, even more so by the fact that Kristina was not allowed to earn points as a junior and only became old enough to be a senior at the end of last year, so she could not possibly catch up points wise with the other much older girls. Though she did get very close.

There is so much to this sad story that I couldn't possibly write it all down, my heart breaks for Kristina and her fabulous coach Elena. They have been treated appallingly by this system and their peers.

I will say that you will not see Canada's best at the games, in fact you may not even know we were represented, because our best will be sitting in a gym in Ontario, Canada.

 

[bogwoppit]

Flawed system leaves Vaculik out of Olympic Games

The above is a link to a news article that explains what the big deal is.

 

[Billy]

That is just so wrong!!! Can't anything be done or is it just too late for her this year? ARGH!!! It's an outrage!!!

 

[californiaaaa017]

That's so sad! Can they do anything about it?

 

[flippymonkeysmom]

I'm really surprised they don't have a way to handle gymnasts just coming into senior status during an olympic year. I kinda understand what they are trying to do with the point system - but they really should then include her accomplishments as a junior. Hopefully the uproar will wake them up to make some changes - unfortunately it probably won't be soon enough for this poor girl.

 

[NYgymfan]

Wow that's really a darn shame. The Olympic age limits themselves are somewhat controversial, and looks like Canada has effectively raised the Olympic minimum age limit by making it nearly impossible to qualify if you are just over the Olympic limit. Hopefully people in the Canadian gymnastics community remember what happened and push for changes and don't simply forget about it once the Beijing games are over.

I wonder how many other countries have similar systems?

She should be proud that she almost managed to catch up in points with the older girls, despite having a serious handicap!

 

[MoonKid]

I knew about the points system, but I hadn't realized that the other's were able to start earning points before her. That's just unfair .
I hope she stick's around for 2012. I think Canada will have a quite good team then, with Charlotte Mackie, Peng Peng Lee, and Britany Rogers, as well as Kristina.

 

[NYgymfan]

I have no doubt our northern neighbors will have a great team....questions is, will it be the best team Canada could have created if they had a different system? Only time will tell, but wouldn't it suck if Canada (or any country for that matter) didn't get a medal because they didn't send one of their top athletes?

 

[FIG]

Unfortunately, Canada did not qualify for a full team after 2007 World Championships in Stuttgart. Canada placed 14th. Only top 12 earned the right to qualify for a full team in Beijing. So, Canada can only send two athletes to Beijing this summer.

The points system was created by the Canadian Gymnastics federation (Gymnastics Canada Gymnastiques or GCG) and it is obvious to everyone by now that the point system favoured certain gymnasts right from the start and that GCG had already decided a long time ago who they wanted to send to Beijing even if it is not Canada's best. Kristina Vaculik has proven herself to be Canada's best, so this is indeed a sad time for her and her family as well as her coach Elena Davydova.

This is becoming a national scandal in Canada and I'm sure you won't be hearing the end of it anytime soon.

 

[bogwoppit]

Welcome to The Chalkbucket, great first post.

I really hope that this terrible injustice brings about a change in the Canadian system. It is long overdue. I don't believe Kristina will get to go to Beijing, but I hope that the gym world has enough power that it encourages an enquiry into this ridiculously twisted points system.

 

[FIG]

Thanks Bogwoppit. It would be nice to think that things could change for Kristina and she gets to go to Beijing. ray:

 

[iFlip4GymPlus25]

That stinks! She's one my FAVORITE gymnasts! My mom says we have the same style or something. She says she can she me doing routines like her if I reach that level. Anyway, I was looking forward to seeing her compete in Beijing! I feel so bad for her! Is there anything that can be done? Can WE do anything? Can we sign a petition or something?

 

[bogwoppit]

Send Kristina Vaculik to the Olympic Games Petition

Join the other 600 people who have already signed. Then read through and see the great company you are in.

Of course I would love Kristina to be in Beijing, I have seen her perform in Montreal a few times and she is a beautiful gymnasts. Elyse Hopfner Hibbs also is great, Nansy Damianova is just not quite in their league and she is not any kind of all rounder. This points system is not the fault of the gymnasts, but of thoughtless adults who should know better than to fix a system that didn't need fixing. Shame on them.

 

[NYgymfan]

Do you have to be Canadian to sign it?

 

[Cuemommy]

How sad. I signed the petition. I hope she knows how much we support her and want her to go. But eh...want her to beat our american gymnasts?

 

[bogwoppit]

Do you have to be Canadian to sign it?

No, people from all over the world have signed, please join in.

 

[FIG]

Kristina Vaculik Online Petition

I encourage everyone to sign this petition, even if you are not Canadian. We need to get the message out to the international gymnastics community and inparticular to any coaches/judges/athletes who feel that Gymnastics Canada made a bad error in judgement by not sending Kristina Vaculik to Beijing. So, please help to spread the word....Thank you from your northern neighbour!