Trampoline fun

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

It’s hard to find those backyard trampolines anymore. Fears of the neighbor kids bouncing up, off and down and breaking things and suing and stuff. But trampoline is an Olympic sport, just one the U.S. isn’t great at.

But in Kansas City, Mo., tonight, the U.S. finished its qualification process and nominated one male, Chris Estrada of Colorado Springs, Colo., and one female, Erin Blanchard of Lafayette, La., to the Olympic trampoline team.

Logan Dooley of Lake Forest is the men’s alternate and Alaina Hebert of Broussard, La., is the women’s.

This is the first time a U.S. male has qualified for the Olympics in trampoline. It is the third straight appearance for the women. Watching the sport is kind of fun in that way you watch the X-Games skateboarders holding your breath and waiting for the thud.

If you’re looking for favorites, here’s the list of medalists at the 2007 world championships:

For the women: 1. Irina Karavaeva of Russia; 2. Huang Shanshan of China; 3. Rosannagh MacLennan of Canada.

For the men: 1. Ye Shuai of China; 2. Dong Dong of China; 3. Yasuhiro Ueyama of Japan.

And the trampoline ticket in Beijing is supposed to be tough to get. Is there a Chinese version of Stub Hub?

Here, also, is a YouTube clip of the Athens men’s gold medal routine. It is Yuri from Ukraine. Don’t try it at home, even if you still have that trampoline.

-- Diane Pucin