Gymnastics News #21 - Tumbling on to Tokyo

[rhapsody]

Does anyone think with her improved bars Simone can medal at bars at Worlds? Would love to see her medal or even win gold on bars in a major event someday. This year it seems likely to be a weak field so it would be a good year to do it, it would be much likely in a year like 2020 or even 2019 which will probably have amassed a stronger field.

I don't think so. The Chinese almost never compete (at all or their max difficulty) until it comes to Worlds and they always have contenders on bars because of their pristine forward pirouettes. Fan reappeared out of nowhere in 2017 to win the title. Then you have to factor in Nina. And then Mustafina and Komova as well as any of their replacements from Russia. Germany is having a resurgence and Seitz and Scheder are always in contention on bars (and were out of Euros for minor injuries) and then Adlerteg also did exceedingly well in Glasgow. Depending on the Brits and their injuries, the Downies are also fantastic. I think the most Simone could hope for is sneaking into a final but even then that'll happen only if there's spectacular implosions from many of those ahead of her.

 

[Aceon6]

^^^ Agree. Improved bars give her some wiggle room in case some upstart teen bursts on the scene. And if you’re competing against her, it absolutely kills the “I can catch up on bars.”

 

[Erin]

Didn’t Simone make the bars final at 2013 or 2014 Worlds and finished around 4th?

She was fourth in 2013. But the field has become a lot deeper since then. I agree with @rhapsody that I think a medal is probably unlikely, because I think the bars field is the deepest one of all the events. But I could see her making the final again, which would be much more impressive in the field listed above than in the weak 2013 field.

 

[VGThuy]

What were Simone’s scores and rank on bars within the American teams from 2013-2016?

 

[ilovepaydays]

Interview: Tom Forster - 2018 US Gymnastics Championships

Fascinating stuff. I do (as of right now) like him a lot better than Marta or Valeri.

I didn't realize that if you compete at the 2018 World Championships, you are ineligible to qualify for the 2020 Olympics as one of the specialist spots. Also, if you get a nominative spot and you get injured/unable to compete in Tokyo - their country loses THAT spot.

Or did I hear Tom Forster correctly? He starts talking about this at around 11:00 in the video. OMG!!!!

 

[Willin]

Interview: Tom Forster - 2018 US Gymnastics Championships

Fascinating stuff. I do (as of right now) like him a lot better than Marta or Valeri.

I didn't realize that if you compete at the 2018 World Championships, you are ineligible to qualify for the 2020 Olympics as one of the specialist spots. Also, if you get a nominative spot and you get injured/unable to compete in Tokyo - their country loses THAT spot.

Or did I hear Tom Forster correctly? He starts talking about this at around 11:00 in the video. OMG!!!!

I don't think that's true, but if it is it certainly makes things interesting in choosing the team this time around.
One would assume Simone would go as an all-arounder, as would Morgan Hurd, but the other spots would have to be chosen with who might be a specialist in mind. Maybe it will give Ashton Locklear and Regan Smith a leg up in the selection process, as they're likely not going to be on the World Team this year.

 

[ilovepaydays]

Women's final day starts in about 10 minutes!

It will air live in the U.S. on NBC

2018 U.S. Gymnastics Championships - Senior Women - Day 2 - International Feed
Live Overall Scoring
Live by Rotation and Apparatus Scoring

 

[Erin]

What were Simone’s scores and rank on bars within the American teams from 2013-2016?

2nd, 4th, 5th, and 4th.

Re Olympic spots - I haven’t watched the Forster interview but there has been a lot of confusion about the “specialist” spots. The thing is, the US is highly likely to earn two NON-nominative individual spots via the World Cup AA circuit and the 2020 Pan-Am Championships (which are not necessarily specialist spots although I hope they do go to specialists). The Pan-Ams entrant who EARNS the spot can’t be on the 2018 world team but the person who USES the spot can be. So I think it is a lot of worry about nothing.

 

[ilovepaydays]

OMG, Morgan Hurd's leo. Well, at least you can't miss her - anywhere!

 

[ilovepaydays]

Jordan Chiles has a Wonder Woman leo!

 

[Willin]

@ilovepaydays Perfect with her floor routine. I love it when they match the music to the leotard.

 

[ilovepaydays]

@ilovepaydays Perfect with her floor routine. I love it when they match the music to the leotard.

Usually they have on their "club leo" - that's a shame Jordan fell off the bean on her WOLF TURN!!!!

Andrea Joyce's interview's with Kerry Perry.....I don't know whether to or or .

 

[FiveRinger]

Interview: Tom Forster - 2018 US Gymnastics Championships

Fascinating stuff. I do (as of right now) like him a lot better than Marta or Valeri.

I didn't realize that if you compete at the 2018 World Championships, you are ineligible to qualify for the 2020 Olympics as one of the specialist spots. Also, if you get a nominative spot and you get injured/unable to compete in Tokyo - their country loses THAT spot.

Or did I hear Tom Forster correctly? He starts talking about this at around 11:00 in the video. OMG!!!!

Didn’t we have a similar discussion when Larissa Iordache didn’t qualify for Rio even though she was a world AA medalist?

 

[Aceon6]

I think Kerry Perry is a ventriloquist’s dummy and Steve Penny is doing the voice. That’s the only logical explanation.

 

[PRlady]

I have no idea what I’m watching. I’m barely a casual fan. But fwiw, I loved watching Trinity on the bars. Beautiful lines. Jordan looks sloppy, Ragan is really injured and the girl who wasn’t “elite” until recently seems quite good.

Simone is amazing.

 

[HeatherC]

Simone = Queen

 

[Sarah]

Simone is amazing but I really liked Kara Eaker.

 

[HeatherC]

I'm glad they're showing Grace McCallum tonight. I really liked her at the US Classic. I think she has a ton of potential and its fun to see her do well in Boston. If the top four stayed exactly as they are right now, I'd be very happy with it.

 

[jeffisjeff]

I have no idea what I’m watching. I’m barely a casual fan.

We know you're just watching for Terry!

 

[ilovepaydays]

So......is Ragan even going to be invited to the Worlds Team Selection Camp?

 

[Willin]

@ilovepaydays I hope not. Maybe it will force her into taking better care of that ankle. Hopefully she'd at least get a little rest as a result.

 

[ilovepaydays]

Jade Carey is insanely good on floor!

 

[VGThuy]

So......is Ragan even going to be invited to the Worlds Team Selection Camp?

I haven't been watching and been relying on your beautiful people for reports. From the sounds of it, I hope not. That just sounds cruel at this point. I mean it'd be a Marta thing to do, but that era should be over.

 

[ilovepaydays]

DANG! Simone is going to beat Riley for bars national title by .100. BOO!!!!!!

 

[HeatherC]

Simone is unreal on the FX. Most women don't even try the stuff she's doing and she is OVERROTATING some of her passes with too much power. That is INSANE.

And I'm kind of glad she hasn't been perfect in Boston...she doesn't really need to be here. She can be perfect at Worlds!

 

[ilovepaydays]

I'm going to post something that's probably going to be very unpopular on here: I REALLY don't like Simone's floor routine. The only reason why she gets away with this presentation/choreography that she has is that the tumbling/form is at a level 13402 times better than anyone else.

 

[Bonita]

Jordan Chiles has a Wonder Woman leo!

Holy shit, I was just going to post that!

It looks like a Halloween costume.

They need Tim Gunn. Didn't like the Simone leo either. Looks like hands on her boobs.

I feel so bad for Ragan...

More impressed byJade than I expected.

Love Riley. And Simone obviously. Morgan hopefully will get more difficulty.

And **** wolf turns. Ugly sit spins. I find it odd most do them CW.

 

[VGThuy]

I'm going to post something that's probably going to be very unpopular on here: I REALLY don't like Simone's floor routine. The only reason why she gets away with this presentation/choreography that she has is that the tumbling/form is at a level 13402 times better than anyone else.

And the fact that choreography/presentation for the most part is trash in gymnastics worldwide with some exceptions. Even the Russians just get by on pure form in-between the tumbling rather than dance anymore. People are conditioned to accept it and think it's good though, like when people were laughing at the Dutch floor routines at the 2016 Olympics here because they actually dared to dance well and create choreography that actually had character and went with the music.

 

[ilovepaydays]

So.......has USA Gymnastics been gaffing Aly Raisman off during these championships?

Well, at least Ragan finished strong on beam.

 

[HeatherC]

I'm so happy for Grace! What a great competition for her!