Gymnastic news #22 - Tokyo or bust

[alexikeguchi]

I’m in the arena now and top five are looking great. Simone is unreal, so glad I made it through four hours of traffic to get here on time! It’s a rough night for some former world and Olympic competitors, so even more respect to Simone for staying at such a crazy high level. Btw it’s hard to watch all four events at once so I do have some sympathy for the broadcasters.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

Who do we have doing vaults above DTY? It feels like they've really normed the vault values down this cycle to the point where very few people are doing harder vaults.

 

[honey]

I so want them to take Chellsie to trials! I don't want to see this journey over quite yet. Just like she did the first time I saw her 18 (!!!) years ago, she seems to kick it up a notch when it really matters.

 

[rfisher]

These uneven bars are making me hurt.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

I would say that Suni Lee's ticket is punched an the only question is if she makes the team or gets the 5th spot. Realistically, with Jade and Simone already going, who else is a better medal threat for the US than Suni on bars? Right now I'm leaning on feeling like she's on the team, but I think if she doesn't make the team, that specialist spot is hers.

 

[FiveRinger]

I have no clue how they’re going to pick this team. I’m almost willing to say Jordan has locked up the second spot behind Simone. Same with Suni. That last spot....no idea.

 

[just tuned in]

This broadcast has too many commercials. Terry and crew come back from a commercial break and give us 30 seconds of "Boy, Simone sure is great." And then back to commercials. Typical NBC.

 

[just tuned in]

I have no clue how they’re going to pick this team. I’m almost willing to say Jordan has locked up the second spot behind Simone. Same with Suni. That last spot....no idea.

Yeah, because the broadcast is barely showing us any other athletes!

 

[annie720]

This broadcast has too many commercials. Terry and crew come back from a commercial break and give us 30 seconds of "Boy, Simone sure is great." And then back to commercials. Typical NBC.

I turned it on for about 15 minutes and that was it. It did not hold my interest.

 

[centerstage01]

Right now, more than anything, I want to ban the hairdo where it looks like they're going to a yoga class and woke up late so they just pull their hair into a messy bun on top of their heads. At least make us believe you ran a brush through your hair before showing up to compete.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

Yeah, because the broadcast is barely showing us any other athletes!

I've seen Leanne Wong, Grace McCallum, Kara Eaker, Jade Carey, Kayla DiCello, Skye Blakely, Chellsie Memmel, Morgan Hurd, Riley McCusker, MyKayla Skinner...

They could be showing more routines, but it's not like they're showing no one. I'm not confused about the rest of the field. Right now Leanne Wong is looking the best for the 4th spot to me but I could see Grace coming back for it at trials. Skye looked really good early in the season, but she had a rough meet.

If Suni makes the team, which I would currently bet she will, I suspect Riley might be the 5th because the only thing for that 5th person to do is to try to make bars finals. If the team is Simone, Jordan, Suni, and someone else, no one else we have will be able to get to finals on vault, floor, beam, or AA.

 

[just tuned in]

US Senior WAG Day 1 Standings
1. Simone Biles 59.750
2. Sunisa Lee 57.350
3. Jordan Chiles 56.900
4. Jade Carey 55.450
5. Leanne Wong 55.300
6. Kara Eaker 54.550
7. Emma Malabuyo 54.450
8. Grace McCallum 54.300
9. Kayla DiCello 54.250
10. MyKayla Skinner 54.200

 

[Vash01]

I am not a regular gymnastic watcher, so I don't know much about gymnastics but I believe that Uneven bars is the toughest event in women's gymnastics It is also the most dangerous because the high bars and release moves. Balance beam is obviously difficult because of the narrowness of the beam but at least a fall from the beam does not cause serious injury, the way a fall from the high bar would.

I find gymnastics incredible. I can't believe the things these women can do and their ankles take a pounding every time. Simone Biles is a phenom but so are many others. I am seeing a lot of older women in it, which amazes me. The 32-year old woman with two children was amazing at her age.

I will definitely watch on Sunday.

 

[Rob]

Last year I thought Morgan and Grace would make it. This year, I don’t think so.

 

[alexikeguchi]

After day 1, I would go with Simone, Suni, Jordan, and Leanne. I'm assuming Jade can't be an alternate and also use her nominative spot which is too bad because she was solid and way better than anyone from sixth on down. Honestly, other than her dance/choreo, she has pretty decent form. I kind of enjoyed her bars and beam.

Scoring was sort of all over the place. Simone's tumbling is obviously next level, but she did go OOB on every pass except ironically her 3/2. I have no idea how Grace McCallum ended up in eighth because she had at least one fall or major break on every apparatus except vault. On the other hand, I'm not sure why Leanne Wong's bars scored so low though maybe I missed something trying to watch four routines simultaneously.

Chellsie got a great reception from the crowd, and she and her dad were as adorable together on the sidelines as they are in their videos. They were fist pumping after every routine, and beam especially was a highlight of the meet. She did come off bars, but so did half the competitors, and I think her score was a bit overly harsh in comparison to the field.

Overall, the performances were somewhat better than I expected after the US Classic. Here's hoping that night 2 is even better.

 

[haribobo]

Leanne is my 4th team member after today too. Based on today Chellsie actually looks as good as anyone for an alternate spot

 

[just tuned in]

I don't like Simone's floor ex. I don't feel the Latin and it doesn't seem like she does, either. Part of that could be because she has her mind on the tumbling passes, but I don't think it suits her. Especially with the Olympics being in Tokyo and being attended only by Japanese citizens, I wish her music was more something that would be happy clappy for the audience.

 

[4rkidz]

Wish i could see this, will wait for the youtube. Would be amazing if we can watch Chelsea’s journey continue as im one of those that has been following her the past year or so. Shame about Morgan but with her surgery in March it was a long shot.

 

[skatfan]

I don't like Simone's floor ex. I don't feel the Latin and it doesn't seem like she does, either. Part of that could be because she has her mind on the tumbling passes, but I don't think it suits her. Especially with the Olympics being in Tokyo and being attended only by Japanese citizens, I wish her music was more something that would be happy clappy for the audience.

She doesn’t seem into the music or the tiny bits of choreography at all. I wish that she had upgraded on that at the same time she has with the tumbling. But she is still totally amazing and I will miss her!

 

[VGThuy]

At least it’s clear that Simone isn’t peaking too early.

 

[Deleted member 221]

I didn't think it was possible to love Chellsie Memmel more, but . 32-years old and with two kids!

I remember watching her voidy moves in 2003(!) Nationals and thinking she had tons of potential, even though she was falling all over the place. Then a few months later she was winning world titles.

It's been a roller-coaster ride ever since, but it looks like the roller-coaster has one (or maybe more!) last turn!

And, yeah, the vault score was ridiculous, but who cares?!?! DTY at 32!

 

[GoneWithTheWind]

YouTube video of the full broadcast, for anyone who couldn't/didn't watch live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB0B2AB-INo
Only just started watching it myself, so I can't vouch for the quality.

 

[danafan]

On the other hand, I'm not sure why Leanne Wong's bars scored so low though maybe I missed something trying to watch four routines simultaneously.

After her Shaposh she did a kip, which is a 0.5 deduction. Then after her kip she did a very short cast which is a 0.3 deduction. So a costly error.

 

[alexikeguchi]

After her Shaposh she did a kip, which is a 0.5 deduction. Then after her kip she did a very short cast which is a 0.3 deduction. So a costly error.

Thanks for the explanation.

I'm headed back home this morning but wanted to add a final comment that the atmosphere in the arena felt incredibly positive even though I know many of the athletes will not be happy with individual performances. In particular, I really enjoyed the support that all the WCC athletes offered each other and the father-daughter interactions of the Memmels and Careys. They provide some great role models. I was also heartened that even the youngest of the gymnasts looked fit and healthy instead of half starved. I hope that USA Gym continues on the road to recovery.

 

[haribobo]

Alternates guesses after day 1-
Women- Eaker, Malabuyo, McCallum, DiCello, Memmel/Skinner/Shilese/Skye
Men- Juda, Bock, Loos, Guimares, Briones

Or something

 

[shuilee]

The top 2 at Trials AA get automatic spot. It's not based on scores from 4 days of competition.

I wish Suni Lee would just do a watered-down Vault and FX on Day 2, and save her body. That last tumbling pass on FX, and the DTY vault scares me. It doesn't matter if she's 2nd or 4th at Nationals (since top 8 at Nationals advance to Olympic Trials). She could do full AA at Trials.


With Suni's injury, the 4th spot would go to someone strong on VT/FX. Ironically, it wasn't Jade Carey that had high VT/FX scores yesterday. Leanne Wong and Kayla Dicello had higher VT/FX scores than Carey.

And besides, Carey already got an Indivdual spot. It seems dumb if Tom Forster picks Jade Carey for the 4-person team, and forfeit the 6th Olympic spot. It seems like Wong, Dicello or McCallum could do well enough on VT & FX in Team Final to win team gold (without needing Jade's VT/FX scores).

 

[bardtoob]

Morgan Hurd is barely holding onto elite level skills. She should be eyeing college gymnastics.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

The top 2 at Trials AA get automatic spot. It's not based on scores from 4 days of competition.

One of those top 2 will be Simone. And the final two will be decided based on Trials, nationals, and whatever else the committee wants to consider. So basically there is one spot that will be locked up at trials by someone other than Simone, and there will probably be politics involved in the scoring at trials, if we're all being honest. For example, I'm sure Jade won't be in the top 2 AA if anyone else is close to her.

 

[millyskate]

I’m pretty certain Forster made an announcement last year that Jade wasn’t being considered for a team spot now she had her own.
Jade has been training like mad AA and I’m not sure if it’s because she wants to change his mind or because she is dreaming of an AA final / podium in Tokyo - all power to her either way.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

I’m pretty certain Forster made an announcement last year that Jade wasn’t being considered for a team spot now she had her own.
Jade has been training like mad AA and I’m not sure if it’s because she wants to change his mind or because she is dreaming of an AA final / podium in Tokyo - all power to her either way.

I'm not sure he would have the right to leave her off if she finished top 2 AA? Which is why I'm sure she won't.