Gymnastics News #23: Defying Gravity

[Theatregirl1122]

After last night (and classics), I would for sure take Simone, Shi, and Skye to worlds. Likely Leanne as well, although she's the least lock of all of them. For a 5th, possibly Kaliya Lincoln. Another top floor score would be good, and she finished second on floor.

I have to say, I was quite pleased with NBC last night. I think it's the most gymnastics we've seen in a long time. I remember seeing at least one routine from: Simone, Shi, Skye, Leanne, Jordan, Suni, Kaliya, Joscelyn Roberson, Madray Johnson, Tiana Sumanasekera, Nola Matthews, Marissa Neal, Charlotte Booth, Kayla DiCello, Zoe Miller, and Lexi Zeiss. And the coverage of Simone, Shi, Skye, Leanne, Jordan, Suni and Joscelyn was very extensive.

 

[VGThuy]

I always forget we’re at 5-member teams now.

 

[ilovesalchows]

After last night (and classics), I would for sure take Simone, Shi, and Skye to worlds. Likely Leanne as well, although she's the least lock of all of them. For a 5th, possibly Kaliya Lincoln.

I love this team. In particular, Leanne Wong looks so confident and seems to really from her new coaches. I do love the aesthetics of most GAGE and WOGA gymnasts.

 

[ilovesalchows]

Someone needs to teach Roethlisberger about perspective. 15 feet is not equal to the suites.

 

[Garden Kitty]

Rewatching the women's first night and frankly even the takeoff for the vault seems amazing. Just running so fast and then doing a handstand onto the first mat/springboard to get to the second springboard would be impossible for me. The vault itself is so hard, the first part just seems routine, but even the lowest scored gymnast is doing some impressive things.

 

[Allskate]

Congrats to Asher. I'm very happy for him.

There are some talented young guys on the rise.

I feel really bad for Yul, though. He's going to be having nightmares about that floor routine for a long time.

 

[ilovesalchows]

I actually think Yul is in a good place as he would be used in finals in 3 events at least.

I think Juda will be dropped for a specialist.

 

[HeatherC]

I love Paul Juda so much and am bummed he had another mistake tonight. IMO, he has a bright future ahead of him and I just love his style of gymnastics. Happy for Asher to win his first US title and I LOVE watching Khoi and Fred with all their excitement and energy. Bummed about Yul's error but he still has a great shot to make that team since he can still be used on several events in the team competition. I was impressed with Donnell this week too and I really like Colt Walter too. What was going on with Shane Wiskus tonight? He seemed so off for most of the night. Overall there was a lot of great gymnastics from the guys this week. I think this team selection will be very interesting since they seem to be doing more with the score totals than anything else while figuring out the team members. I'm excited about all the potential though and hopefully the team flies through qualifications and gets that team ticket punched for Paris!

 

[alexikeguchi]

I actually think Yul is in a good place as he would be used in finals in 3 events at least.

I think Juda will be dropped for a specialist.

Agree. I think top three, Yul and Donnell would make sense as a team.

 

[jlai]

Wait what about Steven? He was a pommel horse specialist.
Yul still has a good shot but it depends on what events U.S. gymnastics is prioritizing

 

[haribobo]

I think all of Fred, Yul, Asher, and Khoi are usable on at least 3 events and will make the team. The last spot is incredibly tough to call between Donnell, Curran, Paul Juda, Colt Walker, and Stephen Nedoroscik. From what I could tell, Curran had the 3rd highest total on vault behind Asher and Khoi, and he has strong PB and HB, when he hits. Colt being top 6 on pommel, rings, and parallel bars is valuable. Donnell obviously for rings and floor and sometimes vault. Paul winning floor and being decent on high bar helps his case. So I think its splitting hairs to choose the 5th spot.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

Wait what about Steven? He was a pommel horse specialist.
Yul still has a good shot but it depends on what events U.S. gymnastics is prioritizing

Honestly, I can’t see there being any room for Steven this year. It’s a 5 member team for 6 events. Steven literally does only one. The US team is young and needs to qualify for the Olympics. I don’t look at the possible team and see that they can afford a one event gymnast.

 

[jlai]

Honestly, I can’t see there being any room for Steven this year. It’s a 5 member team for 6 events. Steven literally does only one. The US team is young and needs to qualify for the Olympics. I don’t look at the possible team and see that they can afford a one event gymnast.

What do you mean by “need to qualify for the olympics”?
And didn’t they have a 5-member team last world?

Wouldn’t it make sense for US to send mostly specialists to maximize chances of medal? It is not like they have a great shot at team medal.

I haven’t followed men gymnastics for a while, any clarification is much appreciated

 

[Allskate]

I actually think Yul is in a good place as he would be used in finals in 3 events at least.

Yeah, but he could have been in a better place and he definitey wanted to be on that medal stand and did not want that kind of performance.

What do you mean by “need to qualify for the olympics”?

Not every team will be allowed to participate at the Olympics. The qualifying teams are determined by Worlds. The question is whether a specialist will make enough of a difference in the team total at Worlds to justify using one of the Worlds spots on him.

 

[ilovesalchows]

I actually think it will be whatever team the secret computer comes up with and there may be a surprise. It’s all about qualifying this year. Khoi did well, but is he really the best shot for 3 up 3 count?

At the Olympics I do think Steven N should be taken because medal chances are going to be slim across the board and he is a good shot.

Oh wait- I see Khoi was 2nd on vault. It always throws me the way they do the rankings for that without two vaults. So I guess he goes up on pommel vault and maybe floor.

And also, it does seem like there are opportunities for specialists to earn their way to Paris? Or is that only for teams who don’t qualify?

 

[SidelineSkater]

Going of the two days of scoring...

Floor is the biggest weakness of the top five AA's. Young was the top scorer among them in 5th. Juda rounds out the weakness there nicely.

Pommel, Rings, and Vault are pretty solid with two of the top four AA's

Pbars and Hbar have one top AA-er. Hong is solid enough on pbars, so maybe just one spot

So it's a matter of filling in the gaps.

Juda to help on Floor, High Bar and Rings (his pommel was good on day 1, disaster on day 2 and still scored 7th)
Whittenburg on Floor, Rings, Vault
Briones - Rings, High Bar (but really he can only do 2-3 events)
Walker - Rings, Pommel, Pbars
Bock - Pommel, PBars, Hbar

In a way, you'd want Whittenburg to rest up, heal up and upgrade for the Olympic season to where he was before on especially on Floor and Vault. He's solid on Rings.

My guess would be Hong, Young, Walker, Moldauer and Juda (based on Floor and helping out on High Bar/Rings, plus can upgrade vault if needed).

 

[Theatregirl1122]

What do you mean by “need to qualify for the olympics”?
And didn’t they have a 5-member team last world?

Wouldn’t it make sense for US to send mostly specialists to maximize chances of medal? It is not like they have a great shot at team medal.

I haven’t followed men gymnastics for a while, any clarification is much appreciated

As of right now, the US has not qualified a team for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Sending specialists to maximize the chance for a medal might get them a medal in 2023, but could leave them without the ability to send five gymnasts to Paris.

They did have a 5 member team last year in London, but Brody Malone did 6 events in finals. We don’t have any gymnasts to do 6 events in team finals this year, so that really makes the math much harder.

And also, it does seem like there are opportunities for specialists to earn their way to Paris? Or is that only for teams who don’t qualify?

Just like 2016 and 2012, specialist places are for countries that have not qualified a team.

 

[Sarah]

Men’s world and pan american games teams

 

[ilovesalchows]

Just like 2016 and 2012, specialist places are for countries that have not qualified a team.

Kind of a shame for Nederoscik in that case. He could have been in charge of his own destiny.

 

[just tuned in]

deleted

 

[haribobo]

Stephen was added along with a bunch of other guys. They announce the 2nd wave of guys on the national team today, its weird how they do it. The auto qualifiers based on results were named right away.

 

[just tuned in]

Men’s world and pan american games teams

Fred Richard is a puzzle to me. I mean, swell that he has that huge media following, but the way he posed and preened with his phone on the medal stand was off-putting.

 

[just tuned in]

Men’s world and pan american games teams

2023 World Championships Team:
️ Asher Hong
️ Yul Moldauer
️ Paul Juda
️ Fred Richard
️ Khoi Young
Traveling Replacement Athlete: Colt Walker

Pan American Games Team:
️ Cameron Bock
️ Stephen Nedoroscik
️ Colt Walker
️ Donnell Whittenburg
️ Shane Wiskus

Individual Qualifier: Vahe Petrosyan
Non-Traveling Alternates: Riley Loos & Curran Phillips

 

[Theatregirl1122]

2023 World Championships Team:
️ Asher Hong
️ Yul Moldauer
️ Paul Juda
️ Fred Richard
️ Khoi Young
Traveling Replacement Athlete: Colt Walker

Pan American Games Team:
️ Cameron Bock
️ Stephen Nedoroscik
️ Colt Walker
️ Donnell Whittenburg
️ Shane Wiskus

Individual Qualifier: Vahe Petrosyan
Non-Traveling Alternates: Riley Loos & Curran Phillips

The world team is exactly what I expected. I think this is their best bet on scores. With the team as a whole so young, USA men are definitely in a rebuilding phase.

Side note: it’s so weird how differently the men and women are handled with the men’s team chosen directly after nationals and the women’s team still having camps.

 

[skipaway]

Been watching day 2 of Jr Women. We have some promising young women. However, I can’t abide the music choices for floor.

 

[SidelineSkater]

Going of the two days of scoring...

Floor is the biggest weakness of the top five AA's. Young was the top scorer among them in 5th. Juda rounds out the weakness there nicely.

Pommel, Rings, and Vault are pretty solid with two of the top four AA's

Pbars and Hbar have one top AA-er. Hong is solid enough on pbars, so maybe just one spot

So it's a matter of filling in the gaps.

Juda to help on Floor, High Bar and Rings (his pommel was good on day 1, disaster on day 2 and still scored 7th)
Whittenburg on Floor, Rings, Vault
Briones - Rings, High Bar (but really he can only do 2-3 events)
Walker - Rings, Pommel, Pbars
Bock - Pommel, PBars, Hbar

In a way, you'd want Whittenburg to rest up, heal up and upgrade for the Olympic season to where he was before on especially on Floor and Vault. He's solid on Rings.

My guess would be Hong, Young, Walker, Moldauer and Juda (based on Floor and helping out on High Bar/Rings, plus can upgrade vault if needed).

Called it. I should buy a lottery ticket!

 

[skatingguy]

The back log of international competitions from the COVID 2020 year had me completely forgetting that there is a Pan-Am Games this year because we're a year out from the Summer Olympics. Something to look forward to in late October-early November.

 

[her grace]

Lincoln has such a regal look.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

I love this team. In particular, Leanne Wong looks so confident and seems to really from her new coaches. I do love the aesthetics of most GAGE and WOGA gymnasts.

Leanne has improved so much. I feel like this version of Leanne would have made the Olympics over Grace.

 

[skipaway]

So grateful Tim Daggett isn’t commentating with Sam and Terry