Gymnastics News #21 - Tumbling on to Tokyo

[hirshey girl]

As much as I enjoy watching Locklear on bars (form is gorgeous), I will be shocked if she makes another world team after this. I think Liukin will be like Marta and not easily forget or forgive this performance.

 

[OnyxRose81]

Locklear is so done after this year, and was even before her performance at Worlds. She literally brings nothing to the table. She won't be competitive without her inbars and she's way too injured to ever try them again. She hasn't gotten any better at beam so she has nothing to bring. I don't know what people see in Schennikova, besides the Russian name. Her form was terrible and she has a tendency to be short on handstands. They could have sent Trinity or Jordan but honestly, that fourth spot was open and they gave it to Locklear as a going away present.

 

[Erin]

Yeah I would have liked to see Trinity Thomas or Jordan Chiles given the opportunity to compete at worlds rather than a more injured Locklear, if she really did play a vital leadership role for the other members than I’d say her selection was appropriate, but then again there no was team competition this year.

Jordan wouldn't have made much sense given the other team members because with Hurd and Smith competing all-around and Carey competing floor and vault, all that would have been left for Jordan to compete is bars and beam, i.e. her worst events. Thomas at least has nice line on beam and I think could have made beam finals after Smith fell. But I think a medal would have been unlikely. So they would have been sending her for experience if anything. As for Ashton playing a leadership role, agreed that there was no team competition, but I think the argument is that her leadership led to individual medals. It's possible - it does sound like she and Jade have a good relationship. But any way you cut it, that fourth spot was a throwaway spot after McCusker got injured.

 

[Aceon6]

I don't think you can underestimate the value of having someone on the team who knows the drill. It takes a lot of pressure off the coaches when there's someone who can answer simple logistical questions and even help her teammates figure out what to pack. With 6, it was easy and painless. With 5, a bit more challenging, but doable. With only 4 on a team, it's tough, especially at the beginning of a new quad when everything is new. That said, it's likely the US team maximized its medals this time and I'm sure team leadership knew what it was doing when they picked Locklear.

 

[Winnipeg]

I was surprised at Locklear's performance. It was so bad I thought that maybe she was soldiering through an injury in which case I was afraid she might fall and really get hurt. I don't think I have ever seen such a bad bar routine at that level of competition.

It won't be forgotten unfortunately.

 

[Fridge_Break]

I think after the initial mistake, she knew she wasn't going to medal and just kind of shut down from there, unfortunately.

 

[bardtoob]

I just think of Locklear as sort of past peak or maybe not suited for this COP. Her D score in qualifications for the Bars EF was 5.5 and 5.4 for the actual EF. Everybody else in the Bars Event Final had a D score of 6.0 or above.

Realistically, Ashton did have a D score of 5.3 for BB, which was similar to the D scores in the BB event final. However, it still would have been the lowest D score in the BB event final, had she qualified, since everybody that actually made the EF had a D score of 5.4 to 5.7 in the EF.

I hope she is NCAA eligible. I would like her to transition out that way.

 

[Fridge_Break]

I hope she is NCAA eligible. I would like her to transition out that way.

She is not, as far as I know.

 

[bardtoob]

She is not, as far as I know.

Unfortunate. The type of thing the cuts a person off for shortsighted gains.

ETA: I hope she did well under Nike

http://www.wogymnast.com/2017/02/us-ashton-locklear-signs-with-nike-n7.html

 

[ilovepaydays]

ETA: I hope she did well under Nike

http://www.wogymnast.com/2017/02/us-ashton-locklear-signs-with-nike-n7.html

The I know who have dealt with sponsorship deals have said to me that the (even) decent money comes from performance bonuses from winning major titles (National Champion/World or Olympic medals). The base amount is usually small - it’s not a good amount unless you are someone like a Michael Phelps or an Allyson Felix.

 

[bardtoob]

The I know who have dealt with sponsorship deals have said to me that the (even) decent money comes from performance bonuses from winning major titles (National Champion/World or Olympic medals). The base amount is usually small - it’s not a good amount unless you are someone like a Michael Phelps or an Allyson Felix.

 

[VGThuy]

Simone Biles is coming back and hopes to be able to do AA by 2018 Nationals:

http://olympics.nbcsports.com/2017/10/12/simone-biles-gymnastics-comeback/

 

[Cleo1782]

So glad Simone is coming back. In regards to Locklear, I always thought it was a very poor decision to turn pro. Kocian didn't and made the team and now can compete NCAA. Even 'stars' like Weiber have regretted going pro. I hope Locklear doesn't.

 

[SpeedySucks]

So glad Simone is coming back. In regards to Locklear, I always thought it was a very poor decision to turn pro. Kocian didn't and made the team and now can compete NCAA. Even 'stars' like Weiber have regretted going pro. I hope Locklear doesn't.

NCAA gymnastics is a great opportunity for most gymnasts, but it's not for everyone. In Ashton's case, she went pro because she did not think her knees would be able to withstand competing every weekend for 12 weeks in a row. Even if she just did bars, the dismount landing is hard on her knees. I've also been told that Ashton does not have the academic ability to be admitted to or succeed at most universities. While she probably didn't make much money by going pro, it was the best option she had available.

 

[Cleo1782]

NCAA gymnastics is a great opportunity for most gymnasts, but it's not for everyone. In Ashton's case, she went pro because she did not think her knees would be able to withstand competing every weekend for 12 weeks in a row. Even if she just did bars, the dismount landing is hard on her knees. I've also been told that Ashton does not have the academic ability to be admitted to or succeed at most universities. While she probably didn't make much money by going pro, it was the best option she had available.

Got it that makes sense. I would think an elite athlete would be able to get into at least a decent school especially with an athletic scholarship, but perhaps that wasn't what she wanted. I am surprised she didn't think she could withstand competing with watered down routines in NCAA, but I am a skater not a gymnastic. Well, I hope she does well for herself.

 

[VGThuy]

Random thought, I think gymnasts should do two vaults and have the average score count towards team scores and individual AA. The more I think about it, the more I don't like that Vault is just one skill. I mean I like the "do or die" aspect, but at the same time you can still have that if you average both scores. I think gymnasts who aren't going for VT finals should be able to do the same vault just twice and only those that do vaults in different families or whatever be eligible for VT finals.

 

[just tuned in]

Random thought, I think gymnasts should do two vaults and have the average score count towards team scores and individual AA. The more I think about it, the more I don't like that Vault is just one skill. I mean I like the "do or die" aspect, but at the same time you can still have that if you average both scores. I think gymnasts who aren't going for VT finals should be able to do the same vault just twice and only those that do vaults in different families or whatever be eligible for VT finals.

It used to be that way for the women. Do two vaults (same) and average the scores. Men did only one vault, and then eventually the governing bodies made it one vault for the women.

 

[VGThuy]

It used to be that way for the women. Do two vaults (same) and average the scores. Men did only one vault, and then eventually the governing bodies made it one vault for the women.

I thought women were able to do two vaults and only the highest of the two counted before and then for the 1997-2000 quad, women had to do two vaults and the scores were averaged but they had to be different vaults (I'm not sure about being different families or whatever). My memory is faulty about that. I wouldn't mind if they went back to that. For the Men, maybe they should think about it, but with 6 events and the code making it harder and harder for AAers to really excel in all 6, maybe one vault is fine.

 

[FiveRinger]

I thought women were able to do two vaults and only the highest of the two counted before and then for the 1997-2000 quad, women had to do two vaults and the scores were averaged but they had to be different vaults (I'm not sure about being different families or whatever). My memory is faulty about that. I wouldn't mind if they went back to that. For the Men, maybe they should think about it, but with 6 events and the code making it harder and harder for AAers to really excel in all 6, maybe one vault is fine.

I think that you're right. They didn't take the average until the event finals. The best of the two scores counted when there were two vaults originally.

 

[VGThuy]

Can somebody explain to me how they grouped the gymnasts at the 1992 Olympics AA? I remember being surprised that Boginskaya started on FX while Gutsu, who originally did not qualify for the AA (but was fourth in line of the Unified Team and was still like in the top 9 altogether), was in the top group.

 

[danafan]

Can somebody explain to me how they grouped the gymnasts at the 1992 Olympics AA? I remember being surprised that Boginskaya started on FX while Gutsu, who originally did not qualify for the AA (but was fourth in line of the Unified Team and was still like in the top 9 altogether), was in the top group.

Random draw. There was no "top group" and Gutsu started on bars. They didn't seed the AA groups until 2001.

 

[millyskate]

Random thought, I think gymnasts should do two vaults and have the average score count towards team scores and individual AA. The more I think about it, the more I don't like that Vault is just one skill. I mean I like the "do or die" aspect, but at the same time you can still have that if you average both scores. I think gymnasts who aren't going for VT finals should be able to do the same vault just twice and only those that do vaults in different families or whatever be eligible for VT finals.

That wouldn't work, because those who were doing vaults from different families would be at a disadvantage. I think vault needs an overhall in scoring, with a much greater variety of possible deductions and greater deductions for in-air form.
I do wish all gymnasts who wished to do AA had to do 2 vaults, but the problem is the rest of the code is so demanding it would just end up causing more injuries.

 

[just tuned in]

I think that you're right. They didn't take the average until the event finals. The best of the two scores counted when there were two vaults originally.

Oh, that's right... Thank you.

 

[rhapsody]

I thought women were able to do two vaults and only the highest of the two counted before and then for the 1997-2000 quad, women had to do two vaults and the scores were averaged but they had to be different vaults (I'm not sure about being different families or whatever). My memory is faulty about that. I wouldn't mind if they went back to that. For the Men, maybe they should think about it, but with 6 events and the code making it harder and harder for AAers to really excel in all 6, maybe one vault is fine.

Off the top of my head I know that in '95 and '96, the women counted the average of 2 vaults but could do the same one. I'm not sure about '93 and '94, but I know that was the rule for certain the latter two years of that quad since Lilia's wins are engrained in my brain (because she's perfect).

 

[SpeedySucks]

From 93-96, the best of two vaults counted in the team optionals. In the AA, the vaults were averaged, and the gymnast could perform the same vault twice.

From 97-00, the vaults were averaged in all phases of the competition. In qualifying, gymnasts could perform the same vault twice. In the team final and AA, the vaults had to be different, but they could be from the same family.

The second vault was eliminated in 2002.

 

[mattiecat13]

I've watched the Seoul (1988) and the Barcelona (1992) Olympics on the Olympics Channel. It's amazing the difference in the girls between Rio and Seoul/Barcelona. The girls all look half starved and terrified; not confident and muscular as they did in Rio. Bela was the coach for both Olympics and it's funny to see the girls just stand there with their arms down when he goes in the for the camera-mugging hug. Keri Strug was only 14 in Barcelona and several of the girls were 15 in 1988 and 1992. The rule has changed they have to be 16 and I think that was good. Three girls also qualified for the all-around competition then instead of just two. Kim Zmeskal was the favorite in 1992.

Mary Lou Retton was one of the announcers in 1988 along with Bart Connor and Dick Enberg. Bart did 99% if the talking. ML got a sentence in every rotation or so. In 1992 they had John Tesh, Elfie Schlegle and Tim Daggett. Interesting that at Worlds this year NBC had John Roethisberger instead of Al Trautwig. Hopefully Al is gone permanently.

 

[OnyxRose81]

Bless Simone for keeping Laurent on our televisions.

http://m.chron.com/olympics/article/Simone-Biles-gets-new-coach-starts-road-to-2020-12282749.php

 

[topaz]

Hi all, youtube has some great vintage competitions available to view.

I am wow by Elena Muhkina. I watched gymnastics sparingly in the last 70s and mid 80s I missed her brief career. But goodness me I am fan of her gymnastics. I learned of her shocking injury that ended her career and her death. So sad, so talented.

https://youtu.be/PAWcYjrAcfE

 

[Coco]

Someone on another board had a great idea about vault. The FIG could set a compulsory vault for each family, but make it a little bit tougher than compulsory vaults used to be, just a bit.

Gymnasts would only compete one vault, and the 8 highest (only 2 per country ) would advance. They would then get to elect which compulsory vault they would perform in addition to their 'optional' vault in the final. They would have to show vaults from two different groups/families.

This way, the top scoring vaults would make it into the final, period. It would make vault a lot more competitive, and it would hopefully force the judges to CARE about form instead of just height and distance.

 

[LuckyCharm]

Have you all seen this?

Soviet All Around Olympic Champion Tatiana Gutsu Reveals That She Has Been Raped By A Fellow Gymnast During A Competition
http://www.wogymnast.com/2017/10/soviet-all-around-olympic-champion.html