2016 US Gymnastics Poll

[haribobo]

ETA Sorry forgot to put Women in the title...

Which 2 athletes will make the Olympic team with presumably Aly, Gabby, and Simone?

 

[kwanoverrated]

Aly is not a Simone and Gabby level lock. She should have been on your poll.

 

[ilovesalchows]

I think Ali's on the team, she looked really good yesterday and Marta knows she can depend on her. The only person I can see replacing her role is Nichols, and I am still counting her as injured ufor now.

I went with Hernandez and Locklear. Hernandez because I think it's clear she's being preserved from injuring herself by Marta.

Locklear for selfish reasons, I love her bars.

I think Smith is an alternate for sure. If I wasn't going to take Locklear for bars, I'd take Smith for her ability to fill in on any event.

But who knows, we didn't see a lot of the girls who'll be a factor on 4 events yesterday.

 

[haribobo]

Aly is a lock unless she breaks. Don't be silly

 

[OnyxRose81]

Aly is a tank. She never breaks and she gets a high score on FX. Does anyone actually think Marta will leave her home? Marta seems dead set on taking an UB specialists so one of Kocian or Locklear (while Locklear is better on UB, Kocian for whatever reason is a World Champion plus she trains ALL the events). Maggie is looking like she'll be off the team.

 

[kwanoverrated]

I think the team ultimately will be Biles, Raisman, Douglas, Locklear, and Hernandez. I think Nichols and Kocian will both be left off the team.

 

[Karpenko]

The team needs another Amanar. Aly is the 2nd best vaulter on the team, but her vault looks worse than 4 years ago when she was the first vaulter up in prelims. If Maggie can get an Amanar, she'll be picked over Locklear for VT, FX, and AA potential. But right now I agree that it's Locklear.

I don't consider her a shoo-in for an UB medal like I did a vault gold for Maroney in 2012 though, that'll be the difference if they go with Maggie for extra cushion on the other events. Maggie proved herself on all 4 in TF in October (and won an individual medal), so she's still got that spot until she gives it away IMO. NBC seems to be pulling for her also..

 

[Spareoom]

Hard to say until Nats because so many girls didn't do full programs at Classics. Late injuries have shuffled it up a bit as well. I think a lot will depend on how Maggie looks, but I think she's been made a bit redundant due to Aly getting her act together. I think she's fighting Laurie for a spot, and I would have said Laurie had momentum but Laurie has been injured as well. So it's hard to say.

At the start of the year I thought there was really no way that Locklear had a shot but Kocian being injured has given her new life. Locklear is the better bars gymnast but Kocian is the better all-around gymnast (i.e usable in prelims on more events) so EVERYTHING will depend on Kocian's other events. If she can do passable beam and floor, then she's probably in. But if it comes down to strictly bars, and Marta really wants to take a bars specialist, then I would go with Locklear.

Nationals will make things a lot clearer, I think.

 

[bardtoob]

Have you seen how easy Aly's Amanar is right now?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1DpJdkHWFg

She's a lock.

For good measure, here is her beam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ3oWHN1H5k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZgLsZHjkK4

and fx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbXilxItTaA

 

[lauren329]

Raisman has always been a lock in my mind even with the issues last Worlds. She just doesn't break. I always thought that once the Olympic year started wearing and tearing the other girls, Raisman would be there with that monster first tumbling pass. And here we are. Maggie's in a really unenviable spot; she's lately irrelevant without the very thing she injured herself on-the amanar. But if she rushes it back, she's also taking a big risk. And even if she pulls it out for Trials, I wonder if she can hold up through that brutal last camp where the name of the game is repetition and they get no days off.

 

[clairecloutier]

I'm not a gymnastics fan at all, but I really like Raisman and I hope she makes the team. She is such a damn good competitor and athlete. I really respect her. (And can I just say, we need someone like her in U.S. ladies skating!!!)

 

[lauren329]

I'm not a gymnastics fan at all, but I really like Raisman and I hope she makes the team. She is such a damn good competitor and athlete. I really respect her. (And can I just say, we need someone like her in U.S. ladies skating!!!)

It's really lovely to see an admitted non gymnastics fan recognizing Aly. Yes, there are valid criticisms of her form and her bars but she takes the heat, acknowledges and recognizes her weaknesses and in my opinion at least tries to improve them as much as she can. She's never going to be the most graceful to watch but she's a great ambassador for USAGym and a true example of sportsmanship. I know I've seen on social media that she's sent pieces from her leotard line to Polina (and maybe Gracie too) to wear for practice so hopefully her gamer mentality and ability and penchant for never being injured will rub off after a few wears.

 

[FiveRinger]

Aly is going. She's not my pick, but she is a solid competitor. I don't think she will make the all-around. I lurve Lauren Hernandez. I prefer Baumann to Locklear, but I won't be disappointed when Locklear makes the team. I am over Kocian.