These girls looked just like last years World Championship team during podium training. Moving calmly from event to event, hitting routine after routine. Oh wait, they basically ARE the same team, plus Kyla who fits in like she has been there all along.

They trained in Olympic order, starting on vault. The live stream was not up, but according to twitter, they put on quite a show- “The Amazing Amanar Stars.” They hit vault after vault, with an almost stuck and then a stuck vault from Jordyn, the best Amanar Aly has ever done on the world stage, two vaults with a small step from Gabby and business as usual for McKayla (big step out, higher than should be possible). Kyla did beautiful DTYs that would anchor most teams’ vault rotations but won’t even be used in qualifications on this vaulting team.

Then they moved on to bars. Gabby was a flying squirrel, Kyla was the queen of clean, Jordyn muscled through but made it just fine. Business as usual. However, Aly came out strong! Blythe from the Gym Examiner said “She looks pretty good up there. Normally that’s prefaced with “for Aly” but I mean that as a general statement.” 

The girls moved on to beam. In what has become true USA all business fashion, someone is mounting the beam while the previous gymnast is still in the air from their dismount. This gives the USA time for two routines per gymnast. Craziness. Some bobbles here and there, a few missed connections and a split the beam fall from Kyla. Overall though, a decent beam rotation with lots of shining moments. Kyla hit her front tuck sheep jump on the second set, Jordyn’s second pass is more closely connected than ever, and Aly almost stuck two Pattersons. Everyone did a great second set, with lots of stuck landings.

The big news on floor is that it appears McKayla is not doing it. Kyla is in instead. This is assumedly because of whatever is bothering her about her toe. McKayla’s routine is more difficult than Kyla’s and more beautiful than the rest of the teams’, but it isn’t vital for the team and she is not going to make floor finals. But her vault is. So they are resting and protecting her toe, saving her for vault.

The floor rotation went well. Gabby and Jordyn looked great. Jordyn stuck or connected her first three passes. Aly was not quite up to her normal tumbling par, but nothing to cause concern.

Overall, it was a dominant, hit performance, boding good things to come. They look just like the machine of last year. Perform, Hit, Repeat.

To watch the whole podium training, follow this link and start at 44 minutes.

gymnastics-podium-training-u-s-women.html