Tag: London 2012

Everything You Need to Know for Women’s Team Finals

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Tomorrow is the day, the long awaited Women’s Team Final! Twelve countries qualified into the Olympics and now eight will move on to compete in the finals. Four of these countries will fight to be on the podium. The other four fought to get in the finals and are ecstatic for the opportunity to compete.

First, the details.

  • You can watch the team finals live on NBCOlympics.com at 11:30 EST or on Prime Time NBC tomorrow night.
  • Each team brings five gymnasts and puts up three gymnasts on each event. All three scores from each event count and will be added up to determine the final score.
  • The top two scoring teams start on vault, the third and fourth on bars, fifth and sixth on beam and seventh and eighth on floor, allowing you to most easily compare.

Now the Qualifiers.

Photo Credit USA Gymnastics

The USA had a strong performance in the qualifying round and qualified in first with a 181.863. They scored 1.4 higher than the second place team. In the world of gymnastics, that is a strong lead. They had a wonderful competition and really stood out on vault, their strongest event. There is room however for an even stronger performance as they had some minor mistakes on every event.

Photo By MIKE BLAKE/REUTERS

Russia qualified in second with a 180.429. They had a great day. Their bars is just a beautiful thing to watch and they did not disappoint! Their biggest area for improvement is Aliya Mustafina who, if rumors are true, will be competing her amanar. She has yet to compete this or even show it in training since tearing her ACL on the vault last year. She also had a number of errors in her beam routine that could be cleaned up. Russia is a fierce competitor with beautiful gymnastics and they will come on strong. Don’t let the gap in qualifications fool you. They can challenge the USA.

China qualified in third with a 176.637. China also had a shining bars performance, but had some problems on beam and floor. They also don’t have the difficulty on vault to keep up. They can definitely do better than they did, but it is unlikely that they can challenge for the gold.

Romania qualified in fourth with a 176.264. Romania definitely did not have their best day. A team that is known for decades for their consistent, hit performances had a number or missed routines. Mostly, because their star Larisa Iordache has been battling an injury this week and did not perform to her usual standard. Catalina Ponor also had very uncharacteristic mistakes. Neither Larisa nor Sandra Izbasa threw the more difficult vaults they have been training. It is unlikely that Romania will have another dismal performance. They are competitors and champions with decades of history of coming through in Olympic Finals. With a few more days or recovery for Larisa, a regular day of performance for Catalina, and all the vault difficulty being thrown, Romania will be right there in the battle for the gold.

The other four teams six or more points behind Romania – Britain, Japan, Italy and Canada. But all of them fought hard to make it to team finals and are ecstatic for the chance to compete in the Team Finals. None more so than Britain, who will have the opportunity to bring down the house in their home crowd.

Though Romania and Russia can bring on the heat, this really is the USA’s to loose. It should be a great team finals, with a lot of incredible gymnastics!

When the Sidekick Becomes the Star

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It’s like Sam throwing the One Ring into the fire, Ron Weasley fighting Lord Voldemort, Robin saving the day. Sidekicks have their own incredible strengths but in the end, they are the sidekick.  They are there to provide backup, encouragement and a helping hand. They are appreciated, but they are never the main focus. We identify with them, we love them but still we know, they are not the star. It is the Ringbearer, the Chosen One, the Superhero who is the star in the last battle.

Jordyn and Aly. It is rare that you see one without the other. Aly was listed as one of the four most influential women in Jordyn’s life. Twitter and Instagram attest to the fact that they are the best of friends. But out on the competition floor, Jordyn is the star and Aly is the sidekick. Meet after meet for the last two years, you see them together supporting each other and cheering each other on as Jordyn wins the title and Aly plays a supporting role.

I adore Aly. She is a wonderful girl, an incredible gymnast. But I, along with the rest of the gymnastics world need a little time to absorb this role reversal. Imagine watching a movie where Robin, Ron or Sam were the main character. It would take a while to stop asking where Batman, Harry or Frodo were. That is a bit what the next few days will be like.

I am so excited for Aly. I have been sad that she would not have an opportunity to try for an all-around medal. I identify with Aly more, respect her so much and can’t wait for her to go out and do her best. I have thought for a long while that consistency and mental toughness will rule the day in the pressure filled Olympics over difficulty and past high scores. And though I was not thinking of Aly, truly no one fits that description more than she.

But for today and tomorrow, I mourn the loss of my star. I will spend them readjusting their roles in my brain. Then I will pick myself back up and cheer like crazy for Aly and Gabby. Just as I know Jordyn will.

When Dreams Must Change: Jordyn Wieber Misses the AA Finals

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Jordyn Wieber has been working for one goal her entire life. Every step of the way has been full of blood, sweat, pain and sacrifice. But she has reached each milestone along the way without fail.

She won her first US Jr. National Championship in 2008. She has not lost one since. She won her first American Cup in 2009 at the age of 13 – still a junior competing against seniors. She won her second American Cup in 2011, defeating the current World Champion. She has continued that winning streak, losing only one national or international competition since 2008 right up to the Olympic Trials.

At the Olympic Trials, Gabby Douglas just edged her out. Still, Jordyn had made the Olympic team. Her dreams, her goals, everything she has worked so hard for were coming true. She was going to the Olympics.

She has looked great in training and looked incredible in podium training. After four years of seeing Jordyn do nothing but win, the thought that she would not qualify into the All-Around finals was not on anyone’s radar. And I am sure it was not on Jordyn’s.

Jordyn competed well today in qualifications. She had an small uncharacteristic mistake on vault, and a small mistake on bars (that has become quite characteristic).  However, when you started adding up the scores entering into the third rotation, a few on the gymternet began to wonder if Jordyn might come in third in the US standings. A few small bobbles and unrewarded connections on beams, a step out of  bounds on floor put us all into a reality none of us had conceived of. Jordyn may not even have the chance to fulfill her dream and compete for the All-Around Olympic title.

A hit routine from Aly on the floor sealed Jordyn’s fate. Jordyn was stunned. Aly was stunned. The gymnasts were stunned. The gymternet was stunned. Jordyn would not be moving forward into the All-Around Finals. Despite the fact that she still hit an unbelievably high all-around score. Despite the fact that she currently sits fourth in qualifications. She won’t even get a chance to compete as only two gymnasts per country can qualify into the finals.

And so Jordyn’s dream must change. And they must change quickly. On Tuesday, Jordyn has a critical contribution to make in the Team Finals- where she will most likely compete on every event. She can still dream of being an Olympic gold medalist in the team and possibly even on the floor.

Jordyn is the first to say that her goal is to go out and hit four for four and have fun. She DID do that today. Though there were small areas for improvement, she performed wonderfully. She did her job and can be satisfied with her performance.

Jordyn has an ability to focus like no one else I have ever seen. She has always shown incredible class in all her interactions. I have no doubt that she will set aside her devastating disappointment to focus completely on helping the team win gold.  She will be cheering louder for her best friend Aly and her teammate Gabby than anyone else during All-Around Finals. And that she will handle this loss with as much grace as she has handled being the It Girl.

Names to Know: USA Team

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This American generation is incredibly strong and the five member team is made up of young gymnasts. However, they all have a lot of international experience and four of the five were part of last years World Championship team.  This team of rookies took Worlds by storm. Even with the last minute loss of their team leader, they had one of the most dominate performances in a long time, hitting every single routine in prelims and in team finals. All but one of the 2008 team made a run for this Olympics, but with the strength and depth of these young gymnasts, were not able to make the team. Follow the link for a more in depth write up on each gymnast.

Jordyn Wieber: Jordyn is in her second season as a senior and is the current World Champion. She competes some of the most difficult skills in the world with dynamic precision and impeccable form. Her weakest event is bars, if you can call an event where you make world finals weak. Jordyn is mentally tough and focused. Her biggest challenge this year will be the pressure of being the one everyone is trying to beat. She will compete all-around in Prelims and Team Finals and will be looking to win the all-around gold. She might make a few event finals as well.

Gabrielle Douglas: Gabby is also in her second year as a senior. She is phenomenal on bars. She SWINGS bars with incredible fluidity, beautiful lines and high flying tricks. Gabby was a bit unpredictable on the other events last year, but really came into her own this year, upgrading on every event, and competing with a new confidence and poise. She capped off the season by winning the Olympic Trials. Gabby will compete all-around in Prelims and will be looking to win the all around gold. She will definitely be competing bars in the Team Finals, and the other events will most likely be decided depending on how Prelims go.

Alexandra Raisman: Aly is in her third season as a senior and is our USA rock. She is so steady and comes through with performances that look just like she practices. She is phenomenal on floor and great on vault and beam. Bars is her nemesis and keeps her from fighting for the gold. Aly continues to improve her form and has some major upgrades on floor- doing some of the most difficult tumbling in the world. She will do all around in the prelims and will most likely be used on beam and floor in Team Finals and possibly vault. Aly will also be looking to challenge for a gold on floor.

McKayla Maroney: McKayla is another second year senior and is the current World Vault Champion. She does the infamous amanar with such ease, grace and an explosion of power, it is in a class of its own. She also has a beautiful, artistic floor routine with lots of difficulty. However, her landings have been fairly inconsistent.  She is on the team for one reason, vault. She will compete vault and floor in Prelims and will be looking to win the vault gold. She will compete vault in Team Finals and floor will most likely depend on how Prelims goes.

Kyla Ross: Kyla comes into her senior year as the Jr. National Champion. She was  a top all arounder and particularly shines on bars and beam. She is also great on vault. Though Kyla can hold her own in the all-around and on vault in most places, she comes in fourth in the all around and fifth on vault on this team. She will be competing bars and beam in the Prelims and undoubtedly in the Team Finals. She will be hoping to qualify for event finals on those two events as well.

All Athlete Pictures Credit: Harry How/Getty Images

Names to Know: Viktoria Komova

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Viktoria Komova (Russia)

Gymnastics fans all over the world anticipate Viktoria’s entrance to the senior ranks last year. However, an ankle injury prohibited her training for much of the year, and she came into last year’s World Championships looking tired and was not up to performing with the level of difficulty and precision that she showed as a junior. Even so, she battled to the end with Jordyn Wieber and lost the gold by the smallest fraction.

This year, Viktoria has grown and gained in muscle. But her slight form still hides the incredible power underneath. She dances like a ballerina, vaults with power and grace, swings bars like she was meant to live life in the trees and tumbles on the beam as if she was light as a feather. If Viktoria is able to do her amanar vault as is rumored (which she has yet to do as a senior), she will come in with the highest theoretical start value. However, she will have to have a more consistent performance on all events than she has yet shown as a senior. This very well may happen, as injury has kept her from performing at the level she is capable of.

USA: Perform. Hit. Repeat.

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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

USA Team Chances in London

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What are our chances in London?

The US won the 2011 World Championships by a huge margin. We have incredible depth in the all around as well as a large advantage on vault. There’s this magical vault called the Amanar that has an extra 1/2 twist than the vault most gymnasts are competing. It adds .7 to the start value (the D Score of vault). Most countries are struggling to have any gymnasts that can currently perform the vault. The US will perform an amanar for every vault counted during the Olympics.  That ends up being a 2.1 advantage over most other countries in Team Finals if they aren’t able to put up Amanars. But there are a lot of Amanar rumors going on from other countries. In addition, the US has been weak on bars. The US has great chances. But the competition will be fierce this year.

Who is our team competition?

For a deeper run down, check out my post Who’s Who in 2012: The Team Contenders.

Russia was incredibly strong in 2010. The USA dominated in 2011. Russia’s amazingly fierce and talented Aliya Mustifani was out last year and their other top gymnast was not at her peak. With both of them back, plus a strong new senior there is every expectation that they can bring a battle for gold. Romania has come from behind and is putting the pressure on. They beat Russia at the European Championships this year and just keep getting better. China continues to be strong. Not as strong as they looked in Beijing, but they still factor in to the mix.

Check out these posts if you are interested in Who’s Who in the all-around or on vault, bars, beam or floor.

 

Who’s Who in 2012: Beam Hopefuls

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2008 Olympic Beam Medalists (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Beam. The most precarious event in womens gymnastics always makes for an uncertain finals prediction. The top gymnasts could as easily not make the finals with a fall in prelims as win the event. However, there are some delightful beam routines too look forward to and hopefully we will see them all in the finals.

Larisa Iordache (ROU) 15.95/6.8

Larisa has one of the most difficult beam routines in the world, and as such has posted the highest beam score this year. She is a clear favorite and as all is normal on the Romanian front once again, she rarely misses. She will be hard to beat and is very likely to end up on the podium.

Jordyn Wieber (USA) 15.7/6.4 Lauren Mitchell (AUS) 15.7/6,5, Catalina Ponor (ROU) 15.7/6.5

Of the three, Catalina is the most likely to score this high again. Catalina dominates the beam and is unlikely to make a mistake in prelims or the finals. She is one of the most beautiful beam workers, working with an aggressive style that somehow looks like ballet at the same time. She is a definite contender for the gold.

Jordyn Wieber has yet to hit all her connections in her routine. Her execution is phenomenal, however it is likely that her difficulty will be lower at the games. Still, her steady aggressive style is wonderful to watch. She is very steady on the beam, and it is likely that she will make the finals. Whether or not she is able to keep up with others of higher difficulty remains to be seen.

Lauren has a style on beam and floor that is all her own. She stands out for her original elements that make up her very difficult routine. Lauren has been inconsistent in hitting this routine. If she makes the finals, she will definitely challenge for the podium.

Kyla Ross (USA) 15.5/6.2 or Aly Raisman (USA) 15.45/6.4

Kyla has a beautiful, light clean style on beam. Her movement is not balletic, but it is executed perfectly and is beautiful to watch. However, she has only hit this high of a score one time as she doesn’t always hit her combinations. If she doesn’t hit all her connections, Aly Raisman will likely outscore her. Due to the two per country rule, only one of the two can make it in the finals.

Aly Raisman is the USA Rock. She is does a higher difficulty routine with nary a wobble. Aly is likely to hit and to be consistent. However, she may have a hard time beating out some of the others with higher difficulty and execution. But if they fall, Aly will be right there. Waiting to take advantage.

Sui Lu (CHN) Reigning World Champion 15.35 and Ashleigh Brennan (AUS) 15.35

Sui Lui has one of the most elegant, beautiful beam routines with loads of difficulty. She floats through the air as she tumbles across the beam, but sometimes she floats right off.  If she hits she will contend for the podium. If she will hit is anyones guess.

Ashleigh Brennan is another strong Australian beam worker. She is unlikely to contend for the podium but just might make the final.

Viktoria Komova (RUS) 15.325

Viktoria gives you a ballet on the beam. Perfect form, exquisitely pointed toes, everything done with a lightness and air of ease. But there have been few major competitions in the last year where she hasn’t fallen on beam at some point. If she makes her connections and stays on the beam, she could easily challenge for gold.

Yao Jinnan (CHN), Aliya Mustafina (RUS), Ana Grishina (RUS) are also ones that you should not count out of making it into beam finals.

Who’s Who in 2012: Bar Hopefuls

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2008 Olympic Uneven Bars Medalists (Photo Credit: Clive Brunskill / Getty Images)

Here’s who to look out for on the medal podium in London.

Aliya Mustafina (RUS) 16.2/7.0 and Viktoria Komova (RUS) 16.2/7.0

Watching the Russians do bars is like watching art in motion. There is a lightness to their work that makes it appear as if they are effortlessly floating from bar to bar. Every movement is exquisite with the toe point of a ballerina and the amplitude of a trapeze artist. Their routines are so mesmerizing, it is easy to forget that they are doing some of the most difficult routines in the world. One thing is for certain, the training time lost to knee and ankle injuries was put to incredible use on the bars, taking their bar work to a level above everyone else.

Beth Tweddle (GBR) 15.95/7.0

Beth is widely considered the most successful British gymnast of all time, most especially for her two World Championship titles on bars. She brings a different style to bars, earning her difficulty with lots of high flying, difficult and connected release moves. It is a routine that pleases the crowds. However the risks that she takes are often her undoing. If she hits, she will most likely medal. I think most everyone in the world is rooting for her to do so- to win an Olympic medal on her home soil at the age of 27 would be an incredible Olympic moment.

Gabby Douglas (USA) 15.9/6.5

Dubbed the Flying Squirrel because of her high flying release moves, Gabby is breathtaking to watch on bars. She literally takes your breath away because you aren’t sure that she can come back down and catch the bar. But she always does. Gabby has excellent execution, dynamic amplitude and beautiful form earning her high scores even with lower difficulty than others in the field.

He Kexin (CHN) 15.85/7.1

He Kexin is the defending Olympic Champion. Widely regarded as having the most difficult bar routine in the world for the last many years, He makes people gasp and shake their heads when she does her infamous release combination. She has bars in the old style of China – delightful to behold while doing release moves like no one else. However, He has been very inconsistent ever since 2009. She could easily take the gold or not even qualify for the finals.

Others you will likely see in the finals but who probably won’t end up on the medal podium:

Yao Jinnan (CHN) 15.85/6.8

Kyla Ross (USA) 15.65

Youna Dufournet (FRA) 15.5/6.9

What I Love About Kyla Ross

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I love Kyla’s smile. Hunting through her pictures, it is a reoccurring theme – this broad beaming smile that just makes you smile back. You don’t see it as often in her competitions, where she is more focused and serious. Or in her interviews. But a picture speaks 1,000 words. I think Kyla’s personality is summed up through her smile.

I love Kyla’s attitude. “I am a contender.” She has said this many times in interviews.   Not arrogant  and assuming, but quietly confident. She knows what she can contribute to the team, and keeps plugging away, practice after practice, meet after meet to prove it.

I love that Kyla is still a teenager. She has had plenty of international experience, but not yet enough travel and media attention to mature her beyond her years. Kyla seems like a normal teenage girl. It helps us remember that these girls are still just that – girls.

Gymnastics wise, I love Kyla’s lightness. Every move she makes looks effortless, airy, like she tumbling or dancing through clouds. She is the Queen of Clean. She is dependable and it is easy to feel confident that she will deliver.

Good Luck Kyla! Thank you for your years of hard work and sacrifice to bring us your beautiful gymnastics. May the Olympics be more than you ever dreamed it would be!

What do you love about Kyla? Do share!

All Photos Credit NBC Olympics