T minus 1 day

Today is the last day for teams to (in the words of gymnast Ivana Hong) 'work the jiggles out'. The qualifying competition starts tomorrow in Rotterdam. With so many teams entered qualifying takes 2 days for women and then 2 for men, with the team finals on Wednesday and Thursday next week.

The order for Women's qualifying is-
Saturday

Women's qualifying competition
09:00 - 10:45	Subdivision 1: Italy, China, Argentina, mixed group 1
11:00 - 12:45	Subdivision 2: Japan, New Zealand, Slovenia, Ukraine
13:30 - 15:15	Subdivision 3: Poland, Romania, Brazil, Israel
15:30 - 17:15	Subdivision 4: Iceland, India, Singapore, Belarus
18:00 - 19:45	Subdivision 5: Australia, Denmark, mixed group 3, Greece
20:00 - 21:45	Subdivision 6: Russia, Sweden, France, Great Britain

Sunday

Women's qualifying competition
09:00 - 10:45	Subdivision 7: Hungary, United States, South Africa, North Korea
11:00 - 12:45	Subdivision 8: Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Austria
13:30 - 15:15	Subdivision 9: Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Ecuador
15:30 - 17:15	Subdivision 10: Switzerland, South Korea, Turkey, mixed group 4
18:00 - 19:45	Subdivision 11: Mexico, Germany, Norway, Venezuela
20:00 - 21:45	Subdivision 12: Uzbekistan, Netherlands, mixed group 2, Finland

In fact this is not entirely true as North Korea have been banned from competing after the age scandal involving Su Jong Hong. This means that North Korea will definitely be unable to field a full team for the 2012 Olympics, as this event stands as the first qualifying event.

I'm going to stick my neck out and make my picks for the team final.
USA, Russia, China, Romania, Australia, GB, Japan, Brazil. This may chop and change and one of these teams underperforms and someone else like France, Germany or Ukraine over perform they could find find themselves up there.

The general impression from podium training reports (big shout out to the Couch Gymnast here) is that the USA are hitting (mostly) and look good for the team final. We still don't know for sure who their alternate will be and who will be the 2 all around athletes. Rebecca Bross looked like the safe bet but is having some problems with her feet so will likely be out there wrapped up like a parcel!

Russia are also in here as favourites and with big aspirations, although in training have been missing several of their big skills. Aliya Mustafina and Tatiana Nabieva have been sitting down their amanar vaults and Nabieva has been crashing out repeatedly on her big skill on bars (a toe-on layout tcatchev). One of my long-time favourite gymnasts, Ksenia Semenova, has a new floor routine but some of her tumbling passes are still eluding her. She's still good, but she's not the gymnast who was 4th in Beijing or European Champ in Milan. Ksenia Afansyeva looks the most consistent of the group so we shall watch and wait.

Romania are looking relaxed and focused and I wish them well. They have had a hard year with injuries and coaching changes. China are a mixed bag with some beautiful routines and some inconsistencies. Their bars and beam look great, they are squeezing out some difficult vaults but their tumbling on floor is a bit rocky. Australia and GB are overperforming in practice but will they pull it out of the hat on the day.

Beyond these 6 it's a mixed bag. Japan have lovely execution but lack on difficulty- look out for Koko Tsurumi in the all around and event finals though. Brazil are somewhat of an unknown, although olympian Jade Barbossa is back and looking good. Germany have been underperforming recently but could surprise and France are missing their main star Youna Dufournet. Look for all these teams to build towards qualifying for London though.

For more updates, photos and videos visit the official site as well as all the great blogs to the left of the screen.
The FIG site also has results and starting orders (and I credit them for the photos in this post).