Gymnastics can be so cruel.

This morning I woke up and went straight away turned on my computer, having set time aside to watch last night's coverage of the Visa Championships. Firstly I was slightly miffed when the Universal Sports front page told me everything I needed to know before the first minute of video played. Jordyn Wieber wins, Rebecca Bross is injured. Damn it!

Universal sports/NBC did some great, poignant filming in the moments following Bross's disaster. Instead of focussing in the carnage of the vault run, they panned around the many many faces of gymnasts and coaches around the arena. Shock, disappointment and resignation. They all knew that in that moment the reigning national champion and multiple world medallists dreams for this years worlds, and possibly a full strength 2012 had flown out the window.

Bross's injury status is not yet confirmed. The initial spot diagnosis was a dislocated kneecap. Bross has come back from a lot, winning world medals on a stress fracture of her ankle, but this one will take some coming back from, and probably another trip under the surgeons knife, followed by best part of a year of rehab. The clock is ticking. The one year to london mark has been and gone.

Meanwhile, Jordyn Wieber did what everyone expected her to do. Win her first national title in devistating, consistent fashion.

All-Around

1.  Jordyn Wieber, DeWitt, Mich., 121.300

2.  McKayla Maroney, Laguna Niguel, Calif., 115.150

3.  Alexandra Raisman, Needham, Mass., 114.600

4.  Mackenzie Caquatto, Naperville, Ill., 112.500

5.  Sabrina Vega, Carmel, N.Y., 112.050

6.  Bridgette Caquatto, Naperville, Ill., 111.500

7.  Gabrielle Douglas, Virginia Beach, Va., 110.350

8.  Chellsie Memmel, West Allis, Wis., 109.850

9.  Sophia Lee, Plano, Texas, 109.200

10.  Grace McLaughlin, Allen, Texas, 108.600



Vault

1.  McKayla Maroney, Laguna Niguel, Calif., 30.700

2.  Alicia Sacramone, Winchester, Mass., 30.600

3.  Brandie Jay, Ft. Collins, Colo., 27.825

(And of course Wieber & Maroney with awesome amanars!)



Uneven Bars

1.  Jordyn Wieber, DeWitt, Mich., 29.750

2.  Mackenzie Caquatto, Naperville, Ill., 29.700

3.  Anna Li, Aurora, Ill., 29.450

3.  Gabrielle Douglas, Virginia Beach, Va., 29.450

5.  Amanda Jetter, Milford, Ohio, 28.650

6.  Shawn Johnson, West Des Moines, Iowa, 28.600



Balance Beam

1.  Alicia Sacramone, Winchester, Mass., 30.100

2.  Chellsie Memmel, West Allis, Wis., 30.000

3.  Jordyn Wieber, DeWitt, Mich., 29.900

4.  Shawn Johnson, West Des Moines, Iowa, 29.400

5.  Sabrina Vega, Carmel, N.Y., 28.850

6.  Alexandra Raisman, Needham, Mass., 27.900



Floor Exercise

1.  Jordyn Wieber, DeWitt, Mich., 29.900

2.  Rebecca Bross, Plano, Texas, 29.500

3.  Alexandra Raisman, Needham, Mass., 29.150

4.  Sabrina Vega, Carmel, N.Y., 28.900

5.  McKayla Maroney, Laguna Niguel, Calif., 28.150

6.  Chellsie Memmel, West Allis, Wis., 27.900 

With Bross out the team USA selection commitee has to regroup, and recruiting strong bar workers has become more crucial, now being without Bross and Bridget Sloan, currently 3rd and 4th in the world on bars. That said, there's also room for a strong all-arounder. Step-up Ali Raisman & McKayla Maroney.

Looking to Tokyo: 

Vault - US has no trouble here, put up Sacramone, Wieber & Maroney and they could already have a large lead over the field. 
Bars - The top two consistent workers from Visas were Wieber and Mackenzie Caquatto. Based on that I'd take both of them to Tokyo, particularly as Caquatto can contribute elsewhere and has experience. I don't buy into Anna Li making the team as she had one job to do here and was wobbly on both bars and beam. Also, if youre taking Sacramone, everyone else will have to compete bars in qualifying. Who knows, Shawn Johnson or Gabi Douglas might make the team after all! And for all it's slack, Ali Raismans bar routine may contribute to the US qualifying to London.
Beam - Again not really a problem for the US but consistency is the name of the game. For their likelihood to stay on the beam I'd pick Wieber, Memmel, Sacramone & Raisman.
Floor - The US could do with some big numbers here too, and whilst most of the competitors have moments of brilliance, they also have moments of inconsistency. I'd put up Wieber, Raisman, Sacramone and either Memmel or Maroney.

So based on that event by event plotting, my likely wrong, new-look US team would be.

Jordyn Wieber

Alicia Sacramone

Alexandra Raisman

McKayla Maroney

Mackenzie Caquatto 

Chellsie Memmel

Alternate - Shawn Johnson/Gabrielle Douglas/Sabrina Vega.

It may not be the prettiest team in the world but should be capable of getting the job done.
Hopefully that ice pack on Chellsie's shoulder was nothing too serious either!

Never mind Valerei Liukin, your top junior, Katelyn Ohashi made easy work of taking the US junior title. What, she's too young for the 2012 Olympics? Damn it!