Vaults I loved and hated from Nationals

So I told everyone a while back that I'd be analyzing specific routined from Nationals. I've kinda been dragging my feet on this one, but here are my 3 favorite and least favorite Vaults...

FAVORITES 

1. McKayla Maroney's Mustafina (Day 1)

(Starts at 1:20)

Score: 15.7 (6.1 D, 9.6 E) 

Place: 1st After Day 1 

What I loved: Her form in the air is phenomenal. She lands it beautifully and has an amazing block. 

What I didn't: She has a tiny hop, so I guess that can be improved upon.

2. Simone Biles Amanar (Day 2)

Score: 16.0 (6.5 D, 9.5 E)
Place: 1st
What I loved: She gets phenomenal height and only takes a tiny hop.
What I didn't: Her feet are kinda funky in the air. It could be cleaner.



3. Jordyn Wieber's Amanar (Day 2) 

Score: 15.9 (6.5 D, 9.4 E) 

Place: 2nd of all Sr Vault Scores

What I loved: Travels far with it and twists sufficiently. 

What I didn't: Leg separation on block, step forward. 

LEAST FAVORITES

1. Ohashi's Double (Day 2)

Score: 13.8 (5.8 D, 8.0 E) 

Place: 11th after 2 days

What I loved: Her feet look nice in the air and she manages to somehow stand it up. 

What I didn't: This vault is IDENTICAL to Rebecca Bross's in 2011 that blew out her knee. After Katelyn missed this vault in training, she did it on day 2 terribly. 

2. Merideth's Sylvia's FTY (Day 1) 

Score: 11.8 (5.0 D, 6.8 E)

Place: 23rd 

What I loved: Again, she's got nice toes. 

What I didn't: She has this GIANT pike that she's doing (and she did on Day 2 as well) and obviously, how underrotated she seems is terrible and dangerous. 

3. Jordyn Wieber's Amanar (Day 1) 

Score: 15.65 (6.5 D, 9.15 E)

Place: 3rd

What I loved: Good form until landing

What I didn't: SCARRRRYYYYY KNEEEES!!!! AGHGHGHGHHHH!!!! 

The 10 prettiest moments of 2012 Jr. US Classics

10. Amelia Hundley on floor. It's a full twisting split leap and it's sky high. I love it! 

9. Ashley Foss on floor. It's not the highest ring leap, but I think it's pretty beautiful

8. Nica Hults effortlessly pulls a sheep jump out of nowhere after a switch leap-back tuck combo.

7. New comer Lauren Hernandez with an almost Dougie-like Tkachev. She missed the catch, but was beautiful in the air. 

6. Katelyn Ohashi's ring leap on beam. If it weren't for her toes, she'd be even higher up on the list.

5. Polina Shchennikova's sheep jump. It's prettier in motion than it is as a still. 

 4. Bailie Key's Layed out Gienger that easily rivals Nastia's. LOVE. I hope she can keep it once she grows.

   

3. Shannon McNatt's stag ring jump on beam. I don't feel like we see this jump a lot. More people should do it. 

2. Megan Skagg's ring leap on floor. It's only #2 because it's on floor and not beam. 

1. Bailie Key's ring leap on beam. If this isn't gorgeous, I don't know what is. 

My random thoughts after seeing Classics Training Coverage

I'm bored to death with this Shaposh half combo.

I thought that Kim Zmeskal rechoreographed new routines for her girls every year. WHY DOES BAILIE KEY STILL HAVE THAT MUSIC?!?!?!

Polina Shchennikova will make the national team this year if she doesn't headcase.

McKenzie Wofford is fierce as hell. Everyone better respect her for that.

I want Nastia Liukin to do well. Her beam is pretty but I'm VERY disappointed that she won't be competing bars.

Kyla Ross could earn her spot with her bars. I'm impressed with this tumbling pass, but honeychild has GOT to get some less horrible music.

I would guess that the Gedderts are just planning for consistency at this point. I therefore, am not overly impressed with World Champion Wieber.

When I heard that Anna Li was getting a new floor routine that she wanted to be college like, I didn't expect it to be this artistic. YAY. Her bars are of course, phenomenal as always. I love the new skill.

Elizabeth Price reminds me of Olivia Courtney in '08. Hopefully Marta will send her to a meet post Olympics. Could she win Classics in 2013? Possibly. She impresses me more and more each time I see her. Apparently she's got an Amanar that I have yet to find video of.


Abby Milliet's leotard makes me want to cry.

Chellsie Memmel is a beast. LOVE.

Aly Raisman's Amanar still scares the hell out of me.

Can we please find a new birth certificate for Katelyn Ohashi?

Ariana Guerra is blossoming since her move to Texas Dreams.

Amelia Hundley's going to be 5'6 by the time she turns 16.

I absolutely refuse to call this the "Secret Classic". That's creepy as hell.

All photos property of USAG

The 2012 Pacific Rim Mini Wrap Up

So the Pacific Rim Championships ended tonight with the US women winning all of the golds they set out for (they won everything but Senior Vault, which no one tried to get). I was thrilled with the results, as unsurprising as they may have been, and look forward to seeing more from all 6 of these girls in the future.

John Cheng

The Team/All Around final was fairly unshocking, seeing as how the US had never lost this competition as far back as I can find record. Some of that is because Russia and China typically choose to send "B" or even "C" teams while the USA always sends at least a few major players. This year, while world champion Jordyn Wieber and 5 other top girls from the US came, China's only major name was Tan Sixin and Russia sent 5 international newcomers. As John Geddert mentioned in his blog earlier this week, this meet would be so much cooler if China, Russia and even Australia sent their A teams.  

Let's talk about Gabby Doulgas for a minute and her "tweaked ankle." Some people say she balked on her vault. This doesn't look like a baulk to me; it's more like she just missed the vault!

Property of Grace Chui, via Inside Gymnastics

And here was the aftermath...

Property of Gabrielle Douglas 

That doesn't look very "tweaked"; it looks legitimately injured! I hope it won't last.

All in all, the women did fantastically though. Although there were a few falls in event finals, the ladies did nicely in the end. ... And I got to see Ohashi's beam in HD. 

Other than the US, who was I impressed with? 

Peng Peng of course, who rocked the hell out of this meet earning multiple medals and a fantastic all around score.

12 year old Charlotte Sullivan of New Zealand who had an adorable floor and qualified to Balance Beam Finals, even if she struggled there. I'm excited to see this team blossom. 

Victoria Moors whose floor is mesmerizing. I'm so excited to see her in London. She should make floor finals there.

My 11 Favorite Routines of 2011

11. Ana Sofia Gomez on Beam at the Pan American Champs Event Finals

10. Nica Hults on Beam at the US Classics 

9. Aliya Mustafina on Bars at The American Cup

8. Diana Bulimar on Floor at World Championship Qualifications

7. Kyla Ross on Beam on Day 1 of Visa Championships

6. Aly Raisman on Floor at World Championships Event Finals

5. Viktoria Komova on Bars at World Championships Qualifications 

4. Katelyn Ohashi on Beam on Day 1 of Visa Championships

3. McKayla Maroney on Vault at World Championship Team Finals

2. Jordyn Wieber on Beam on Day 2 of Visa Championships

1. Sui Lu on Beam at World Championship Team Finals

6 Gifts I'd Like to Give this Season

 

I'd like to give a class with a legitimate dance instructor on turns to the US National Team. We can exclude Vega, Maroney, Wieber and maybe a few of the juniors, but many of these girls SERIOUSLY need to clean up their turns! 

I'd like to give Vanessa Ferrari a long sleeved leo. Any long sleeved leo, as long as she promises to wear it in the AA/Event Finals of her next international competition. I don't know if she's more comfortable in short sleeves, but it drives me crazy! 

I'd like to give Lindenwood Head Coach Gretchen Goerlitz the perfect addition to her 2012 recruiting class. She's still looking for 2-4 recruits that she can add to her lineup. Could it be you? Fill out the recruiting questionnaire!  

This gift is courtesy of Jessica (@bportgym1). She had the idea to give Katelyn Ohashi a book on Chinese Ethics, hopefully coercing her onto the Olympic Team! :) 

I'd like to give Marta Karolyi 15 Plane Tickets to anywhere outside of the US to use before July 1st. Hopefully she can send some people to international assignments!  

Many of you gave your opinion about what to give Komova! (There are actually too many to mention, but nearly all of these are from you all!) I decided to give her a bathroom cabinet... complete with advil for her "sore loser", caffeine pills, hair conditioner, and for good measure, although it wouldn't be in a bathroom cabinet, an ice cream sundae! 

What gifts would you like to give this season?

(Photos property of AP, Getty Images, Couch Gymnast, GK, USAG)

5 Things I'd Like to See Before the World Ends

(Rick of Gymnastics Coaching) 

According to some theorists, based on the Aztec Calendar the world will end exactly 1 year from today. While I don’t agree with those people in the slightest, here are 5 things I’d like to see in 2012, before the world is supposedly destroyed... or not.

Triple Twisting Yurchenko – Preferably from Maroney, but any Triple will be fine. The women haven’t added a half twist to the Yurchenko since 2000!

A Perfect Event Final – It’s been a while since I can remember all 8 gymnasts in an event final hitting their routines. I would adore if all of the gymnasts in the beam final stayed on!

Success for ’96 Babies - Since the girls born in 1996 couldn’t compete at Worlds this year, I’d really love if they could successfully compete in 2012. It would be fabulous if Iordache, Ross, Grishina, Sidorova and others could really shine despite their disadvantage.

Katelyn Ohashi getting international recognition – I hate that she’s a junior, but I’d love if Marta would send this girl out. Gymnix, Top Gym and Jesolo would all be fine opportunities to further expose Katelyn to the international scene.

Marta’s replacement being named – She’s slated to leave after this quad, but she may not according a recent article. I’d like to see someone new named. It will probably be Steve Rybaki, but regardless, I’m ready for change.

Camp News

After Polina Shchennikova posted a picture of everyone, including Rebecca at Camp, it appears that Marta has asked for things to be kept quiet regarding "big names".

(Was on Polina Shchennikova's FB)

This was a working camp. Girls verified individual skills and combinations and continued to work out. There were not winners of these verifications.

I will tell you, of all of the people who I've talked to, I've asked, "How are Becca & Nastia?" The consistent answer has been "working hard". I'm sorry guys, that's all I know. I've been trying I promise.

Here are updates on girls, as I receive them, in alphabetical order:

Simone Biles is training an Amanar into a pit. It doesn't seem too far off.

Rebecca Bross has a knee brace on, but is working bars and doing a ton of conditioning.

Brianna Brown of CGA won the Physical Abilities Testing.

Nia Dennis is training a Double Twisting Yurchenko.

Ericha Fassbender was invited to camp but did not attend due to an injury just before camp.

Amanda Jetter has been added to the National Team.

Bailie Key has added a standing arabian on beam, and is training a Double Twisting Yurchenko. She's also training a BHS-BHS-LO, Shawn Johnson Style. (To 2 feet).

Lizzy LeDuc is still recovering from elbow injuries that she sustained before moving to Zenith.

Nastia Liukin is "working out like crazy", verified skills on bars and is working beam and floor. She's been added to the National Team.

Katelyn Ohashi has the same bar set plus some new 1 hand pirouette work, like Onos.

Kyla Ross has no major upgrades on beam or floor yet. She's still got the Amanar, which looks good, and I'm not sure how her bars look.

Polina Shchennikova is training a BHS-BHS-5/2 beam dismount. She's also working a BEAUTIFUL L-Grip Endo to Jaeger! She has a minor knee issue, but nothing too serious.

McKenzie Wofford is reportedly training a tkatchev half into jaeger & a double double into pit on bars. HOLY UPGRADES!

All of the Texas Dreams girls look lovely on Bars and Beam.

Currently, I haven't heard about any girls going to Top Gym (begins 11/25).

Please don't ask "How is so-and-so?" You know everything that I know currently, and I will let you know more as soon as I find things out. More info will be coming later today.

Camp 11/17-11/22 - Full Attendance List

It's National Team Training Camp Time!!!

It's expected that Top Gym Assignments will be given, along with another possible December competition.It's also possible that the Olympic Test Event team will be chosen at this camp, because as Jennifer stated in the comments, Nominative entries are due December 7th. 

Here is the full list of camp attendees:

Kennedy Baker 

Simone Biles

(Property of Gym Examiner)

Rebecca Bross
Brianna Brown 

Nichelle Christopherson

Bridget Dean
Nia Dennis

Maddie Desch
Brenna Dowell

Peyton Ernst
Sarah Finnegan
Amelia Hundley
Brandie Jay

Amanda Jetter

Bailie Key

Lizzy LeDuc
Nastia Liukin 
Grace McLaughlin
Katelyn Ohashi

Elizabeth Price
Lexie Priessman
Kyla Ross
Polina Shchennikova
Mykayla Skinner

Kiana Winston

McKenzie Wofford

This list is based on conversations I've had with gymnasts/coaches & posts on twitter and other sites by gymnasts/coaches. 

My guess is that it will be Junior National Team, Some Seniors and some extra invites. 

The biggest shocks to everyone have been Amanda Jetter, who had pretty major surgery to repair her foot after complications with her Jesolo injury in Early September and Lizzy LeDuc, who was rumored to have dropped down to Level 10 after her move to Zenith.

Top Gym 2011 - Why I think Ohashi will be left off the roster

Honestly, Top Gym is one of my favorite meets of the year. Anyone who knows me around the boards knows that I'm a huge fan of Junior Gymnastics.

Top Gym consists of 2 gymnasts per country with a team final that I don't really understand, an all around competition and event finals. This year, it will take place from Nov. 25th-27th.

In addition to the US, they're expecting gymnasts from Russia, Romania, Canada, Great Britain and a variety of other countries.

The question on everyone's mind is: "Who will Marta send?"
I might be in the minority as I'm thinking that Ohashi will not go to Belgium. Don't get me wrong, Ohashi's fabulous but, if I were Marta, I'd be more worried about 2012 than 2016, or even 2013.

Also, Marta's made a habit of sending national team members with the same coach on international assignments together. Fassbender & Guerra of Stars and Wieber & Moore of Twistars were both sent to Top Gym together, and Marta sent CGA and WOGA pairs out internationally to other competitions in the past year.

That's why, depending on health, I think that Marta has 2 solid choices for Top Gym:

(Property of Examiner.net)

(Property of Emer Hults) 

All four gymnasts: Brenna Dowell & Sarah Finnegan (Left Pic) Kiana Winston & Kennedy Baker (Right Pic) were born in 1996 and are age eligible for 2012. Brenna Dowell and Sarah Finnegan are coached by Al & Armine Fong at GAGE. They both competed in last year's Pan Am Championships where Sarah won the Bronze on Beam. Kiana Winston & Kennedy Baker are newer to the scene, and are coached by Kim Zmeskal & Chris Burdette at Texas Dreams. Although they haven't competed internationally, They've both been impressive for years and in my opinion, this would be the perfect experience for the two of them to prove how great they can be. 

Who knows? I could be wrong. Marta could send Katelyn Ohashi & Kyla Ross. Who do you think she'll send? 

If you're a member of IGF, you can talk about Top Gym here.

Here is the list of competitors from "The All Around" as Teo posted on IGF:

Russia:Yulia Chemareva & Evguenia Shelgunova

Hungary: Dorina Jelencsics & Borbala Nardai

South-Africa: Tylah Lotter & Ryan Bloy

Italy : Carlotta Necchi & Giulia Gemme

Netherlands: Maartje Ruikes & Elise Bats

GBR: Georgina Hockenull & Sarah Strawbridge

Canada:Tara Mauchell & Briannah Tsang & Sydney Soloski & Maddie Copiack & Shallon Olsen & Maegan Chant.

Belgium: Ellen Rabout & Berangere Fransolet & Laura Waem & Jitske De Herdt & Amalia Heine & Lia Baudet.

Romania: Bianca Ciobanu, Paula Tudorache and Andreea Munteanu