US Gymnastics Olympic Trials

[monsterkitty]

Can I ask a question of you folks who seem to be up on gymnastics? I tuned in last night just in time to see commentators talking during the wait for the announcement of the team and one of the comments pertained to the US being so far beyond the rest of the world we could probably send two teams and finish gold and silver, blah, blah, blah. What about Russia and China, are they not pretty serious contenders in gymnastics anymore?

Sorry, don't really follow the sport except for the Olympics, but the comment surprised me.

Russia has had some illnesses and injuries, so they aren't in the best of shape. Add that to the lack of money going into the training and it's not the Russian teams we've seen in the past.

If the Chinese girls hit and team USA has misses, it will be closer than the press is letting on. This is one of the reasons Gabby was picked over some of the others who scored higher than her. We need Gabby's score on bars if it is close. Those who were passed over for Gabby would never be able to bring the bars score in that Gabby can.

Romaina also used to be in the mix, however they didn't qualify a team for the Rio games.

 

[cabanafrau]

Russia has had some illnesses and injuries, so they aren't in the best of shape. Add that to the lack of money going into the training and it's not the Russian teams we've seen in the past.

If the Chinese girls hit and team USA has misses, it will be closer than the press is letting on. This is one of the reasons Gabby was picked over some of the others who scored higher than her. We need Gabby's score on bars if it is close. Those who were passed over for Gabby would never be able to bring the bars score in that Gabby can.

Romaina also used to be in the mix, however they didn't qualify a team for the Rio games.

Thank you, fair weather fan at best here. I wondered how much of the comment was hype, being on the Olympic network hoping to cash in with a gold medal ratings audience and all.

I remember the days of Romania being a force in the sport, not to be able to qualify a team? Yikes, what a collapse there.

 

[JaneBanks]

If the US hits, they will be a few points ahead of any other team. China's difficulty score isn't that far from the US but the Chinese girls have a tendency to be "head casey" and don't have the consistency of hitting like the US girls do. The US can fall once or twice and still win but it will be close if they do. The hype is kind of justified.

I feel for Romania. They are mismanaged and the girls were screwed over because of it. They don't have the development in the lower levels that they need to build a strong senior team.

BUT! Look out for Great Britain. They have come a long way and I wouldn't be surprised to see them around 4th place and maybe even a bronze if Russia implodes.

 

[JaneBanks]

Yes, Chow asked for a percentage of Gabby's winnings and mom said no way! The reason he did that is because they owed him and the gym money from the lead up to the 2012 games. Same with Excalibur - Gabby's gym before moving to Chows. They owed the gym money and when the gym asked for it, mom cried to the press. There may have been racism or there may not have been.

Gabby needs to get away from her mom. Let's look at other amazing gymnasts, such as Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin. Both girls went to their parents and said, "I don't want to do this anymore, I want to quit". Shawn wanted to quit in 2008., "It's your decision. We love you no matter what and will support you." In the interview her mom said a part of her died inside, but that she would support Shawn no matter what. Nastia said her mom got out a vision board and had Nastia focus on the positive. When Gabby wanted to quit before 2012, her mom came unglued and ran the car off the road while screaming at her. She told Gabby how selfish she was and to not bother coming home if she quit. Yes, a mother told her 15-year-old DD that the entire family had given up so much for her and that if she quit she was no longer welcome at home.

Further, after winning gold in London, Gabby's agent Sheryl Shade, suggested that they put some of Gabby's money in a trust fund. Mom said no way and fired Shade. When Chow wouldn't take Gabby back, mom began to look for other gyms that would take Gabby. She tried several, but none wanted to take a gamble on her because of the baggage she was bringing with her. Her current gym took her in and all was fine. Until after P&G Championships and Gabby "fired" the head coach and owner of the gym. Yes, Gabby does have a right to any endorsement that comes her way, the same as any other athlete. However, she needs to be advised where the money is going and how she needs to put some aside for her future. That's not happening.

I think Gabby is unhappy because the pressure her family is putting on her. She's not prepared as she wasn't doing full routines. Her mom and sister have said many times that they have had to quit their jobs to support Gabby. Why does a 26-year-old sister have to quit her job to help her 20-year-old sister? Who's the one making the money in the family? Gabby. If Gabby didn't make the team, there would not be as much money coming in. Did you see the article today on the new Gabby Douglas Barbie Doll? The last quote by Gabby answers a question that was probably, "what do you want to accomplish in Rio?" Gabby's answer, "More merchandise!" Her family has taken Gabby's love for gymnastics and turned it into a money machine for them, ala Dominque Moceanu's parents after the 96 games.

I hope that the next month, away from her mother, Gabby will find the joy in gymnastics again and the drive. She has the talent. When she is on, she is on. Right now, though, I think she's lost and has no idea how to get out of the hole that's been dug for her.

Yes. Her family but mainly her mother is the real problem. It is sad and like everyone else, I hope she can get away from it all. It's a shame because Gabby has that rare natural talent that is above most girls.

I too feel that month away from the pressure of her family will give her the break she needs from the pressure and she will be more relaxed and in turn, her gym will improve. I'm hoping she can get that Amanor back like she says she has!

 

[winterwhite]

Can I ask a question of you folks who seem to be up on gymnastics? I tuned in last night just in time to see commentators talking during the wait for the announcement of the team and one of the comments pertained to the US being so far beyond the rest of the world we could probably send two teams and finish gold and silver, blah, blah, blah. What about Russia and China, are they not pretty serious contenders in gymnastics anymore?

Sorry, don't really follow the sport except for the Olympics, but the comment surprised me.

Much like in 2008, we have gymnasts posting such high numbers on one apparatus that catching them is not possible all around. However, the picture is not as clear on individual apparatus. Back then, bars was the deciding apparatus - China had two gymnasts capable of throwing up 16.8+ scores on the bars - which they did, and so they beat us.

The 2015 World Champion on the vault is Russian. Biles posted a higher score at Trials than she did at the Russia Cup recently, but these things aren't guarantees of how the scores will play to international judges.

There was a 4 way tie for Bars champion, one Chinese, two Russian, one American (Kocian).

Simone Biles destroyed the other teams on Beam and Floor in event finals.

I think it's a bit of hyperbole to say that we could field an entire second team and still pull silver. I think that the gold is a likely scenario but we could easily be beaten on a second level team. They would compete, but not be an obvious win.

 

[rigs32]

How does qualifying work for teams/individuals once they are in Rio? I can't find it by googling.

Sounds like GD won't be considered for the AA - that's SB and AR or LH because we can only have two compete, right? But she's on the team for her bars and maybe to help in the qualifying rounds it sounded like?

 

[ashley0139]

How does qualifying work for teams/individuals once they are in Rio? I can't find it by googling.

Sounds like GD won't be considered for the AA - that's SB and AR or LH because we can only have two compete, right? But she's on the team for her bars and maybe to help in the qualifying rounds it sounded like?

Four gymnasts per country will go up on each event in qualifications, chosen by each team. This is the round that qualifies all arounders and event finalists. So anyone you want to possibly compete in all around final must compete on all four events this day. Any event specialists must compete on the event you may want them in event finals in on this day as well. So Madison will compete on bars, Simone and Aly will compete in the all around, etc. The top 8 (24 for all around) make finals for each event. However, there is a two per country limit. So if, hypothetically, Simone qualifies in all around first, Aly in 3rd, and Gabby in 5th, only Simone and Aly would compete in finals. Then on team finals day, three gymnasts will go up on each event, and anyone you want to can compete on any event that is best for your team.

 

[ashley0139]

What an amazing weekend! Being there this weekend was one of the best experiences of my life. Interesting to see what people are saying here vs what was happening in person. I can't wait to watch all these girls compete in Rio. They all did so amazing, I wish they had shown more of the other girls. Amelia Hundley went eight for eight. Brenna Dowell did as well. Just an amazing weekend of gymnastics.

 

[JaneBanks]

This is interesting and explains what's been going on with Gabby --

Douglas, it turns out, won a silver medal in the all-around competition despite fracturing her knee while performing a 21/2 turn on a vault the day before leaving for Scotland to the competition Oct. 23-Nov. 1.

Neither U.S. gymnastics officials, coaches nor Douglas knew the seriousness of the injury until after the World Championships ended, when the gymnast said she spent two months on crutches. She did not have surgery, Douglas and her mother reported.

The knee is fully healed, but the episode helps explain why U.S. national team coordinator Martha Karolyi had so much trust in Douglas, who finished seventh in the all-around competition at the two-day Olympic trials that ended Sunday night at the SAP Center.

Link to full article - http://www.mercurynews.com/sports/c...as-ordeal-disclosed-after-making-olympic-team

 

[elphaba91]

If the Chinese girls hit and team USA has misses, it will be closer than the press is letting on. This is one of the reasons Gabby was picked over some of the others who scored higher than her. We need Gabby's score on bars if it is close. Those who were passed over for Gabby would never be able to bring the bars score in that Gabby can.

I'm sorry, but that's totally untrue. Ashton Locklear has a MUCH higher bars score than Gabby with an average of 15.725 at trials to Gabby's 15.175 and would be a definite chance at a medal. The problem with Ashton is that due to a back injury she can only do bars and beam so couldn't fill in on other events.

MyKayla Skinner, while not a bars worker, would have made a bigger contribution score-wise on vault than Gabby would on bars. Based on trials, MyKayla on vault instead of Laurie is a difference of 0.325 whereas Gabby on bars instead of Simone is only 0.25. MyKayla would also stand a shot (albeit a fairly long one) at a vault medal.

The truth is, Gabby is there over others for 3 reasons: 1) to give Simone a break on bars in TF; 2) as a built-in alternate; and 3) $$$. Unfortunately #3 is the main reason and that really sucks for girls like MyKayla, Ashton and Maggie who have no way to turn back time and become the 2012 AA champion. I just hope Aly and Laurie aren't screwed over as well and get to do AA in QF like they deserve.

How does qualifying work for teams/individuals once they are in Rio? I can't find it by googling.

Sounds like GD won't be considered for the AA - that's SB and AR or LH because we can only have two compete, right? But she's on the team for her bars and maybe to help in the qualifying rounds it sounded like?

In QF it is 4 up 3 count - 4 gymnasts compete on each apparatus but the lowest score is dropped for the purposes of calculating the team score. The top 8 teams move onto the team final where it is 3 up 3 count.

The top 28 all around gymnasts move onto the AA final and the top 8 on each apparatus go to the event finals. However, each country can only have a max of 2 athletes in each individual final. So while Jordyn came 4th in QF in 2012, Aly and Gabby beat her so she missed out on the AA final.

The US usually lets 3 athletes do all 4 apparatuses in QF (Douglas, Raisman & Wieber in 2012, Liukin, Johnson & Sloan in 2008), to make sure 2 get through to the AA final. You would expect based on P&Gs and trials that Simone, Aly and Laurie would be those 3. However, that means all 3 need to compete on bars so one of the 2 bars 'specialists' (Gabby and Madison) won't compete bars in QF so will therefore miss out on qualifying to the bars final. So a lot of people are concerned that Gabby will be given the chance to do AA over either Aly or Laurie (likely Aly as her bars are the weakest).

 

[ashley0139]

I'm sorry, but that's totally untrue. Ashton Locklear has a MUCH higher bars score than Gabby with an average of 15.725 at trials to Gabby's 15.175 and would be a definite chance at a medal. The problem with Ashton is that due to a back injury she can only do bars and beam so couldn't fill in on other events.

MyKayla Skinner, while not a bars worker, would have made a bigger contribution score-wise on vault than Gabby would on bars. Based on trials, MyKayla on vault instead of Laurie is a difference of 0.325 whereas Gabby on bars instead of Simone is only 0.25. MyKayla would also stand a shot (albeit a fairly long one) at a vault medal.

The truth is, Gabby is there over others for 3 reasons: 1) to give Simone a break on bars in TF; 2) as a built-in alternate; and 3) $$$. Unfortunately #3 is the main reason and that really sucks for girls like MyKayla, Ashton and Maggie who have no way to turn back time and become the 2012 AA champion. I just hope Aly and Laurie aren't screwed over as well and get to do AA in QF like they deserve.



In QF it is 4 up 3 count - 4 gymnasts compete on each apparatus but the lowest score is dropped for the purposes of calculating the team score. The top 8 teams move onto the team final where it is 3 up 3 count.

The top 28 all around gymnasts move onto the AA final and the top 8 on each apparatus go to the event finals. However, each country can only have a max of 2 athletes in each individual final. So while Jordyn came 4th in QF in 2012, Aly and Gabby beat her so she missed out on the AA final.

The US usually lets 3 athletes do all 4 apparatuses in QF (Douglas, Raisman & Wieber in 2012, Liukin, Johnson & Sloan in 2008), to make sure 2 get through to the AA final. You would expect based on P&Gs and trials that Simone, Aly and Laurie would be those 3. However, that means all 3 need to compete on bars so one of the 2 bars 'specialists' (Gabby and Madison) won't compete bars in QF so will therefore miss out on qualifying to the bars final. So a lot of people are concerned that Gabby will be given the chance to do AA over either Aly or Laurie (likely Aly as her bars are the weakest).

There's no way Aly is not doing AA in quals.

 

[JaneBanks]

I love Laurie like everyone else but in my opinion (and others as well) she was a little over scored during trials. She's not going to get the same scores from international judges.

 

[elphaba91]

There's no way Aly is not doing AA in quals.

I sure hope you're right!

 

[JaneBanks]

There's no way Aly is not doing AA in quals.

I sure hope you're right!

Aly definitely deserves the chance to go for AA. FOR SURE! I guess it all depends on how things go during training to see whether or not it will be Laurie or Gabby. Gabby may get her Amanar ready in time. We shall see. Very exciting!

 

[elphaba91]

Aly definitely deserves the chance to go for AA. FOR SURE! I guess it all depends on how things go during training to see whether or not it will be Laurie or Gabby. Gabby may get her Amanar ready in time. We shall see. Very exciting!

Marta has apparently said that they won't be training Gabby's Amanar now as there are other things she needs to focus on more. As much as I'd like it to appear, I think she needs to get her mental and emotional state back on track and find her passion for gymnastics again.

I think Laurie could definitely have a chance at the AA (although I do think she was over scored at trials), and that she and Aly should battle it out in qualifying.

 

[monsterkitty]

I'm sorry, but that's totally untrue. Ashton Locklear has a MUCH higher bars score than Gabby with an average of 15.725 at trials to Gabby's 15.175 and would be a definite chance at a medal. The problem with Ashton is that due to a back injury she can only do bars and beam so couldn't fill in on other events.

MyKayla Skinner, while not a bars worker, would have made a bigger contribution score-wise on vault than Gabby would on bars. Based on trials, MyKayla on vault instead of Laurie is a difference of 0.325 whereas Gabby on bars instead of Simone is only 0.25. MyKayla would also stand a shot (albeit a fairly long one) at a vault medal.

The truth is, Gabby is there over others for 3 reasons: 1) to give Simone a break on bars in TF; 2) as a built-in alternate; and 3) $$$. Unfortunately #3 is the main reason and that really sucks for girls like MyKayla, Ashton and Maggie who have no way to turn back time and become the 2012 AA champion. I just hope Aly and Laurie aren't screwed over as well and get to do AA in QF like they deserve.

Yes, Ashton does have a higher bar score. However, like you said, the only other event Ashton can do is beam. Gabby is the fill in for the other events and that is why she was picked. I would have LOVED for Ashton to have been selected instead of Gabby.

MyKayla will never see the scores internationally that she sees here. While she has the difficulty, her form is horrendous with bent knees and flexed feet. MyKayla was passed over for Worlds last year because of this. Maggie needed about 3 or 4 more weeks to prepare. She just had an ill-timed injury and didn't make it back in time. I hope she sticks around.

 

[rigs32]

The US usually lets 3 athletes do all 4 apparatuses in QF (Douglas, Raisman & Wieber in 2012, Liukin, Johnson & Sloan in 2008), to make sure 2 get through to the AA final. You would expect based on P&Gs and trials that Simone, Aly and Laurie would be those 3. However, that means all 3 need to compete on bars so one of the 2 bars 'specialists' (Gabby and Madison) won't compete bars in QF so will therefore miss out on qualifying to the bars final. So a lot of people are concerned that Gabby will be given the chance to do AA over either Aly or Laurie (likely Aly as her bars are the weakest).

Now it makes sense.

So, do you expect them to have Biles, Raisman, and Hernandez compete on all events plus a fourth on each? Or will they bank on Biles and Raisman being the AAers and fill the slate beyond that based on event final chances?

 

[JaneBanks]

Now it makes sense.

So, do you expect them to have Biles, Raisman, and Hernandez compete on all events plus a fourth on each? Or will they bank on Biles and Raisman being the AAers and fill the slate beyond that based on event final chances?

I can see them sitting Laurie out for bars and in turn the all-around. Gabby has a higher scoring bar routine and has a chance to make the event final whereas Laurie won't. We shall see!

 

[Callie]

I have the feeling Gabby lost a lot of fire when she realized its basically impossible to defend her AA title, and is only continuing on to keep the name alive, and the money rolling in. Her family depends on her 100%. Its sickening. They show up to competitions like they own the place, including bringing a little dog. The family lives out in LA in a very nice house, all paid for by Gabby. Most gyms won't even touch her, and when she went to her current gym, it made their other elite athlete transfer to another gym. She also missed a lot of training before trials for personal reasons.

I'm also starting to wonder if the injury was real. I wouldn't put it past her mom to make things super dramatic, and lie. Stuff in gymnastics gets out, and no one, I mean no one, ever said she was on crutches once. They are clearly setting up the story for why Gabby won't repeat as AA champ, and help market her "Story"

 

[winterwhite]

I love Laurie like everyone else but in my opinion (and others as well) she was a little over scored during trials. She's not going to get the same scores from international judges.

Gabby was over scored as well. That floor routine presented by anyone else would have easily lost another 0.5. They gave it to her but considering she is supposedly healthy but throwing worse routines than at the world's last year - not looking promising.