OT Artistic Gymnastics

[Nikaa]

Only 4 can do an event in quals. So talking about bars ofcourse Madison will do bars, same with Simone since she is doing AA. That means only 2 can do bars. So one of the girls can't do AA. I think Gaby will also do bars and try to qualify to finals (which will be extremely hard with russians and chinese) That means only Aly or Laurie can also do bars and try to qualify to AA. which one will do bars is in Martas hands.

 

[njallday]

Simone Biles, Raisman, Douglas headline team for Rio

Interesting that Marta said Simone, Laurie, Aly, and Madison were a lock, but spot #5 was between Gabby and Ashton. That's gotta suck to hear for Ashton since Gabby had a less-than-great weekend.

 

[cheerKT]

Do we typically only use our alternates if someone gets hurt? Or if someone is underperforming will they switch them?


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I've never heard of that happening but I suppose it's possible. I highly doubt it though. They've only been used for injuries in the past.

 

[Ally13]

Do we typically only use our alternates if someone gets hurt? Or if someone is underperforming will they switch them?


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I think alternates can only be brought in before the Opening Ceremonies. So if someone got hurt at podium training they couldn't bring in an alternate. I've also heard that USAG isn't a fan of bringing in alternates after the way Morgan White was treated in 2000 after she was replaced.

Unless Gabby shows some serious improvement at camp, Martha said she has a chance now to work her issues out personally, I could maybe see Skinner being brought in over her? Martha did make it sound like Gabby's spot is contingent based on improvement at camp, but I doubt it will happen. It sounds likeGabby is in for the camp of her life now haha.

I'm also wondering if bars is such a big factor because they don't want Simone to compete bars in TF? The USA really isn't that bad on bars, definitely their "weak" event, but I could see them wanting to rest/take pressure off Simone so they bring in someone else to fill that bars spot

 

[DancerDude0118]

Only 4 can do an event in quals. So talking about bars ofcourse Madison will do bars, same with Simone since she is doing AA. That means only 2 can do bars. So one of the girls can't do AA. I think Gaby will also do bars and try to qualify to finals (which will be extremely hard with russians and chinese) That means only Aly or Laurie can also do bars and try to qualify to AA. which one will do bars is in Martas hands.

Don't forget the Germans and Rebecca Downie from team GB. Kim Bui, Pauline Schäfer and Elisabeth Seitz all scored in the 15s at the German Olympic trials recently, those 8 UB EF spots are not going to anyone without a fight.

Also, Sanne Wevers has been looking really good on balance beam. She's peaked at the right time:

Her difficultly may be a tenth or two below Biles depending on the execution of connections (her D-score here was 6.7), but the elements she performs are at a lower risk of execution deductions (biggest deduction I could see here would probably be the piking down of her Steingruber dismount). Ideally, I'd like to see everyone hit during BB EF and not like Worlds 2015 where it was a fall fest...

 

[BuegeSmalls]

I think alternates can only be brought in before the Opening Ceremonies. So if someone got hurt at podium training they couldn't bring in an alternate.

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So they'd just have to use the four they have left? That seems weird to me. Like what if Madison got hurt in podium training. She's our best at bars and then we couldn't put Ashton in? Wouldn't that hurt us because we'd have to put up a weaker girl bars in over Ashton who is our second best?

I know these aren't just US rules but it seems strange not to be able to use an alternate in a situation like that.


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[DancerDude0118]

So they'd just have to use the four they have left? That seems weird to me. Like what if Madison got hurt in podium training. She's our best at bars and then we couldn't put Ashton in? Wouldn't that hurt us because we'd have to put up a weaker girl bars in over Ashton who is our second best?

I know these are just US rules but it seems strange not to be able to use an alternate in a situation like that.


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That's how it works for all countries... Romania had someone injured during podium training right before qualifications at Worlds last year, they just had to compete with 4. Teams are NOT allowed to sub in athletes (who weren't part of the team of 5) once podium training have begun.

 

[BuegeSmalls]

That's how it works for all countries... Romania had someone injured during Podium training right before qualifications at Worlds last year, they just had to compete with 4. Teams are NOT allowed to sub in athletes (who weren't part of the team of 5) once qualifications have begun.

Oh yeah I know they are only just US. Forgot the "n't" on my aren't in my quoted post. My bad, whoops!


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[DancerDude0118]

Oh yeah I know they are only just US. Forgot the "n't" on my aren't in my quoted post. My bad, whoops!


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I believe the rule is in place so teams don't just switch out athletes as they please right before qualifications, because any team could say one of their members is "injured" and just swap out for an athlete that handles pressure better (after realising member X is freaking out and not hitting during podium training).

 

[BuegeSmalls]

I believe the rule is in place so teams don't just switch out athletes as they please right before qualifications, because any team could say one of their members is "injured" and just swap out for an athlete that handles pressure better (after realising member X is freaking out and not hitting during podium training).

That makes perfect sense. Didn't even think of it like that.


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[DancerDude0118]

That makes perfect sense. Didn't even think of it like that.


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ETA: Wrong information.

With the new "4 members per team" system in place for the next quad, we could see team U.S.A. leap even further ahead of the pack because they field so many solid all-arounders. Most countries really only have one solid AAer and an iffy one followed by 3 other apparatus specialist. This will affect the men so much more than the women, but I'm actually for this change because it allows for one event specialist on top of the 4 for team.

 

[quitthedrama]

I'm not sure why so many are confused about Gabby making the team. She is the reigning Olympic AA gold medalist. She hasn't trained well, has been mentally used by her family, and was still only out of 5th by less than her fall on beam. She can step in as an AA if one of the AA athletes gets injured. She brings loads of experience, and even though not at her best, is still one of the best AA and one of the best on UB which is where the team needs help. I think it will be interesting to see how she trains from now until the Olympics, but I think Martha is going to limit her contact with her family and I think you will see a difference in the next few weeks.
I think the team was selected exactly as it should have been given the rules. I hate that with only 5 spots, there are specialists that earn a spot over consistent AA athletes.
I hope the hype of the team dies down. Overconfidence is the only thing that will hurt this team.

 

[cheerKT]

The more I think about it the more I think Gabby will be in AA. Just as our third girl, which I think it is important to have to push the other too all arounders. Hear me out:

Simone is obviously a lock. Duh. I also think Aly will go for AA. She's proven solid across all events, and yes we know her bars suck, but she won't do them in team finals so whatever. She makes up for it other places as far as AA goes.

So that's two spots gone on the four. Then we go to bars, since it's the highest place of need. Madison obviously has to go in qualifiers to try for EF. One spot left. You have to put Gabby there, since she has a shot at EF and is probably the next highest bar score. Locking up those four keeps Laurie out of AA and keeps Gabby alive. At this point, since Gabby is passable on the remaining events and you would like a third all arounder, I think you put her on the other three. You don't have to use her in TF but it can give you an idea of where she stands across the board.

Going to vault, I would put up Simone, Aly, Gabby and Laurie. Sorry Madison, no single twists allowed lol. Beam I would use Simone, Aly, Gabby then Laurie OR Madison, whoever looks better at camp. Then floor Simone, Aly, Gabby and Laurie.

In summary, my qualifiers:
VT: Simone, Aly, Gabby, Laurie
Bars: Simone, Aly, Gabby, Madison
Beam: Simone, Aly, Gabby, Madison OR Laurie
Floor: Simone, Aly, Gabby, Laurie

Team finals:
VT: Simone, Aly, Gabby OR Laurie (whoever scored better in qualifiers)
Bars: Laurie, Gabby, Madison
Beam: Simone, Aly, Laurie
Floor: Simone, Aly, Laurie

I just see Laurie serving a Kyla role and doing whatever Marta needs her to do. And I think she will do well at it. So yeah, that's my case for Gabby in AA. Simone will qualify obviously but Gabby can push Aly for the second spot.

 

[FlexyTumblerMom]

Interesting - so once podium training starts, the alternates have zero chance of competing at the Olympics? That's really not an alternate then IMO, but just someone who has a small chance of going until the very last minute that disappears. I guess they protect against injuries at the 9 day camp though. Do the alternates go to the camp?

 

[cheerKT]

Interesting - so once podium training starts, the alternates have zero chance of competing at the Olympics? That's really not an alternate then IMO, but just someone who has a small chance of going until the very last minute that disappears. I guess they protect against injuries at the 9 day camp though. Do the alternates go to the camp?

Think of how hard the girls will be pushing in these next four weeks. Not only at camp but at home as well. We lost a couple strong girls just the week before Trials from the past minute push. That's really what the alternates are for. Injuries are much more likely to occur before they even head to Rio.