My Expectations for Worlds

Alyssa Bauman: Only girl besides Desch who I think could be chosen as alternate but I still doubt it. No finals for this one

Simone Biles: If she competes like her usual self, she has that second all around title in the bag. Same with vault and floor really. She could easily sneak in a medal on beam too.

Madison Desch: I think she'll probably end up as alternate, unless one of the others is hurt or performs badly in training.

Madison Kocian: Maybe (but probably not) a medal in bar finals but that all depends on how the other athletes perform. Hopefully she stays healthy but I have a bad feeling.

Ashton Locklear: I imagine she'll compete just bars and do a decent job but not the amazing routine we saw at Classics. Definitely a medal for her if she hits.

Mykayla Sinner: She'll make the vault and possibly floor final. I hope to the heavens that she doesn't medal on floor because her form is truly atrocious. She most likely has the vault silver or bronze unless she messes up...but come on, that Cheng?? It's an insult to Cheng Fei, it truly is.

Kyla Ross: She won't do her upgraded pass on floor to play it safe. All-around silver is possible for her again but both WOGA's and Locklear can challenge her bars, not to mention Queen Aliya. She could make finals in all but vault and floor but I don't see her being quite as successful as last year.

Overall
All-Around: Gold and silver/bronze
Team: Gold or silver
Vault: 2 medals
Bars: 1 medals
Beam: 1-2 medals
Floor: 1 medal

Why not Jordyn?

Mckayla made her comeback in 2013, Gabby and Aly are due at the next camp and Kyla never really left. Jordyn supposedly was training for elite again about a year and a half ago but then it fizzled into nothing as she left for college. Now she assists with UCLA's gymnastics team where she is not allowed to compete due to going pro. This begs the question, why hasn't Jordyn Wieber, the FFer with the most to prove, trying to make a comeback for Rio?

Jordyn was at the top in 2011 and 2012, she won nearly everything she competed in and was world champ! Then, we all know what happened in London. I wish Jordyn had gotten a chance to do the all-around but be it her coaches or the judges fault, it wasn't to be. This was a MAJOR upset though and Jordyn was visibly devastated. I don't think there was person watching who didn't think she would try and find some redemption in 2016. And then...it didn't seem like it was going to happen,. Realistically, if Jordyn had wanted to have a fighting chance in Rio, she would have been seriously training for at least 6 months now.

So, is Jordyn's elite career history? I have to say, I think it is. I respect her decision to walk away from the sport, if that is what she truly wants. I suppose I just don't understand it. When Alicia Sacremone and Chellsie Memmel didn't have the Olympics they hoped for in 2008, they gave it another go for London. Even though neither made it, they still can say that they tried their best and gave it a shot.

I would love to see Wieber back in the playing field, I can't imagine that she is completely at peace with 2012 yet, though I hope she someday will be. I guess for me, if I were in her shoes, I wouldn't be able to settle with walking away from a sport that I still had a lot to offer and a lot to prove. Of course, it's not about me and I in no way know Jordyn's inner thoughts. I'm just giving my 2 cents. 

Brenna Get's Screwed Over Again (2014 Worlds Team)

Team: Alyssa Bauman, Simone Biles, Madison Desch, Madison Kocian, Ashton Locklear, Kyla Ross and Mykayla Sinner. 

Brenna Dowell is non-travelling alternate, other alternate TBD in China

Honestly, this whole thing seems a little bit suspect to me. First of all, Maggie Nichols petition must have been denied which REALLY makes me angry. This was most likely her one and only shot at being on a worlds team and it's now ruined in the name of Pan Ams?? :(

Then you have the whole Brenna debacle. She must have performed well enough at the camp all around in order to be named alternate but they are taking Desch over her? Yeah, they'll probably both end up alternates but still.

The actual team is just "meh" for me. I hate that Skinner is near it, I'm not a fan of Kocian but what other choices were there really? It is what it is. I think that Skinner and both WOGA's will be seriously in for a shock by the international scoring. Locklear even makes me slightly nervous because she apparently seemed a bit shell shocked in Canada. Hopefully she is prepared for the crowds and such.

I'll have my predictions up for what I think each athlete will end up doing but for now, I just wanted to check in.

Also, not sure if everyone has heard but Deanna Soza (JO National Team member), has a very serious eye infection in both eyes and her sight could be in jeopardy. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

World's Team Predictions

(This was originally posted on my personal blog before making this one :)

Last week at school I was so very bored and so I came up with my predictions for the US Team.
Here was my original list:

Simone Biles (duh)
Kyla Ross (duh)
Mykayla Skinner (say it ain't so...)
Madison Kocian (because WOGA)
Alyssa Bauman (because who else is there)
Alt: Desch, Locklear 

Vault: Ross, Skinner, Biles (backup Bauman)
UB: Kocian, Bauman, Ross (backup Biles)
BB: Kocian, Ross, Bauman (backup Skinner??)
FX: Bauman, Skinner, Biles (backup Ross)

Hmm...seems alright?? Then I remembered Locklear! The girl who came from nowhere and has better form than the WOGA's. So I might just switch Bauman for Locklear. But then we run into a problem for FX and possibly beam because apparently Marta doesn't like to use her there. So here is a revised list with Locklear:


Simone Biles (duh)
Kyla Ross (duh)
Mykayla Skinner (say it ain't so...)
Madison Kocian (because WOGA)
Ashton Locklear
Alt: Desch, Bauman

Vault: Ross, Skinner, Biles (backup Kocian?)
UB: Kocian, Ross, Locklear (backup Biles)
BB: Kocian, Ross, Locklear (backup Skinner??)
FX: Ross, Skinner, Biles (backup Kocian)

I'm pretty positive it has to be one of these two teams. I have this weird soft spot for Maddie Desch because she was so promising as a Junior and can't seem to reach her potential as a Senior. If she would just tighten up those floor landings and learn to stay on the beam...
We shall know by the end of next week!

A Little HIstory

I've been a full fledged gymnastics fan for the past two years. I caught bits and pieces of Athens as a 10 year old and vaguely knew who Carly Patterson was. I got more involved with each Olympics. In 2008, I stayed until one in the morning watching the All-around but I had no idea how anything worked. In 2012, I closely followed London and was captivated for life. Since then, I now know that the sport is so much more than the Olympics. I follow it all year round and can't wait for the World Championships this year!

Other than flipping around in my yard, I haven't done gymnastics a day in my life. I would have loved to though, my mom was a gymnast. But my dad was against the sport for the injury factor and I had back problems that would have prevented my from it anyway. Still, it is my biggest regret.

I'm a fairly opinionated person and it didn't take me long to form some strong opinions about gymnastics! Here are a few

• Shawn should have won the 2008 All-around
• Khorikina was good, but overrated 
• So was Mary Lou
• Shannon Miller was the best female gymnasts the USA has ever seen
• Skinner should be nowhere near a World's team but will be on it by default
• Marta is an evil dictator

I'm sure more will come out in time :). As selection camp starts tomorrow, my predictions will be posted then as well!
-G-

Hello Gymternet!

I have finally started a second blog for all things gymnastics. I'm really excited to have a space separate from my personal blog to talk about my favorite sport! I'll be doing an introductory post later but I just wanted to check in!