I feel like we always saw it, just directed at a beam or a vault. Like or dislike her gymnastics, I don't ever recall thinking that she might just crumble at any time like I worry about some of the current crop (Rivera, Pease, Hang). Like, that girl was going to war with the apparatus and she...
But at what age do you start doing this? It is definitely a way to ensure you only have the most self-driven athletes who absolutely want to be there but you also have to adjust for where the athlete is in life. Lots of people go though phases where they don't want to do something even if they...
Of course there is. These women don't spend 40+ hours a week in the gym and recovering from being in the gym to not fight for a medal. Do we think they just go home and say "oh well, maybe next world championships will be luckier"? Incentive: get a medal, a world recognized achievement...
It is interesting how easy it is to readjust our expectations. Two years ago, Dulcy Caylor was bottom of the barrel AA gymnast at US Nationals, 20th place. Last summer she was solidly in the middle pack of gymnasts you would send as a B or C team to the Olympics if you were allowed. This summer...
I don't have screenshots but when she is in her vault, her knees are slightly bent when she is supposed to be stretched. And not the one-bent-knee-to-help-with-twisting that the amanar vaulters usually have, both knees.
As long as she doesn't immediately hie off to college and stop progressing. I guess at this point, it might behoove Florida to hire an elite coach... though you can't complain about their ability to get their gymnasts on the team and close to the podium.
I think half of Josc's problem is that her knees are so soft it just makes everything look unstretched. Maybe that leads to the pike/tuck downgrades she gets.
/agree that the judges seem like they are in a game to see who can deduct hardest because who gives a shit about the athlete?