2021 Tokyo WAG Podium Predictions Chat

[ArnoldRimmer]

To that end, it’ll be interesting to see what Simone does. She does bounce right out of that Cheng sometimes. I presume we all remember Jade narrowly beating her in 2019 prelims. I’d think 9 times out of 10 she would come out ahead of the other two when all three are doing a Cheng and Amanar, but it’s not a complete shoo in.

 

[glamafonic]

I think she’ll do the YDP.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

I hope so!

 

[glamafonic]

She said she still trains it every other day and that Laurent didn’t want her to do it at Trials so she could rest her ankles a little. I definitely think she’s going to do it. In fact, I think there’s an exponentially higher chance she does it in qualifications than any other phase of competition.

 

[RAFIKI]

I think the selection committee/Tom are extremely fortunate that the results shook out the way they did. The top three being so far ahead, Wong day one beam, McCusker day two bars plus the final Grace/Skinner finish meant they got their wish of gymnasts selecting themselves. It could have been very different.

 

[irichluck21]

Plus the field had shrunk considerably.
Hurd was injured and bombed Nationals. McCusker was injured and only able to do bars.
McClain withdrew from Nationals/Olympic consideration. Blakely injured herself in day 1 Trials warm up.

 

[Jack]

This really has mirrored 2004 in a lot of ways. At the outset a huge number of contenders with many possible permutations that take themselves out of the running by breaking themselves and then USAG just ends up taking 35 vault specialists.

 

[Doug1233]

Totally. Wong hitting day 1 beam makes her as the 4th a no brainier.

Then what do you do about the +1?

 

[YurchenkoLoop]

Your sudden switch on Wong is somewhat alarming to me lol

 

[RAFIKI]

Good point. I’ve been saying it feels like 2004 selection for months but hadn’t made the connection with the final vault heavy selection (3 hours sleep might have something to do with that).

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

That’s actually going to be the format for 2028.

 

[IratePanda]

China should announce their nominative team this weekend, so that might make podium predictions a little easier.

I just want Suni Lee on the UB podium, preferably on the top step with the gold medal hanging around her neck. (I cannot stand Nina Derwael, and as much as I love Fan Yilin, Suni is more impressive.) I’m not foolish enough to wish for anything else, although a beam medal for China would also please me immensely.

 

[makam]

I think if at least one chinese gymnast can hold it together for BB EFs, they’ll deserve the medal. I would also be fine with a super-clean Simone getting it. Or Flavia. Or Larissa. Yeah, i have a lot more favorites than available medals…

 

[tempest]

I would love if Larissa finally won a medal on beam

 

[Angelika]

Aww - I think I would cry if Simone and her flat feet and ugly split leaps were crowned Beam Queen in Tokyo - I’m Team Larissa :romania:

 

[Gymfan93]

Beam has the most opportunities for upset, so anyone who makes the final has a fairly decent chance if they can actually stay on.

 

[YurchenkoLoop]

I hope you don’t really think Larisa’s feet and splits are any better than Simone’s lmao.

 

[Gymfan93]

Actually, for maximum outrage, I want a beam podium of Skinner, Nina and whoever else will cause the biggest storm. It’s only a covid outbreak away from happening, right?

 

[kimbee]

I’m guessing if Wong was 4th, the +1 would have gone to whomever was in 5th place.

 

[Doug1233]

Grace?

Can you imagine the Skinner stans.