2023 US Xfinity Nationals (Event Info and Qualified athletes)

[RichardL]

Or I guess if you add Carey (who is benched on bars and beam), then:

VT: Chiles, Carey, Biles
UB: Blakely, Biles, Jones
BB: Chiles, Biles, Blakely
FX: Carey, Chiles, Biles

 

[RedBirdie]

I like your second team better. Miller has big bars, but that’s it. Carey, besides floor and vault, can step in on bars and beam in a pinch if she has to.

Although any configuration that keeps Roberson far far far away from the worlds team is fine by me.

 

[irichluck21]

If Suni is not going to put herself in the running for Worlds, then the stock rises for both Wong and DiCello who can both be strong UB/BB girlies. Wong in particular can do bars in TF (which she did last year) and save Biles from having to do AA in TF. Wong, Blakely, Jones are more than capable of being 1st or 2nd ranked on this event (depending on CHN).
Chiles also did UB in TF last year for a 14.100, with a 5.9 D score, which is only .1 less than Simone showed at the US Classic.

But really anyone cal show up and impress at Nationals or have a poor Nationals showing. World Trials will also be a pressure cooker. At this point, one could come up with 15 different team configurations and all of them would win team gold, even without Simone.

 

[rlayt]

Great teams Richard.

 

[navyblue]

I’d put Skye Blakely as the #3 all-arounder right now ahead of Chiles.

I’m a bit surprised by Suni’s intent to scratch bars, rather than showing it in lieu of beam if minimizing total exertion is the goal… I think I heard that the bars routine she performed in podium training was a 5.9 d-score which with her excellent execution puts her in comfortable low to mid-14s territory – enough to make her a top 3 bar worker in the US alongside Shilese and Skye.

In any case, I’m not willing to write her off just yet, but I think her absence would be most advantageous to Roberson or Carey, neither whom I’ve currently got on my team of Biles + Lee + Jones + Blakely + Chiles. Despite that Lee’s absence would conceptually make a bars gap, it doesn’t really matter how you fill it, and so the most surefire way is the relatively beefy margin that Roberson or Carey’s Cheng can provide over a DTY. If Roberson can (continue to) outscore both Chiles and Jones on beam, that would actually give her a hypothetical edge over Carey even.

 

[Ginger]

Excited to see Kaliya Lincoln doing AA! It will be interesting to see how her AA compares to Jade’s. She did so well in vault and floor at US Classic, and their beam scores were just 0.05 point apart.

 

[MaryClare]

From listening to the commentary at classic, I got the impression that bars were the event most affected by Suni’s medical issues and she couldn’t train them as her hands were so swollen she couldn’t get her grips on.

 

[Kara]

This. I think people are really underestimating how serious Suni’s kidney issues are. From all we’ve heard her problem is not like a broken ankle where she rests and after a while it’s healed. Her kidney issues are chronic and while they can somewhat be treated with medications (which themselves have side effects that are affecting her ability to train fully), they are never going to completely go away. Unfortunately, it seems that the unpredictable swelling that is greatly affecting her ability to train bars remains a constant issue.

 

[MaryClare]

Yep. I agree completely and I wonder if had she wanted to return to NCAA if she’d be medically cleared.

 

[blake]

I don’t think USAG, or any gym fed afaik, has ever had to navigate a top athlete with a chronic illness. If selected for Worlds, what do you do if she can’t consistently train in the lead up and/or can’t do podium or prelims/TF? If she goes, you’re leaving home a gymnast that won’t have these limitations barring injury, and I’m sure that will sting for said athlete.

It wouldn’t be fair to exclude her from contention if she’s looking strong on her good days, but Chellsie/Alicia would probably be hesitant to form a team around her bar routine when her ability to even grip up is unpredictable. I wonder if they’ve talked to her about the possibility that they might decline to send her to Worlds/Olympics even if she can show a 15 bar routine on the good days. That’s not a conversation I’d like to be a part of.

I think there’s a case for her to go to worlds for beam alone though since having a stacked bar lineup is more luxury than necessity for the US right now. With Simone back in the picture, they don’t need to be beating the world on bars to win.

Biles/Jones/Blakely AA, Jordan on the other 3 pieces plus Suni’s beam would be a formidable team.

 

[irichluck21]

The beauty about the USA team is that everyone is a capable AAer, so should Suni get selected for the team for say beam only, and then not be able to compete last minute, the US could go 4-4-3 in prelims and easily qualify to finals. Then, realistically any of the 4 could go up in team finals line ups and the US would be fine for gold.

 

[gymfan]

Unlikely if she can only do beam and vault. Hopefully she recovers well and does at least vault, beam and bars. Otherwise, Zoe Miller will go for the specialist spot.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

This. I think people are really underestimating how serious Suni’s kidney issues are. From all we’ve heard her problem is not like a broken ankle where she rests and after a while it’s healed. Her kidney issues are chronic and while they can somewhat be treated with medications (which themselves have side effects that are affecting her ability to train fully), they are never going to completely go away. Unfortunately, it seems that the unpredictable swelling that is greatly affecting her ability to train bars remains a constant issue.

And with that in mind, though it sounds counterintuitive it maybe makes more sense for her to be trying to come back now, at this early stage. If Suni had the sort of injury or illness where she could reasonably assume she was on an improvement trajectory and would look better in 2024 than now, it would make sense to sit out this year. Or at least not put herself forward for worlds selection. Eye on the bigger prize etc.

Whereas with a condition that’s less predictable, that could always be a recurring problem, she may have no reason to assume things will be better next year. And she’s world medal worthy on beam now, so maybe it makes sense if she wants to have a go. Take the opportunity because you don’t know if you’ll be able to try for the next one.

 

[irichluck21]

Zoe Miller will go for the specialist spot.

I highly doubt the selection committee would choose Miller for just bars over Lee for just beam.

Bars is more than covered by the likes of Jones, Blakely, Biles, Wong, Chiles. And not all of these athletes will be on the World Team (well it is actually possible, but unlikely).

USA is far from needing bars specialists as they have in the past.

Beam on the other hand is a different story. It’s currently the team’s weakest event. Having Biles back is great because it’s a big score. Blakely has demonstrated she can score well in front of World judges and even with a fall it’s a usable number.
Chiles did fine in team finals but fell on qualifications.
Carey shouldn’t be an option for team finals beam, but it was the team’s best option.

Lee brings more to the team just on beam alone compared to Miller just on bars alone.

 

[gymfan]

If selection committee considers a specialist, I imagine that the specialist should have medal potential.

From the list of Jones, Blakely, Biles, Wong, Chiles, it is very unlikely that Blakely, Wong, Chiles will even qualify for the UB final. Biles may qualify if she hits all her handstands and delivers a very clean routine. Miller will surely qualify if she just hits, and she has a decent chance to medal given her difficulty and consistency this year. Miller also provides a 0.5 cushion from Blakely’s 5.9D bars which is not small.

At least for beam, Biles and Blakely are anticipated to qualify for the BB final. After that, Roberson or others can step up for the team final. The deficit is just about 0.2 from Lee’s beam routine, and beam is an unpredictable event. Miller’s bars consistency and higher expected cushion will justify a specialist spot.

 

[irichluck21]

No way no how should Roberson step foot on beam in a team finals scenario.

I’m not 100% confident that Miller will get the score needed to make finals.

 

[MaryClare]

No way no how should Roberson step foot on beam in a team finals scenario

Any scenario. Any scenario.

 

[rlayt]

Jade on her way to San Jose having lunch. Dude! Gymnasts can eat now.

 

[RedBirdie]

Now I’m hungry

 

[MaryClare]

That’s like carbs, with a side of fried carbs. With mayonnaise in between. I’m in awe. I’m 33 years old with kids and I still wouldn’t dare eat something like that in front of my former teammates.