2024 Chinese National Championships + Trials

[ArnoldRimmer]

I appreciate her rhythm, acro series, and dismount. Her extension isn’t terrible, but It’s never made sense to me that her acro is so dumpy and whippy.

Same.

I think the rhythm and the sureness have made her look good in comparison to the other athletes, just because of the inconsistency of the rest of the field. Those qualities look more valuable when they're in short supply elsewhere. I know I've really appreciated them when we've just watched Larisa/various Chinese/various Russians fall all over the place.

But yeah, many of the athletes she's beaten/is now up against are much more complete beamers. Zhou Yaqin is another example.

 

[Doug1233]

But the fact that she is a three-time World champion (five-time World medalist) and two-time Olympic medalist is allowable?

Yes.

Olympic Champions are for the ages.

No-one remembers who won bronze on beam in 1976. But we know who won Gold.

 

[MaryClare]

Yes.

Olympic Champions are for the ages.

No-one remembers who won bronze on beam in 1976. But we know who won Gold.

Ironically, one of the most significant and most emotional routines of Simone’s career was when she won bronze on beam

 

[RichardL]

Yes.

Olympic Champions are for the ages.

No-one remembers who won bronze on beam in 1976. But we know who won Gold.

Eh, I'm not that worried about a perfectly executed routine winning gold, and all of her gold medal routines have been master classes. But of course I'd prefer it to be Zhou Yaqin's.

 

[Hatsumomo]

Simone's beam is just disappointing when you consider her status. Not a layout 1/1 or a unique acro series or some crazy new skill that we will never see again. If somebody could finesse a tucked 2/1 on beam, I would think it be her.

 

[MaryClare]

Simone's beam is just disappointing when you consider her status. Not a layout 1/1 or a unique acro series or some crazy new skill that we will never see again. If somebody could finesse a tucked 2/1 on beam, I would think it be her.

Did she not once say in a Q&A that she tried a full on beam, both standing and round off and just kept getting lost?

 

[Aeris]

But the fact that she is a three-time World champion (five-time World medalist) and two-time Olympic medalist is allowable?

4 time World Champ! IMO she shouldn't have won the 2014 and 2023 titles, and her 2021 Olympic medal should have gone to Urara Ashikawa (even though it was very emotional to see Simone come back and do well after what happened).

Assuming no changes to her routine and everyone at their very best for the upcoming Olympics, then I probably rank her 5th best in the EF, behind Yaqin + Qiu + Suni + Sanne.

 

[RichardL]

4 time World Champ! IMO she shouldn't have won the 2014 and 2023 titles, and her 2021 Olympic medal should have gone to Urara Ashikawa (even though it was very emotional to see Simone come back and do well after what happened).

Assuming no changes to her routine and everyone at their very best for the upcoming Olympics, then I probably rank her 5th best in the EF, behind Yaqin + Qiu + Suni + Sanne.

Wevers gets points for innovation for sure. I wouldn't put Lee ahead of Biles until we see a dismount, though. And none of Biles's beam titles were won in a field when someone didn't give her the title by making a mistake, so even among those five, I'd say her medal chances based on her hit rate is high. She's never not medaled in a beam final.

All of this is to say that I don't find Biles particularly exciting on beam except for her confidence level (the attack on that triple wolf spin!) and the extraordinary dismount series. I don't need to see her as the Olympic champion, and if she does win the title, it will mean that more unique and memorable exercises unfortunately included mistakes.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

4 time World Champ! IMO she shouldn't have won the 2014 and 2023 titles, and her 2021 Olympic medal should have gone to Urara Ashikawa (even though it was very emotional to see Simone come back and do well after what happened).

Simone has ridden her luck a lot on beam. The majority of the finals she's been in have involved her coming out on the right side of a close call, and it's never gone the other way. It's not that they aren't justifiable as standalones, but most people would draw the short straw sometime!

 

[Doug1233]

I probably rank her 5th best in the EF, behind Yaqin + Qiu + Suni + Sanne.

Which makes a medal all but guaranteed.

 

[tempest]

Minus the dismounts, I’ve always found Simone’s beam routines to feel kinda “empty”.

agreed... with the barani, I would disagree though

 

[Doug1233]

It wasn't even a barani.

 

[Laura722]

4 time World Champ! IMO she shouldn't have won the 2014 and 2023 titles, and her 2021 Olympic medal should have gone to Urara Ashikawa (even though it was very emotional to see Simone come back and do well after what happened).

Assuming no changes to her routine and everyone at their very best for the upcoming Olympics, then I probably rank her 5th best in the EF, behind Yaqin + Qiu + Suni + Sanne.

Nevermind. I totally forgot about Worlds. Wevers did well there.

 

[Denn]

I agree that Biles winning beam is all about consistency, speed, and the big dismount. But it's called "balance" beam and she demonstrates balance effectively. It helps to be as small as she is...

Wevers gets points for innovation for sure.

Yet, taking "points" literally, she doesn't get ANY points for innovation. And I feel like this is a huge problem. She should be getting a 0.3 (or so) boost compared to most of the competitors for her unique, interesting, innovative elements and combinations.

 

[Passion]

Olympic Training Squads for China have (finally) been announced.

MAG
Zou Jingyuan*
Zhang Boheng
Xiao Ruoteng
Liu Yang
Shi Cong
Sun Wei
Lan Xingyu
Su Weide
You Hao
Tian Hao

WAG
Qiu Qiyuan*
Zhou Yaqin*
Ou Yushan
Zhang Yihan
Du Siyu
Luo Huan
Zhang Qingying
Huang Zhuofan
Zhang Jin
Yu Linmin

*already officially named to the team.

The final internal test to choose the team will be.. I think I remember reading June 4th but that was a bit ago so lets just say sometime around the first week of June in case I'm wrong lol.

 

[IratePanda]

Olympic Training Squads for China have (finally) been announced.

MAG
Zou Jingyuan*
Zhang Boheng
Xiao Ruoteng
Liu Yang
Shi Cong
Sun Wei
Lan Xingyu
Su Weide
You Hao
Tian Hao

WAG
Qiu Qiyuan*
Zhou Yaqin*
Ou Yushan
Zhang Yihan
Du Siyu
Luo Huan
Zhang Qingying
Huang Zhuofan
Zhang Jin
Yu Linmin

*already officially named to the team.

The final internal test to choose the team will be.. I think I remember reading June 4th but that was a bit ago so lets just say sometime around the first week of June in case I'm wrong lol.

聚焦｜中国体操队确定奥运备战大名单 邹敬园等三将已获直通资格

baijiahao.baidu.com

I can't recall if they announced a specific date. This article just says "六月上旬," which means "the first ten days of June." So yeah, first week of June is totally fair. (Maybe June 4, if TPTB want to distract from a fairly significant anniversary on that day...)

 

[Passion]

The men's final test to name the team was held today. Closed door competition in the training hall, no media invited this year, so there's no news. The men's side is keeping very hush hush after the whole LCP/ZBH hullabaloo in 2021.

The women's team test will be June 12th. There might be news from that one because it's supposedly being held in Tianjin, not the National team training center like they usually do.

The full teams + alts will be announced in the week that follows.

 

[makam]

The men's final test to name the team was held today. Closed door competition in the training hall, no media invited this year, so there's no news. The men's side is keeping very hush hush after the whole LCP/ZBH hullabaloo in 2021.

The women's team test will be June 12th. There might be news from that one because it's supposedly being held in Tianjin, not the National team training center like they usually do.

The full teams + alts will be announced in the week that follows.

Interesting. You have countries like GB (and USA to some extent for men) who are trying to make the choosing transparent and data driven and then there are others like China this time who is making it a magical mystery.

 

[cftmoonlight79]

What irritates me about Simones beam is that she is so strong and so powerful yet cannot get decent height off the beam on simple jumps. She will win AA Vault and FX but I'm hoping she stays out of the medals on bars and bb.

 

[Hatsumomo]

Depending on the team makeup, Simone could potentially get 2-per'd out of UB/BB finals.