2024 US Olympic Trials WAG Day 2 (6/30)

[Jmanda86]

So just a little "What If?" scenario:

What if the USA didn't have a completely separate Olympic Trials since it seems to be an outlier compared to other countries? Instead, the Winter Cup, American Classic, US Classic, and Nationals determined the Olympic Team. Granted, the gymnasts would have approached these competitions very differently and Skye and Kayla's injuries were ticking time bombs anyway. Not to mention there's a lot of money wrapped up in the pomp of Olympic Trials. Is having four competitions + Trials a bit much, especially for a gymnast like Kayla who used them to make her case for the Olympic team? Is there another way to do the Olympic team rigmarole? Should there be changes or is it really just due to the shortened quad that gave everybody less time?

Just thinking because injuries are a normal thing but having 3 of the shortlist gymnasts go down over the span of two days is a bit much.

If they used all of those comps to put together a team, you’d be asking the girls to be ‘ready’ for months. Tons of the girls use those first two comps to just dust off the competition jitters. We’d see them all trying full AA back in January when a ton of them wouldn’t actually need to prove anything at that point.

But I was shocked at how squeezed together Classics, Nationals, and Trials were this year.

 

[irichluck21]

Let's not forget that from 2000-2016 injuries were a sign of weakness in the Karoylis' eyes so many of the gymnasts hid their minor injuries until it was too late and they became major.

 

[CameliasFingerpaint]

I have to wonder how no one taking a spring international assignment contributed to the injuries. Everyone competed AA at classics this year because it was their first meet of the year. Usually gymnasts only compete a couple of events at classics in an Olympic year. 5 all around competitions in the span of 6 weeks is a pretty heavy load for most elite gymnasts.

 

[Jmanda86]

I have to wonder how no one taking a spring international assignment contributed to the injuries. Everyone competed AA at classics this year because it was their first meet of the year. Usually gymnasts only compete a couple of events at classics in an Olympic year. 5 all around competitions in the span of 6 weeks is a pretty heavy load for most elite gymnasts.

It’s felt like there aren’t as many international assignments these days anyway compared to years back.

 

[Hatsumomo]

I've said before I hope USAG organizes friendlies and encourages gymnasts, especially bubble ones, to go to World Cup events.

 

[RichardL]

I'm old but I miss the American Cup + "International Team Championships" from the late 90s. Everyone had a sense of how they were doing in the spring and then could recalibrate for the summer season.

 

[KathySantoni]

I'm old but I miss the American Cup + "International Team Championships" from the late 90s. Everyone had a sense of how they were doing in the spring and then could recalibrate for the summer season.

They also had a meet with teams consisting of one mag/wag/rg. It may have happened the same week as the Team Comp.

 

[irichluck21]

They also had a meet with teams consisting of one mag/wag/rg. It may have happened the same week as the Team Comp.

It was the International Mixed Pairs from 1979 until 1995. Then it became International 3 on 3 from 1996-1999. These were held the next day (Sunday) following the American Cup on Saturday.
It was discontinued in 2000 when they celebrated the American Cup's 25th anniversary and did the qualifying series (RCA and Aussie Haircare).
2001-2004 American Cup only had a finals and 3 or 4 Americans in it.
2005 was FIG World Cup Event for Event Finals.
2006-2007 had a prelims and then finals again.
2008-2020 went back to AA finals only.

 

[RAFIKI]

I was rewatching today and noticed this…

Pretty close Yay for the Yurchenko collar!

 

[Snowfan]

Wow. Missed that one. Certainly an eek moment.

 

[RedBirdie]

Who is that?

 

[Kara]

Looks like Suni.

 

[RAFIKI]

Ooops, important information to miss out there Yes it’s Lee.

 

[RedBirdie]

Selection committee report is up: https://static.usagym.org/PDFs/Women/Committee Minutes/ASC/asc_062824.pdf

There are some charts included, so you can see what information (beyond just ~*vIbEs~*) the committee was working with.

 

[rlayt]

 

[RichardL]

Roberson was very close to making this team on the strength of beam alone. If she'd beaten Rivera in the AA, she would've gone.

 

[MaryClare]

Roberson was very close to making this team on the strength of beam alone. If she'd beaten Rivera in the AA, she would've gone.

I don’t know, that’s dangerously weak on bars. I’d say that right now, Joscelyn would only get the call if Jade had to pull out, anyone else would be replaced by Leanne

 

[RichardL]

I don’t know, that’s dangerously weak on bars. I’d say that right now, Joscelyn would only get the call if Jade had to pull out, anyone else would be replaced by Leanne

I would say for sure at this point that that's logically true, but it would've been difficult to leave her off the team if she'd made top 5 AA, tied for 1st on BB, and was top 4 on two other events. I'm thinking optics-wise and not necessarily the best team construction, because having her, Chiles, Carey, and Biles on the same team is a bit awkward in terms of TF line-ups. But the line-up of Chiles, Biles, and Lee on UB would've still been the line-up just as it will be now, and they could've called in Rivera/Wong if any of those three had gone down.

 

[MaryClare]

If they end up benching Hezly for TF, then assuming she hasn’t made any finals, she becomes a slightly controversial pick. Although Alicia did say something about investing for the future. But a valeri gymnast is not where I’d invest!

 

[RichardL]

If they end up benching Hezly for TF, then assuming she hasn’t made any finals, she becomes a slightly controversial pick. Although Alicia did say something about investing for the future. But a valeri gymnast is not where I’d invest!

Oh I wasn't thinking about beam, she's of course very likely to make that TF line-up. I just think her UB routine is too long with too many skills that are likely to receive handstand deductions, whereas Chiles is a more reliable low 14 score there. But yeah, she should do beam with Lee and Biles in TF.