NCAA 2026 NCAA National Championships Semi-Final and Final Four on the Floor

[Hatsumomo]

Given its a home Olympics the sheer number of gymnasts that will go for LA is going to be staggering.

I would assume all the 2024 Olympians and alternates (maybe not Suni) will attempt LA and also DiCello, Blakely, McCain

Yes, I even think Biles will return.

I'm not a kinetic physiology expert so how much of an effect would Biles' larger bosom factor in her ability to maintain her high level of difficulty?

 

[Amber]

Bummed that UCLA did not make it but they can only blame themselves, they just made too many little and bigger mistakes and Minnesota did great so well deserved placement in finals. I hope Florida has a great finals and finally wins one, the are due and it would be great for Blakely and DiCello

 

[Sasha]

I'm not a kinetic physiology expert so how much of an effect would Biles' larger bosom factor in her ability to maintain her high level of difficulty?

Presumably. Though between her talent, her technique, and her strength, I wouldn't bet against her being able to make the team even with lower (for her) difficulty. Whether she could meet her own performance standards is another question.

 

[makam]

Presumably. Though between her talent, her technique, and her strength, I wouldn't bet against her being able to make the team even with lower (for her) difficulty. Whether she could meet her own performance standards is another question.

I'd be satisfied if she was a vaulting specialist. US vaulting is just tragic these days.

 

[BB12]

I'm not a kinetic physiology expert so how much of an effect would Biles' larger bosom factor in her ability to maintain her high level of difficulty?

She would still be able to do everything, she'd just have to adjust to a new centre of gravity. Beam would probably be the hardest.

But I also don't think it would be advised to do such high level of sport with them due to the risk of the implant moving or the risk of falling flat on her face and bursting them. Chances are she would need to get another surgery on them afterwards so it wouldnt make sense to get them done unless she was sure she was done competing.

 

[MaryClare]

Certainly in RG circles, boob job = “i’m done” is a thing. It used to be having kid.

However extraordinary Simone’s ability is, I don’t see her making things extra difficult for herself

 

[Laura722]

Didn't Shannon Miller compete in 2000 after she apparently had a boob job?

 

[Aizheng]

With keyhole surgery etc., Simone could probably even reverse the boob job if she was keen on competing, right? Either completely reverse or replace the implants with fat (though I guess she would need to gain weight first).

I’ve seen some people go back and forth. Now I believe she probably got the boob job because she was intending on being done, but with her money, I don’t think that needs to be a permanent decision..

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

I too was under the impression the rupture risk was the problem with the boob job.

So like others, my assumption is that when Simone got implants it was on the basis that she wasn't coming back. Even when the money is no problem, seems daft to put yourself through the pain and recovery time for something you haven't ruled out needing to remove max 18 months later. They take nearly that long to settle properly don't they? Plus she would then presumably want them back in after LA.

None of this precludes her from later changing her mind though. There are so many examples of athletes who clearly did intend to retire and then didn't stick it. Maybe the real test will be how she feels if the US has a poor showing at worlds. How long have we got before it's shit or get off the pot time, end of the year?

 

[MaryClare]

It doesn’t matter how much money you have, additional surgery isn’t pleasant and a far from ideal way to begin a comeback

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

It doesn’t matter how much money you have, additional surgery isn’t pleasant and a far from ideal way to begin a comeback

Yes, being rich doesn't stop it being 1-2 extra surgeries. Your money can only insulate you up to a point. One would have to reeeeeeeeeeally want to do a home Olympics.

I wonder as well whether she feels her 31 year old legs could handle it. Paris was a bit of a knife edge in that respect.

 

[Aizheng]

I too was under the impression the rupture risk was the problem with the boob job.

So like others, my assumption is that when Simone got implants it was on the basis that she wasn't coming back. Even when the money is no problem, seems daft to put yourself through the pain and recovery time for something you haven't ruled out needing to remove max 18 months later. They take nearly that long to settle properly don't they? Plus she would then presumably want them back in after LA.

None of this precludes her from later changing her mind though. There are so many examples of athletes who clearly did intend to retire and then didn't stick it. Maybe the real test will be how she feels if the US has a poor showing at worlds. How long have we got before it's shit or get off the pot time, end of the year?

Given Simone’s usual trajectory, I would expect her to want to come back for 2027 worlds at the latest, starting with US Classic in 2027. That probably means start training early 2027 at the latest? Although it’s quite difficult to figure out. For 2024, it seems she never completely left the gym but started seriously training only a couple of months before US Classic (after her wedding).

 

[Aizheng]

Yes, being rich doesn't stop it being 1-2 extra surgeries. Your money can only insulate you up to a point. One would have to reeeeeeeeeeally want to do a home Olympics.

I wonder as well whether she feels her 31 year old legs could handle it. Paris was a bit of a knife edge in that respect.

Was it? I mean, she tweaked something in her leg, but that happens to gymnasts all the time, it seems, and we’ve not seen her in a boot since (after Paris), suggesting it was a relatively „quick heal“ considering.

She talked a lot more about pain in the lead-up to Tokyo and seems to have decreased pounding in the gym for Paris (which probably contributed to increased landing bounces).

I do think it is more likely that she’s done at this point, to be honest, but I don’t think it’s a decision around „cannot continue“ but more do not want to.

If she was willing to put in the time to improve on the artistry, she could decrease her difficulty significantly and still have a great shot, but I assume she would not be keen to do so.

 

[Sasha]

We did see a decline in her performance level on the last day of competition, but I don't think we know how much of that was leg pain vs. overall mental and physical exhaustion.

I don't have much doubt that her body could hold up for another Olympics if she were strategic and smart in her training. I also agree that undertaking two extra surgeries to do so is a lot. My sense is that she is done, but also that she is physically/athletically capable of coming back and making another team if she is so inclined.

 

[irichluck21]

Didn't Shannon Miller compete in 2000 after she apparently had a boob job?

I must have missed that. I thought it was a rhinoplasty (nose) job she had.

 

[RedBirdie]

Ugh, I didn't realize finals are at 4 pm today. I'll be following online, but not watching.

 

[wishfulgoddess]

The way I saw it, the boobs were a retirement gift to herself. I think that she thought her decision to move on was final. Has she changed her mind? Quite possibly. I don't think she even knows for sure. She has a passion for the sport and the means to come back if she wants to. She seems to be enjoying her freedom, but I'm sure she misses the gym days terribly at times and would not be surprised if she did start training a couple of events again. I do think her AA days are over. Speculation is useless at this point, though, so I'll just say that if anyone can adapt to a new set of boobs, it is her.

 

[makam]

The way I saw it, the boobs were a retirement gift to herself. I think that she thought her decision to move on was final. Has she changed her mind? Quite possibly. I don't think she even knows for sure. She has a passion for the sport and the means to come back if she wants to. She seems to be enjoying her freedom, but I'm sure she misses the gym days terribly at times and would not be surprised if she did start training a couple of events again. I do think her AA days are over. Speculation is useless at this point, though, so I'll just say that if anyone can adapt to a new set of boobs, it is her.

Maybe we should break this out to a "Simone and NCAA gymnasts Olympic speculation" thread. But we have seen gymnasts come back after having a "natural" boob job/body mod by having kids. If Chellsie could almost do it...

 

[JaJa]

Given Simone’s usual trajectory, I would expect her to want to come back for 2027 worlds at the latest, starting with US Classic in 2027. That probably means start training early 2027 at the latest? Although it’s quite difficult to figure out. For 2024, it seems she never completely left the gym but started seriously training only a couple of months before US Classic (after her wedding).

I would be willing to bet anything that Simone is done with competition.

 

[irichluck21]

20 minutes to go.

Starting order:
VT: Oklahoma
UB: Minnesota
BB: Florida
FX: LSU

Will be exciting to see Florida end on bars. LSU has to end on BB-ugh.
Can Minnesota build enough lead up to end on vault, which is their weakest.
Oklahoma can set the tone early with a similar VT rotation as semi-finals.