British WAG (and MAG!) talk

[RichardL]

I don't pretend to understand the thought process of BG. While you and me can look at the reality of British gymnastics right now and what the top teams are looking like currently and say "yep, prioritize individual over team," BG may still be delusional enough to think they could medal if everything goes their way.

I'm leaning "take Becky" only because if she does hit (as wildly unlikely as that may be), she adds more to bars than GMF and potentially could medal, so covers both the team and individual medal goals. But, again, neither gymnast fills me with any confidence.

Doing some serious what-if with Jess Gadirova's knee. If they had done surgery right away, would she be able to land a bars dismount in Paris? Definitely not the prettiest bar worker, but she's reliable AF.

I'm still so gutted that we won't see a healthy Jess Gadirova in Paris. Hopefully she's the only main contender to drop with an injury, but it's just a huge ugh.

 

[RAFIKI]

I think it’s interesting that in interviews Jess doesn’t get asked about timelines/competition comeback goals.

Looking at the selection procedures I think they could name her to the team based on 2023 scores and take her out at the last minute if she can’t contribute. Relevant parts below. Not a nice situation for the alternate.

 

[RAFIKI]

I'm still so gutted that we won't see a healthy Jess Gadirova in Paris.

Despite watching her rehab videos and spending the weekend thinking about non-Gadirova teams - I think I’m still in denial

 

[Jerkin]

It almost doesn't matter if its GMF or Becky. I can't see either of them hitting at least 2 routines in a row. They will splat, it's just a matter of when. Or how often. I suppose Becky has more upside, as far as being a potential bars medalist. But even that will require a hit rate beyond what she's shown herself capable of this year.

Glad I'm not on the selection committee.

There's a difference between being inconsistent and not hitting at all though. Becky has been very inconsistent/hit or miss but she has put together some decent routines both this year and last. And she went 3/3 at Euros last year. Fenton has crashed all 3 UB routines at selection events this year (English & British), and all but one BB. She had one good quali day at worlds and then cost the team in TF. I don't see a place for her in this team unless she gets another international assignment and totally nails it or Downie/Morgan have a horrible Euros.

And I don't see why GB should give up their hopes of a team medal. They still have two of the better all-arounders in Europe even without Jess Gad and there is one less contender (Russia). If they are solid, who knows.

 

[Gymfan93]

there is a lot to be said for hitting solid sets in a TF. nobody foresaw Canada or France coming third in the last two world championships.
I think it’s unlikely but possible. (Assuming that nobody else is injured out)

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

If GB can keep the core healthy and hit, they're in with a shout of bronze and have no worse an on paper chance than most teams who've won it over the last few years. Themselves in 2021 included.

Kinsella, Achampong, Evans and then two of GMF, Becky and Amelie contributing a bars and beam routine between them isn't a bad team. They wouldn't be able to beat both Brazil and China if both are sensibly chosen, healthy and hit, and there's really no team they could send who'd be capable of that now Jess is out. However, we all know recent history suggests whoever comes 3rd probably won't have to.

But... it's such a big if. We're months out from the Olympics and the selection process is incentivising people to compete lots now, regardless of whether they're ready. We don't know exactly what's happening with Alice's elbow or GMF at all, and it's a big ask for someone with Becky's injury history to get through 5 more months of this. So it also wouldn't be that shocking if they end up taking a really scratch team to Paris. Really anything between about 3rd and 10th is plausible at this point. And that will probably be true of whoever ends up with the bronze.

I really hope there aren't any shenanigans trying to get Jess in as a last minute bars specialist either. Just leave her to heal.

 

[J175]

The Sun are running a story about the Gadirovas

Team GB tumbling twins struggling to qualify for Paris 2024 after freak injuries

GYMNASTIC twins Jessica and Jennifer Gadirova look set to miss the Paris Olympics as they struggle to qualify for Team GB. The sisters won Olympic bronze medals three years ago in Tokyo as the four…

www.thesun.co.uk

It's The Sun, so I wouldn't take anything as gospel, but the quotes from the twins sound very much like Paris is off the table, even though the rest of the story suggests Jess could be "parachuted in as a late sub".

 

[RAFIKI]

Good to hear them being explicit and realistic.

The headline and “Jennifer, who like her sister was born in Dublin” made me laugh for very different reasons

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

That, and they think it's Gadirova... tabloid headline writer's dream name!

For the non British, that's a reference to 'they think it's all over' which is a famous piece of BBC commentary at the end of the 1966 football world cup final just before England went 4-2 up. It's the only one any home nation has ever won, so the phrase has become a sporting catchphrase.

The pair of them sound like they're being realistic and positive about this anyway. I'm so glad Jess has her long term future in mind instead of prioritising ill advised eleventh hour bars dismounts.

 

[MaryClare]

That, and they think it's Gadirova... tabloid headline writer's dream name!

For the non British, that's a reference to 'they think it's all over' which is a famous piece of BBC commentary at the end of the 1966 football world cup final just before England went 4-2 up. It's the only one any home nation has ever won, so the phrase has become a sporting catchphrase.

The pair of them sound like they're being realistic and positive about this anyway. I'm so glad Jess has her long term future in mind instead of prioritising ill advised eleventh hour bars dismounts.

Haha. I really struggle to say Gadirova in English, if that makes sense. I can’t get it to sound like “all over” at all.

It’s genuinely amazing though that The Sun is giving so much attention to a gymnastics story

 

[Gymfan93]

Positive Alice Kinsella update on her instagram. She banged her elbow on the low bar during training. MRI confirms soft tissue bruising. She is still training and hopes to be back to normal next week.

 

[Jerkin]

Great news. Kinsella says the injury was just a lot of bruising and she should be back to normal next week. And it seems she fell on her toe on half...

--

As most of you are aware I had to withdraw from this years British Championships due to an elbow injury.
I had quite a scary fall on bars causing me to somehow bang my elbow on the way down. With such a big year ahead myself, my coaches, physio and the doctor decided it was the best decision to not compete.
I’ve had an x-ray and MRI scan and it was all good news, I just have A LOT of soft tissue bruising. I’m able to carry on with training, I’m just taking things quite slow for this week and hopefully be back to normal next week.
I would just like to say a massive thank you to everyone for the kind messages and support and a massive congratulations to my amazing club and GB teammates on a fantastic British Champs

 

[Sasha]

Sounds promising, I'm relieved. She's basically Britain's Melnikova, lol, I need her in Paris.

 

[RichardL]

Sounds promising, I'm relieved. She's basically Britain's Melnikova, lol, I need her in Paris.

After the Gadirovas stole the show at her first Olympics (even though she certainly benefitted from them with a team medal), I'd love to see her get a chance at the AA. Kinsella and Achampong as AAers will be a nice duo, and on a great day they could get another team medal.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

BG must be verrrrry relieved! That team would be entirely and comprehensively bollocksed if either Alice or Ondine was out.

The bruise photos on Insta have that sort of disgustingly beautiful quality.

 

[RedBirdie]

Here it is in all of it's disgustingly bruised glory

 

[QuietColours]

That is impressive!

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

That one has actual shapes in it. I'm sure I can make out a cow's face. If that was mine, I'd get at least a fortnight of entertainment out of it monitoring all the different shades.

 

[Sasha]

OMG I see the cow.

 

[RedBirdie]

Looks like my husband's arm the time he took a baseball to the bicep. All the blood pooled around his elbow and it was disgusting.