British WAG (and MAG!) talk

[Angelika]

Best not - I saw it 3 times thanks to the coverage on the BBC iPlayer and I honestly thought she had hyperextended her knees - it was horrible

 

[irichluck21]

Yeah they needed Charpy on UB/BB

At this point it will be hard for them to get that third score on those events.

 

[Gymfan93]

On the live it didn’t look too bad at first. I don’t think we really needed the slow-motion replays from different angles.

 

[Doug1233]

I just watched the BBC commentary. Christine said the GB Olympic Trials are 10 days after the end of Euros! May 7 and May 9.

Anyone else got details on this?

Presumably Jess and Amelie wouldn’t need to go to this? Would be insane to drag their arses through another full set of AA routines when they’ve been judged multiple times on podium by FIG judges?

I suppose Amelie might want to if she can show a DTY?

 

[Doug1233]

I know it’s MAG butttt

Can Max even get selected now? GB Men also don’t have a +1. Surely they won’t take a one eventer?

 

[makam]

I’m not saying she should - but who think’s she could upgrade that first pass to a Biles 2. It’s easy as pie.

She should post video of her training it into a pit or mats on a pit; it would be an awesome flex.

 

[QuietColours]

I think it would really come down to if they’re going to prioritize attempting a team medal or individual ones. I think GB funding is heavily based on medals, without differentiating between team and individual ones. He’s still an individual medal prospect. They’ve consistently been 5th as a team this quad–I don’t know enough about their depth–could they challenge for the podium as a team?

 

[Doug1233]

I think their team is looking pretty shit right now. I imagine a TF focused team would be completely different than an EF focused team.

I’m guessing a TF team would be James Hall, Giarnni, and then 2 of Dom, Joe, Courtney or Brinn.

But if you want EF shots then I guess you’d have to pick Max.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

How could they not? He’s going to medal if he hits and may very well win gold: it’s an extremely realistic possibility. Whereas TFs are surely a long shot at best.

The set criteria I’ve seen before for British gymnastics usually specify TF qualification, 2 in the AA, a certain number of EF spots and a certain number of medals overall. I remember the WAG in 2016 was TF, 2 AA, possibly 2 or 3 EFs and 1 medal, but it didn’t say where the medal should come from. I haven’t seen the ones for this time round, but suspect it says the men should make TFs rather than having to place top 3.

 

[RAFIKI]

I haven’t done the numbers (and know less about MAG than WAG) but I feel like the men are less likely to win a team medal than the women. Unless a top team get a zero or have multiple scores in the twelves, GB will be battling for 4th/5th. I questioned putting Louis on the team in London and Rio (thought they would and probably should, but it was never a cert for me) and the issue is even more pronounced for Tokyo now we’re down to four. It would be a really ballsy selection panel who would leave off a double Olympic champion and reigning world champion though. He is still GBs best shot at a medal and as others have said - medals mean funding.

What would the EF team be? Four of Max, Joe, Dom, Giarnni, Courtney?

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

I’ve mentioned before that I think British selectors would struggle to leave off reigning one eventing world medallists because of the risk of coming away with nothing. That factor is part of the reason Louis was barely ever dropped and part of the reason Max won’t be now. They’re not in a position where they can do something that radical, especially not when the outcome may only be the team coming 4th instead of 5th anyway. Actually I think there are strong TF based arguments for Becky now and for Louis in 2016, but this would hold true even if there weren’t.

 

[RAFIKI]

Yes Becky is fortunate that the weakest event for both Gadirova’s is bars (and to a lesser extent Ellie).

 

[Doug1233]

Yeah and that Becky can do beam if needed and it prob wouldn’t score much or any different to Ellie.

AND that a 1 eventer where there are 4 pieces is SO much different than a 1 eventer over 6 pieces. Is Max training floor or vault or PB?

How many alternates are picked? I can imagine WAG being Downies, Gadirivas and alternates Amelie and Alice. If there’s a third, maybe Taeja? Are there any other new GB senior WAGs? I think Phoebe counted herself out after this week.

For MAG, if you pick Max then you need AAers for everything else. That basically ensures James Hall. I think Giarnni is too good to not get picked, although I don’t think he’s very good on rings or pommel. I don’t think Giarnni showed his best at all last week. I’ve got no idea how Dom is looking. Courtney isnt AA but he can do rings which none of the other GB guys can do. Brinn might be a great pick for AA as he can actually do SR and he’s pretty good in the AA. And then there’s Joe. I bet he will argue he’s in the same bucket of “how could you not take a reigning world champion?!” but we all know that EF was a fluke.

Going down to 4, and not getting a +1, really has made for some fucked up selection choices for the Selectors.

 

[RedBirdie]

Can you even really have alternates? It’s not like Japan is going to let them into the country. And I’m hard pressed to think of a nearby country that will allow you to stash your alternates there just in case.

 

[Doug1233]

Surely? Can you imagine an injury the day before prelims and going out with 3?

ETA: also, doesn’t that give a huge unfair advantage to the countries that got a +1 or +2?! Top teams are allowed alternates, lower teams, sorry, don’t get injured!!

 

[QuietColours]

I could see bigger countries trying to strike deals with nearby countries to let their vaccinated alternates train there, if Japan won’t let them in. It might still be a plane ride, but at least they’d be able to minimize jet lag

 

[lovegymnasts]

Has Ellie regressed or is she injured? I’m just getting the impression from different posts that something is wrong. At some point, I think I’ve even read a couple of posts leaving her off the team.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

She’s had an injury. I don’t know if she has also regressed.

Re Fraser, I don’t think he’d actually need to play the world champion so take me even though I don’t make sense for TFs card. The situation is quite different to Max, Louis etc: he was 8th AA in the world in 2019, can get 14ish on his other 5 events and he’s got the big match temperament. If he looks anything like he did pre covid and is healthy, he’s going.

 

[RAFIKI]

Just looked at the official procedures and the team is being decided on the the 11th of May! That’s so soon! Not sure when we’ll hear about it because there’s the appeal window and nominations get sent to the Olympic Association on the 19th.

https://www.british-gymnastics.org/...ection-policy-wag-final-updated-10-03-21/file

 

[Doug1233]

Youd think that Jess wouldn’t need to go to this! There’s no way she will not be picked.

I see that Euros themselves was an Olympic qualifier.

And that the main goal is one WAG medal. Which surely means Becky will get selected.

One medal seems to trump TF position.