British WAG (and MAG!) talk

[J175]

A couple of bits of news ahead of the Commonwealth Games.

A Welsh team of Poppy Stickler, Jea Maracha, Mia Evans and Sofia Micallef competed yesterday at the Austrian Team Challenge, placing 4th with a score of 143.550, behind winners Hungary, a French B team and Switzerland, just ahead of the first Austrian team. “The British regional team from Wales surprised in fourth place” according to this page, from which you can find the results PDF: https://www.oeft.at/de/news/eventdbshow-1st-austrian-wag-team-challenge-02.07.2022

The other news is that Scotland will have a team. Cara Kennedy (for a third CWG), Emily Bremner and Eilidh Gorrell will join Shannon Archer to make a four-woman team. The fifth gymnast originally nominated has apparently had surgery since and hasn’t been replaced.

 

[Samxo]

If anyone is wondering the euros team can be announced any day now, the nominative entry is tomorrow so I guessing it will be sometime next week.

 

[Gymfan93]

Any last minute guesses? I am assuming both Gadirovas will be in, and I also suspect they will want GMF for bars with Becky out, but we’ll see I guess.

 

[Samxo]

I’m guessing:
Jess
Jenn
Alice (if she put her self forward, but didn’t trial), GMF or Ruby
Then best contender from the trials against the others chosen

I kinda hope ruby stacey, bc she’s would be the only one from the senior squad (not injured) not to be on team unless she’s working up to worlds

 

[Bob]

I’m thinking Alice will want worlds instead.
So Jenn and Jess
GMF
Ondine
Ruby
Frags or Kelly for Reserve. One of these might be in instead of Ondine or Ruby. Ruby was injured not sure if she is back AA or not.

 

[L_R]

Is Taeja James still competing ?

 

[Gymfan93]

Jess, Jenn, Alice, Ondine, GMF.

Juniors: Grace Davies, Ruby Evans, Evie Flage-Donovan, Abigail Martin, Tegan Trafford

 

[RAFIKI]

You just beat me to it

The GBR vs ITA competition should be exciting. I’m tempted to go.

 

[Gymfan93]

It’s actually not a bad senior team at all, and probably if they stay healthy, will be the worlds team too.

 

[irichluck21]

So Alice, Ondine, and GMF are doing both CWG and Euros.

Likely Gadirovas doing AA each and the other 3 are specializing??

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Told you Alice would end up on both!

Re the Gadirovas, I assume Jennifer will do AA. Isn’t Jessica still protecting an injury? If so, and with a view to staying healthy for worlds too, perhaps she won’t do all 4.

 

[Samxo]

I think this also depends from who the others who are doing the CWG as they might be focusing on the team final (obviously depends how they are after the CWG)

 

[Gymfan93]

Wasn’t Alice coming back from an injury in March at the British?
The Italy vs GBR battle at Euros should be great to watch.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

She was. Tore some ankle ligaments in Tokyo, competed on it then came home and had surgery. Competed AA on it 6 months later when clearly not ready. I assume she wants to compete at worlds too, so it’s a helluva year BGs selection criteria are going to have put her through.

 

[RedBirdie]

This selection seems less than ideal. Maybe it will all work out, but for Ondine, Alice, and Georgia Mae, this seems like a brutal gauntlet. Selections+more selections+CWG+Euros (and then possibly more selections+worlds!). I hope they all make it through in one piece.

 

[Bob]

yeah with her coach picking the team it was kind of a cert wasn’t it

 

[Doug1233]

I literally cannot believe the person picking the team is also the coach of one of the gymnasts being selected. It just beggars belief.

 

[RedBirdie]

Even USAG realized the selection committee needed to have no connections to any athletes under consideration.

 

[Bob]

It is completely ridiculous. They also pick the BG squad members. Guess what a lot of their kids are in squad. Who knew.

 

[MaryClare]

Gymnastics fans seem to make a much bigger deal of this than any of the athletes involved. If there was any perceived advantaged to being at Park Wrekin, why does no one move there?

The only squad level move to Park Wrekin I can think of was Charlie Fellows. That was over 5 years ago, and her family are from the Midlands so it was not necessarily a move motivated by gymnastics reasons.

Contrasts greatly with the transfers to City of Liverpool when Amanda Reddin was in charge of things. Tunney, Whelan and Pinches were all transfers from other North West clubs.

Colin (And Christine) are pretty much retired from day to day coaching. Colin’s position is no different from when Valeri was NTC