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The point about prioritising 6th place in TFs over medals is well made though…
 
I mean I certainly don’t think it is explicit bias. But Downie and Francis getting screwed in 2012 and now both Downies this year, is not exactly the best pattern to have and could call into question issues of implicit bias.
 
It pains me to say this, but Danusia fucked herself over in 2012 by falling off beam. When your USP is being consistent on your one usable event, you can’t balls it up when the pressure is on. In my capacity as Arnold Rimmer I’d still have taken her, but I can see that it would’ve been tough to justify. Especially as the others all chose that day for their annual hit beam routine.

The shadiest thing ever involving Danusia was 2010 worlds and CWG, imho. Well, until the Jamaican federation got their go.

Eta- there is also a good chance that a/the beneficiary here will be Amelie Morgan, who isn’t white either.
 
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This isn’t a race thing. At all. I’m shocked that anyone’s raising that.

Personally I can see both sides. It would be shit to take Ellie and Becky, they’re both not ready, and GB doesn’t even make TF. Which is a distinct possibility when Ellie is putting up an 8 on bars and an 11 on beam.

But it would also be shit for us to come 6th in TF with two in the AA (probably coming 7/8/9th) and maybe an outside shot of VT or FX EF but certainly no medal (although a bronze on floor miiiiight be achievable on a great day).

But it would also be amazing if we had a team where all 4 gymnasts made an EF (which is only really possible if you have both sets of sisters).
 
They weren’t ready in March or April. It’s fucking stupid to insist on choosing the team two months before you have to, and particularly to be holding selection events in March.
 
Right. But I’m guessing that this weekends Trial will be more heavily weighted. If Ellie can’t match Alice or Amelie’s Euros AA score then I can’t see how they’ll pick her unless she like, bombs on beam or bars and still gets a 53.

Becky has to show a 15 on bars. Period. Probably why she’s pissed about Gymnova…
 
You’d hope so, although there wasn’t anything in the criteria to say that was there? But even if there is, they still don’t need to be choosing now. It looks like a bizarre decision and if it’s actually more sensible than it seems, they ought to explain why.
 
Are they for sure naming the team this weekend or is it possible they would name a training squad?
 
I think they pick them this weekend but then there’s a two week appeal period. I think the team is publicly named end of may.

God knows what happens if shit goes down at the Trial and something gets out on social media “somehow”.

They shoild st least release the scores so that we a see the numbers on which their decision is based.
 
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If Ellie’s not ready I hope they take Amelie who showed what she could score even without her full difficulty at Euros. She is also very reliable in competition.
I can’t face any combination where they don’t take Becky and the Gadirovas.

The difficult with taking a specialist is that you have to weight the remaining team to cover the events they don’t do which then isn’t as straight forwards as just taking the top AA scores. So they shouldn’t declare to take the top AA alone (not sure if they did or not but PW seem to be placing a lot of emphasis on that).

To me Alice had her chance at Euros. She only fell on one piece yet didn’t make event finals even on the other 3. Jess and Amelie are clearly ahead in front of her.
 
If another club had released these scores there would have been a very big comeback for them and their gymnasts. At the very least I would think they would be made to make a public apology. Whatever your thoughts if your governing body declares the scores private then you should abide by that.

It comes across as a petulant and deliberate attempt to throw shade at other gymnasts while trying to justify your own gymnasts selection when the trial isn’t even complete yet. It leaves a very nasty taste in the mouth and I don’t think it’s helpful for Alice. She is probably mortified they released the scores.
 
The Commonwealth Games and worlds were within a month of each other that year. All the gymnasts in the running for worlds were English, and it was decided that nobody would double over, they’d just send two different teams. You’ll see from the team lineups that worlds was the priority. CWG was the B.

Imogen Cairns, amongst others, was sent to CWG and had a very good competition. Danusia was not, because she was in the group named to the worlds team. However, it was being rumoured a while before CWG that Imogen was going to be at worlds too: I knew, and we discussed it on here.

So Imogen was put into the worlds team instead of Danusia. Meanwhile there had been a spare spot on the England CWG team, even without dropping anyone. Danusia at that point was somewhat borderline and it wasn’t unreasonable for her not to be in a first choice, top six lineup… but that being the case, since they knew in advance they wanted Imogen, she should have been sent to CWG instead. England actually only sent four gymnasts to Delhi, when there were five spots available, so they wouldn’t even have had to drop anyone. The team was weakened because of shenanigans. Australia beat England by a big enough margin that I don’t think Danusia being there would’ve changed the team standings, although you never know, but she would almost certainly have won beam bronze if she’d been there.

Instead, she ended up being the only one of the leading British gymnasts not to go to either, and England threw away a CWG medal. All of which could’ve been avoided if they’d just said in advance what we all knew, that they were fine with Imogen doing both, booted Danusia from the worlds team in good time and sent her to CWG with the B team instead.
 
Alice v Amelie is a difficult one, because Alice would as things stand come out ahead if they both hit. Amelie is more consistent, and does have more room to improve than Alice given that she used to have a DTY she isn’t currently doing, but neither of those things are necessarily going to count.
 
Amelie with the DTY I think would edge out Alice with a DTY.
 
What is the logic of not taking their biggest medal contenders? I’ve not been following as intensely as some of my British peers here, but we really might have a team without either Downie?! Ludicrous.
 
Honestly, if they continue to get scores like they have been, they do not deserve to be on the team.
 
That’s a given. The issue here is that both have shown they’re able to significantly improve on the results from March and April, and then there is also the question of why on earth the selection is being made so far in advance. We could very easily have a situation where neither Downie is able to do what’s necessary now, but both are doing routines comparable to their world medal performances in late June/early July, ie the time at which non-batshit programmes are choosing their teams.
 
@ArnoldRimmer i agree - but they’ve known the dates for the final trial for months and months. Maybe longer. They’ve known they need to be ready on May 7/9. Let’s see what they score. I really hope BG will release the results - or at least Christi… I mean Park Wrekin releases them after Alice is inevitably announced to the team.
 
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