Extremely Premature Olympic Team Predictions and Speculation

[MaryClare]

Don’t worry. Most of this lot were ancient when I was a teenager, and I’m 33 now.

 

[RedBirdie]

You’re a youngin. I was still competing trampoline at 28.

At which point my knee exploded and I finally threw in the towel.

 

[xxParkerxx]

I’ve broken the same ankle thrice…in nine months haha.

 

[QuietColours]

I was going to tease that you could definitely keep going with gold–I was training level 6 at 36 until I got pregnant–but watch that ankle, yikes!

 

[gymfan]

Jade and Jordan are definitely in because of floor and vault.
Suni and Shilese are surely in because of bars. Suni has strong beam as well.
The last spot is either Konnor / Skye / Hezly.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

I will forever be equal parts impressed and bemused that you could still do gymnastics stuff during pregnancy. I, in contrast, realised I was pregnant with my second when I had a dizzy spell in the supermarket after turning round slightly too fast.

 

[RedBirdie]

I think I did one front salto on the trampoline while early in my pregnancy and went “That is the worst decision I have ever made in my life.” I coached the entire time, between bouts of running to the bathroom to vomit every hour or so. Miserable experience. Zero out of ten, do not recommend.

 

[xxParkerxx]

I also can’t go backwards…old back injury. I’m hoping to be able to compete diamond vault and bars next year though. I’d consider just specializing in those. Would be nice for high school too.

 

[MaryClare]

When my former coach, now boss (RG) found out I was pregnant, the conversation roughly went congratulations, keep stretching and don’t think this is a licence to eat. I was over 5 years retired, she just doesn’t want fat coaches either

 

[QuietColours]

Nine solid months of nausea, my tailbone would dislocate when I walked, and awful sciatica, but my shoulder flexibility actually improved and I still got the 39 week handstand picture. I suggested to my husband we stop at the park so I could do the 40 week one on the way to the hospital, but he didn’t think that was amusing.

 

[irichluck21]

We shouldn’t really be viewing Winter Cup as a predictor to Worlds or Olympics.

Most of the ladies that competed are not in the mindset that they are targeting Worlds or the Olympics.
For some of them, just having an opportunity to try to qualify to Nationals is their highest goal.

While Worlds and Olympics might be a dream, some of these athletes know that they are far down the line, especially those that would be ranked overall in the high teens and 20s.

However, the open field allows some of them to qualify and compete internationally, which of course automatically puts them on the national team, which could be another goal.

Some of the ladies that are headed to NCAA in the fall might not even go to Nationals. We saw eMjae Frazier do this last year.

Also, this year are the Pan American Games which start October 20.
Worlds will have ended October 8.
So not much turn around time. World Team members could do both, but it is unlikely, especially those World Team members that have an NCAA season shortly after.
We know Suni is done, but Chiles, Wong, and Carey have yet to announce if they will defer.
Also, Kayla DiCello is thinking about a return to elite this summer, based on the announcement at the Kentucky vs Florida meet last weekend.

Ashley Sullivan and Nola Matthews might not make it to Worlds but they could very well be Pan Am Games gold medalists, which would be a career highlight.

For some of these ladies, just even going to DTB or Jesolo and representing the US would be a dream come true. Plus you never know what competing internationally can do for someone’s confidence.

We have seen plenty of athletes grow in confidence after competing internationally.

 

[Hatsumomo]

Nine solid months of nausea, my tailbone would dislocate when I walked, and awful sciatica

I think I did one front salto on the trampoline while early in my pregnancy and went “That is the worst decision I have ever made in my life.” I coached the entire time, between bouts of running to the bathroom to vomit every hour or so. Miserable experience. Zero out of ten, do not recommend.

Hi, I got my tubes tied 18 months ago thank you for confirming I made the right decision.

 

[Hatsumomo]

We shouldn’t really be viewing Winter Cup as a predictor to Worlds or Olympics.

Well I did say “Extremely premature.”

 

[irichluck21]

Well I did say “Extremely premature.”

We can make predictions at any time.

My comment was more for some of the posts I have read (more so on Twitter) that was condemning USA seniors because of the lack of talent, low scores, and no where near the level of the NCAA Olympians and World members.

Like no shit. Amelia Disadore doesn’t think she is going to make the Olympics, but NT is doable and maybe getting an international assignment. A vault medal isn’t out the question for her. Just because she doesn’t have a realistic chance at Worlds or the Olympics doesn’t mean she can’t have some other elite goals.

 

[makam]

I made a thread basically a month after Rio ended telling asking people to predict the next teams. I recall Maile O’Keefe being the star of my team.

It is always fun to look back and this one has the benefit of not being 4 years out.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Oh did you have it done in the end? I remember on the old board you talked about considering it. Congratulations!

 

[MaryClare]

Congratulations

I can see why we got rid of off topic discussion…

 

[irichluck21]

I recall Maile O’Keefe being the star of my team.

I think many of us figured O’Keefe would factor into Tokyo.
She looked good at the American Cup in 2018 (other than the falls) but her execution was pretty otherwise. I definitely figured she would go to Worlds in Doha, even if she was a bars and beam specialist for the team.

But injuries plagued her and she dropped to level 10 in 2019.

Another one of those recently turned seniors that suffered from “Junior National Champion curse”.

 

[RedBirdie]

I don’t feel like working, so let’s see just how cursed US juniors are! 2010-2019 top 3 at nationals:

2010

1. Kyla Ross
2. Katelyn Ohashi
3. McKayla Maroney

2011

1. Katelyn Ohashi
2. Kyla Ross
3. Sarah Finnegan

2012

1. Lexie Priessmann
2. Maddie Desch
3. Simone Biles

2013

1. Bailie Key
2. Laurie Hernandez
3. Amelia Hundley

2014

1. Jazmyn Foberg
2. Nia Dennis
3. Norah Flately

2015

1. Laurie Hernandez
2. Jazmyn Foberg
3. Ragan Smith

2016

1. Maile O’Keefe
2. Riley McCusker
3. Gabby Perea

2017

1. Malie O’Keefe
2. Emma Malabuyo
3. Kara Eaker

2018

1. Leanne Wong
2. Kayla DiCello
3. Sunisa Lee

2019

1. Kayla DiCello
2. Konnor McClain
3. Olivia Greaves

 

[MaryClare]

It seems to have become an issue again more recently. 10-20 years ago, Carly, Nastia, Shawn and Jordyn were all former junior national champions who smashed the curse and became world or Olympic AA champions