MyKayla Skinner Olympic participation

[rlayt]

The video on top with her Cheng was posted two weeks ago. That’s pretty current. She might not be the most exciting but she looks well positioned to contend. Much better than Skinner.

 

[irichluck21]

Cheng or not, if McCallum hits 4 for 4 both days of Nationals and then again at Trials she is a contender to get an automatic placement by finishing 2nd. Suni Lee should be 2nd but with her constant injuries, one has to wonder what shape she will be in.

 

[Doug1233]

Rich, I agree. But with a decent Cheng, I think she’s a lock, to go with Simone and Suni (being healthy AAers, of course). Does anyone know if Grace plans to debut it at Classics?

That 4th spot would be wide open. That’s gonna be the Nats/Trials excitement.

 

[rue_des_plantes]

McCallum improved her Cheng block, but that hasn’t really translated to a better postflight yet. She’s pretty much right where she was at when she posted clips from last year. A lot of these Chengs are never happening, but I’d rather see McCallum’s than a Cheng or Amanar attempt from Wong.

IMO, the US judges have signaled that, Biles and Carey accounted for, they’d send Lee, McCallum, McCusker, and Hurd (the latter athletes spread between team and +1). Eaker and Wong have a shot if they go lights out, but GAGE can’t be trusted.

Skinner doesn’t have a chance unless she’s top 2-3 AA. I wouldn’t take her even if she were third, but I don’t think the selection committee would mind.

 

[irichluck21]

I am sure they would take her if she were 3rd because they could always use her on VT in TF and obviously she is a solid enough AA to put up in prelims. It would be a waste of a spot, but I don’t see Tom skipping her if she has beaten out a ton of other AAers.

One thing Skinner has going for her that the others don’t really have is a VERY loyal fan base. At times they are delusional and quite nasty toward other gymnasts they perceive as a threat.
First it was Gabby after Olympic trials with her “stealing” MyKayla’s spot. Then it was hate toward Ross and Nichols in NCAA, 2019 it was hate on McCallum.

The common statement of preference for AA rankings to decide a tam would likely be followed and Tom wouldn’t want any feathers ruffled.

 

[irichluck21]

If McCallum is killing her Cheng and her DTY remains strong, she could potentially challenge Carey for VT finals if Carey has her typical uncontrolled steps out of her Amanar. Highly unlikely that would happen, but few people remember that McCallum was 1/2 a tenth away from VT finals in 2018 and was the 2nd reserve. She could def be 2 perd out of VT finals.

 

[Doug1233]

Is this based on hard info or just your hunch?

Either way, I agree with your view.

 

[Doug1233]

Grace could get a 9.4 for her DTY. Jade would only need to drop to a 9.0 for her Amanar (or a 9.1 with an OOB), and they would be equal.

Then it would be a battle of the Chengs.

I still wish Jade had kept the Tsuk and worked a Tsuk 2.5. Is it named?

 

[irichluck21]

No on the Tsuk 2.5 it is still not done in competition.

 

[dweiss324]

^^ Jade’s Tsuk vault was the only thing that ever made her gymnastics interesting. Sigh.

 

[emmade]

I think it is also a plus that McCallum is a steady competitor. She competes well under pressure and that is undeniably a good thing that should factor into decisions.

I think the big question marks are around McCusker. She is clearly working a lot of up grades in a short amount of time. Can she hit them in competition? Will she have the endurance to compete over a number of days? As meets progress she tends to become tired and inconsistent.

I haven’t really been watching Hurd. How is she looking?

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

I miss that vault! We see so few at the highest levels.

 

[Doug1233]

It needs an upgrade in value. A tenth might see some more.

 

[YurchenkoLoop]

Late to the party, but McCallum’s Cheng has very little lift. She’s arching so much and leading forward with her feet on that block.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Yeah it’s not brilliant is it? She’s potentially in stagger on landing territory too: that’s what would’ve happened if the one from the video was done on a harder surface.

 

[Doug1233]

It’s not the best, but 6 tenths in D over a DTY isn’t too be sniffed at.

And seeing as even Paseka’s absolutely shocking ones never went below like an 8.3, I think it’s a no-brainer for her.

 

[irichluck21]

Plus the fact that her DTY is normally excellent, it is a smart option to train it. Worst case scenario she can still be used for the team on VT with the DTY. The Cheng might be worth it during Nationals and Trials to bump her AA score. One thing about McCallum though is that overtime she gets better with skills as she competes them.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

I’m not saying it won’t be worth it for Grace, especially as there are still months to improve, but given that some of Paseka’s worst Cheng flaws were either not visible or less visible from the side, I’m not sure she’s a useful comparison. The judges are not going to miss a stagger forward on landing in the way that they did some/all of the 0.3 leg separations in the preflight.

 

[Doug1233]

She does a full bar routine here:



At 6:00. I have a 7.3. What about u guys?

 

[RichardL]

Yikes. That’s what she’s capable of this close to Trials?

And that illusion turn on beam made me want to throw my computer across the room.