Simone’s Yurchenko Double Pike

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I think a case could be made for eventually calling it a Lastname-Biles vault if it is ever competed. While Biles never competed it (yet?), we have lots of good records showing her training/podium training it where some of the other examples are more in the “urban legend” category. Or were not done correctly, technically. I could also get behind naming the triple-double layout after Carey, because there is video proof of it being done correctly. And, also because there are no other gymnasts trying/doing the skills. If it is something that half the field is attempting to get named after them (Nabieva 1/2 for example) then the equation changes.
 
I think all judges are required to attend podium training, and the judges conference afterwards to discuss new elements but also harmonising any last minute discrepancies in advance of Prelims. I have no doubt they discussed the YDP and confirmed it at that conference.
 
Logically she shouldn’t, which is of course not what you asked.

It was obvious right away that the most sensible choice was to prioritise her best remaining medal chance, which was beam. She was better there relative to the field, and nobody really saw that bars splatfest coming. Whereas it’s pretty common for a 14ish to get bronze on beam after everyone else tanks.
 
This was the routine:


The toe full has a leg sep (0:18) but it’s pretty reasonably to HS, and that was always a jittery element for her. The Maloney also seemed to have a bigger leg sep than usual but it might be the angle.

Still, this was comparable to most of her hit routines throughout the 2021 domestic meets, and during her Stuttgart peak she struggled to break 14.7. Taking four tenths off that and she’s at 14.3, assuming she can keep a double back to a 0.1 hop. That’s still off the requisite standard in what was one the worst bar finals in memory. Also returning to her least favorite event after everything that had happened (and the first event after she scratched in TF) was probably the last thing she wanted.

If a full-in were workable she might’ve competed, but the full-in on floor was the original source of the twisties, so much that she was going to DLO on floor and double-double off beam in TF.
 
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Also I don’t think we can assume only a 0.1 hop.

I can well believe Simone might have been capable of twisties friendly routines on any of the other three events, but wouldn’t bet on her controlling the landings. That was just not a strength of hers by 2021, even on elements she was used to.
 
And her toe-full gave her fits at times. Even in the TQ vid above, there’s a bit of struggle with it. I don’t think there’s any assurance Simone would have hit bars in EFs.

Having watched every one of her competition bar routines from 2021…oof, the Maloney was worse that I remembered. Every single time, there’s a significant leg separation as she lets go of the low bar and a second significant separation on the back swing.
 

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