Simone is out of the AA, VT, UB and FX

[Doug1233]

Jade Carey has played a fucking blinder in these Olympics. AA VT FX.

She could come away from Tokyo as the most decorated US gymnast.

 

[Gymfan93]

I still can’t get over that if PanAms hadn’t happened, Andrade wouldn’t have been here and now she’s a legitimate front runner for gold AA and two other medals.

 

[upmysleeve]

Gutted for her but this is more consistent with what seems to be the issue, which is a a combination of extreme stress and mental health issues leading to a case of twisties and causing her to rapidly lose skills at the worst possible time.

Unfortunately, the initial media reports have led an entire population of couch surfing white men to declare she “quit” on her team, “choked”. I have heard nasty stuff about her “flying home to avoid taking a drug test” or “saving her endorsements”. Not reading the comments is always a good idea, but unfortuntately these are actual people who also hold these views offline. It’s a good reminder to always defend our favorite sport and its athletes (regardless of if we like their style or not), because non-gymnastics fans will never give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Doug1233]

First reserves on the EF events if Simone withdraws:

Skinner
Melanie
Ashikawa
Jen Gadirova

Beam looks like it might be a bloodbath. Saravia, Black and Larissa are all looking uncertain. The next THREE in line after Ashikawa are: (1) Listunova; (2) Sanne; and (3) Nina.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

I’m so glad Simone is already rich. Makes it infinitely easier not to give a fuck.

 

[arabiandoublefront]

Now that I’ve had some time to process, I’m saddened, but I know that if Simone can’t do her skills safely, she made the right decision in pulling out.

 

[Seyonne]

Well, I guess the post-Simone world starts now.

 

[JaJa]

Gutted for her but this is more consistent with what seems to be the issue, which is a a combination of extreme stress and mental health issues leading to a case of twisties and causing her to rapidly lose skills at the worst possible time.

I may be incorrect about this, but I did not think there was any evidence or reason to believe, that mental health issues lead to or cause twisties.

 

[mnesiptolema]

No, but being stressed that “if I don’t fix this the entire country will hate me” probably doesn’t help.

Edit: (and this is not directed at you specifically) surely there can be multiple reasons she withdrew, which all compound each other but don’t necessarily have a direct causal chain.

 

[Perfect10]

I’m gutted for her. She didn’t come all this way to stop here, so you know it’s extreme. I feel like we are in an alternate universe. Never could have predicted this.

 

[tempest]

I feel like we are in an alternate universe. Never could have predicted this.

ha! I agree… it’s like a dream

 

[Seyonne]

And still Tom has said nothing. I wonder if he’s throwing a tantrum behind the scenes. “Why ME?”

When he finally says something, it will probably be pissy. Never forget his handling of Kerri Strug leaving him.

 

[arabiandoublefront]

I rather he not say anything for now until he can gain some perspective.

 

[JaJa]

surely there can be multiple reasons she withdrew, which all compound each other but don’t necessarily have a direct causal chain.

Yes, I am not disagreeing with that.

 

[Stoutness]

I’ve had a tough year. The combo of 2020 and 2021 has been a gut punch for many of us. Simone and U.S.A. Olympic gymnastics were supposed to be my escapism from an unrelenting cycle of personal disappointments, pandemic deaths, and collective depression. But since Team Finals, it has slowly sunk in that there is no escape, just a long, slow plod through a pandemic.

My reckoning came during Team Finals, but, at some point, I think we’ll all have that realization that this return to normal fantasy is a delusional dream. And as quiet as it’s kept, many of us have long realized that normal wasn’t healthy anyway; it was just routine. I applaud Simone for prioritizing her mental health. For her heroic act of self-preservation. And for showing me that I really don’t want the nightmare of normal. I want progress.

 

[rue_des_plantes]

So does anybody have a major problem with a Jade Carey AA medal at this point? It’s not optimal, but I feel like embracing the timeline and having about one medal per individual final go to some troll, wtf/absurdist, or “fuck my federation-HPC” kind of pick.

 

[cats]

I love Jade the human, but I definitely don’t want her winning an AA medal over Melnikova, Urazova, Andrade, or Lee, or even some of the second group like MDJDS who are excellent but not looking their very best.

 

[rue_des_plantes]

And I’d never want her to win a medal over any of them, either, but it’s such a wild Games and quad, I’d probably just laugh if it happened, like, “of course Jade Carey just won an AA medal.”

 

[JJS_5056]

Only because of the other amazing gymnasts who are competing here; the depth and level of gymnastics is the best it has been, for me, in a VERY long time, and while I was able to stomach a few of Raisman’s medals on the big stage because the alternatives weren’t too hot, I would be more upset if a Jade medal came at the expense of:

1. Melnikova - has turned into a gorgeous AAer with fantastic, EF-worthy gymnastics on 3/4 events (and big routines and skills on VT, UB, FX).
2. Urazova - just a beautiful return to a style of gymnastics we haven’t seen in decades; slow, graceful, and so much attention to detail; lacking in huge skills, but overall a dream.
3. Andrade - ignoring the emotional aspect of her finally being healthy for a big meet, this girl is fire on 3 events and is the perfect antidote to the Carey/Skinner models – you can have power, technique, AND style.
4. MDJDS - Glorious AAer with a different set of skills on UB/BB from everyone else; power, technique, and exciting routines.
5. Sunisa Lee - Aside from a bit of messiness / lack of attention to detail, she is an amazing AA athlete showing UB specialists can bring big numbers on BB and FX.
6. Mai Murakami - the junior superstar who looked like she’d never “be.” After missing London, she looked like she might collect a few FX medals at Worlds, and then post-Rio, she turned into an AA superstar. Huge VT and FX with exciting UB and BB. It’d be great to see her on the AA podium here.

And, that’s just on first thought. I’ll accept Carey and found myself warming to her in prelims; but, I’d be heart-broken for the ones above who’d be missing out.

 

[Seyonne]

Carey shouldn’t win an AA medal. She’ll likely win vault gold and that’s good enough.