US Olympic Team Trials - June 24-27, 2021

[Seyonne]

Wolf turns would be appropriate in a poo themed routine.

 

[onodian]

I meant take a dump in a figurative way, but I’d be totally up for Uzarova doing her triple - double horridness to a mix of artistic fart sounds

 

[KorbutFan]

I’d like it to be mandatory that whenever a gymnast falls the sad trombone “wah-wah” sound is played.

 

[Jack]

I’m thinking an acro routine of Aliya, Cata, and Aly where they only tumble triple fulls.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

I’m crying inside. And outside.

 

[onodian]

They could never choose matching leotards

 

[dweiss324]

Alright, weird tangent I know, but the triple full comment (really got me by the way ) had me vaguely remember a comment Spencer made about somebody being a “spider in a dryer” during their gymnastics (surprise, it was Nastia’s bar dismount), but I couldn’t exactly remember the phrase, so I just spent the last half hour searching through any of his blogs that contained the words “spider”, blender" (thought it was “spider in a blender”) and “dryer”. Some real highlights, a worthwhile rabbit hole for sure!!!

This was my personal favorite, the spider reference in the first few paragraphs.

 

[Doug1233]

It’s very Pavlova

 

[Doug1233]

I know I was so wrong about Morgan, but I would love for Jade and Riley to rotate together in prelims in Tokyo. Would be the height of gymnastics cuteness.

Do we know if the +2 go around together?

 

[ucrgirl]

I am also rooting for Jade and Riley to be the +2 athletes, in part because I feel like they could make their own team and not feel too isolated from the rest of the US girls.

I also think they are the only non-Simone/Suni US girls likely to be in the running for an individual medal. (Kara maybe if she could possibly hit her beam routine out-of-the-park, but I really don’t think she can do that twice at the Olympics–or even trials.) I hate that the +1 athletes will not be a part of the team (and medal) so I really hope they can scrap an individual medal.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Kara’s not getting anywhere near Tokyo.

 

[ucrgirl]

Kara’s not getting anywhere near Tokyo.

Yeah. Tim just kept mentioning her being a +1 on the broadcast so I keep thinking Tom might be considering it.

 

[rlayt]

“Spider in a dryer” and “helicopter legs”. I love descriptive phrases. I’ve always thought wolf turns looksimilar to how my dog spins in a circle when he’s pooping.

 

[QuietColours]

Broadcast information and start lists are up.

Broadcasts (in CDT):

• June 24 – Men Day 1 – 5:30 p.m. – NBCSN
• June 25 – Women Day 1 – 7:00 p.m. – NBC
• June 26 – Men Day 2 – 3:00 p.m. – NBC
• June 27 – Women Day 2 – 7:30 p.m.

All sessions will stream on NBCSports.com/live.

Start Lists:

• Men Day 1: https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/2021/m_21trials_start1.pdf
• Men Day 2: https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/2021/m_21trials_start2.pdf
• Women Day 1: https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/2021/w_21trials_start1.pdf
• Women Day 2: https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/2021/w_21trials_start2.pdf

Event source page: https://www.stlouis2021.com/

 

[emmade]

I thought they rotate with the team but have to wear different leos. I agree that Jade and Riley together would definitely hit cuteness heights. It would be a travesty if some other random chick beats Riley to that 2nd spot.

I love Riley’s music and am hopeful that her choreo looks better when you add in the tumbling and other elements.

 

[blake]

With competent coaches, she would be in the conversation, though the inevitable +1 for Jade plus the top 3 AA being a solid beam trio, she’d probably be alternate even in the best case. It doesn’t help Grace is in the good graces of the BB judges getting the same score with simpler, rational composition. Maybe she can finally get her BB medal at worlds this year.

Riley is listed for AA. I think it would be a risk to take her and Suni on the same team since they’re made of glass, but if Riley’s vault looks like it did at classics, she would be a decent 3rd vaulter, and she would let Simone get a rest in TF on bars.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

It’s the ‘with competent coaches’ part.

 

[rue_des_plantes]

2021 is technically a new quad, too. GAGE isn’t exactly famous when it comes to keeping elites relevant through a second quad of senior competition.

 

[Jack]

I think if you put Riley on the main team though that opens an option to take a solid AA athlete for the +1, having a really great built in alternate.

 

[Doug1233]

Personally, I wouldn’t put Riley on the main team. I think you want someone a little more … robust. Even if it means losing a few tenths on bars.

This +1 Olympic spot is really in Riley’s hands. If she can get a 15 on both nights of Trials, I can’t see how they can’t take her. Who else is there who’s in medal contention on an event that won’t already be 2-per’d by the “Big 3 + Jade”?

Kara, no. Kayla, no. Shilese, no.

The only competition I can see is … Skinner, who could legitimately beat Jade in VT prelims and make EF.

My pre-Trials team prediction is now:

Main Team: Simone, Suni, Jordan and then Leanne v Grace
+1: Riley v Skinner
+1: Jade

Five Alternates: Whoever misses out on the two underlined spots. + Kara. + the next 2 AA gymnasts (probably two out of Shilese, DiCello and Malabuyo).

The scores to watch at Trials are:

1. Who wins in the AA, across both days, out of Leanne and Grace? Is there a big difference between them on combined VT/FX scores? Leanne v Grace on FX will be very interesting.
2. Does Riley beat Simone on bars, and thus become Top 2 UB?
3. Does Skinner beat Jade on vault, and thus become Top 2 VT?
4. If answer to 2 and 3 above is yes, then compare Riley UB and Skinner VT, and see who’s more likely to win a medal using latest international scores.

I think we need to get ready for the fact that Skinner is absolutely going to be at least one of the 5 alternates on this team. I doubt she will make the main team, but she absolutely could get the +1 if she vaults better than Jade and if Riley doesn’t have a great weekend on bars. Her vaults are too good to ignore; Morgan and Kara completely failed to deliver; and Grace, Leanne, DiCello, Malabuyo and Shilese all have limited EF potential which makes them less useful for the +1 spot (read Bailey Key 2015 and Maggie Nichols 2016).