In the absence of The Kohei, the men’s all-around final has turned into a utopian garden of equality where anyone and everyone can medal. This is false, but also basically true. We have no idea what’s going to happen. This should finally be Oleg’s title, but also…will it?

By difficulty, Verniaiev and Larduet are well ahead of the pack, and because both of them have among the highest levels of execution in the final, their performances will decide how this event plays out. Those with close to the same difficulty, or those like Moldauer who have the execution but not the difficulty, will need some Oleg-in-qualifying level errors to get into the gold hunt.

Of course, the top group is beginning on floor for our convenience, but also watch Wilson and Moldauer in the PH group.

Instead of flame throwers, we have some sort of smoke machine/sci-fi disinfection spray as the gymnasts enter.

Good crowd today.

Jossimar wandering out behind the others all late like he has no idea where he is…LOL.

ROTATION 1

I love that there is already a weird delay and nothing has even happened yet.

Oleg – FX – 3.5 to front 1/1, OOB immediately – double double tuck, large lunge back – 2.5 to front 1.5, another big bounce – front 2/1 to half is finally stuck – front 2.5, small hop – flares are smooth – 3/1 hop to the side. Well, that could have gone better.

Solid DTY from Clay

13.766 for Oleg. 13.866 for Nagornyy

Kenzo – FX – triple twisting double layout and double tuck, very small adjustments on landing – he’s only hopping  a little on each pass – 4th pass, when he punches into combo, gets a little crazy with direction, and a slightly short twist – 3.5 to front full, good – quad twist final pass, very good landing, just a touch underrotated.

Braegger – PH – pauses rising up to handstand on dismount but gets it through an otherwise fine routine.

Yusof falls acrobatically backward on a tsuk double pike.

Belyavskiy – FX – starts cleanly – smallish hop back on DLO 1/1 second pas – 1.5 to front 2/1 – very clean twisting form throughout his passes, but the front tumbling leg position is also quite nice – 2/5 to front full is the only real mistake, stepping OOB. Good stuck 3/1.

Nile – PH – nice spindles – good rhythm – not the smoothest body position – drops his elbows circling for his dismount but doesn’t let his rhythm get off and is able to complete it still, solid save.

Xiao – FX – 3.5 to half, stays in bounds but awkward direction, 2.5 to half, chest down, not too clean – strong DLO, good shape, small hop – next pass also just a very small hop – sticks 2/1, then sticks 3/1 – worked it out after a rougher first couple passes.

Moldauer – PH – lovely height and extension through spindle elements – hits his opening routine well. Strong start. That’s the PH we expect from him.

14.00 for Yul on PH. 14.433 for Xiao on floor, seems high to me.

Larduet – FX – front double pike, hop – ManBiles, very nice shape, small hop – front 2/1 to layout, same – double arabian 1/2 out – double front side pass – every single pass has a hop on it, not as large as Oleg’s but he’s cheating himseld out of tenths – a little short on double arabian, squat and hop back.

13.800 for Calvo on PH.

13.933 for Larduet, those hops did hurt him quite a bit. Not really the start he wanted either

Lin – FX – double front pike 1/2 out, fake lean out of it but an uncontrolled landing – better control on second pass, a little short on double double with a hop – front full to front 2.5, hop – 2/1, stuck – 3/1, stuck as well – some ragged legs in twisting.

After 1:
1 – Kenzo 15.733
2 – Lin 14.516
3 – Xiao 14.433
4 – Davtyan 14.200
5 – Souza 14.166
6 – Bae 14.133
7 – Clay 14.100
8 – Belyavskiy  14.066
9 – Moldauer 14.000
10 – Larduet 13.933

Standings at this point are meaningless, but Kenzo and the Chinese will be happy with their scores so far. Belyavskiy and Moldauer are fine as well. Larduet and Oleg (15th) will not be pleased.

ROTATION 2

Kenzo – PH – a moment or two of looseness in the legs and slowing of rhythm, but overall fairly comfortable and just sufficiently difficult to stay competitive with it and let the other events shine. 13.433. It gets the job done, at least.

Davtyan – VT – hs randi, great height and direction, just a little cross of the legs throughout and a step back.

Belyavskiy – PH – much stronger difficulty, quick hand work, complex dismount and no significant errors. Very nice. 14.900

Braegger – SR – great stick on double double tuck

Arican VT – Kas 1.5, crossed legs, a little off line, step forward.

Xiao – PH – good difficulty in travel work – pommel horse is going very well so far – no one has come close to falling in this second rotation – quite clean.

Nile – SR – just a little swing developing in his work but not too bad – a little high in the hips on a planche – DLO 1/1 dismount, a little pike in the air, and a small hop back.

Larduet – PH – good work back and forth, I like the way he brings his legs together immediately on his dismount circles rather than the extended straddle most do – just a bit too hollow in the body position in some places for my taste.

Moldauer – SR – very clean and lengthy holds early – nice tumbling in cross – just a touch of shake in a planche and a little swing in hs – double double tuck dismount, small hop

Lin – PH – second handstand on pommel was better than the first, but fine – really, no one is blinking on horse, another comfortable set.

Stuck rings dismount from Jossimar.

Oleg – PH – LE SIGH – Oleg the first major player to make a big mistake as he falls off horse toward the end of the routine. Well, I guess my pick is shot.

After 2:
1 – Xiao 29.233
2 – Kenzo 29.166
3 – Davtyan 29.100
4 – Belyavskiy – 28.966
5 – Lin 28.782
6 – Souza 28.666
7 – Nagornyy 28.332
8 – Moldauer 28.066
9 – Tvorogal – 28.000
10 – Wilson 27.966

Manrique is 13th. Oleg is 19th. So there’s that.

ROTATION 3:
Braegger – VT – Kas 1.5 with a bit too much of a lunge forward.

Nile – VT – Kas 1.5 with a slightly awkward landing, lunge to the side.

Belyavskiy holds a handstand for about 750 minutes in his rings routine, the next one looked like a slight struggle, just a lean on dismount though

Davtyan – PH – extremely clean body shape on Pbars but very simple routine – did have a short Diamidov in there

Moldauer – VT – pretty smooth Kas 1.5, excellent shape in the air, hop to the side.

Xiao – SR – develops a little bit of swing, also some hesitation in a handstand toward the end – double double tuck is solid

Calvo – VT – Kas 1.5 – awkward landing, possible knee down, but if not than just a large squatty lunge forward

Larduet – SR – good straight positions in early holds, a touch high in the cross work but not too bad – also struggles in a late handstand, double double tuck with hop back

Good Dragulescu from Nagornyy this time.

Crossover step on Kas 1.5 from Onder.

Lin – SR – good position in his cross work (I’m glad they’ve started showing rings routines on the screen so I can actually see them) a little wonky in a cross but held – very clean handstand, followed by one with a little too much swing and hesitation – swims to hold a stick on double double dismount.

Arican – PB – good double front 1/2 out stick.

Oleg – SR – swinging in his early holds but quite strong positions – still not quite on, though – same as all day – an arch in some later handstands, step back on double double tuck. 14.566 helps. Rewarded for the positions.

Kenzo – SR – actually gets kind of low on those holds (I guess based on my expectations), which is unexpected, too high in a planche, though – rushing through toward the end – good stick on double double tuck

Bae – HB – stoop full late to yamawaki – lovely kovacs – hits Kolman – 1.5 is late, as is stoop 1/2 – sticks double double lay. I expect him to get destroyed for the pirouettes, but the releases and dismount we quite nice.

Georgiou with a nice stick on a double pike on PBars. Very clean on that part.

After 3:
1 – Nagornyy 43.132
2 – Belyavskiy  43.066
3 – Xiao 43.033
4 – Souza 42.932
5 – Davtyan 42.866
6 – Kenzo 42.832
7 – Moldauer 42.566
8 – Lin 42.448
9 – Wilson 42.066
10 – Arican – 41.849

Manrique is 11th, Oleg is 12th.
Do we know what’s happening yet? Not really.

ROTATION 4

Xiao – VT – actually quite a good Kas 2/1 – good direction, step back – just some crossed feet

Souza falls on a Kolman.

Larduet – VT – FANTASTIC Dragulescu, basically stuck. That should move him up.

Nile – PB – small hesitation in peach to one but works into healy – back tuck, fine – bhavsar, fine, catches with a little shoulder angle – tippelt, good – double front dismount with lunge.

Manrique just 9.366 E? Comparatively that seems inconsistent.

Lin – VT – Kas 2/1 – rougher legs on his than Xiao had, but very similar landings.

Oleg – VT – solid Drag, but he has been better, lunge back. Still will help his placement quite a bit.

Moldauer – PB – great stick body shape – front straddle, super high – peach – peach 1/2 with a bit of a travel but controls – nice full pirouette – layout salto is to die for – tuck half also good – double front half out, small step, good.

Kenzo – VT – Y 3/1 – fantastic as usual but not stuck this time, hop back.

Cerda – HB – catches Kolman and layout tkatchev, hit routine

Belyavskiy – VT – kas 2/1, hit, very little movement on landing, but legs crossed and short of rotation, but just a bit –

Calvo – PB – peach to one to healy – solid healy work – a little struggle in diamidov – has to support himself on a rail later – bhavsar is strong, very well controlled 1/2 piro out of that as well – double front 1/2 out, small step.

Herder – HB – muscles up a little early – layout tkatchev – tkatchev – full turn a little floppy – front stalder 1/1, late – stoop – 7000 giants – too much crazy legs – double double layout, pikes down too much but a great stick

Nagornyy – PB – quick movement out of one rail – 3/4 piro to 1/4 swingdown is clean – diamidov-style elements, slight struggle but not excessive – great stick double front 1/2 out. He’s having quite the day

Onder hits double front 1/2 out on pommels.

Davtyan – HB – yamawaki – stoop 1/2 – stalder – double double tuck, stuck. No difficulty but so so so clean.

Braegger – PB – peach – bhavsar, smooth – tippelt, clean – 3/4 piro to 1/4 swingdown – goes crazy on a pirouette and falls. One of few falls so far today, especially from the top 2 groups. Finishes double front with a lunge forward.

After 4:
1 – Xiao – 57.933
2 – Belyavskiy – 57.849
3 – Kenzo – 57.832
4 – Nagornyy – 57.673
5 – Lin – 57.348
6 – Moldauer – 57.099
7 – Larduet – 56.765
8 – Wilson – 56.566
9 – Verniaiev – 56.498
10 – Onder – 56.232

Three tenths separating to top four. Heavens.

ROTATION 5
Arican puts his hand down on opening double front 1/2 out on floor. Brooklyn Moors is like, “Could we, please?”

Moldauer – HB – yamawaki – Zoue li min, fine – late full turn – stoop 1/2 – gorgeous kovacs – will get hit for 1.5 piro again – sticks DLO 1/1, flared out, very nice.

Larduet – PB – peach  and peach 1/2, clean – good healy – front straddle, clean – excellent travel and catch on bhavsar – tippelt – stutz – double front 1/2 out with a step to the side, which was the only real error in this thing. Nice.

13.333 for Moldauer. It was never going to be much more than that.

Calvo – HB – layout tkatchev – Kolman, comfortable – kovacs, hit – 1/5 turn – stoop 1/1, yamawaki – front stalder full – small hop back on double double lay. Too many piros in there for a good E.

Big 14.933 for Manrique on PBars.

Lin – PB – double tuck – struggles in handstand after a peach – very nice full pirouette and front straddle to long swing – smooth bhavsar – strong cast position – tippelt – healy – double pike, step. Some great moments in there. One weird handstand at the beginning and then a step.

Nagornyy has fallen on HB. A spot has opened at the top. Correction: Nagornyy has fallen twice on HB.

Oleg – PB – peach 1/2, strong – nooo, drops out of handstand on peach to one rail, saves it but a major deduction – tippelt is awesome as always – solid bhavsar – healy – double front 1/2 out, stuck. No fall but a major error when he needed basically an 18.

Davtyan – FX – continuing his strategy of being super clean and stuck – actually adds some difficulty with a double front1/2 out, sticking every single pass – one step on his 3/1 and it was a huge surprise based on how the other passes had gone.

Braegger – HB – cassina, caught – Kolman caught – layout tkatchev to tkatchev 1/2 – stoop 1/2 – doing some piros but hittim them pretty close to handstand until the very end – double double lay, leans to hold onto the stick

Kenzo clean on PBars. Small slide on double front 1/2 out –

Oleg STILLL gets 14.966 on PBars.

Kenzo drinking that drink makes it look like he’s at recess trying to get the last out of a Capri Sun and he’s the best.

Belyavskiy – PB – full piro looked a little late – tippelt good, bhavsar very dynamic – a couple late vertical positions that I saw toward the end, but apparently we don’t really care about that – sticks excellent double front half out – 15.266 puts him into first.

Nile hits HB, just a very small step on the double double layout –
14.433 for Nile moves him ahead of Yul for the moment.

Long wait on Belyavskiy’s score.

Xiao – PB – double tuck, strong – stutz – peach 1/2 – peach – another double tuck – straddle front, solid – tippelt , good verticals – lunge back on double pike was biggest error there.

After 5:
1 – Belyavskiy 73.115
2 – Xiao 72.533
3 – Kenzo 72.465
4 – Lin 72.148
5 – Larduet 71.698
6 – Verniaiev – 71.464
7 – Wilson 70.999
8 – Moldauer 70.432
9 – Onder 69.698
10 – Calvo – 69.165

That’s a serious lead for Belyavskiy, who should also be one of the better scores of the final group on HB.

ROTATION 6

Lin – HB – good Cassina – catches Kolman – layout tkatchev 1/2 – stoop 1/1, late – yamawaki – front stalder 1/1, same – double double layout, squatty landing but a good stick. 14.300. Well now.

Nagornyy – FX – strong triple back, just a small hop – good – sticks the double double tuck this time as well – front 2/1 to double front, large lunge back, went straight up

Oleg – HB – yamawaki 1/2 – layout tkatchev – layout tkatchev 1/2 – stoop 1/2 – tkatchev 1/2 – stoop 1/1 very wonky, probably could have saved it but it would have been a fall-equivalent deduction so he just comes off in an FML kind of way – hop full – sticks double double lay. No good day for Oleg.

Onder – FX – double front pike 1/2 out, step – front full to double front 1/2 out, solid – bounce back OOB on double double tuck – 2.5 to half, stuck – 2/1, stuck –

Kenzoooooo – HB – yamawaki – awkward little handstand there – hits piked kovacs – awesome tucked kovacs – stalder full, very late – double double lay, hop back. Good day for Kenzo!

86.431 for Kenzo, in just behind Lin. The Japanese and Chinese fans are on separate sides of the arena.

Belyavskiy – Ub – layout tkatchev – tkatchev – stoop full very late and then falls on a yamawaki – an effing Yamawaki. OH RUSSIA. German giants – DLO 1/1, stuck. He’ll know he could have won with a hit.

Nile – FX – great double double tuck, stuck – double front pike, hop – front 2/1 to front full, hop – 2.5 to layout, stuck , 3/1 excellent

86.315 for Belyavskiy even with the fall. Within 2 tenths right now.

Xiao – HB – layout tkatchev – layout staktchev 1/2 – tkatchev, tkatchev 1/2 – yamawaki – lateish full turn – double double layout, stuck.

14.333 for Nile. 85.332 total.

Moldauer – FX – punch front 2/1, hop – double arabian half out stuck, awesome – stuck second and third passes, just the hop on the first – good flare work, very fast – excellent form obviously – back 2.5 to half – 2/1, stuck – just a bit short on 3/1 with a hop, but a great day for Yul. Excellent showing.

86.933 for Xiao –

Larduet – HB – layout tkatchev 1/2 – stoop 1/2 – layout tkatchev – tkatchev 1/2 – stoop full, GRET finishing position – stalder 1/5, late –  a triple twisting double layout, Stuck. TREMENDOUS routine to finish.

FINAL SCORES

1. Xiao – 86.933
2. Lin – 86.448
3. Kenzo – 86.431
Belyavskiy – 86.315
Larduet – 86.031
Wilson – 85.332
Moldauer – 84.998
Verniaiev – 83.997
Onder – 83.831
Nagornyy – 83.239

Kenzzzzzzooooo! Disappointing for Belyavskiy, who would have won with a hit high bar. How do we feel about Larduet’s scoring today? He had a pretty good day except for floor landings. Oleg did not have a pretty good day. 7th is a strong finish for Moldauer for a clean day. Xiao and Lin go 1-2, which is a very, “Well, the Chinese were the ones who showed up and hit” result.

Medal ceremony

Oh, it’s like US nationals where all the top 8 get a little prize. I see…

Oleg has to wave and is like, “I HATE EVERYTHING BYE UGH”

Belyavskiy also super hates his life.

Lots of waving and flowers but not that much to report. Although, we’re not raising actual flags. We’re raising pictures of the flags. K….