This is it! The final day of worlds. It’s a little wistful. I mean, this has been #trashworlds, but it has still been worlds. Five more medals to award today, including many of the best ones. Updates at the bottom.
MEN’S VAULT FINAL
The Koreans got the best draw in this one, with Yang and Kim finishing in the last two spots, while other medal contenders Shirai and Asato have the first two spots.
I’m kind of obsessed with this 1976 highlight video they keep showing that’s all Nadia and then one shot of Nellie Kim off to the side looking grumpy. I’m sure Nellie is thrilled.
“I’ve never seen a medal like this,” says Max Whitlock. Yep.
Intros now for the men’s vault. Word is that Yang, the gold favorite, might be injured. So we’ll see if he comes out.
He will not. He has been replaced by Dalaloyan. Now I’m even more gutted that Eddie isn’t in the final. He was one spot behind Dalaloyan.
Kenzo likely becomes the favorite for a second gold now.
Asato – 1 – tsuk full in, landed in a perfect sphere shape – but landed, will get hit for body position but not much for landing control. 14.766
Asato – 2 – handspring 2.5, somehow doesn’t fall on this despite basically landing in horizontal position – possible knees down there but popped right back up – yeah, I’d call that both knees and hands down based on the replay.
Well, those were sufficiently terrifying. Great start!
14.349 average
Shirai – 1 – Solid TTY, continues to make it look like a double. Very small hop back, easily completed, good direction, just crossed ankles in twisting. 15.200. Well, if Asato’s first vault was 8.866 E, that should be 15, so I guess 9.600 works?
Shirai – 2 – Kas 1.5, small hop. Two good vaults. Should medal/win. Just did get those twists around
14.900 average.
Vega Lopez – 1 – handspring 2.5, big vault, but a stagger landing with a lunge to the side, legs throughout, especially at the end of the vault. 14.700
Vega Lopez – 2 – Very strong Kas 1.5 – small step forward, good leg form and direction, deserves a high E score.
14.704 average, into second.
Dragulescu – 1- Dragulescu, not his stongest, his usually early finish but this time a large lunge back and a bit of arm swing to keep it just that. 14.700.
Dragulescu – 2 – Y 1/2 on 2/1 – heart signs to the crowd, good but another lunge forward. Nice direction and twisting shape. Didn’t quite have the landing control today, but I’d still say he should be second for now.
14.716 average, ahead of Vega Lopez, which is appropriate.
Hrimeche – 1 – ankle cruncher of a Dragulescu, two lunges back and to the side, weaker than Dragulescu’s own version by quite a bit. 13.566. 8.166 E, but Asato got 8.333 for his second? Overjudging landing control.
Hrimeche – 2- Tsuk double pike, better – lands low with a small hop forward – I expect pike credit, though it gets fairly tucked toward the end
14.083 average.
Radivilov – 1- fantastic Dragulescu, high, huge and stuck. Excellent. 15.033 for that.
Radivilov – 2 – tsuk double pike – abrupt landing but solid, lunge backward on this one, though.
14.899 average. Into second, one thousandth behind Kenzo. That will be controversial, though Radivilov’s E score for the first vault was a little lower than Kenzo’s 9.6 for reasons like cowboying and flexed feet, but also it’s a Dragulescu. Radivilov’s vaults were more satisfying.
Dalaloyan – 1- not the TTY he can do. A stumble backward with two large steps – also off direction and lands completely out of the area. 14.200.
Dalaloyan – 2- Handspring full in – sufficiently cannonball, landed on all fours.
13.966 average.
Kim – 1 – handspring 2.5, very composed vault, solid and good direction, hop back. 14.966. Big.
Kim – 2 – Kas 1.5 – just a touch under rotated it appears with a hop to the side, but a solid showing, will be close to the Dragulescu/Lopez group. Should be interesting for the bronze medal.
14.766 average does indeed put him into third. Those three could have been in any order to me.
Gold – Shirai
Silver – Radivilov
Bronze – Kim
Kenzo’s third medal and second gold. Did Igor get unfairly hosed on execution? Or just unfairly hosed by limiting to three decimal points? That will be the question.
WOMEN’S BEAM FINAL
Schaefer – switch leap mount to split leap to y spin, solid – loso series, small lean – switch ring, good extension, not a clear ring shape but I’d rather that than the other way around – pretty double turn – Schaefer, small hop – aerial to split to double stag, wobble – side aerial – gainer layout, small hop. Not quite as clean as her qualification routine, but still very strong.
13.533. So she still breaks 8 in execution. No one else can ever…
Eremina – switch split mount, a little short of split, check on y spin – two losos to check – aerial, check – split leap to side aerial – not hitting her splits as well as Schaefer, though to switch to split jump combo was nice – 3/1 dismount with several small hoppy steps to the side, though the 3/1 was more around than it was in the AA.
12.966
Black – switch split mount to switch to switch 1/2, check after the switch half – double turn into full turn, does well to connect but another check – front pike, small slide back – secure layout series – front tuck, exact same mistake as in the AA final but this time comes off the beam – double pike, small hop.
12.400
Murakami – switch leap mount, very popular – bails front pike – loso series, small slide – switch ring, solid but no ring shape – very secure so far – the routine she needed in the AA – double turn, checks on it, fairly big, but stays on – aerial, does not connect into split jump – double pike, large lunge back but good.
Nearly trips walking off the podium, because gymnasts.
13.066 puts her second.
Teramoto – double turn, large break and grabs the beam – two loso series is strong – split leap to switch, good – switch 1/2 – onodi, check – aerial, good but no connection into side aerial, check – 3/1 dismount, a little short of rotation with a hop.
12.966, same as Eremina even though she grabbed the beam. Imagine Valentina.
Hurd – very strong tuck full – side aerial, large arm swing wobble – switch to split leap, clean – loso series, step back – aerial, split jump straddle jump, broke connection but very clean elements – front tuck, good – full turn – switch ring, small check – full in, great landing, small hop in place – overtime. Shame about the side aerial, an odd mistake, probably didn’t need to wobble but just adjusted herself tentatively.
13.400.
Liu – fhs front tuck, deep but secure – switch – split ring leap, a little rough and not connected – full turn – split leap to side aerial – split jump to wolf, quite nice – aerial – split ring jump, not getting all her connection but very secure – switch ring, leg-up check – 2/1 dismount, step to the side. Not the great beam she can do because of injury, but a solid routine. Very long, overtime.
12.766
Alt – bhs layout mount, check – side aerial loso, secure, feet form – full turn outward, check – switch, switch 1/2, larger break – aerial to straddle jump – switch ring, small correction – split leap to side somi, wobble – double tuck, hop back. Fine but too many checks in that one.
13.300 for Alt, puts her into 3rd.
Gold – Schaefer
Silver – Hurd
Bronze – Alt
GERMAN TEARS FESTIVAL.
I was doubtful about Schaefer’s beam chances this year because she doesn’t have a particularly high difficulty, but she was done a service with the harsh E scores on beam because it made D matter less.
We’ll be doing medal ceremonies for the first two before moving on.
And now…
MEN’S PARALLEL BARS FINAL
Zou – 3/4 twist 1/2, then healy, strong – diamidov – peach 1/2 – peach – lovely straddle forward to swing – bhavsar, very clean – tippelt, hit – strong handstands throughout – double front 1/2 out, nearly stuck, step forward, tried to save the stick but couldn’t. Excellent. Will be one of the most difficult routines.
15.900. Amazing. Oleg is really the only one with potential to match that, but 2017 Oleg?
Lin – double back – peak 1/2, clean – peak – diamidov – front straddle, all very clean – bhavsar up to L hold – tippelt up to handstand, very clean – healy down – double pike, stuck. Another excellent routine. Won’t match Zou, but quite good.
15.133.
Belyavskiy – peach – full turn a little rushed – clean in tippelt – love the dynamics on his bhavsar – precise handstands later in his routine – stutz, clean – double front 1/2 out, sticks. Another good set.
15.266 and into second. I actually thought Lin’s was stronger. Is that scandalous?
Braegger – peach to bhavsar, a little more abrupt in catch than the others – tippelt up to handstand, clean – good healy work – one small muscle up to handstand – diamidov 1/2, quite nice – double front 1/2 out, step forward. Good, but not as clean as the others.
14.733.
Arican – peach to one, struggles mightily in handstand but saves it – another long pause in handstand – complex pirouetting but will get hit for arches – diamidov – completely losing his legs on the swing – off from the beginning. Shame. Near stick on double front 1/2 out though.
14.100
Verniaiev – peach 1/2, OK – peach to one to healy, good – 3/4 to 1/4 turn down – tippelt, good – bhavsar, strong -double front 1/2 out and stuck – relief for him. A couple small breaks, not as clean as Zou, but important for him to end on an actually good routine.
15.833. Just misses catching Zou, and I think that’s probably right.
Nguyen – quick on opening piros, good – double tuck – very high on release skills – peak – peach 1/2, short of hs – double back – healy – double back full, step forward. Good set, not as clean as the prospective medalists, though.
14.700
Larduet – peach, hand adjustment – peak 1/2 – healy, solid – huge front straddle – good bhavsar and tippelt work, high – stutz – double front 1/2 out, small hop
Great final. Very high quality.
15.166. Into 4th. Wow, very close and high quality.
Gold – Zou
Silver – Verniaiev
Bronze – Belvayskiy
Belyavskiy’s basically a medal machine now.
WOMEN’S FLOOR FINAL
Murakami – may get credit for that quad turn – nails double double tuck – DLO, very strong as well – 2.5 to front full, small hop – switch ring – split 1.5, not quite around enough – good double L turn – bounces back out of her double pike but that was the biggest landing issue of the routine. Excellent.
14.233
Moors – very good Pod, just a small slide – front 2/1 to front full, tries to connnect stag but doesn’t – double attitude turn, not too bad but does fall out a little, covers it with built-in cover choreo – switch ring and Ferrari – split jump 1/1 – 2.5 to front tuck with a lunge. Hit routine! Hugs and kisses from Elvira
13.650. Good number.
Mori – DLO, hollow to the point of piked, abrupt stagger steps – nice double Y position into illusion, a true Y – 2.5 to very whippy layout – full in, solid – switch side 1/2 – 3/1, very crossed legs. Not at the level of the other two.
13.266
Carey – excellent double double tuck, small slide, very high – small hop back on DLO 1/1 as well – double turn, pointless – L hop 1/1 – switch full – front 2/1 to stag, well controlled – split full – small slide on full in. Excellently executed routine, really only artistry deductions that should put her below Mai.
14.200. Correct. (Although she actually lost it on difficulty, not execution. She doesn’t have enough D in dance elements.)
Fragapane – DLO 1/1, significant stumble back, just does stay in – good DLO to indeterminate jump – split jump 1/1 – switch 1/2 – double arabian, very good, small hop – split 1.5 – sticks double pike. She has been on on floor so far. Just that first pass landing and the leaps that will take her score a bit lower.
13.933.
Mai looks like she’s about to die of nervousness.
Black – popa, good – 2.5 stepout to double tuck, just takes it too far and OOB – front 2/1 to front tuck, hop in place – split full, short of split, switch 1/1 – front full through to double pike, staggered low landing –
12.900
Fidelis – 1.5 through to double arabian, step forward – whip triple, very nice, small hop back, good twisting shape – switch ring to switch 1/2 – open full in, small hop – split ring leap – double pike, a little short with a hop, but a very clean and successful set.
13.666
Ferrari – double double tuck, a little short, hop – whip full in to her face – she landed behind the scoreboard so I couldn’t see what happened, but the medical team is coming out and she is not continuing. Oh Vanessa.
So that means
Gold – Murakami
Silver – Carey
Bronze – Fragapane
A fitting podium. Of course Moors was excellent, but her D just wasn’t up there enough to medal.
Ferrari carried off.
Mai finally has her medal, and it’s a worthy gold.
One final to go!
MEN’S HORIZONTAL BAR FINAL
During the Tin Srbic introduction, they flashed Ferrari’s score. 3.933. Not really necessary at that point.
Bart – stoop full with a pause – stoop 1/2 – Kovacs to Cassina to Kolman, excellent – yamawaki – stalder fwd 1/2 – hop full late – double double layout, two small steps. Fun routine, some late positions, JUSTT did catch that Cassina.
14.200
Braegger – Cassina – Kolman – layout tkatchev to tkatchev 1/2, all well done – NOOO stoop 1/2 and over, extra swings – layout tkatchev – too late on some piros – rybalko – full – double double layout, step to the side –
13.733
Epke – Cassina to kovacs caught hilariously and acrobatically on one arm and continues – Kovacs and Kolman caught – stalder rybalko, insane – stoop 1/2 – hop full – double double layout with steps back. Major mistake but that’s literally what we come here to see from Epke.
14.233. LOLOLOLOLOL. Two tenths lower than his Q score.
Hegi – muscles up early – also struggling to keep his veritcals, loses legs in a Kolman – stoop full – yamawaki – full turn – DLO 1/1, large lunge forward. Not one of his better sets. Hit, but a lot to take.
12.733
Leru – zou li min – stoop 1/2, good – Liukin, hit – layout tkatchev to tkatchev to tkatchev 1/2, very nice – layout tkatchev 1/2, caught – double double layout and sits it down!! He had that. It was a great routine. He had it.
13.100
Miyachi – here we go – does the 2/1 layout kovacs (miyachi, now) and then peels off on the tucked version, the Bretschneider! No! Does Bret again and hit – Cassina liooks like childs play, as do Kolman and Kovacs, he’s got the whole set – very late stoop 1/2 and will get hit for hs – DLO 1/1, opens well out of it, hop forward.
13.733 with a fall. LOL. Into 4th on E tiebreak with Braegger
Srbic – stalder rybalko crazy – tkatchev to layout tkatchev to tkatchev 1/2 – stoop 1/2 – layout tkatchev 1/2 – stoop 1/1, OK – stalder full, same – DLO 1/1 and stuck. Cleanest routine of the final so far by a long way, also got the fewest cheers from the crowd. Those things are related.
14.433. Because actually clean.
Belyavskiy – stoopp 1/2 – layout tkatchev – layout tkatchev 1/2 to one-arm – tries to Epke it but less gracefully – great flair on yaamawaki – german giants – DLO 1/1, stuck
13.533.
Gold – Srbic
Silver – Epke
Bronze – Bart
Fun final. Quite a mess, but a fun final. The least exciting routine was the one that won, but it was the only reasonably executed set.
So that’s it for worlds routines! See you once I’m alive again for final thoughts.