Basically this is my version of every single news organization publishing its WhAt HaPpEn WhEn SiMoNe DoInG aLl ThEm GuMnErStIcS? article. A REAL LIFE GUMNERST EXPLAINS SIMONE’S COOL JUMP.
The only way to survive this onslaught of normals trying to discuss Simone bounce-somersaulting her quiple-dumple flop-flop on the floor dance is to wrap ourselves in the warming glow of D scores.
So, I’ll be going through Simone’s D scores on each event (except for vault because just look at the list) for each day of nationals competition—because there were different things going on in each of her routines each day. It was a real adventure.
On beam on the first day of nationals, Simone performed the double double dismount, which has been given a provisional I rating, which increases her intended D score to 6.6. That’s now just one tenth lower than the D score she was attempting on beam in 2016 when the scores were all 0.5 higher.
| Simone Biles – Beam – Day 1 |
| Squat through mount – A |
| Wolf turn triple (E) |
| Front aerial (D) + Split jump (B) + Straddle jump (B) = 0.1 CV, 0.1 SB |
| Back handspring (B) + Layout stepout (C) + Layout stepout (C) = 0.1 CV, 0.1 SB |
| Switch leap (C) + Switch leap 1/2 (D) + Back pike (C) = 0.2 CV, 0.1 SB |
| Side aerial (D) |
| Split jump 1/2 from side position (D) |
| Sissone (A) + Wolf jump (A) |
| Back handspring (B) + Back handspring (B) + Double-twisting double tuck (I) = 0.2 CV, 0.1 SB |
| Acro – IDDC = 2.0 |
| Dance – EDDC = 1.6 |
| Composition requirements = 2.0 |
| Connection Value = 0.6 |
| Series Bonus = 0.4 |
| D-SCORE = 6.6 |
Keep in mind that the I value for the double double beam dismount is a temporary one. It will not be official until Simone submits the skill at worlds and the women’s technical committee makes a final determination—after Donatella gets out one of those jewel-inspector glasses and is like, “SEVEN FLAWS.” The WTC can adjust the value at that point if they want, and you will lose your shit if they make it lower. Sunrise, sunset.
In that day 1 beam routine, Biles received credit for every skill and connection she attempted to get that 6.6, the double double dismount garnering an additional two tenths over her typical intended routine, which would be 6.4.
That 6.4 routine is the one she attempted on day 2, but she did not receive full credit for that routine.
| Simone Biles – Beam – Day 2 |
| Squat through mount – A |
| Wolf turn triple (E) |
| Front aerial (D) + Split jump (B) + Straddle jump (B) = 0.1 CV, 0.1 SB |
| Back handspring (B) + Layout stepout (C) + Layout stepout (C) = 0.1 CV, 0.1 SB |
| Switch leap (C) + Switch leap 1/2 (D) = 0.1 CV |
| Back pike (C) |
| Side aerial (D) |
| Split jump 1/2 from side position (D) |
| Sissone (A) + Wolf jump (A) |
| Back handspring (B) + Back handspring (B) + Full-twisting double tuck (G) = 0.2 CV, 0.1 SB |
| Acro – GDDC = 1.8 |
| Dance – EDDC = 1.6 |
| Composition requirements = 2.0 |
| Connection Value = 0.5 |
| Series Bonus = 0.3 |
| D-SCORE = 6.2 |
In addition to performing the G dismount instead of the I dismount, there was a broken connection between the switch leap 1/2 and the back pike this time, which eliminates a tenth of connection value as well as the series bonus for that whole sequence, bringing her total D score down to 6.2.
The judges were a bit kind here to give that front aerial to split jump combination because there’s a little lean break in her momentum, but she continues moving so they’re pretty much always going to give that one even though I would characterize that as a halt in the connection.
Moving on to floor, Simone received the same D score on both days of competition, but not for the same reasons.
| Simone Biles – Floor – Day 1 |
| Triple-twisting double tuck (J) |
| 1/2-twisting double layout (G) + Stag jump (A) = 0.1 CV |
| Switch leap 1/1 (D) |
| Wolf turn double (D) |
| Front full (C) through to Full-twisting double tuck (E) = 0.2 CV |
| Switch leap (B) |
| Split leap 1/1 (C)** – (downgrade from attempted split leap 1.5) |
| Double-twisting double tuck (H) |
| Acro – JHGEC = 3.3 |
| Dance – DDC = 1.1 |
| Composition requirements = 2.0 |
| Connection Value = 0.3 |
| D-SCORE = 6.7 |
The triple double has been given a J rating (the same provisional situation as the double double rating applies here), and she gets credit for the skill despite falling because she landed it first. That means her intended score for this routine will have been 6.8, but the attempted split leap 1.5 before her final pass was clearly under-rotated (she lands after completing a full turn then performs the remaining 1/2 turn after landing), which means it got C value instead of D value, which puts her at 6.7.
Also, let’s be honest, Simone’s commitment to that stag jump out of her Biles was pretty, “Not good things were going on in here” in this routine, but it was given as a skill.
On day 2, Simone also received a 6.7 D score, but this time she did not perform the stag out of her Biles at all, losing one tenth in connection bonus. She did, however, fully rotate the split leap 1.5 this time to get D credit and gain that tenth back.
| Simone Biles – Floor – Day 2 |
| Triple-twisting double tuck (J) |
| 1/2-twisting double layout (G) |
| Switch leap 1/1 (D) |
| Wolf turn double (D) |
| Front full (C) through to Full-twisting double tuck (E) = 0.2 CV |
| Switch leap (B) |
| Split leap 1.5 (D) |
| Double-twisting double tuck (H) |
| Acro – JHGEC = 3.3 |
| Dance – DDD = 1.2 |
| Composition requirements = 2.0 |
| Connection Value = 0.2 |
| D-SCORE = 6.7 |
Bars is typically the event where we have the fewest developments in terms of D scores because the skills are the skills, but Simone did have different D scores on the two days of competition (6.1 on day 1 and 6.3 on day 2), though that looks more dramatic than it actually was.
| Simone Biles – Bars – Day 1 |
| Weiler 1/2 (D) |
| Toe-on Shaposhnikova (D) + Tkatchev (D) = 0.2 CV |
| Toe-on full (D) + Tkatchev piked (E) + Pak (D) = 0.3 CV |
| Toe-on Shaposhnikova 1/2 (E) |
| Double-twisting double tuck (F) |
| FEEDDDDD = 3.6 |
| Composition requirements = 2.0 |
| CV = 0.5 |
| D-SCORE = 6.1 |
On day 1, Biles broke the connection between her initial Weiler 1/2 and the toe-on Shaposh and had to add an extra cast handstand in between, which cost her 0.1 connection bonus, taking her intended 6.2 routine down to a 6.1.
On day 2, Biles made that connection and received the one-tenth domestic bonus for sticking her dismount, which brought her up to a 6.3 D-score, which is one tenth higher than the routine she is attempting. So now she’ll go to worlds and get a 6.2 D and everyone will be like, “WHY DIDN’T SHE GET THE 6.3 FROM NATIONALS” and we’ll be like, “Sigh.”
| Simone Biles – Bars – Day 2 |
| Weiler 1/2 (D) + Toe-on Shaposhnikova (D) + Tkatchev (D) = 0.3 CV |
| Toe-on full (D) + Tkatchev piked (E) + Pak (D) = 0.3 CV |
| Toe-on Shaposhnikova 1/2 (E) |
| Double-twisting double tuck (F) |
| One-tenth domestic stick bonus = 0.1 |
| FEEDDDDD = 3.6 |
| Composition requirements = 2.0 |
| CV = 0.6 |
| Domestic stick bonus = 0.1 |
| D-SCORE = 6.3 |