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 |
wow, I rating for the beam? that’s definitely something! skip right over the letter H !!
I wonder though if we will ever see a D score of 7+ from her anytime though… it’s certainly is possible…
If she added back the front pike and that damn barani that would bring her to a 6.8 with the double double dismount, but I don’t really see where else she could upgrade, she did train an arabian at some point, so that would give her two extra tenths and get her D to a 7.0 but that routine would probably be somewhat inconsistent for her I think, she often struggled on her front tucks and on her barani.
Technically in this quad the CoP was all brought down 5 tenths so…last quad it would totally pass a 7.0 D-score.
If the USAG is going to give stick bonuses, I wish they would post them as “Neutral Bonuses”. Real D-score, plus Real E-score, + .1 NB. Same with devaluing the lower difficulty vaults. Put it as a .2 Neutral Deduction. That way those of us who want to see D-scores but don’t have time or knowledge to break down the routines, can see what their real difficulty values are.
(Seems funny to add the stick bonus to the D anyway. “Here’s Morgan Hurd performing a full-in dismount. And here’s Grace McCallum performing a more difficult dismount- the STUCK full-in!” It doesn’t make sense. Sticking is an execution matter, so if it’s added into anything, it should be the E-score.)
^^ 100% agree ^^
I truly wish there were a record of the meeting in which was decided to not just give a stick bonus but to apply it to the D score, rather than the two other places you mention that make a million times more sense. Was this instituted back in the days of the 10 point system? Were there drugs and/or alcohol involved? I would like to understand.
Yes, the stick score should be a “neutral bonus.” It makes zero sense to add it to the D-score. Even adding the stick bonus to the E-score makes more sense than that.
A routine does not magically become more difficult if you stick your dismount. Duh.
LOL. I basically reiterated everything square444 already stated. I didn’t read the entire post before I started typing because I also couldn’t understand why the judges would do something so nonsensical.
Agreed that adding it to the D score makes no sense whatsoever, but I could see the argument against adding it to the E score being that then someone could potentially score a 10.1 execution if they somehow magically got a 10.0 E score, which would necessarily include a stuck landing.
Of course that would basically never happen in today’s scoring (although Simone has come pretty close on vault at least once…). But I’m guessing the hypothetical scenario is why the 0.1 isn’t added to the E score. Anyway, I agree, make it a neutral bonus.
It saddens me that this is what artistic gymnastics has been reduced to. Fuck the code. Fuck open ended scoring.
you are free to go watch ncaa then…..lol…
Seriously. Have fun with that!
How can someone watch Simone and genuinely react like this? Get some damn colour in your life lol.
Does Simone still do the Weiler 1/1? I recall that it sometimes would happen by accident and she submitted it at Worlds just in case it happened in competition. That seems like a good skill to get her name on all four apparatus if she could perfect it.
LOVE!! Especially calling out just how many broadcasters had no clue how to call Simone’s history making moves… sigh eye roll! I couldn’t believe just how many times they showed her last pass and said it was the newest move.
I don’t mind the Code if it gives proper credit for difficulty. If we were still in the world of 10.0 elite scoring, then I could imagine a situation where Queen Aliya beats GOAT Simone on floor. We would be screaming bloody murder over such things. The Code prevents this from happening.
The Code has made gymnastics more into a sport. The sport has evolved, and I think for the better.
I said she’s so amazing we glad to have her on the USA team America finest hatz off Simone Biles.
I’ve always wondered, what would Simone’s floor D score be if these were her passes:
1. Triple double
2. Chuso + split jump
3. Front full to double double
4. Biles to front layout
7.1 or 7.2 depending on whether the triple double is an I or a J #goals
This current routine is just to get her used to the triple double. I am pretty sure she will replace the last 3 passes with something more difficult like bringing back the moor and chuso on top of the triple double