SCHEDULE (US Times, links to streaming)
Thursday, December 17
6:45am ET/3:45am PT – Senior Qualification 1 (UKR, ROU, HUN, TUR)
8:45am ET/5:45am PT – Senior Qualification 2 (CZE, CRO, LAT, LUX)
Friday, December 18
6:00am ET/3:00am PT – Junior TF/AA 1 (UKR, ROU, CZE, SLO)
8:00am ET/6:00am PT – Junior TF/AA 2 (TUR, HUN, CRO, BUL)
Saturday, December 19
7:30am ET/4:30am PT – Senior Team Final
Sunday, December 20
2:00am ET/11:00pm PT – Junior Event Finals
7:00am ET/4:00am PT – Senior Event Finals
TEAM
The senior team competition will be a fight between Ukraine and Romania, one will come down exclusively to who has the fewest meltdowns in the team final. Because as we all know, “who do you trust more to hit, Ukraine or Romania?” is a trick question.
On paper, these teams are very close, although that paper is also riddled with domestic scoring and coffee stains. Ukraine’s most compelling avenue to victory is through bars, where the team’s scoring history is much stronger and where, by contrast, the best case scenario for Romania would be having to count only one score in the 11s and no one going to the hospital with a grip stuck in her ear. (That’s not where you put it?)
Ukraine has the ability to pick up multiple points on bars, but establishing that advantage is incumbent on the entire team hitting. Eeesh. If even one of the Ukrainians falls, and Iordache and Sfiringu get the grown-up scores they’re capable of, then bars scoring isn’t even that disparate between the two, and the clear team advantage would go to Romania.
I’d give Romania the slight edge on vault for being more consistent and having the best individual vault from Iordache. On floor, Romania should have the bigger routines, especially if they perform like they did at national event finals, though keep in mind that both Varinska and Radivilova sometimes score secretly well on floor. Romania’s strategy for victory will be to do better on vault and floor and then just be exactly the same amount of disastrous as Ukraine on bars and beam so that Ukraine can’t establish an advantage anywhere.
Of significant note, Romania has made a team change, subbing Daniela Trica back in for Maria Holbura just like I wanted them to and complained about plenty. I’m not saying it was all me, I’m just saying I’m currently in charge of Romanian gymnastics. Please direct all inquiries to Daniela Sofronie.
As for the others, Hungary should advance to the team final comfortably and be in compelling position for bronze, though the Czech Republic and an unproven-but-talented Turkish squad will be thinking, “Hey, why the hell not?”
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