It’s almost over! We’ll begin today with men’s vault. So, gird thyselves.

Qualifiers: Yulo, Yonekura, Yang, Tulloch, Medvedev, Grasso, Emard, Chepurnyi

As we wait, there is one withdrawal today. Zhang Boheng pulled out of PBars (like he did rings yesterday). He’s replaced by Shi Cong, who had been 2-pered out of the final.

On vault, Chepurnyi and Yang tied for the top average in qualification, with Yulo and Yonekura both within a tenth.

The main rooting interest today is for the award ceremonies to be…less. Auspiciously, there are no Infinity Awards being presented today. Though there is a closing ceremony planned. But as that is after the everything, we don’t have to care.

MAN VAULT

Yulo 1 – Kas 2/1 – lovely form, medium bounce back, just not much you can take in the air. Would have wanted a little more control. 14.800

Yulo 2 – Dragulescu is phenomenal. Great height, controls the landing very well, just a small hop in place. Not much cowboy. 15.033 for that one.

Avg: 14.916. That would have placed 1st in qualification.

Yonekura 1 – Kas 2.5 is his first vault, so he has .4 D on Yulo – a very successful vault, but lots of leg crossing in the air and a large lunge to the side, also a little under-rotated. 15.000. Only .2 higher than Yulo on E, which is wrong.

Yonekura 2 – handspring randi is also strong, same leg crossing, hop to the side. 14.733

Avg: 14.866, and into 2nd place. Which to me is the correct ranking. Yulo had .4 lower D but was more than that better on execution.

Yang 1 – HUGE Kas 2/1 – hm, he posted the 2.5 – a little bit of chest down position, hop back. But solid form, medium hop back and to the side. 14.766.

Yang 2 – ayyy, not even really sure what handspring vault he was attempting there, this time he posted the 2.5 but it looks like he wanted to try the triple? But he sits it down regardless. Maybe he wasn’t sure either. 14.033

His feet BARELY hit before his everything. Well, he still got credit for the triple?

Avg: 14.399

Tulloch 1 – Dragulescu is hit but struggles to control the landing with two pretty significant lunges back. 14.300

Tulloch 2 – Tsuk double pike, a bit more control on that landing, bounces back but keeps it to one bounce. 14.466

Avg: 14.383, so he’s behind Yang despite hitting 2 vaults……

So that’s the first group. Pleased to see Yulo in first because his vaults warranted it, and after Yonekura’s first, it didn’t look like things were going that direction.

Medvedev 1 – Tsuk double pike – lands quite deep and forward, lunges, ankle cruncher of a vault. 14.533

Medvedev 2 – handsrping double front pike is much stronger, good height, medium lunge forward, just a bit of soft knees. 14.766

Avg: 14.649, which is currently 3rd.

Grasso 1 – It’s a Yurchenko! Yurchenko 3/1, pretty vault. 14.833. Loses his legs some at the end, smaller hop back.

Grasso 2 – lower difficulty on this one Kas 1.5, which is perfectly solid, some form, a little hop to the side. 14.266

Avg: 14.549, which puts him in 4th. Just didn’t have the D for a vault final.

Emard 1 – Yikes, has a rough time on his Kas 1.5, very short and sits it down. 13.266

Emard 2 – Also a rough time on his handsrping double front, not close, sits it down. Not the execution that saw him qualify into the final despite his lower difficulty. 13.133

Avg: 13.199

Chepurnyi 1 – Top qualifier, definite medal threat – Dragulescu is very strong, little hop back, a bit more cowboy than Yulo’s and some flexed feet, but very good. 14.866.

Chepurnyi 2 – UH OH – Kas 2/1 attempt and not close, lands it to his hands and knees, will get a score for feet first, but trouble. 13.433

Avg: 14.149.

FINAL
Gold: Yulo – 14.916
Silver: Yonekura – 14.866
Bronze: Medvedev – 14.649

No complaints with the podium there. That was the right order. I mean, technically I think there should have been a penalty for Medvedev for doing a back tuck on the podium while waiting to go (at least there would be that deduction for women, like the Chinese women in 2003 TF), but that’s a BS rule, so I don’t care.

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Time for beam! Oh, they’re motoring right along to the next final today. I guess someone received some notes?

Qualifiers: Vorona, Luo, Ashikawa, Schaefer, Andrade, Murakami, DiCello, Melnikova, Wong

Vorona – switch, small hesitation into split leap to double stag, nice positions – aerial, check before split ring jump – switch, another pause before sheep jump, wobble – bhs bhs loso series, small arm wave but solid – switch ring, squeeze correction, breaks connection into korbut – wolf triple triessssss to pull it around but can’t, falls – started moving in reverse speed toward the end of that turn – side aerial, good – double tuck, large stumble back, multiple lunges.

Valentina’s like, NO INFINITY AWARD FOR YOU.

11.833

Luo – candle mount, good – round off to layout and a crazy fall, way off line, clatters to the ground after being ejected from the beam – switch ring, small pause before bhs – split jump to wolf jump – switch to split ring leap, check – aerial to split ring jump to korbut, perfect – split 1/2 from side – 21/, stuck. Damn the end of that was so good. Of course. Sigh.

Well, I hated it.

Still waiting on the score. Can we SPEED IT UP A LITTLE.

Like, is this the first fall you’ve ever judged?

Still gets a 13.400. I hope everyone falls and that wins.

Ashikawa – bhs mount, clean – bhs loso, good extension, confident – nice back leg on sissone – split ring jump, small hold squeeze – switch to sheep, arm wave – side somi, no problem – split 1/2 from side, good – switch ring, hits it, a lean save but nothing like Q – sdie aerial to split jump – double turn, small correction – 3/1 dismount, good. She could win with that.

14.100, 1st place.

Luo has submitted an inquiry. That’s really what the timing of this final needs.

The time spent scoring Luo Rui’s beam has been an entire final.

LOL, a punishment downgrade on appeal. Her score goes down to 13.300.

Schaefer – switch mount with a check, works through it to split but broken connection – bhs loso, smalllll wobble – switch ring, secure – double turn, hits pretty well – Schaefer is well done, small hop to the side – aerial to split jump to split ring, a little bit of feet here and there – side aerial, anotehr little correction – gainer layout dismount, lovely, stuck. Great work.

13.800 and into 2nd place.

Andrade – BB – switch mount and immediately falls, way off, no chance – switch 1/2, arm wave – bhs loso, a little short, leans to hold it – aerial, another check before split ring jump, wonderful position – split jump 1/2, small correction – switch ring, hit – side aerial, secure – wolf to sissone – double pike small hop forward.

12.500. 2 hits out of 5 so far in the final.

Murakami – BB – candle mount, a little strength and pike to hold it – front pike, nailed it – bhs loso, solid, and then a little check working out – aerial to split to straddle, hit – front tuck, leg up wobble – wolf triple, hit , wolf double, a little less sure but fine – switch ring, huge break but keeps it on the beam, leg up to horizontal in saving it – double pike, hop back. A hit, though some larger errors. But a hit beam in her possible farewell.

13.733 for Mai, she’s into third place behind Schaefer.

DiCello – candle mount, lowers a little quick but fine – wolf triple, lots of arm waving but brings it around – wolf double was better – side aerial, small check – switch to sissone, nice – bhs loso loso and falls – aerial, little check to dance combo, shortish positions – finishes with her double tuck dismount, pulls it around, chest down, hop.

11.866 and a 4.9 D score. They were like, “No.” “Whatever you’re selling…no.”

Melnikova – switch to switch combination and immediately falls. THIS BEAM FINAL. bhs loso series, wobbly, a little messy too – oh man another large break on a straddle jump, she’s like GOODBYE – bhs 1/1 – wolf double, a little wobbly – side somi, hit – split ring jump is great – double pike, a bit short, stagger.

This final.

12.400 and that’s ahead of two people.

Wong – switch to straddle, little arm wave – side aerial to loso, huge break but stays on, may have touched the beam, yeah she did – L turn to full turn, still a little slow in combination -s witch ring – side somi, another large break with arm wave – straddle 1/2 from side – aerial to split is nice – 2.5 dismount, little hop. Enough mistakes that that will…still rank pretty well. But not enough of a hit to medal.

13.333 and 4th place.

That was truly the worst beam final and I loved every second of it.

FINAL
Gold: Ashikawa – 14.100
Silver: Schaefer – 13.800
Bronze: Murakami – 13.733

Three people hit, three people medaled. Well, it won’t be controversial.

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Yay, it’s time for the medal ceremoniessssssss!!!! I hope they’re bloated and slow!

Yulo is up on the stand with the Philippines flag.

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MAN TWO BARS

Qualifiers: Hashimoto, Kaya, Yulo, Baumann, Souza, Hu, Moldauer, Shi

Hashimoto – healy to start – peach 1/2 a little bit of hand placement – peach – front straddle, great height, fab – bhavsar, smoothly done, a little low – tippelt, crisp handstand – stutz, no trouble – double front 1/2 out was super high but he ended up landing in a deep squat with a hop. Good but opened the door.

Well maybe not that much. 15.000

Kaya – healy, good – peach 1/2, a little quick out of handstand – front straddle, solid – bhavsar, higher than Hashimoto’s – tippelt, solid – stutz 1/4, back up to handstand, clean – doubel front 1/2 out, also lands pretty deep with a shuffle to the side. VERY similar routine to Hashimoto’s but for me Hashimoto’s is a bit crisper, the handstands cleaner, small differences.

14.900, second place.

Yulo – peach to one, healy, really nice – Makuts gets arched on one bar, he pulled it back but a thing – really good rhythm on his bhavsar – tippelt, good – diam, right to handstand – double front 1/2, nearly stuck, good chest up. Great finish, but how much will that early arch hurt him?

None, I guess. 15.300 and 1st place.

Baumann – huge error at the start, misses his hand at the end of a long-swing Makuts and has to save it with his arms – now a big arch on one rail and he is not able to save it, falls – resumes, regular Makuts is solid – bhavsar, nice and smooth – tippelt, good amplitude – stutz, clean – double front 1/2, big problems, a lunge and then an additional FML step or two

12.333

Souza – struggles a little up to his first hs – gets it together – peach is solid – doubel front to arms, gets it, thought he might not – healy – front straddle to arms, good – moy, a little low – tippelt, good control – double front 1/2, short landing, pretty large lunge. Not his best.

14.566, 4th place.

Hu – long swing makuts – Makuts, good – diam, some feet but fine – peach 1/2, pretty loose in back – front straddle to arms, good – healy – bhavsar is nicely done – tippelt, no trouble – double pike, small scoot back. Good, some moments of loose back and form, but will score well.

15.466 and first place. Slightly lower E than Yulo but has two tenths on D.

Moldauer – front straddle, so high – tuck 1/2 – diam a little late – peach 1/2, slight hesitation – makuts, nice – layout 1/2 to arms, good – double front 1/2, shuffle back. Not as strong as qualification but still a nice routine. Showing the difficulty he will need this quad.

15.000, well a better score than qualification ( I thought he had a few more small things this time). 4th place.

Shi – makuts, really comfortable – peach 1/2, some loose back and arm placements – front straddle to arms, great height – bhavsar, solid – tippelt, hesitates up to handstand as he goes for a healy right out of it – double pike, lunge back. Some REALLY nice moments there.

15.066 and into 3rd place. Warranted best E score of the bunch, but the lowest D of the final.

FINAL
Gold: Hu – 15.466
Silver: Yulo – 15.300
Bronze: Shi – 15.066

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To floor!

Qualifiers: Urazova, Bachynska, Wong, Hiraiwa, Melnikova, Murakami, Ceplinschi, Dicello

Urazova – double y to illusion, excellent, around – double pike, chest a bit down, slide – 2.5 to front tuck, little hop – split leap to split full, around – wolf triple and wolf double, smoothly done – front 2/1, lunge forward, saves herself from stepping OOB but going on tiptoes – 2/1, stuck, leg crossing. Solid overall, lowish D that won’t hold up if it’s not another meltdown final.

13.700. Good number though.

Bachynska – full in, slightly ragged, controls the landing, little slide forward – double arabian, somewhat deep but OK, gets out of it with a hop back – double Y spin – switch ring to split ring leap, not bad – double pike, bounce back – switch 1/2 – double tuck, some cowboy, bounce back. A good hit for her in a final.

13.033.

Wong – double L turn to full turn, gets it around, a little out of control – double double, somewhat down, little stagger on landing – pretty popa – whip to 3/1, bounce backward – switch ring, you know – 2.5 to front full, somehow manages to pull it around despite being quite low, little movement – double pike, solid, slide back. Not the level of her Q or AA routines but close. Should still score fairly well.

13.833 and gets her ahead of Urazova by .133. 4 tenths of a D edge for Wong there.

Hiraiwa – falls out of triple turn to start – DLO, short, lunge forward – switch ring and split leap full are nicely done – oooof, 2.5 to front tuck, got nothing on front tuck, sits it down – nice triple y after that – wolf double – front 2/1, littel shuffle forward

12.133

Melnikova – DLO 1/1, good, chest up, hop back – double L turn, overturns into 2/1 turn – DLO, chest a little down but fine, small bop back – switch to split ring 1/2 – front 1/1 is again a little issue with a bounce forward – wolf triple, pulls it around, wolf double nice – double pike, shuffle back. That was her best floor of the competition.

Long wait.

14.000, and she is into first but with the same score as Q and a lower D. Not sure what she lost there.

Murakami – nearly around on triple y but not sure it was quite there – double double, chest down, bounce, keeps it in bounds – DLO, nice chest up, bounce back – 2.5 to front full, such clean twisting position, little hop – double L, very good – switch ring is OK, a little shy – double pike, hop back. Good job, could go into first what with Melnikova’s downgrade.

Curtain call for her.

Ooooh. 13.966. She also didn’t get her same D from qualification. Comes in JUST behind Melnikova.

Ceplinschi – split ring leap 1/2, not quite at Melnikova’s but not horrible – DLO, bounce back – full in, completed comfortably, hop – switch ring and switch 1/2, solid switch 1/2 position – double tuck to immediate front tuck, yes you did – split leap full – double pike, a little crunched, slide back. I don’t think her D will be there, but delightful.

Do we have an inquiry for Murakami? A tenth would put her ahead of Melnikova, but I’m not sure I would have given the triple y either.

Ohhhhhhh, Murakami’s score is suddenly now 14.066. She got a tenth back on inquiry. I’m…not sure I agree.

13.366 for Ceplinschi and 5th place.

DiCello – double double tuck, bounce back – 1.5 to front full, stuck well – wolf triple, around, wolf double, overturns some – switch ring, little stumble landing it, to split leap full – double pike, short landing with a hop. It could medal. Did the double pike cost her?

It did cost her. 13.633 and out of the medals.

FINAL
Gold: Murakami – 14.066
Silver: Melnikova – 14.000
Bronze: Wong – 13.833

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High bar to finish.

Qualifiers: Macchini, Georgiou, Karimi, Uchimura, Hashimoto, Kovtun, Malone, Hu

Beam is not a role model.

Macchini – gaylord 1/2, great – Cassina jusssst somehow caught it – piked kovacs, leg break on catch – Kolman is a bit better – rybalko, somewhat late – zou li min – tak 1/1, finishes at horizontal – tak 1/2 is OK – giant full – DLO 2/1, nice finish on dismount, small hop. That routine was ALL OVER THE PLACE in a way I enjoy.

14.966, huge D score, huge number. He is as surprised as me.

Georgiou – tak 1/2, pretty good – Cassina, caught – Kolman, good amplitude – layout tkatchev – tkatchev – oooooh goes over the wrong way on a tak – that will take him out of it. finishes DLO 2/1, deep, large lunge.

13.666

Karimi – yamawaki, one of the better ones – Cassina, soooo far, caught it – Kovacs to kolamn, got them – he’s hitting, he’s hitting! – endo 1/1, late – DLO 2/1, lots of leg form, small hop. But he hit. And it’s a miracle.

14.833 and 2nd place.

Uchimura Time – Bretschnider is caught, a little close, big elbow break swinging out of it – Cassina, nice – Kolman so high but again caught pretty close – adds back the stalder rybalko and it’s late but hit – tak full is lovely into a yamawaki, close again – tak 1/2, nicely doen – hop full, somewhat late – DLO 2/1, with a signature Kohei stick.

He hit it. I know we all love Kohei, but that should not do it.

14.600 and 3rd place. I mean, it’s right. It’s sad, but it’s right.

Hashimoto – tak 1/2, a bit late – Cassina, solid – Kolman, well done – layout tkatchev to tkatchev 1/2 – tak 1/1 is late but normal late – yamawaki, a little pike – DLO 2/1, lunge back, and an extra step. Nice one. I can see that going to 1st, even with the dismount.

15.066, he goes ahead of Macchini by a tenth. No medal for Kohei.

Kovtun – layout tkatchev – layout tkatchev 1/2 – yamawaki, slightly crooked – tkatchev – tkatchev 1/2 – tak 1/1, lateness – tak 1/2, OK – gaint full – DLO 2/1, hop forward. Solid one. Gave away nothing large.

14.166 and 5th place. Didn’t have the D to medal but I thought his E would be more competitive than that.

Malone – Cassina, caught – Kolman, good swing out of it – layout tkatchev to tkatchev 1/2, strong – layout tkatchev 1/2 – tak 1/1, nice vertical – tak 1/2, same – DLO 2/1, stuck. VERY strong routine. Should hold up very well. Not sure he can do much better.

14.966, he ties Macchini but is into 2nd place on execution tiebreak.

Hu – tak 1/1, pretty late – Liukin is hit, ragged position, but a Liukin – tkatchev and tkatchev 1/2 – layout tkatchev 1/2, good – tak 1/2 – some of the twisting positions getting late and ragged here – finishes DLO 2/1, good stick though.

15.166 and first place. I don’t understand high bar.

FINAL
Gold: Hu – 15.166
Silver: Hashimoto – 15.066
Bronze: Malone – 14.966