The most important day of the gymnastics year (fight me) is now upon us. The US women qualified in first place by a little more than five points, followed by Great Britain, then China about a half point back of GB, Brazil 1.4 behind China, and then Italy another 2 points behind Brazil. Let’s go.

We have some interesting beam lineup choices today with Fenton going up instead of Kinsella for GB and Wong going instead of Blakely for the US, both very reactive to misses in qualification. GB is going with Evans on vault, though we’ll see if she takes the risk and goes for the 2.5 or not. China is also not using Qiu Qiyuan on beam, which would have been a surprise before the competition, but not so much after Zhou’s qualification performance.

The camera just scared the crap out of Flavia, so if things don’t go well today, we have a culprit.

Great Britain is the first team to do a try for their intro. And now France has done the cancan. Is that supposed to tell me you’re French? Japan and Italy have gone with poses. Honestly, the Dutch one wasn’t that Dutch today. You’re supposed to be too much to even begin. China, Brazil, and the US elected to do nothing, which may be the best medal predictor of all.

Sam tells us that Simone is going with the Cheng for TF.

John tells us that Josc has injured herself on her Cheng. Carried out of the arena. If she can’t go, imagine we’ll see Wong step in on those events.

Rotation 1

Boyer – FX – FRA – front full to front tuck – drops a little too early on the double L turn so shouldn’t get that one – split leap full, good – double pike, short landing, lunge forward – y spin also drops a little early but close to 2 turns – gets the wolf triple – lots of things but a hit today. 12.633

13.500 for Iorio to start Italy on beam, solid result.

Ou – UB – China – van leeuwen, good leg position – late full turn, hits piked jaeger well – pak, good – maloney to gienger, solid – short cast hs on high – toe on – FTDT, a little jarred but just a small step. 13.766 is a bit down on qualification

Jones – VT – USA –  DTY, good in the air, small hop back and then a little too amped with another hop forward after the hop back. 14.100

Hatakeda – FX – Japan – double tuck, hop back – goes for the triple L! looked like her leg kept up all the way to we’ll see if the judges bite – wrenches around her triple wolf, think she finished it – double y – split leap full – double pike, chest well down, hop forward. 12.866

13.166 bars for Oliveira.

Achampong – VT – GB – DTY, nice height, just a little foot crossing, hop back, some direction. 14.166, so a bit ahead of Jones.

12.966 beam for Visser to start for the Dutch.

Esposito – BB – Italy – bhs mount to loso loso is excellent – aerial, hit – triple wolf, excellent – switch to split jump 1/2 to split jump, excellent – side aerial, solid, little foot slide back – double pike, hop back

Hatakeda submitted an inquiry on floor.

14.533 bars for Huang ZF, good number.

Wong 14.066 vault, Evans has not risked the Amanar, DTY for 14.000

Flavia is through bars – good maloney to gienger hit – I hate this camera angle – double tuck, stuck. Nice. She’s a bars specialist now. How are we supposed to see anything with this rollercoaster camera work?

14.133 beam for Esposito! Excellent.

Biles – VT – USA – Does the Cheng, hits it pretty well, a little closed at the end but did so to control the landing, which she did, small hop to the side, some leg crossing. 14.800 with a 9.2 E.

Qiu – UB – China – layout jaeger, did she clip the bar? We couldn’t possibly tell with this vile camera work – inbar hit, adds a cast after – stalder tkatchev piked – pak, nice – van leeuwen, caught, just a bit for form – FTDT, a little jelly on landing with a step back

Checking back in with Evans on the DTY, good vault, little knee form, hop back

Qiu gets 14.733, which is not as high as qualification but still good, so probably didn’t clip the bar with that score?

The first disaster of the team final belongs to GB as Gadirova has 13.000 on her Cheng.

Andrade – UB – Brazil – maloney to stalder full, gets it around but very late, connects to piked jaeger to pak to van leeuwen, yes you did – piked jaeger, a little close but fine – toe full to FTDT, stuck. Good. 14.400

Kishi 12.833 on floor.

DJDS – FX – France – DLO 1/1, looks like she just kept it in, some pike, hop forward – split jump full – front lay to double tuck, just a small step – switch full, good – wolf triple – double pike a little short, hop forward.

Andreoli helps Italy survive beam with a 13.033. 40.666 total.

41.299 bars score for Brazil, a point better than qualification.

Wevers – BB – Netherlands – bhs mount to immediate wolf full, a little pause before bhs – double L attempt, drops too early – side aerial to bhs and falls. I think it’s because Schlangy just called her a two-time Olympian. Dude, she has a gold. Resumes with aerial, a little shaky into split jump – L turn to full turn to double turn to split leap was gorgeous – gainer pike full dismount, stuck.

Well, it’s ruined. That’s all over now.

13.700 floor for Melanie.

Miyata – FX – Japan – DLO, little bounce back – whip to 2.5, good, some leg crossing, little hop – wolf double is wobbly but around – back 1.5 to front full, a little low but finds the landing with just a shuffle – split leap full – double pike, is preposterous and disastrous – short landing and then her limbs all go different directions as she falls

We see the Gadirova miss on the Cheng, came in way short, falls to the side.

We’re still waiting on the Sanne beam score, but China will be leading after 1, just ahead of the US and Brazil.

NBC showing us Roberson coming back out with crutches.

Rotation 2

Thorsdottir – FX – Netherlands – good front 2/1 – double L to double turn to double y to illusion – mwah – double tuck, bounce back – switch ring to split leap full, a little low but around – 2.5 to front pike, very nice, small hop

Gadirova – UB – GB – piked jaeger, hit – tkatchev 1/2 to yezhova, caught, some feet – maloney to pak, little leg break – doesn’t connect to van leeuwen, but hits a clean one – giant full to FTDT, hop. Solid.

Just a 12.200 for Soares to open for Brazil on beam. Sigh.

Hatakeda sits down a Y1.5 for Japan, very short landing, didn’t get any block. 11.800

13.700 bars for Gadirova, similar to qualification. Good 13.300 for Eythora, that’s an improvement.

Blakely – UB – USA – stalder 1/2 to piked jaeger, good – stalder tkatchev piked to pak, clean – toe full to van leeuwen, hit – double front 1/2 out, step back. Solid routine. 14.166

D’Amato – FX – Italy – lovely double y turn – DLO, good form but steps back OOB – 3/1 is nice in the air, rebound back – double wolf, hit – switch to split leap full, nice elevation on the split leap and split jump full – front 2/1, larger bound forward – switch ring

13.933 beam for Ou Yushan.

Kinsella – UB – GB – toe 1/2 to piked jaeger, hit – stalder tkatchev to pak, some legs and toe break on pak – maloney to gienger, hit, some leg separation – toe full, late with an arch but works through it into double arabian, step back.

13.300 floor for D’Amato. 13.533 for Kinsella.

Saraiva – BB – bhs mount – breaks series with split and korbut, but pretty elements – bhs loso, small foot slide – switch ring, excellent – aerial to split ring jump, good – side somi, hit – split leap to sissone, perfection – double pike, step back. Got a hit for Flavia. 14.066, helps make tenths back up.

Biles – UB – USA – weiler 1/2 to maloney, large leg break into giant full to tkatchev piked to pak, solid combo – van leeuwen – toe full is solid into FTDT, little rebound. Not her very cleanest, especially with that maloney, but a good hit. 14.466 is actually even higher than qualification, so that’s interesting.

Zhang – BB – China – switch to switch 1/2 to korbut, hits her mount series – layout 2 feet, secure landing, great height – switch ring to bhs to straddle to wolf, yes – switch side, a little short on the back leg -split jump to side back dive, got a little over the beam that time but worked it out – switch to split jump 1/2, nice – double pike, short, lunge forward. But a good one.

Just 13.266 for Zhang. Did I miss a fall? Or they really got her for the back dive from side.

Fenton – UB – GB – close on hindorff – toe tkatchev pike 1/2 to yezhova is hit – maloney, good – connects to pak, just some feet – ACK! Misses her foot on the toe on on low bar and flies off. resumes and does the van leeuwen – giant full to FTDT, deep landing, lunge forward

Checking in on Melanie’s DTY, absolutely excellent stick.

12.400 for Fenton.Italy is like, sucks to be everyone else, Esposito goes 13.633.

Jones – UB – USA – stalder full to stalder shap to tkatchev, hit – toe full to stalder tkatchev piked to pak, does not connect today, smart call because she was a little forward on that pak – van leeuwen – toe 1/2 to front giant to double front, a little deep, hop back.

Devillard – VT – France – hits her rudi, lunge back, some leg crossing. 14.300

14.633 for Jones on bars.

We haven’t seen Andrade’s beam but it’s just 13.133 for a wobble-a-thon. Sigh.

Zhou – BB – China – candle mount, hit – fhs to front tuck, arm wave before split and wolf – full turn, lovely – switch ring, lean break to the side – side somi is good, connects to tuck jump full from side – aerial to split ring jump to korbut, good – 3/1 dismount, kind of short with a bound forward, but stayed on. And today, that’s a win.

A loot back on Andrade’s beam, broken connection into switch 1/2 – bhs loso is good – “these athletes do hundreds of these routines every single day” – switch ring, leg up wobble to horizontal –

Belardelli on floor – double double tuck, hits with chest down, step forward – front tuck to double tuck, also a little forward

France and Italy the ones improving on their qualification scores to far. And also Brazil is still up because they improved so much on bars and had some low beams in qualification too. Not out of this.

Rotation 3

Wong – BB – USA – side aerial is insane, foot slips, straddles the beam, grabs the beam – switch to wolf jump is nice – bhs loso, hit – L turn to full turn – switch ring – side somi, arm wave – aerial to split jump, large break, bend over at the hips – 2/1, lunge back, leg crossing.

Boyer – Ub – FRA – maloney to a crazy pak, big stradlde – hits van leeuwe with legs – a bit close on piked jaeger – toe full to FTDT, small movement, hit. That’s the first time they’ve used her on bars in a team final.

China continues to roll, gets 13.400 from Qiu on floor.

Esposito – VT – Italy – great height on Y1.5, little hop forward.

US will count an 11.7 from Wong on beam now. That’s lower than the 2-fall routine from Blakely in qualification.

D’Amato goes 14.166 for her DTY

Fenton – BB – GB – loso mount is hit, arm wave correction – double turn, good – side aerial to loso, huge break and falls – falls on every event for GB so far – hits her wolf – switch to sissone is good – double tuck dismount, short with step forward

Team Finals:

12.2 for Fenton, while Soares gets a useful 13.600 on floor for Brazil.

Zhou – FX – China – nearly gets five around on her turn, double tuck, bounce back – double y, hit – 2/1 front tuck, nailed it – split jump full, good – switch ring to split ring, lovely – 2.5 to fornt pike, sticks again and keeps it in.

China’s like, GUESS WHO’S GOING TO FALL THE LEAST IT’S US.

13.833 for Zhou.

Jones – BB – USA – switch mount o switch 1/2 is hit – arabian, a little deeper but hit – split to straddle, nice – bhs bhs layout 2 feet, large leg up break but keeps it on – side aerial, solid – bhs bhs double pike, step back.

Jones through with 13.600

Andrade – FX – Brazil – front full to full in, solid, little hop – DLO 1/1, magical, bounce back – split leap full, excellent height – double y spin to stag jump – DLO, stuck landing – split leap full – double pike, stuck. They needed this wonderful routine.

DJDS – UB – France – stalder shap to giant full, a litle late – giant to nabieva to pak, lovely – maloney to stalder 1/2, some elbows into a hit yezhova – van leeuwen, great – DLO 1/1, shuffle back. Good one. 14.400

14.666 for Andrade. Get it.

Ou – FX – China – whips through to 3/1, deeper landing, hop forward – back 2.5 to front pike noooooooooo sits it down – basically gainered that front pike – double tuck, hit, little slide back

We didn’t see Ondine’s beam, but she got a much needed 13.933 there.

Biles – BB – USA – switch mount to switch 1/2, kind of large break on switch 1/2, bend at the hips and lean – wolf triple, good – aerial to split jump to straddle, solid – bhs loso loso, secure – side aerial, solid – bhs bhs FTDT, little hop back. Just that problem at the beginning, otherwise great.

12.066 for Ou on floor.

Biles goes 14.300 on beam.

Saraiva – FX – Brazil – Flavia it is time – whip to FTDT, little hop – switch full, slide back – DLO, small bounce – split leap 1.5, around well – switch ring 1/2 – back 1.5 to front full, a bit of legs, step – double pike, small step back –

It’s happennnnnning.

Gadirova – BB – GB – candle mount, hit – switch to switch 1/2, some feet, wobble with a leg up – wolf triple, around – aerial, small pause befroe split and straddle – bhs loso, large break but saves it, turn to the side and a wobble – side aerial, solid – doubel pike, controls the landing, just a tad deep, hop to the side. 13.533

Huge opportunity for Italy here if they get the good D’Amato bars. And Brazil gets to finish on vault. France, meanwhile, finishes on beam. Brazil has to gain 1.2 on China on vault, which we would expect them to do easily  with hits.

Rotation 4

Evans – FX – a little jarred on her randi landing with a hop – DLO, small hop forward – split leap full – switch 1/2 – wolf double – front full to front full, some knees, step – whip to double tuck, bounce back. 13.233

Barbosa – VT – BRA – DTY, hits it, seemed like she got a little crooked on the table but pulled it out, some leg crossing, little hop. 13.933

Esposito – UB – Italy – Nabieva, hit into pak – maloney to bhardwaj – van leeuwen, good leg position – giant full to eeeessh hit the low bar on her front giant before dismount, deep landing on the double front but saved it, large lunge back.

Wong – FX – USA – wolf double, good – double double tuck, bounce back today, a bit out of control but keeps it in bounds – DLO, bounce back, a few arm waves – leg up full turn – switch 1/2 – L turn single to full turn, why – whip 1/2 to front full, good height, hop forward – double pike, struggles on the landing there as well, bounce back, just does keep it in bounds.

13.166 is actually still quite a high and solid score.

Saraiva – VT – BRA – DTY, good height, a couple steps back, so a little out of control, but solid. 13.833

Osyssek – BB – FRA – switch mount, hit – switch to split, arm wave – back tuck, solid – 2 foot layout is very secure – side aerial, good – side somi, holds it – double pike, lunge back

Qiu – VT- China – Tsuk full is fine, some pike, hop back. 13.100

SHOW ALICE’S BARS CHALLENGE.

Boyer – BB – FRA – switch mount, pause before switch 1/2 – layout 2 feet, secure landing – aerial to split jump to wolf jump – side aerial, secure – switch, hit – side somi, solid – double pike, bounce back. Two hits down!

Never mind, don’t show Alice’s bars challenge

Andrade – VT – BRA – Cheng is nearly glorious, fab in the air, tries to hold the stick but leans forward and steps forward. 14.900. Medal secured.

Jones – FX – USA – wolf triple, good – double double tuck, solid, little hop back – tries the triple L turn but heel drops too early so won’t get credit for it – front full to double back goes right to the edge, possible OOB – FTDT, a little short with a hop – leg up full to switch 1/2 – did the job

France needs a 13 hit from Melanie to move ahead of China.

Zhang vaults her Tsuk 1/1, step back

Ahhhhh Iorio’s 14.033 on bars puts them only a couple tenths behind China. They were so close.

De Jesus Dos Santos – BB – France – front pike mount, right on – bhs loso, little check – switch to switch 1/2, hit – aerial to split jump to bhs, on – wolf double, hit – side aerial, secure – sissone to pike jump – double pike, stuck. WE DID IT MELANIE.

13.566 for Jones.

Gadirova – FX – GB – Moors, good, hop to the side – DLO 1/1, somewhat chest forward on landing, some step – split leap full is good – switch full, good – wolf triple, just does lean it around and then choreographs her hand back – front full to double tuck, stuck

14.000 for Melanie as France clinches their medal. It’s maybe not QUITE a Canada-level surprise from last year, but it’s close.

Simone needs 13.000 on floor to move the US to first place here.

14.533 for Gadirova. They’ll finish 6th.

Biles – FX – USA – DLO 1/1, good, bounce back, keeps it in bounds – front full to double double, excellent – double wolf, hit – switch to split leap 1.5, loved the camera cut in the middle of the skill – Biles, strong landing – switch 1/1, borderline around – DLO, stuck. Nailed the landings today.

15.166 for Simone.

GOLD – United States
SILVER – Brazil
BRONZE – France