Olympic year nationals. Excitement et cetera. Four more days of competition until the Olympic team is revealed to be the top five all-arounders from Trials. Since we last met in a live blog, I have much less of a large intestine and many new abdominal scars, but I’m now post-surgery and pre-chemo and just sitting here, so hey why not get back to it? Fair warning, I do forget how to do this.  

The specials session for senior women is about to get underway, with the big news of the day being the withdrawal of Olympic team lock Shilese Jones. The line remains that this should not be an Olympics-jeopardizing injury, so hopefully this is Korngold taking ancestral gymnerd lessons to heart and actually applying the “cover her in bubble wrap” maxim. (Valeri sez do an Ono.) Still, this shoulder injury is at least serious enough for her to withdraw from a national championship that is…not that long before the Olympics. Jones easily meets all the criteria for petitioning to Trials, so she’ll certainly be able to do that as long as she can compete there.

Today, we’re exclusively on Peecork (or YouTube if you’re outside the US, or “outside” the “US”) before graduating to big-girl NBC for day 2. Can’t wait for the 23-minute investigative tribute to the twisties before Simone vaults. End of rotation 1.

Obviously the meet started before the broadcast because Simone is up last, but Sumanasekera opened vault with a solid DTY, good height, bounce back. 14.250. Roberson was also able to take a Cheng to her feet, much better than in podium, 14.000.

Kailya Lincoln has a couple recast hesitations on her opening low bar pirouettes but gets through it, hitting the rest of the routine, just a double tuck dismount with a step back.

Roberson’s second vault is DTY, a little twisted into the mat with a lunge back.

Wong – FX – we see the second half – back 1/2 to front full, a little under with a slide back – double pike, shuffle back – 13.700 so seems like it went well

Solid DTY landing for Esponda with a small bounce back

Hang – BB – wolf double, good – side aerial, larger leg up wobble – lone loso, hit – bhs tuck full is hit with a step back – switch to split to straddle, comfortable – double tuck dismount, step back. That works. 13.450

Carey – FX – good landing on her Moors, small hop to the side, minor pike throughout – DLO 1/1, larger bounce but keeps it in – switch – switch 1/1, feet around for the twist, some foot form deductions etc – full in, bounce back – split leap full – front tuck through to double tuck, chest down but controls it. Good one. 13.600

DiCello – UB – stalder full to maloney to hindorff, gets the combination, small hesitation in hop grip change, hits jaeger, church to pak, solid – van leeuwen, hit – short hs on high – FTDT, hop back. Solid. 14.500

Lee – BB – loso mount, solid – aerial to split to bhs, good – wolf triple – switch to switch 1/2 to split ring jump, smooth – side aerial to loso loso, BIG break but saves it and magically keeps it on – switch ring, large-ish bend to the side – gainer full dismount, hop. Amazing first half, some big wobbles in the second half but should still be a score. 14.200, got her full D score of 6.7, so was able to have big wobbles and still break 14.

Biles – VT – does the Y double pike today and it’s strong, medium lunge back, comfortable. 15.800 with a 9.4 E.

I was kind of joking with NBC beginning its coverage with Simone’s last-up vault and then rotation 1 is over, but that’s just what they did.

Biles with a Cheng second vault, no issues, good distance, flatter than we see from Andrade, but strong, little bounce

Other big news of the first rotation so far is Wong outscoring Carey on floor for what was a solid hit for Jade. She’ll need to do everything at Trials.

Matthews – FX – FTDT to her feet, bounce back – wolf double, hit – front full to 2.5, small step forward but was right into the corner so goes OOB – leg up hop full with good leg position – split leap full, around – double tuck, bounce back

Thomas – FX – switch full, good position but a little under – DLO 1/1 is short with hands down, SIGH – front full to just a layout – switch to split leap 1.5 attempt, won’t get credit for the 1.5 turn – DLO finish, also short, onto hands and knees and now she’s stopping on the floor. Down for a bit, now gets up and salutes and limps off.

Well I hated it.

NBC doing a Benjamin Button rotation, starting with the end of the rotation and then going back. Looking back at Jordan Chiles, who came as a court jester, hitting a solid DTY, kind of large bounce back. Now to Skye Blakely, who hits a solid bars, ending with her double front 1/2 out with a little hop.

Jong ends the first rotation in real time with her floor – FTDT, large bounce back – double tuck, good early open but another fairly large bounce back – leg up hop full is OK, split full – wolf double – back 1.5 to front full, lands a little under, saves it with a slide back – doubel pike, chest down, about three small steps back.

After 1
Biles – 15.800
DiCello – 14.500
Blakely – 14.400
Sumanasekera – 14.250
Lee – 14.200

Strong bars results for both DiCello and Blakely there. Chiles was on the highest-scoring team from Classic for her 14.300 on bars, so others who can bars are aiming to beat that score, which DiCello and Blakely both did.

Owen tells Roethlisberger that Trinity won’t vault now. Unsure about the other events. Roethlisberger now has to explain to everyone Tom Forster about how the team final works and how you’d want to compose a team.

Rotation 2

Lincoln falls on her beam mount – switch 1/2 is lovely – bhs layout 2 feet is nice – aerial to split to straddle, solid rhythm in that combo – wolf double, hit – side aerial, chest down, arm wave wobble – switch, hit – good double pike dismount, step back. 12.300

Perskaia and DeZiel understand Selection Committee Bitch Face when shown on NBC. Alicia, we know you can bitch face when you want to, gotta get in game mode. Come on. 

We’re jumping in to see Leanne’s second vault, which is pretty laid out today. Following a hit DTY, hop to the side, good height 14.200.

Roberson goes 13.250 on bars, which is a 16.

Carey – VT – hits her Cheng, some pike and leg separation, bounce back, solid enough work. 14.500. Useful margin over the solid DTYs earlier.

Hang – FX – wolf triple, gets it around – FTDT, bounce back – 1.5 to front full, college step forward – split leap full, a little under split – double tuck, chest down, hop forward but saves it – popa – switch 1/2.

Second vault from Carey – nice pop on her DTY, great height, bounce back.

We didn’t see Madray Johnson go on beam but she broke 14, which is big in her quest to make trials.

Blakely – BB – wolf triple, nice – tuck full, secure landing – fhs front tuck, secure as well, this is ON so far – switch to switch 1/2, hit – aerial, small foot adjustment into split jump – side aerial, solid – double pike, large bounce back and another step back. Some stuff on the dismount but great on the beam. 14.450 is a big one.

Lee – FX – DLO, bigger bounce back but in bounds – double L, leg around but heel drop in second turn – switch ring to split leap full, hops around the end of the split leap full – back 1.5 to front full, solid, little hop – wolf triple, around – double tuck, bounce back. 13.250

Chiles also goes 14.500 to match DiCello there in the bars race.

DiCello – BB – candle mount, hit – wolf triple, solid – still trying that split full for some reason, under rotated and a large break – bhs loso loso is solid – switch to switch 1/2 to bhs, little slow so might lose it – aerial to split to straddle, hit – side aerial, secure – 2.5 dismount, small hop. Hit routine, but that split full……. 14.100.

Biles – UB – weiler 1/2 to maloney to giant full to tkatchev piked to pak, no trouble – shy hs on low – van leeuwen, hit – short hs on high – hits toe full fine, connects into double double dismount, good. 14.650

Looking back on Chiles on bars – van leeuwen, hit – blind to piked jaeger, comfortable – toe full to tkatchev piked to pak – maloney to gienger, smooth – FTDT, little slide. Yes, nice one to get her 14.500.

Josc is telling Simone that all her handstands looked good. A true friend is one who will lie about your handstands for you.

Sumanasekera – UB – stalder full, late – maloney to pak, good legs together – van leeuwen, legs apart – toe 1/2 to front giant to jaeger, hits, flexed feet – giant 1/2 – FTDT, chest down, two small foot quivers forward. 12.750

We’ve been denied Rivera’s routines, but she’s been on so far with a 14.150 on bars and 13.850 on beam.

Fatta – FX – switch 1/2, around – DLO, chest down, bounce – front 2/1 to front tuck, bounce out of it – split jump full – wolf double – back 2.5, big slide forward – switch to split leap full, scoots it around

After 2
Biles – 30.450
Blakely – 28.850
Chiles – 28.650
DiCello – 28.600
Carey – 28.100

Good fight brewing for the second automatic spot to Trials (which won’t matter because all these people are making Trials, but still).

Both Thomas and Kaliya Lincoln have now scratched the rest of the meet today. I’m sorry, nationals is canceled. You can do gymnastics without Gabby Douglas, Shilese Jones, Trinity Thomas, and Kaliya Lincoln, but why would you.

Rotation 3

Peacock not letting you do screenshots is really harshing my world because that Simone Jade conversation had a lot to work with.

Carey – UB – toe on to bhardwaj, hit – maloney to gienger, secure – yezhova – short hs on low – van leeuwen, leg separation – short hs on high – giant full, well past – FTDT, good landing. 13.500. A solid-for-Jade number.

Hang went 14.200 on vault.

Lee – VT – DTY, hits it, not quite as solid as podium, but good – bounce back with both feet, some legs. 14.000 for Lee on vault is an asset. And a huge slap to anyone else who got a 14.000 on vault and is hoping to be a vaulter.

Blakely – FX – DLO 1/1, gigantic bounce back OOB – split jump full, around – double front, hit, a little under with a bounce back – switch ring – split leap 1.5, nice quick cover to try to get 1.5 credit, but almost none will – wolf double, hit – switch full, around – double tuck, bounce, 13200

Fatta – VT – DTY, around but chest down, larger lunge back

Chiles – BB – front pike mount, hop – bhs loso loso is hit – aerial to straddle to bhs, gets the combination, full turn with a wobble like a true NCAA gymnast – Side somi, lean back, keeps it on the beam – switch to sissone to wolf jump, which was superfluous – side aerial, holds it – switch side, under split a little but secure – double pike, little bounce back. 13.700, loses some ground to DiCello there.

DiCello – FX – split jump full, around – double double, bounce back, stays in bounds – wolf triple, hit – 2.5 to front full, little hop forward – switch ring to split leap full, hit – double pike, short landing, lunge forward. 13.850

Wong – UB – clear hip 1/2 to jaeger – toe full to bhardwaj, whippy bit hit – maloney to pak – doesn’t get her feet to connect to van leeuwen but just casts and then does it, DLO, fake stick like Gainesville. 13.900

Biles – BB – switch mount – now switch to switch 1/2 to back pike – doesn’t connect the mount but does the backup series after without trouble – wolf triple – aerial to split to straddle, good speed – bhs loso loso, secure – side aerial, holds it to not wobble – bhs bhs FTDT, little hop back. Very good. 14.800. On track to get her first 60 of this quad.

Rivera – FX – DLO 1/1, pike throughout but hit with a little hop – DLO, slide back – switch ring to switch full to knee to act like it was around, do what you need to do – wolf 2.25 – front tuck to double tuck, step back OOB – split leap full, around – 2.5, huge lunge forward out of it and another OOB. 13.000

Sumanasekera – BB – candle mount, hit – bhs bhs layout 2 ft, secure – aerial to split to korbut – switch to switch 1/2, a bit under but solid – side aerial, holds it – sissone to wolf – full turn – bhsb bhs double pike, step back. 13.700

Terry making fun of Laurent’s high fives it the content I am here for.

Roberson – BB – back tuck full, secure – switch to switch 1/2 to back tuck, under on splits but well connected – side aerial to loso and off – was way short and off line on the first loso, just lay dismounts do the second loso – onodi, lean – straddle to pike jump – double pike dismount, hit with chest down

After 3
Biles – 45.150
DiCello – 42.450
Chiles – 42.350
Blakely – 42.050
Wong – 41.800

Blakely down 4 tenths on DiCello going to vault. Let’s see how Cheng Watch factors into that. Chiles going to floor, which is not as high of a score.

Rotation 4

Blakely – VT – Cheng is quite solid, small bounce back. Should be a big score. Hot damn 15.000. Didn’t think it would go quite that high.

Lee – UB – here we go – van leeuwen, hit – blind to jaeger hits it into pak to maloney to gienger, nice – toe full to FTDT, bounce back. Her little guy routine, but a nice hit. So much better than in podium. 14.300 with a 5.8 D.

Blakely also does DTY second vault with a big bounce back.

Everyone start throwing Olympic rings at miss Blakely. Five tenths higher than Carey’s Cheng.

DiCello – VT – really nice DTY, little hop. 14.400

57.050 is a non-WOGA-Classic career high for Blakely. She’ll be in ahead of DiCello, who puts up a strong 56.850.

Chiles – FX – DLO, hit, chest forward some with a slide to the side – front full to FTDT, solid, small movement – gets wolf double around, high position though – leg up hop full – split leap 1.5, under twist – DLO, short, gets shot pike and hands down – pike jump full shushunova – tough ending there and some dance downgrades. 12.750

55.750 for Lee, 55.300 for Rivera. Both strong numbers.

Thanks for the reminder that Lincoln’s Pan Ams performance in 2023 counts as an assignment in the current competitive year, making her eligible to petition.

Chiles finishes on 55.100 now, dropping behind Lee and Rivera in the AA. Wong and Carey still to finish.  In addition to Biles obviously.

Jayla Hang off bars on her Tkatchev connected out of stalder Shap. We see that on the arena screen on the YT stream because it is more important to show Simone sitting doing nothing and trying to read into it.

Biles – FX – triple double is good, little hop up in place – frotn full to double double, slide back – switch to split leap 1.5, a tad under on the rotation but the closest one – wolf double – Biles, does connect into the stag but that takes her OOB, so a wash – switch full – DLO, bounce back, does just keep that one in. 15.200

Wong – BB – switch mount, hit – switch to switch 1/2, little arm wave before straddle jump – switch ring, too low on the back leg but secure – bhs loso, solid – just pulls around her wolf turn – aerial, small hesitation before split to bhs – side somi, arm wave correction – 2.5 dismount, a little under, hop forward. 13.750

It’s 60.450 for Biles, which is her quad record by almost a point.

Sumanasekera – FX – DLO 1/1, a little short, a little pike, but only very small movement – DLO, little hop forward – switch ring to split leap full, small hop – wolf double, precise – back 1.5 to front full, a little low but hit with a step – switch 1/2 – double pike, larger bounce back. 13.700

Wong is done on 55.550, behind Lee, ahead of Rivera and Chiles.

Carey – BB – aerial, into split, shy, into korbut – bhs loso, solid – switch side – switch to switch 1/2, pause before straddle jump – side aerial, holds it securely – bhs bhs double pike, step back.

Roberson – FX – DLO 2/1, bounce back but solid chest up position on the landing – DLO 1/1, hit, bounce back – leg up hop full – split leap 1.5 attempt, won’t get 1.5 credit – DLO, high, bounce back and OOB – wolf double a little shaky – front loso to double tuck, step back.

Caylor – FX – finishing the meet – DLO, hit, little pike, little hop – double pike, bounce back – pulls around wolf turn – switch ring to split leap full – back 1.5 to front full, little hop – doulbe y – double tuck, chest down, only small movement

FINAL
Biles – 60.450
Blakely – 57.050
DiCello – 56.850
Lee – 55.750
Wong – 55.550

If we take today’s scores and also add in Jones’ scores from Classic, then you’re looking at a highest-scoring five of Biles, Jones, Blakely, DiCello, and then Lee and Carey are tied for that fifth spot, both producing the same score. Chiles and Wong also right there only a tenth behind.

Blakely and DiCello the big winners today, but Lee will know that even a skosh of an upgrade on bars puts her in secure position. DiCello’s 13.850 on floor was the big result for her today as that’s right now the #3 floor behind Biles and Jones. People like Chiles, Carey, Wong, etc will need to focus on besting DiCello on floor in the coming competitions.