Let’s do it all again.

Day 1 of nationals gave us the Blakely and DiCello show, as they slotted into 2nd and 3rd places behind Biles with both appearing on all the competitive highest-scoring Olympic teams based on Friday. Does that keep up today?

I’m looking at Blakely’s sophomore Cheng to see if that continues to lock in her position on a potential Olympic team, and I’m looking at the floor-contender hierarchy. DiCello’s 13.850 from day 1 beat Wong and Sumanasekera on 13.700, Carey on 13.600, and Chiles on fall-for-12.750 so it’s super close for a floor-worker spot. Though I don’t know why I’m looking at that because…you know, probably just the all-around standings.

But whether it’s for their all-around placement or for their highest-scoring team capabilities, gymnasts like Chiles and Carey will know they have to knock off DiCello (and Wong and Sumanasekera) on floor come Trials if they’re to make a good case.

On the injury front, Kaliya Lincoln is out-out and submitting a petition to Trials, while Trinity Thomas is going to see how it goes for a possible bars routine.

Rotation 1

Biles – BB – switch mount, leans through it into switch 1/2 to back pike today – wolf triple, solid – aerial to split to straddle, no trouble – bhs loso loso, secure – side aerial, solid – bhsbhs FTDT, chest down landing with a hop forward. No real issues until the dismount, and not a big one. 14.800

Rose – VT – y1.5, little hop to the side, good position

Thomas – UB – so she’s going – weiler 1/2 to toe full to maloney, tucks it but catches to clear hip to tkatchev to pak – van leeuwen – DLO, hop back. Fully tucked that Maloney but otherwise a delight.

DiCello – FX – split jump full, around – double double, hit, slide back – wolf triple, hit – back 2.5 to front full, pulls around the front full, lower with some form, hop to the side – switch ring to split leap full, solid – double pike, chest forward with a hop. A few more landing things than day 1 but a hit. Or she can just score a tenth higher than yesterday. 13.950.

They haven’t shown us Suni’s vault, but she missed it. 12.150 and 1.5 credit.

Matthews finishes bars with DLO, chest forward, little hop.

Lowe – VT – y1.5, some knees, big bounce forward and then another shuffle into salute.

We see the replay of Suni’s vault, yet just the 1.5 and way short, sitting it down.

Blakely – FX – DLO 1/1, step back OOB again today, but just one foot – split jump full, good – double front, secure landing, little pause before stag jump – switch ring to split leap 1.5, under – wolf triple, good – switch 1/1, close, hops it around a little – double tuck, bounce back. Hit.

One thing DiCello has going for her in the floor race is that she’s not trying any dance elements she can’t do. On floor at least. Beam is another story.

We join Chiles in progress on beam after a fall on her acro series – now a hit side somi – switch, pause before sissone to wolf – side aerial, secure – switch side, hit – double pike, didn’t look like she got her normal height, so she casually stuck.

Carey – UB – toe on to bhardwaj, hit – maloney to gienger, solid – yezhova, hit – van leeuwen – short hs on high – giant full – FTDT, small hop back. Solid. 9.950 for Oregon State. 13.650

13.750 for Blakely on floor is a nice number for her.

Johnson – FX – FTDT, chest down, small step back – switch ring to switch 1/2, a little low on switch 1/2 – back 1.5 to front full, does well to hold the landing control, came in a little under – pulls around wolf triple – split leap full, solid – double tuck, small chest, chest position. 13.100

12.300 for Chiles on beam hurts.

Wong – UB – small arch on high – clear hip 1/2 to jaeger, hit – full to bhardwaj – maloney to pak to toe on (some hesitation in toe on as she elects not to directly connect) to van leeuwen, leg separation – DLO, hop back. 13.550

Rivera – FX – DLO 1/1, looks like she lands totally OOB – DLO, big bounce back, just keeps it in bounds – switch ring to switch full to knee – wolf double – front tuck to double tuck, chest forward, slide – split leap full – 2.5, good, little movement.13.200

NBC has started now, taking us back to Simone’s beam. It’s four inches wide.

Molomo – UB – clear hip to toe full on low – maloney to pak, solid – van leeuwen, small leg break – a bit short on hs on high – jaeger, takes it close but hit – double front, some position, lands it.

Caylor on beam – joined in progress – aerial to split to Korbut, hit – side aerial – bhs bhs double pike, deep landing, chest down, hop back. 12.750

They’re talking about whether Suni tripped on her run on vault, didn’t see that but it did look like her hands slipped kind of on that replay.

Roberson – BB – back tuck full, solid – switch to switch 1/2 to back tuck, connected quickly, under split on the leaps – side aerial to loso loso, secure – full turn – onodi, works through it – straddle to pike jump – bhs bhs double pike, lunge back. She needed that one. 13.750

NBC taking us back to Chiles on beam and we see the miss, off line on second loso and falls.

Sumanasekera – BB – candle mount – bhs bhs layout 2 feet, solid – aerial to split jump to korbut, slightly off line but fine – switch to switch 1/2, a little slow but secure – side aerial, small arm wave – finishes double pike, little stumble back. Good one. 13.550

Happy first rotation for Biles, DiCello, Blakely, and Carey. Not for Chiles and Lee. And kind of Wong since that bars score was lower.

After 1
Biles – 75.250 (14.800)
DiCello – 70.800 (13.950)
Blakely – 70.800 (13.750)
Wong – 69.100 (13.550)
Carey – 68.700 (13.650)

Lee goes down to 8th and Chiles to 9th. That vault miss shouldn’t matter in any way for Lee because on all the realistic team permutations you wouldn’t have her vaulting in the Olympics even in qualification, but you know. ALL AROUND.

Rotation 2

Rose – UB – stalder full to maloney to clear hip to Ray, good connection – stalder 1/2 to yezhova, leg separation, holds her hs on low – van leeuwen – DLO, little hop. Nice one.

Finnell – FX – piked full in, chest low, hop forward – double y spin, around – double tuck, step back – split jump full, around, some low back leg – back 1.5 to front full, under rotated causing a larger lunge to the side – split leap full and switch side 1/2 – double pike, chest down but gets it, slide back

DiCello gets 14.350 for her DTY

Blakely – VT – Cheng not at the same level as day 1, chest down and a step forward. Still a useful one but won’t be a 15. 14.400

Lee – UB – van leeuwen, good – blind to jaeger to pak to maloiney to gienger, smooth, just a tad close on the jaeger – toe full to FTDT, hop back.

Blakely hits DTY second vault with a large bounce back.

Johnson – VT – y1.5 and sits it down. Yurchenko 1.5s are over today.

Chiles – FX – DLO 1/1, hit, little chest position and a slide – front full through to FTDT, chest forward and a hop – wolf double and a little stumble as her foot settles down – leg up hop full and split leap 1.25, will get 1/1 credit – DLO, hits it today, chest down, little hop. Let’s compare. 

Lee went 14.500 on bars today, which matches Chiles and DiCello from day 1.

Carey – BB – aerial, keeps arms moving to split korbut – bhs loso, keeps it solid – switch side, short back leg and falls, a surprising fall on that one – switch to switch 1/2 to straddle, hit – side aerial, secure – doubel pike, step back. 12.300.

Chiles gets 14.100 on floor and all her dance difficulty, which is wild, but also an important score for her.

Esponda – FX – double double tuck, solid, little movement – DLO, bounce back – wolf triple attempt, will get double credit – split jump full – FTDT, chest down, secure landing – switch and split leap full – front tuck through to double tuck, chest down, hop.

Rivera – VT – gets the DTY around, some leg form, bounce back

Wong – BB – switch mount, hit – switch to switch 1.2 to straddle jump, small adjustment on landing, gets the connection – switch ring – bhs loso – wolf double goes crazy and she’s off – aerial, arm wave before split jump – side somi – 2.5 dismount, just barely around with a gigantic lunge forward.

The hottest couple in gymnastics is Sam Peszek and Talking About Arm Position on Beam.

Caylor – FX – DLO, shot of Laurent, probably fine – double pike, larger stumble back – wolf triple, kind of gets it around but also stands stumbles out of it, normal wolf stuff – back 1.5 to front full, low, gets it together with a crossover lunge – double y spin – double tuck, bounce back OOB.

Molomo – BB – switch mount, wobble – wolf double, little tentative, gets it around without a major error – side aerial to loso, good amplitude – switch – aerial, little wobble – split jump straddle jump – double tuck, bounce back.

Wong 11.700 on beam. They were like, we miss the worlds team final.

Roberson – FX – DLO 2/1, hop to the side, solid, ltitle knees, little pike – DLO, small slide back – leg up hop full to split leap 1.5, a little under but closer than Chiles – DLO, bounce back, keeps it in – wolf double – front loso to double tuck, chest down, step back. Another solid one for her today. 14.000 for her and none too soon. One tenth back of Chiles but ahead of DiCello there for today.

Looking back at Hang hitting bars today, which she super needed. Just straddles her DLO with a lunge forward.

Joining Jong on beam, punch front with a wobble – wolf double, little wobbly – standing loso to back pike, nearly saved it after a huge wobble but comes off – switch to pike jump, nice pike – double pike, chest down, bounce back

Sumanasekera – FX – DLO 1/1, pretty solid control, little movement and some pike – DLO, bounce back – switch ring to split leap full, little bounce – wolf double – back 1.5 to front full, some knee and a step – switch 1/2 – double pike, bounce back. 13.800

Biles – FX – triple double, bounce back into the corner, I think OOB? – front full through to double double, hop back – split leap 1.5 is the closest to around – wolf double – Biles to stag, well connected and in bounds today – switch leap full – DLO, little hop. Good. 15.100

After 2
Biles – 90.350 (29.900)
Blakely – 85.200 (28.150)
DiCello – 85.150 (28.300)
Rivera – 82.450 (27.150)
Lee – 82.400 (26.650)

Blakely and DiCello majorly separating themselves now for those podium spots. The Chiles 14.100 on floor is the big deal of that rotation. Roberson also saving herself with a 14.000 there to return to the mix. 

Carey’s floor score in this next rotation will be fascinating. Floor scores have been high today, and she needs to keep up with these 14ers.

Rotation 3

Chiles – VT – DTY, solid, good height, bounce back, smaller bounce than day 1. 14.400, same as Blakely’s vault score, which helps her.

Blakely – UB – stalder 1/2 to piked jaeger, solid – Stalder tkatchev piked to pak, big straddle but it – toe full to van leeuwen, leg separation – toe 1/2 – double front 1/2 out, holds the stick until heels together like she’s ready for Florida. 14.450.

Lee – BB – loso mount, high, wobble – aerial to split to bhs, leans through it slightly but gets the connection – wolf triple, good – switch to switch 1/2 to split ring jump, good combo – side aerial to loso loso, secure landing today, chest down – switch ring, arm wave correction but again smaller error than day 1 – gainer full, pike but stuck. Good.

Johnson – UB – stalder full to shap to pak, some leg separation – van leeuwen, legs together – toe 1/2 to jaeger, good feet – giant 1/2, past – double tuck, stuck

Sullivan – FX – DLO, bounce back – switch to split leap full, around, solid split – front tuck through to double tuck, bounce back – switch 1/2 – wolf double, hit – double pike, bounce back –

Rivera – UB – weiler 1/2 to toe full, past but around – stalder shap to stadler tkatchev, hit – pak, smooth – maloney to tkatchev, hit – FTDT, little movement. Good. She’s a beam away from a big result here. 13.800, lower than day 1 but a nice number.

14.900 for Lee. Big deal.

Hang – BB – wolf double, leans it around but stays on – side aerial, hit – standing loso – bhs tuck full, step back and falls

Roberson – VT – struggles more on the Cheng today, around but a big lunge back and another step.

Carey – FX – Moors, a little forward with a hop – DLO 1/1, slide back – switch – switch 1/1, around, slide back, some knee – FTDT, bounce back – split leap full – front tuck through to double tuck, chest down, step. A solid hit, so now we see how it compares.

Sumanasekera – VT – DTY, good height, medium bounce back. 14.150

DiCello – UB – stalder full to maloney to hindorff, too close and falls, couldn’t get her grips over – resumes with piked jaeger – Church, too close and has to add an extra swing – pak – van leeuwen – FTDT, stuck. Big advantage to Blakely now in the race for 2nd, and a big(ger) highest-scoring-team opening for Chiles if she can hit bars for 14.5 again in the next rotation. 12.600

Biles – VT – Y double pike, overcooks it today, bounces back and falls

13.700 for Carey on floor, still dropping behind the top floor scores. I’m not going to play the fake “BUT WHERE ARE THE DEDUCTIONS” game because 7.9 is honestly a soft E score for her, but the loose scoring of other floors is making it weird.

Second vault for Biles is Cheng, chest down more today, little hop.

LOL Simone gets 15.000 for a fall on her YDP.

Wong – FX – wolf double – popa – double double, slide back, looked just OOB – DLO, slide back – switch ring to split leap full – back 1/2 to front full, secure landing – doubel pike, couple small shuffles back. 13.600

Carey and Wong still back in the AA but will expect to move ahead of Sumanasekera and Roberson in the final rotation since WCC has to do bars.

Who thought this lower third of Simone pooping an entire curtain of fabric was a good idea.

Biles has already defeated the session 1 seniors with a full routine to go.

Great save on beam from Simone Rose on her back tuck in series, leg up for a long while and pulled it back. Secure on the bhs loso bhs – hits side aerial – aerial, solid – 2.5 dismount, hop forward

Jong – FX – FTDT, bounce back, chest position – double tuck, bounce back – leg up full to split full – wolf double – back 1.5 to front full, lands under with a slide back – double pike, chest down, bounce back

After 3
Biles – 105.350 (44.900)
Blakely – 99.650 (42.600)
DiCello – 97.750 (40.900)
Lee – 97.300 (41.550)
Rivera – 96.250 (40.950)

Chiles and Sumanasekera now tied for 6th, with Roberson, Carey, Wong rounding out the top 10. Almost everyone has had moments of opening the door today, but DiCello on bars was on a more significant event for her than Chiles and Carey on beam or Lee on vault.

Rotation 4

Sullivan – VT – step back Yfull

Hang – FX – wolf triple, around – FTDT, small bounce back – back 1.5 to front full, little hop – split leap full, nice – double tuck, slide backpopa

Carey – VT – Cheng, takes it off to the side, landing out of the area, but OK, chest forward and a hop. Still gets 14.600 there, which is what she needed because it beats Blakely’s.

Vault 2 for Carey – DTY, solid, good height, slide back.

Joining Caylor on bars – maloney to pak, hitsmoothly – van leeuwen, hit – stalder – blind to front giant to jaeger, good feet positions – DLO, holds onto landing with a little lean. Good one.

Rivera – BB – wolf double, hit – side aerial, very small adjustment – bhs loso, holds securely – switch to switch 1/2, a little under, pauses before swingdown – aerial to split to straddle, hit – switch ring, secure – bhs bhs double pike, chest down but hit. OK, Hezly.

Wong – VT – DTY, nice in the air – bounce back, gets slightly ragged at the very end. 14.250

Roberson – UB – shaposh to clear hip 1/2 to yezhova, hit – toe full – maloney, leg separations there and in gienger – DLO 1/1, lunge back. Lots to take but a good hit day for her that will erase any doubts about making trials. 13.200 for a 54.850 AA.

14.100 for Rivera on beam, she’ll beat Carey in the AA by a point.

Wong second vault, also a little bouncy at the end of her Lopez. Zeiss is off beam on her side aerial.

Fatta – FX – switch 1/2 – DLO, chest down, bounce back, stays in bounds – 2.5, some knees, step forward – wolf triple, around – back 2.5, lunge

DiCello – BB – hits wolf triple – bhs loso loso, large break, keeps it on, a couple leg up wobbles, nice save – switch to switch 1/2 to bhs, hit – aerial, leans into attempted connection to split straddle, a bit off on straddle – side aerial, hit – 2.5 dismount, lunge forward. Olympic team place to her for taking out that split full. We love to see it. But that big break ont he series will be an issue for the score.

Also Simone was doing bars right then and hit.

Neal gets Spiethed on floor, bounce back with hands down.

14.400 bars for Simone. 59.300 today.

13.050 beam for DiCello, loses more than a point on day 1.

Blakely – BB – wolf triple, hit – back tuck full, hit, little lean – fhs front tuck, wobble, holds it – switch to switch 1/2, solid, nothing out of the switch 1/2 – aerial to split to bhs, little wobble – side aerial, strong – double pike, short landing and a lunge forward. Some more errors than on day 1, like the Cheng, but a big day that will get her 2nd AA.

Chiles – UB – van leeuwen, smooth – blind to piked jaeger – toe full to tkatchev piked to pak, solid – maloney to gienger, legs together – FTDT, hop back. Her usual solid routine.

It won’t look like a great day because of the beam miss, but she did what she needed to do on the events that are actually important for her. If that matters.

14.200 for Blakely’s beam. 56.800 today.

Another 14.500 for Chiles, in 4 tenths behind DiCello, currently 4th, just ahead of Rivera.

Lee – FX – DLO, secure landing, chest down – double L turn, around for credit today – switch ring to split leap full, solid – back 1.5 to front full, hop forward – wolf triple, around for three, leans it around at the end – double tuck, a little tired but around with a bounce back. Good one.

FINAL:
Biles – 119.750 (59.300)
Blakely – 113.850 (56.800)
DiCello – 110.800 (53.950)
Lee – 110.650 (54.900)
Chiles – 110.400 (55.300)

They’ll name the automatic two (Biles and Blakely) and minimum 10 others to Trials. Definitely the top 10 AA today will be national team/trials. We’ll see if they then go down to Molomo and Rose today and then add Jones and Lincoln as part of the group, or if they are going to be in addition to the named athletes.

DiCello still gets third AA, though if we’re now looking at peak score over the two days of competition, Chiles would join Biles, Blakely, Lee, and Jones-from-Classic on the highest scoring team rather than DiCello. DiCello’s floor average hitting both days still puts her in the floor position on average, since Chiles missed on day 1.

Also just a heads up that Roberson’s 14 on floor puts her on the highest-scoring team from day 2 alone.

With that good beam and a “my iffy Cheng was still the same as a good DTY,” Blakely remains is strong position. Lee’s beam today puts her on the highest-scoring team and her easy bars is right there with what the best other options are scoring, so she remains in good position as well. They are in good position, along with Biles obviously and Jones if she’s OK.

So we’ve gone with a come-one, come-all approach to the national team, with 16 making the initial cut, and those are also the trials qualifiers. The top 14 AA and Jones and Lincoln. Madray Johnson and Jayla Hang will be the first two out.