USA Womens World Team

gym4life915 · #1 08-26-2009, 08:51 PM

So, the final selection for worlds isn't until early October, but who do you guys all think will being representing USA? There are no team finals this year - only individual event finals. (Like the 2005 worlds). Countries can send 4 gymnasts (for WAG), and can only have 3 people compete on either event (in quals) or else they loose an AA spot. Its definatley going to be a weak year for the US, as the girls from other coutries didn't take months off and haven't had as many injuries. In my opinion the worlds team would be:

Rebecca Bross AA FX BB
Bridget Sloan AA FX
Nastia Liukin BB UB
Kayla Williams VT

Kayla Williams is preparing an Amanar and a Rudi, she seems to be one of the only girls from the US with two vaults. And if you have looked at her videos from this year you can tell that she really is improving. I think a floor spot could possibly be hers if she improves her leaps but I don't see that happening in the short amount of time before worlds.

I am really hoping Nastia will be ready on bars because she has been looking really good in training at Championships and Classic.

As long as Rebecca can stay healthy I am almost positive she would get an AA spot along with Bridget. She could've won nationals easily if she would've had clean bars.

I wish I could put Chellsie on there for beam and bars but I just don't see how she could beat girls like Beth Tweedle, Jiang Yuyan, He Kexin, or Liukin on bars. And she wouldn't be one of the first choices beam as the US is developing beautiful beam workers.

I would love to see Ivana on the team too, I just can't figure out where she would fit in. Her gymnastics is beautiful, but she just doesn't have the difficulty.

Any other thoughts?

Pineapple_Lump · #2 08-26-2009, 09:52 PM

Nice post. You are not making use of a floor spot, so you may as well put Kayla up on floor in your hypothetical team. Each country can have three routines on each event so 2 AA and 2 specialists or 3 AA or some random mix of 1 AA and three specialists.
I pretty much agree with your choice. For me it’s a toss up between Kayla and Kytra Hunter for the last specialist spot. Kytra is better on floor but will she have two competitive vaults ready? Can Kayla clean up her floor routine? Girl can tumble but can't leap or dance.
Of course all the gymnasts have to go through two selection camps, so it's more a case of who can still walk after camp can go. If Bross is injured, I'd go with Ivana Hong for the other AA.

gym4life915 · #3 08-31-2009, 07:31 PM

Well Nastia has withdrawled from consideration of the world team. So now I'm not too sure about the team anymore. Things could really change around. But I am still thinking Bross and Sloan will be our two AA gymnasts

wandrewsjr · #4 09-04-2009, 10:22 AM

Don't understand your statement about Ivana Hong's difficulty. At Visa's, she had a 6.0 A score on UB(2nd only to Bross' 6.20) and a 6.2 A score on beam(tied with Bross for the highest). So this would be my team:

Bross AA
Sloan AA
Hong UB BB
Williams VT FX

I understand the criticism of Williams dance, but she scored virtually the same as Kytra on floor because her tumbling is sooo clean (she has those straight up landings with no steps that the new code calls for). Though if Kytra could do 2 vaults I think the spot might be hers just because she has been around longer.

Anyone know anything about how Shapiro and Larsen are doing? They would definately be in the mix for those 2 specialist spots if healthy.

gracefulone · #5 09-10-2009, 06:10 PM

As long as Sloan and Hong go I will be happy. I love them

Pineapple_Lump · #6 09-10-2009, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wandrewsjr

Don't understand your statement about Ivana Hong's difficulty. At Visa's, she had a 6.0 A score on UB(2nd only to Bross' 6.20) and a 6.2 A score on beam(tied with Bross for the highest).

While a 6.0 D score might be competitive in the US, internationally on bars Ivana would be unlikely to make finals. Shapiro might be worth sending for Bars, but when has a AOGC gymnast ever been healthy.

flipandtwist · #7 09-13-2009, 08:17 AM

I don't know about the team this year...

ky7403 · #8 09-21-2009, 05:31 AM

I can't wait until the finally pick who is going but I think Sloan, Hong, Bross and Williams will be the team. We have no vaulters and it would be dumb if they didn't give Williams a chance to show that she is a good vaulter to the world. I think she really has the potential to do well; medal? i dont know about this year but I think it would be great experience for her for her future as well as USAG. If Bross can hit she will do amazing! same with Hong placing on each event they are put up for.

Pineapple I totally agree with you that Williams cant dance all that well but Shawn Johnson wasn't the most beautiful dancer especially next to nastia but she could tumble and still did well internationally. Don't get me wrong I have no idea how they would take Williams routine internationally especially with the ever changing code.

It should be an interesting year. I don't like the way world are set up this year. I think you should ALWAYS! have a team comp.

NastiaLiukinF23 · #9 09-28-2009, 03:30 AM

I really wanted Bross, Sloan, Hong and Liukin to go but since Nastia withdrew im not really sure. i agree always team comp

msl529 · #10 09-30-2009, 07:52 AM

So does Jana not measure up well? She does have 'Worlds' experience under her belt...just wondering...