WAG Has an alternate ever been used at the Olympics?

[Mrs. Puma]

Interesting! I guess I assumed they could jump in whenever. It makes sense there would be a solid rule though. Thanks!

 

[txgymfan]

In the past 2 have traveled and trained near by. I don't know if they will travel this year because Rio is almost in the same time zone.

 

[skschlag]

In the past 2 have traveled and trained near by. I don't know if they will travel this year because Rio is almost in the same time zone.

There was an article where they were all talking about traveling and training in Rio. Not 100% sure about it all, just that.

 

[coachmolly]

I've heard the alternates for the US women will stay at the ranch and be flown to Rio if needed. I think there is a minor time difference, but definitely easier than China or Australia. I guess it would be a more comfortable situation than staying in an unknown other location in another South American city and waiting out the games.

 

[txgymfan]

That makes sense. Olympic alternate has to be the hardest spot. I wonder what the men will do.

 

[flippingtogether]

Great story about this year's men's alternates and their (difficult) roles, plus a reminder about when Paul Hamm got hurt in 2008 and alternate Raj B competed.

http://summergames.ap.org/article/leyva-whittenburg-and-modi-trying-embrace-alternate-role

 

[sce]

Great story about this year's men's alternates and their (difficult) roles, plus a reminder about when Paul Hamm got hurt in 2008 and alternate Raj B competed.

http://summergames.ap.org/article/leyva-whittenburg-and-modi-trying-embrace-alternate-role

Why is no one talking about Modi, he is an alternate as well? He got almost no airtime or discussion last night. The article lists him in the title and then nothing else. He's an up and comer and has a lot left to give in the future. Don;t get me worn, I was shocked when Donnell was not on the team, but Modi is being overlooked altogether.

 

[gymcoach1]

I've heard that if an alternate is used that the original athlete who they are removing from the team gets stripped off all the Olympic apparel and such that the official team members get and and are forced to leave the Olympic village. Not sure how true this is but would be horrible for someone to be injured then forcrd to leave like that.

 

[Aero]

I suppose being an athlete that was injured, and then replaced by an alternate would be incredibly difficult, too. Can you imagine?

 

[txgymfan]

Ugh! I can't imagine the pain of getting to the Olympic village and being replaced.

 

[Faith]

Keeping everything crossed nothing happens to any of the GB team members without anyone on immediate standby, not exactly a quick flight over there!

Does anyone remember Lisa Grayson? Alternate for the seoul olympics, someone injured i think, they needed lisa but she couldn't get out there in time...

 

[Dahlia]

Does anyone remember Lisa Grayson? Alternate for the seoul olympics, someone injured i think, they needed lisa but she couldn't get out there in time...

She missed her flight, if I remember correctly.

 

[sce]

She missed her flight, if I remember correctly.

Sad!

 

[Dahlia]

Sad!

Even though that is really awful for her, back then it was a 7 member team. So at least Great Britain had 6 athletes to compete with. Now, proximity for alternates really is important, because competing with 4 instead of 5 could be a huge disadvantage...

 

[Jodi Warner]

At the 2008 Olympics for the USA Men when both Paul and Morgan Hamm pulled out with injuries they used the alternates. The alternates were Raj Bavshar and Sasha ( Alexandar) Artemev. They both rocked it! Helped the team with bronze.
At the 2000 Olympics , Tasha Swikert went in for Morgan White.

 

[azara]

Marta is famously resistant to using alternates. She prefers to name the five team members so that there's always a backup available from those five. It makes no sense (why even have alternates at all, then?) but that's what she likes to do! The current battle between bars specialists Madison Kocian and Ashton Locklear is tipping in Kocian's favour because she has a very respectable AA - she came fifth at Nationals - so she could fill in if somebody else is injured.

 

[Mrs. Puma]

The current battle between bars specialists Madison Kocian and Ashton Locklear is tipping in Kocian's favour because she has a very respectable AA - she came fifth at Nationals - so she could fill in if somebody else is injured.

This seems to be the popular opinion here. Does Ashton have a shot at all? I think her lines are so pretty!

 

[sce]

Marta is famously resistant to using alternates. She prefers to name the five team members so that there's always a backup available from those five. It makes no sense (why even have alternates at all, then?) but that's what she likes to do! The current battle between bars specialists Madison Kocian and Ashton Locklear is tipping in Kocian's favour because she has a very respectable AA - she came fifth at Nationals - so she could fill in if somebody else is injured.

Well, it is still wise to have that depth on the team. If one of the 5 is injured during or after qualifying they can't put an alternate into team finals.

 

[azara]

This seems to be the popular opinion here. Does Ashton have a shot at all? I think her lines are so pretty!

She does have a shot, but Kocian is more likely to make it since she's a bars world champion and has proven she can hit routines under international-level pressure. Locklear has also been to worlds but I think she made a mistake and didn't place. She's only been out scoring Kocian by a few tenths (they actually tied at nationals last week, both 15.7s) so Kocian will probably take the spot. Don't count Locklear out completely, though!

 

[Seeker]

She does have a shot, but Kocian is more likely to make it since she's a bars world champion and has proven she can hit routines under international-level pressure. Locklear has also been to worlds but I think she made a mistake and didn't place. She's only been out scoring Kocian by a few tenths (they actually tied at nationals last week, both 15.7s) so Kocian will probably take the spot. Don't count Locklear out completely, though!

She did not make a mistake and "not place". The field was STACKED that year and most of those bar specialists at 2014 worlds were not there in 2015. The start values for finals competitors in 2014 were also higher than 2015. Kocian's 4-way tie was an anomaly.

Had Ashton been there, competing as she had before and is now, she likely would have won a medal as well. As it was, she was recovering from shoulder surgery.