Number of girls on Olympics team

[LiveLoveTumble]

Okay, this may sound kind of stupid, but I have been wondering about it for a while. How come the number of girls on the Olympic team keeps going down? It went from 7 to 6, and now it's going down to 5! What is the reasoning behind this? Wouldn't it be better to give more people a chance?

 

[vagymmomma]

Not up to the US. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is trying to encourage and support the development of the sport for all countries. The US (or any developed country) has a greater advantage when a larger team is allowed because they have a larger pool of gymnasts to pick and choose from. I feel bad for the elites, but kind of understand where the IOC is coming from. I remember the girls from New Zealand at the Visa Championship watching the US girls with genuine awe and amazement.

 

[teena82]

It's so countries with smaller programs have a chance at medalling. Each country is allowed 5 gymnasts. Only 3 will compete each event and all scores count. Countries are more likely to have 3 good/great gymnasts than 5 or 6.

 

[txgymfan]

Less gymnasts also allows room for more athletes in other sports. Almost every sport is trying to get into the Olympics and there is only a certain about of space and resources to host the athletes. Gymnastics is lucky that it is a popular sport and not in danger of losing its competition. Softball and Baseball were Olympic sports and they lost their spot.

 

[LiveLoveTumble]

Oh, I see! Does anyone know when they will announce who is on the team? And how will they announce it? How do they choose? (Sorry for all the questions, but I am used to the selection camp format, and I guess they are not doing that this year).

 

[wallinbl]

This kind of decision affects club gyms as well. Our state uses 5 scores for the team rankings at the state meet. If they used 4 scores instead of 5, DD's gym would have won. With 5 scores counting, they placed 4th. Depends on how much you value depth vs having the top gymnasts. The more scores you count, the more you value depth over the top gymnasts. The fewer you count, the more you value having the top gymnasts over depth.

 

[Esoteric]

On July 1st, the last day of the US Olympic Trials, they will announce the team. The only guaranteed spot is to the winner of the AA competition during the Trials from what I understand. It will certainly be a tough decision. Glad I do not have to make it...

 

[J&A's mom]

I believe they are announcing the mens team on the second day of the women's. I wonder if they are announcing the womens there right after the competition, or later that night.

I PRAY that they don't pull all the girls out and call them out one by one. I also PRAY that if they do something like this, the cameras are on those that made it and NOT on those that don't.

I don't want to see a repeat of 2000 and 2004! They must have done it differently in 2008, because I don't remember being so upset about those that didn't make it....although Ivana is really the only one I wanted to but didn't, and she was alternate.

 

[teena82]

In 2008 they only announced Nastia and Shawn on the team. The rest were decided later.

I agree that showing all the girls who didn't make it is unnecessary but NBC thinks it makes for good tv. *rolls eyes*

 

[wandrewsjr]

Hpefully they will tell all the girls and coaches privately in a back room what the final decision is, then announce and have the girls who made it come out and wave to the crowd.

 

[J&A's mom]

In 2008 they only announced Nastia and Shawn on the team. The rest were decided later.

I agree that showing all the girls who didn't make it is unnecessary but NBC thinks it makes for good tv. *rolls eyes*

I know that....I remember like it was yesterday that Tim was hinting they may announce more....thinking to myself, yes, Chellsie and Alicia made it.....then they just announced the most obvious thing in the world that anyone would have known by looking at the scoreboard. lol. I was shouting at the tv!

What I asked was that I don't remember them actually showing the revelation at camp. Like they did in 2004 with Chellsie, Tasha, and Hollie all looking like their whole world was shattered. That was heartbreaking! Why did they have to do that.

And in 2000 when they kept panning to the waiting area while people were called. grrrr.....

 

[J&A's mom]

Hpefully they will tell all the girls and coaches privately in a back room what the final decision is, then announce and have the girls who made it come out and wave to the crowd.

Like AI style....three/four different rooms. Everyone wants to be in the room that Jordyn is in!! lol.

I am just kidding.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

Hpefully they will tell all the girls and coaches privately in a back room what the final decision is, then announce and have the girls who made it come out and wave to the crowd.

This was how the 2008 British team was called (as you can see in the documentary) girls were told in the back room, and then those on the team went out onto the floor for the crowd. The successful girls were able to hug/console their less fortunate team mate.

 

[marie83]

Like AI style....three/four different rooms. Everyone wants to be in the room that Jordyn is in!! lol.

I am just kidding.

When I went to ballet school auditions this was exactly how they did it - If your name was called. you went into one room, everyone else stayed in another then you were told whether you were in or not! You knew if you were in if you were with someone amazing!

Not quite as important as olympic selection but it was still pretty important to me at the time!

Sorry to go off topic ish!

 

[Matt Filroy]

Thanks....makes sense...but it's too bad to see some of our great gymnasts not be able to go.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Less gymnasts also allows room for more athletes in other sports. Almost every sport is trying to get into the Olympics and there is only a certain about of space and resources to host the athletes. Gymnastics is lucky that it is a popular sport and not in danger of losing its competition. Softball and Baseball were Olympic sports and they lost their spot.

this is why^^^it is to make room for other sports and numbers of athletes. if they didn't do this, the Olympics might run for 2 years. lol.

 

[iwannacoach]

this is why^^^it is to make room for other sports and numbers of athletes. if they didn't do this, the Olympics might run for 2 years. lol.

No need to worry about that happening. NBC sports wouldn't allow it.....It just wouldn't be possible to have Tim and Elfi doing color in two places at the same time.....what with the olympics schedule conflicting with the national cheer championships.......