Tag Archives: US Gymnastics Team

UPDATE: London 2012 Olympics Coverage

While the Olympics are going on, I will be posting my thoughts about them at the Pure TV Network blog.

GYMNASTICS
– United States Gymnastics Olympic Team (both Mens and Womens) the Qualification Round
– United States Mens Gymnastics Olympic Team Final Results
– United States Womens Gymnastics Olympic Team Final Results
– United States’ Danell Leyva and John Orozco in the Individual All-Around
– United States’ Alexandra Raisman and Gabrielle Douglas in the Individual All-Around Preview
– United States’ Alexandra Raisman and Gabrielle Douglas in the Individual All-Around Results
– United States Mens and Womens Gymanstics Individual Apparatus Preview

OTHER OLYMPIC COVERAGE
– Michael Phelps a Look Back
– The NBA at the Olympics

Other posts at the Pure TV Network:
– NBCs the Voice Season 3: Advisers to the Judges Chosen
– Stars Earn Stripes: NEW Celebrity Reality Show on NBC

Since the other shows that I watch are on hiatus due to the Olympics I will be focusing on wrapping up a few Pure Dancing with the Stars summer projects as well.
– Dancing with the Stars Season 15: Elimination Predictions w/o Professional Partners
– Dancing with the Stars Season 15: Who would you choose as the 13th Celebrity?

Hope to see you there!

Reflection: US Men’s Olympic Gymnastics in Beijing 2008

For anyone that remembers what happened back in 2008… after the U.S. Olympics Trials the following Men’s Olympic Team was announced for the Beijing Olympics that year:
– Paul Hamm
– Morgan Hamm
– Joe Hagerty
– Jonathan Horton
– Justin Spring
– Kai Wen Tan

Though Paul did not compete, he did however did enough to earn a spot on the Olympic team. Eventually though Paul had to drop out of the games due to his injuries unable to heal enough in time for the games and the first alternate was called up to the plate: Raj Bhavsar. Just to give a quick recap: Raj was an alternate on the 2004 U.S. Mens Gymnastics Olympics Team and was originally once again the alternate in 2008, but due to Paul’s withdrawal he was called up to fill the spot. He grew between the two Olympics, not only as a gymnast but also as a person, taking that “devastation” of being an alternate in 2004 and learning how to come to terms with it in 2008.

Originally with the Hamm brothers, the United States Gymnastics Team was expected to contend for the gold medal, and though with Raj the gold was a possibility it wasn’t nearly as strong as it were with Paul Hamm. They, after all still had the other Hamm brother: Morgan, who heard questions only about his brother who was considering a trip to Beijing.

Then the unthinkable happened: Morgan Hamm had to withdraw having injured during training at Beijing. Suddenly the idea of the United States Mens Gymnastics Team capturing a medal at Beijing seemed more like a pipe dream… still the United States moved forward, trying to decide whom to bring up to the plate David Durante or Alexander Artemev. Knowing that they needed help on pommel horse they went to the one guy who had the talent and skill set to fill that void: Alexander Artemev.

Now back during the United States Olympic Trials, Alexander placed fifth in the all-around and was passed over for the Olympic Team due to consistency issues, even though he is largely known to have the most pure talent of any of the Olympians. However, what he is capable to bring onto to the table didn’t just give him the chance to put his magic on his apparatus of choice: the pommel horse, he is expected to put his talented magic to good use on all six apparatus giving him the chance to qualify for the individual all-around. Who knew?

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Entertainment: US Gymnastics Olympic Team 2012

Late last night the final places for the Gymnastics Team has been assigned as well as the alternates should something happened to the members of the US Mens and Womens Gymnastics Olympic Team.

A couple of nights ago (after the US Men’s Gymnastics Olympics Final) I attempted to figure out who would inevitably be chosen for the Mens and Womens Gymnastics Teams for the US. Well, when it came to the actual Olympic teams I would able to figure out who would be placed onto the team as well as what would have happened should Jonathan Horton be chosen over Chris Brooks.

As for the alternates, I didn’t really do as well… I was better with the women as opposed to the men, but still that was a crapshoot in comparison to the actual team. Well now that we know who is a part of the Olympic team let’s see how they might be used during the Olympics in London.

US MENS GYMNASTICS OLYMPIC TEAM
Below is the break down of the members of the US Mens Gymnastics Olympic Team and alternates as well as their overall placements during the Olympic Trials.
– FE: Floor Exercise; PH: Pommel Horse; SR: Still Rings; V: Vault; PB: Parallel Bars; HB: High Bars; FINAL: All Around

NAME FE PH SR V PB HB FINAL
MENS GYMNASTICS OLYMPIC TEAM
Danell Leyva 8th 2nd 7th 6th 1st 1st 1st
John Orozco 4th 3rd 3rd 6th 3rd 2nd 2nd
Jonathan Horton 7th 8th 1st 8th 2nd 5th 3rd
Jake Dalton 1st 13th 6th 1st 4th 8th 4th
Sam Mikulak *7th 5th *9th *2nd *2nd *5th *3rd
* Sam Mikulak was injured towards the end of Prelims, so he opted to only compete on Pommel Horse, placements indicated were where he was placed at the end of Prelims.
MENS GYMNASTICS OLYMPIC ALTERNATES
Chris Brooks 5th 9th 5th 5th 5th 7th 4th
Steven Legendre 2nd 7th 9th 3rd 12th 13th 8th
Alexander Naddour 11th 1st 8th 14th 13th 12th 11th

US WOMENS GYMNASTICS OLYMPIC TEAM
Below is the break down of the members of the US Womens Gymnastics Olympic Team and alternates as well as their overall placements during the Olympic Trials.
– V: Vault; UB: Uneven Bars; BB: Balance Beam; FE: Floor Exercise; FINAL: All Around

NAME V UB BB FE FINAL
WOMENS GYMNASTICS OLYMPIC TEAM
Gabrielle Douglas 2nd 1st 6th 3rd 1st
Jordyn Wieber 4th 4th 3rd 2nd 2nd
Alexandra Raisman 6th 8th 1st 1st 3rd
Kyla Ross 8th 1st 3rd 9th 5th
McKayla Maroney 1st 11th 10th 5th 7th
WOMENS GYMNASTICS OLYMPIC ALTERNATES
Sarah Finnegan 7th 6th 5th 6th 6th
Anna Li 3rd 12th
Elizabeth Price 3rd 5th 9th 4th 4th

Before we move on, below is a schedule of the Artistic Gymnastics in London:
– Saturday July 28th: Mens Qualifying
– Sunday July 29th: Womens Qualifying
– Monday July 30th: Mens Team Final
– Tuesday July 31st: Womens Team Final
– Wednesday August 1st: Mens Individual All-Around
– Thursday August 2nd: Womens Individual All-Around
– Sunday August 5th: Mens Floor Exercise, Mens Pommel Horse, Womens Vault
– Monday August 6th: Mens Vault, Mens Rings, Womens Uneven Bars
– Tuesday August 7th: Mens Parallel Bars, Mens Horizontal/High Bar, Womens Floor Exercise, Womens Balance Beam

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Entertainment: US Gymnastics Olympic Trials 2012

From June 28th through July 1st, San Jose has played host to the US Gymnastics Olympic Trials, it is here that 30 of the top gymnasts in artistic gymnastics will compete to prove and earn their place on the five-member US Gymnastics team squad for the London Olympics a month later.

In an earlier post I have touched upon some of the front runners for a spot on the gymnastics squad for both men and women teams, I also went in a little more detail as to the possibility of the veterans from last year’s squad making a return appearance for these Olympics.

US MENS GYMNASTICS OLYMPIC TRIALS RESULTS
Today the Men’s Gymnastics competition went into full swing. If you remember from the previous post the top two guys after the Olympic Trials in San Jose will be guaranteed spots on the team:
– Danell Leyva: Placed 1st
– John Orozco: Placed 2nd

Not only does the selection committee need to decide who would fill in the last three spots, but as we saw in the 2008 Olympics, they would also need to figure in the alternates. In the 2008 Olympics the two alternates: Alexander Artemev and Raj Bhavsar ended up being a part of the Olympics team after the withdrawal of the Hamm brothers, and in the end became a major factor in the US Men’s Olympic Gymnastics team capturing the bronze medal.

Since only the top three scores will be counted during the Olympics, it comes down to who could bring in the top scores or has the potential to bring in the top scores in an effort to get the gold medal at the Olympics.

Based on the numbers this is one possible way for the Mens Gymnastics Olympic team with alternates would pan out:
– FE: Floor Exercise; PH: Pommel Horse; SR: Still Rings; V: Vault; PB: Parallel Bars; HB: High Bars; FINAL: All Around

NAME FE PH SR V PB HB FINAL
POSSIBLE OLYMPIC TEAM
Chris Brooks 5th 5th 5th 5th 7th 4th
Jake Dalton 1st 6th 1st 4th 5th
Sam Mikulak *7th 5th *2nd *2nd *5th *4th
* Sam Mikulak was injured towards the end of Prelims, so he opted to only compete on Pommel Horse
POSSIBLE ALTERNATES
Jonathan Horton 1st 2nd 5th 3rd
Paul Ruggeri 3rd 7th 7th 6th
CJ Maestas 6th 4th 7th

But one thing that Jonathan Horton would bring onto the table that most other athletes do not have: experience… and leadership, but would that be enough? It’s hard to say, if they choose to bring in Jonathan onto the Olympic team then I believe that Chris Brooks would be the one to become an alternate over Sam Mikulak due to Chris’ scores being lower than that of Sam’s in most apparati and Sam having a stronger score in the US Mens Gymnastics Team’s weakest event: pommel horse. All speculation to be sure, but still very difficult to decpiher what would win out the day.

US WOMENS GYMNASTICS OLYMPIC TRIALS RESULTS
Sunday, July 1st will be the finals for the US Women Gymnastics Olympic Trials and right now the top gymnast is Jordyn Wieber. But how would the other women fit it? Well let’s find out:
– V: Vault; UB: Uneven Bars; BB: Balance Beam; FE: Floor Exercise; FINAL: All Around

NAME V UB BB FE FINAL
POSSIBLE OLYMPIC TEAM
Gabrielle Douglas 3rd 5th 5th 2nd 2nd
Alexandra Raisman 4th 4th 1st 3rd
Kyla Ross 1st 5th 5th
McKayla Maroney 2nd 4th 7th
POSSIBLE ALTERNATES
Elizabeth Price 1st 6th 5th 4th
Alicia Sacremone 5th 3rd
Anna Li 1st
OTHER POSSIBILITIES
Sarah Finnegan 7th 1st 7th 6th
Rebecca Bross 4th
Nastia Liukin 7th

Since there are only four apparatus that is included in womens gymnastics and with one slot already tied up, trying to put the pieces together has proven to be a rather difficult process. Since the top three scores from each team will be counted in the team events out of either four or five possible gymnasts it would be ideal to have at least four gymnasts with strong scores in any apparatus. The same idea stands for the men as well, but in my opinion that was easier to put together. For the women, not so much. However, without knowing would happen during the womens gymnastics finals on Sunday there is no way to know how the final team will stack up.

It is rather unfortunate that the darling of the Womens Gymnastics Team of the Beijing Olympics 2008: Nastia Liukin, might not make it onto the team not placing as high as she could have in the prelims. Alicia would have a strong chance to at least be an alternate, but it would be rather difficult to see her any higher than that.

Knowing that the full Mens Gymnastics Olympic Team will be announced on Sunday and the Womens Gymnastics should be soon to follow, it will be rather interesting to see what happens. Well also to see how close or far I am with my predictions.

Entertainment: US Gymnastics at the London 2012 Olympics

The 2008 U.S. Olympics Gymnastics Team had a very strong showing in Beijing 2008 with the Women’s team getting the silver medal and the Men’s team (largely considered underdogs at the time) sneaking in for the bronze.

For 2012, the only veterans from the 2008 team that have returned for the 2012 Olympic trials include:
– Jonathan Horton
– Nastia Liukin
– Alicia Sacramone
– Bridget Sloan

Of the four… going into the Olympic trials in San Jose, Jonathan Horton appears to be the most likely to return with Alicia Sacramone as a possibility.

But what happened to the rest of the 2008 team?
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