a universial sport document on if usa is really weak on bars
Ask any expert what the USA women's weakest event is, and the unanimous answer will be "bars." Is the USA really weak on bars?
Americans' success on bars over the past decade:
2001 Worlds: Katie Heenan - bronze2002 Worlds: Courtney Kupets - gold2003 Worlds: Hollie Vise and Chellsie Memmel - tied for gold2004 Olympics: Terin Humphrey - silver, Courtney Kupets - bronze2005 Worlds: Nastia Liukin - gold, Chellsie Memmel - silver2006 Worlds: Nastia Liukin - silver2007 Worlds: Nastia Liukin - silver2008 Olympics: Nastia Liukin - silver2009 Worlds: Rebecca Bross - bronzeIn summary, the USA has placed at least one medalist on bars at every world or Olympic competition in the past decade - and in many cases two - with a total of 12 world or Olympic medals and 4 different world champions on the event.
If we look back at how the USA placed on bars as a team during the team finals at every team worlds or Olympic Games in the past decade, we find similar success:
2001 Worlds: 2nd2003 Worlds: 3rd2004 Olympics: 1st2006 Worlds: 2nd2007 Worlds: 1st2008 Olympics: 2nd
Certainly not a concerning track record, so what's all the fuss been about?
The answer is He Kexin, the Chinese phenom who popped up in 2008 with the best bar routine the world had ever seen. Though she's equally well known for the worldwide skepticism she generated regarding her true age in Beijing, it was her out-of-this-world bar routine that began to spread worry among USA gymnastics fans - and the USA women's selection committee.
Before He Kexin came along, the USA had beaten China on bars in 2007 and finished just 0.025 behind them in 2006. But with China's new secret weapon and the full point or more she surely would add to their team tally, the USA was going to have to have to come up with an answer very quickly. Even with three hit sets in Beijing from Liukin, Memmel, and Johnson, the USA was outscored by 1.65 on bars by China - a big reason why China won the Olympic team gold.
It's now two years later, so how have things changed? With Nastia Liukin out of the picture, her WOGA teammate Rebecca Bross has filled in beautifully as the top American on bars. Her high D-score of 6.2 and aggressive and confident style have made her one of the best bar workers in the world over the last two years, and her consistency as only gotten better. Bridget Sloan - also a bars finalist at last year's worlds and the current world all-around champion - has recently upgraded her routine to a 6.1 D-score, and her beautiful lines and impeccable form are well received by any international judging panel. These two will likely fill two of our bars spots in the team finals, which leaves one spot open...
Mackenzie Caquatto may be the front runner after scoring a brilliant 15.05 at the Covergirl Classic, and earned the same D-score as Rebecca Bross (6.2). Cincinatti's Cassie Whitcomb and Amanda Jetter also put up strong scores at the Covergirl (14.8 and 14.4, respectively) and will surely be watched very closely by the selection committee this week.
Samantha Shapiro is an exquisite bar worker, but after being out with injury for the last two years, she'll need to show her 2008 form to be considered. Her teammate Mattie Larson, who has never been particularly great on bars, posted a solid 14.4 with a much improved routine en route to her all-around victory at the Covergirl.
Finally, Chelsea Davis and Vanessa Zamarripa might not have the most competitive D-scores (5.6 and 5.3, respectively), but they'll be relying on their great handstands, higher execution scores, and consistency to give the selection committee something to think about.
Women's bars is essentially identical to men's pommel horse for the USA nowadays...15 is the magic number and consistency is absolutely critical. Any gymnast who scores near or above a 15 both days on bars this week may very well be heading to Rotterdam in October.
Showing posts with label usa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label usa. Show all posts
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
rebecca bross on the olympics and WOGA
Mention the name Rebecca Bross and one of two statements invariably follows. In 2012, she could become the third straight gymnast from her gym - World Olympic Gymnastics Academy (WOGA) in Plano, Texas - to become Olympic all-around champion. And last year, she narrowly missed the chance to become world all-around champion, falling on the final skill of her final routine.
But Bross isn't willing to let either of those storylines define her. While others may be eager to name the 17-year-old as successor to Carly Patterson and Nastia Liukin, her focus is elsewhere - at least for the moment. "I really don't think about it much at all," Bross says. "I take everything day by day and the Olympics is still another two years away and I just want to do my best now."
Still, she admits Liukin's journey to Olympic gold in Beijing made an impact. "It did motivate me. I work out with her everyday and saw what she went through... It's what I would have to go through if I wanted to do the same."
In fact they have already gone though many of the same things. Besides sharing a gym and a coach (Valeri Liukin, Nastia's dad), each missed out on an early Olympic opportunity because she was born in a year after an age cut-off. Bross won't make her Olympic debut until age 19, which means that - like Liukin in the last Olympic cycle - she'll have to outsmart injury and hold off an emerging younger generation of talent. And four years before Bross was defeated for the 2009 world title by Bridget Sloan, Liukin was even more dramatically edged out by a teammate - she lost by .001 (essentially an artificial margin created by rounding of scores) to Chellsie Memmel.
Where the two Texans most differ is in their gymnastics - Bross is the daredevil to Liukin's ballerina - but both exhibit a striking intensity. It's probably the thing that most stands out about Bross on the competition floor, where she often stares trance-like before beginning a routine. "It's one thing that's always been kind of easy for me," she says. "I just know it's keeping focused and not letting my brain go loose completely... It's what I've always done and it's just a habit."
But don't take that to mean she's icy. In fact, Bross believes that's the biggest misconception about her sport. "Most people think that we're all serious gymnasts and kind of put off from the world, but we're all really nice girls and we all love to compete against each other."
Bross, who has already claimed two major all-around titles this season (American Cup and Pacific Rim), will attempt to win her first senior national title in Hartford, Conn., starting on August 11. The U.S. junior champion in 2007, she missed the chance to defend that title in 2008 when she broke her foot. Later that year a dislocated knee cap and bone chip set Bross back further, causing about five months of missed training. When she returned to the U.S. Championships last year for her senior level debut, Bross finished third after a costly error, peeling off uneven bars on the second day of competition.
About those falls. Bross's brand of gymnastics is based on taking risks. And those risks can lead to spectacular mistakes. In each of her last two competitions she has fallen on balance beam, and ending that streak is high on her list of priorities for Nationals. "I've been competing this year a lot and I have to make sure I focus on everything I'm doing," she said last week. "I need to do everything right."
Like many gymnasts competing in Hartford, Bross's stated goals are to hit her routines and put herself in a strong position to make the U.S. team for the World Championships in October. "This year it's a team competition instead of just individual," Bross points out of Worlds, "So I'm excited for that."
As for claiming that individual all-around world title she let slip away? "It would be great to be able to get that after how I barely missed out on it last year and messing up on my last skill," Bross allows, before hedging slightly. "But just being able to go and represent my country again would be a great experience."
But Bross isn't willing to let either of those storylines define her. While others may be eager to name the 17-year-old as successor to Carly Patterson and Nastia Liukin, her focus is elsewhere - at least for the moment. "I really don't think about it much at all," Bross says. "I take everything day by day and the Olympics is still another two years away and I just want to do my best now."
Still, she admits Liukin's journey to Olympic gold in Beijing made an impact. "It did motivate me. I work out with her everyday and saw what she went through... It's what I would have to go through if I wanted to do the same."
In fact they have already gone though many of the same things. Besides sharing a gym and a coach (Valeri Liukin, Nastia's dad), each missed out on an early Olympic opportunity because she was born in a year after an age cut-off. Bross won't make her Olympic debut until age 19, which means that - like Liukin in the last Olympic cycle - she'll have to outsmart injury and hold off an emerging younger generation of talent. And four years before Bross was defeated for the 2009 world title by Bridget Sloan, Liukin was even more dramatically edged out by a teammate - she lost by .001 (essentially an artificial margin created by rounding of scores) to Chellsie Memmel.
Where the two Texans most differ is in their gymnastics - Bross is the daredevil to Liukin's ballerina - but both exhibit a striking intensity. It's probably the thing that most stands out about Bross on the competition floor, where she often stares trance-like before beginning a routine. "It's one thing that's always been kind of easy for me," she says. "I just know it's keeping focused and not letting my brain go loose completely... It's what I've always done and it's just a habit."
But don't take that to mean she's icy. In fact, Bross believes that's the biggest misconception about her sport. "Most people think that we're all serious gymnasts and kind of put off from the world, but we're all really nice girls and we all love to compete against each other."
Bross, who has already claimed two major all-around titles this season (American Cup and Pacific Rim), will attempt to win her first senior national title in Hartford, Conn., starting on August 11. The U.S. junior champion in 2007, she missed the chance to defend that title in 2008 when she broke her foot. Later that year a dislocated knee cap and bone chip set Bross back further, causing about five months of missed training. When she returned to the U.S. Championships last year for her senior level debut, Bross finished third after a costly error, peeling off uneven bars on the second day of competition.
About those falls. Bross's brand of gymnastics is based on taking risks. And those risks can lead to spectacular mistakes. In each of her last two competitions she has fallen on balance beam, and ending that streak is high on her list of priorities for Nationals. "I've been competing this year a lot and I have to make sure I focus on everything I'm doing," she said last week. "I need to do everything right."
Like many gymnasts competing in Hartford, Bross's stated goals are to hit her routines and put herself in a strong position to make the U.S. team for the World Championships in October. "This year it's a team competition instead of just individual," Bross points out of Worlds, "So I'm excited for that."
As for claiming that individual all-around world title she let slip away? "It would be great to be able to get that after how I barely missed out on it last year and messing up on my last skill," Bross allows, before hedging slightly. "But just being able to go and represent my country again would be a great experience."
thankyou so much universial sports!
photos from rebecca bross official website
Sunday, April 4, 2010
jesolo 2010 results
1st USA 228.450
alexandra raisman
morgan smith
kytra hunter
cassandra whitcomb
amanda jetter
bridgette caquatto
2nd russia 225.900
ksenia semenova
ekaterina kurbatova
ramilya musina
tatiana solovyeva
tatiana nabieva
anna myzdrikova
3rd italy 220.300
vanessa ferrari
elisabetta preziosa
paola galante
emily armi
eleonora rando
jessica mattoni
federcia macri
i am in love with the russians leotards!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
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