[SPOARTS!] Comments that don't warrant their own thread
- Thread starter Mr. S£im Citrus
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Summer McIntosh ends Katie Ledecky’s 800m freestyle unbeaten streak – NBC New York
McIntosh hands Ledecky her first L in the 800m free since 2010. And did it fairly handily. Set up for a potential showdown in Paris?
McIntosh hands Ledecky her first L in the 800m free since 2010. And did it fairly handily. Set up for a potential showdown in Paris?
We’re on the cusp of the Winter Cup pseudo-officially kicking off the run-up to the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.
Some intriguing names set to hit the mats in Louisville this weekend highlighted by two of the last three Olympic all-around champions in Suni Lee and Gabby Douglas - which is still equal parts surreal and insane to consider the monumental comebacks both are attempting here.
Also eyebrow-raising, Trinity Thomas, one of the most celebrated and decorated athletes in collegiate history, trying to transition to the elite level after completing a full and legendary career at the college ranks - which really speaks to the shifting dynamics of the sport.
Some other notable names include Worlds team members Skye Blakely and alternate Kayla DiCello, as well as 4 of the Junior Worlds team members: Hezly Rivera, Reese Esponda, Simone Rose and Jayla Hang making their debuts on the Senior Circuit.
This is shaping up to be the a most competitive race to make the Olympic team since the Magnificent 7.
Some intriguing names set to hit the mats in Louisville this weekend highlighted by two of the last three Olympic all-around champions in Suni Lee and Gabby Douglas - which is still equal parts surreal and insane to consider the monumental comebacks both are attempting here.
Also eyebrow-raising, Trinity Thomas, one of the most celebrated and decorated athletes in collegiate history, trying to transition to the elite level after completing a full and legendary career at the college ranks - which really speaks to the shifting dynamics of the sport.
Some other notable names include Worlds team members Skye Blakely and alternate Kayla DiCello, as well as 4 of the Junior Worlds team members: Hezly Rivera, Reese Esponda, Simone Rose and Jayla Hang making their debuts on the Senior Circuit.
This is shaping up to be the a most competitive race to make the Olympic team since the Magnificent 7.
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Wow and just like that, huge bucket of ice water on all that giddy anticipation. Get well soon Gabby.
Link: Gabby Douglas Withdraws Due to Covid
Link: Gabby Douglas Withdraws Due to Covid
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Winter Classic All-Around in the books, and it’s Kayla DiCello taking gold, building momentum from her all-around gold at the Pan Am games this past autumn.
DiCello was in control throughout with easily the most consistent performance of her career.
Skye Blakely rebounded from a rough start to fight her way to silver. Really the kind of meet she needed after a shaky rookie showing at Worlds.
Reigning Juniors all-around champion Hezly Rivera in her Senior debut takes bronze,
College superstar Trinity Thomas also had a strong showing in her elite debut finishing just off the podium in a close fourth.
Forgettable night for reigning Olympic all-around champion Suni Lee, who fell twice on her signature event of bars. Particularly disappointing after she looked spectacular in the practice session Friday.
DiCello was in control throughout with easily the most consistent performance of her career.
Skye Blakely rebounded from a rough start to fight her way to silver. Really the kind of meet she needed after a shaky rookie showing at Worlds.
Reigning Juniors all-around champion Hezly Rivera in her Senior debut takes bronze,
College superstar Trinity Thomas also had a strong showing in her elite debut finishing just off the podium in a close fourth.
Forgettable night for reigning Olympic all-around champion Suni Lee, who fell twice on her signature event of bars. Particularly disappointing after she looked spectacular in the practice session Friday.
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Final PAC 12 championship in the books and it goes again to the reigning champ still trying to erase allegations of a culture of abuse that forced a former Olympian to quit.
Link: Red Rocks Win 4th Consecutive PAC 12 Championship.
Cal was the favorite heading in to win their first ever conference championship, but couldn’t put it all together in the end.
Jade Carey had a perfect 10 on Floor for the Beavers, which gave them an early lead.
The Bruins were in the driver seat at rhe mid point, but the Red Rocks came from behind to take control cemented by Maile O’Keefe’s 15th perfect 10, a school record.
Link: Red Rocks Win 4th Consecutive PAC 12 Championship.
Cal was the favorite heading in to win their first ever conference championship, but couldn’t put it all together in the end.
Jade Carey had a perfect 10 on Floor for the Beavers, which gave them an early lead.
The Bruins were in the driver seat at rhe mid point, but the Red Rocks came from behind to take control cemented by Maile O’Keefe’s 15th perfect 10, a school record.
Gabby Douglas will not be participating in the national team camp during the first week of April.
Long story short: her chances of qualifying for the U.S. Championships that determines the Olympic team are dwindling.
Her last chances seem to be the American Classic at the end of April and the U.S. Classic in mid-May.
Link: Time’s Running Out for Douglas
Long story short: her chances of qualifying for the U.S. Championships that determines the Olympic team are dwindling.
Her last chances seem to be the American Classic at the end of April and the U.S. Classic in mid-May.
Link: Time’s Running Out for Douglas
Linked Article: O.J. Simpson dies of cancer at age 76, family says
.The headline for the Core Hydration Classic (AKA US Classic) in Hartford Connecticut of course: The last three Olympic All Around Champions: Biles, Lee, and Douglas, will be competing together for the first time in history.
But even more than that, every big name in the running for a roster spot is hitting the mat tomorrow, including: Carey, Jones, Chiles, DiCello, Blakely, Wong, Thomas, Roberson and, competing at the elite level for the first time in 2 years, fresh off bringing a national title to LSU, Konner McClain.
But even more than that, every big name in the running for a roster spot is hitting the mat tomorrow, including: Carey, Jones, Chiles, DiCello, Blakely, Wong, Thomas, Roberson and, competing at the elite level for the first time in 2 years, fresh off bringing a national title to LSU, Konner McClain.
Core Hydration Classic Resilts.
Biles wins All Around, Vault and Floor. Takes second on Bars and Beam.
Jones nearly as impressive, taking second in the All Around and Vault, first on Bars, and fourth on both Beam and Floor.
Those two are about as close to locks for the team as there can be at this stage.
No one else really moved the needle in their favor tonight.
Only 3 more months until everyone else suddenly cares about women’s gymnastics again for two weeks.
Biles wins All Around, Vault and Floor. Takes second on Bars and Beam.
Jones nearly as impressive, taking second in the All Around and Vault, first on Bars, and fourth on both Beam and Floor.
Those two are about as close to locks for the team as there can be at this stage.
No one else really moved the needle in their favor tonight.
Chiles: Respectable 3rd place, shined on bars, solid if unspectacular everywhere else.
Carey: 4th place, bombed on bars. Unfortunate because that’s supposedly a US weakness.
Lee: Competed 3 events, won beam. Scratch on bars, her best event. Presumably, had she hit her usual bar routine, would have been in the running for 3rd all around.
McClain: 3rd in her only event, beam. Good showing for first elite meet in 2 years.
Thomas: Tied for 3rd on bars. Bombed on beam. Scratch on floor, possibly still nursing an injury.
Douglas: Disastrous bars. Fell twice. Scratched out for rest of meet. Been a valiant effort, and not strictly over yet, but things just haven’t been coming together for the former champion.
Lincoln: Kicked butt on floor to take 2nd. Subpar everywhere else.
Blakely, Wong, Sumanasekera; OK meets overall with one bad event, keeping each of them from taking a leap.
DiCello, Roberson: Back down to earth meet for these two ladies. This is the B-tier DiCello we’ve been used to at elite meets. Roberson might still be bothered by that injury that kept her out of worlds.
If the team were picked right now, I’m thinking the committee goes with Biles, Jones, Lee, Chiles, and Carey.
Biles, Jones and Chiles do all four events. Lee does Bars and Beam. Carey does Vault and Floor. Which would be the same team sent to Tokyo swapping out McCallum for Jones.
Would the committee really send the Tokyo retreads to Paris for a revenge team gold?
Carey: 4th place, bombed on bars. Unfortunate because that’s supposedly a US weakness.
Lee: Competed 3 events, won beam. Scratch on bars, her best event. Presumably, had she hit her usual bar routine, would have been in the running for 3rd all around.
McClain: 3rd in her only event, beam. Good showing for first elite meet in 2 years.
Thomas: Tied for 3rd on bars. Bombed on beam. Scratch on floor, possibly still nursing an injury.
Douglas: Disastrous bars. Fell twice. Scratched out for rest of meet. Been a valiant effort, and not strictly over yet, but things just haven’t been coming together for the former champion.
Lincoln: Kicked butt on floor to take 2nd. Subpar everywhere else.
Blakely, Wong, Sumanasekera; OK meets overall with one bad event, keeping each of them from taking a leap.
DiCello, Roberson: Back down to earth meet for these two ladies. This is the B-tier DiCello we’ve been used to at elite meets. Roberson might still be bothered by that injury that kept her out of worlds.
If the team were picked right now, I’m thinking the committee goes with Biles, Jones, Lee, Chiles, and Carey.
Biles, Jones and Chiles do all four events. Lee does Bars and Beam. Carey does Vault and Floor. Which would be the same team sent to Tokyo swapping out McCallum for Jones.
Would the committee really send the Tokyo retreads to Paris for a revenge team gold?
Only 3 more months until everyone else suddenly cares about women’s gymnastics again for two weeks.
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Valiant effort, but it’s over:
Link: Douglas Ends Olympic Bid
Regardless, she will forever be a champion.
Link: Douglas Ends Olympic Bid
Regardless, she will forever be a champion.
Very sorry to see Douglas go, but the machine marches on: Nationals for the senior women starts today; the last stop before Olympic Team Trials at the end of June.
Current Favorites for Paris:
Biles, Jones, Lee*, Carey, Chiles
On the Cusp:
Blakely, Roberson, Wong, Lincoln
In Her Own Weird Nether Realm Category:
DiCello
Dark Horses:
Thomas, McClain*, Sumanasekera, Zeiss, Rivera
*Assuming operating at full capacity.
Current Favorites for Paris:
Biles, Jones, Lee*, Carey, Chiles
On the Cusp:
Blakely, Roberson, Wong, Lincoln
In Her Own Weird Nether Realm Category:
DiCello
Dark Horses:
Thomas, McClain*, Sumanasekera, Zeiss, Rivera
*Assuming operating at full capacity.
Uh oh
Link: Jones Drops Out of Nationals
Due to a shoulder injury. Will have to petition to compete in team trials.
Link: Jones Drops Out of Nationals
Due to a shoulder injury. Will have to petition to compete in team trials.
Nationals are done, and your champion is ... drum roll please:
Simone Biles
Shocking
And I don't just mean the All-Around champion either. She did that as well, but also finished first on every single apparatus.
I've literally never seen that before. She's really good at this. And somehow, still getting better.
Beyond Biles, a few women really added some statements to their resume to join her in Paris.
Suni Lee is back, while Skye Blakely and Kayla DiCello are right on Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey's heels.
Shi Jones and Kaliya Lincoln have successfully petitioned to compete at Trials
Gabby Douglas, Trinity Thomas and Konnor McClaine are officially out of contention for a spot at Paris due to injury.
Next stop, the Olympic Trials and Team USA.
See you all June 27th
Simone Biles
Shocking
And I don't just mean the All-Around champion either. She did that as well, but also finished first on every single apparatus.
I've literally never seen that before. She's really good at this. And somehow, still getting better.
Beyond Biles, a few women really added some statements to their resume to join her in Paris.
Suni Lee is back, while Skye Blakely and Kayla DiCello are right on Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey's heels.
Skye Blakely had herself a meet in front of her hometown crowd finishing a strong (if distance) second. She had a solid start, hitting her routines and avoided the major errors that plagued most of the other big name gymnasts this weekend. She finished Night 1 in second, but the scouting report on Blakely has been she wilts under pressure, as she did at Worlds last year biffing beam a bit when forced to replace Roberson. Well Blakely slammed a mahogany door on that nonsense, putting in some of her best routines on Night 2, punctuated by a gutsy performance muscling through wobbles on beam, the very event that haunted her at Worlds. I had her as "on the cusp" for Paris heading into Nationals, but this performance might just put her into the driver's seat on par with Carey and Chiles, if not ahead of them.
Your third place finisher is Kayla DiCello, and I worry this might end up sounding dismissive, when its meant more as an exacerbated sigh. DiCello is a stellar gymnast, and she's clearly put in the extra focus and dedication to take the leap into A-tier and onto the main squad for Paris. She just missed the team for Worlds last year and had to settle for an alternate spot, just like Tokyo. But then rebounds to become both the PanAm and Winter Classic All-Around Champion so you think she's figured it all out and is going to be a force for Paris. Then she completely bombs at the U.S. Classic, and you think she's back to B-Tier inconsistent DiCello when the big names are in the building. But then, again, she shows a champion's resiliency to shake that off to be neck-and-neck for second with Blakely through 6 rotations and you again think maybe she's ready to jump in the pit and wrestle with the big dogs after all. And then she ... just kinda falls on bars, before wrapping up the meet by sleepwalking through beam, narrowly avoiding dipping off the podium entirely. And the real kicker to that is, Team USA potentially is going to need someone strong on Bars and Beam, which she has worked tirelessly this year to become, but it ends up not looking that way now and what could have been a triumphant exclamation point heading into Trials, ends up being a confusing, underwhelming whimper.
After a rather superb meet to that point, she's back into the Nether Realm territory heading into Trials. DiCello has all the talent and tools to make a splash for Team USA. But does the committee risk sending an Olympic rookie who shows mostly giant neon sign levels of sublime brilliance with just enough confounding unforced errors to make you wish you'd picked a different day to stop sniffing airplane glue on to Paris when the competition is the definition of intense and every score counts? We'll find out in a month /rant
Suni Lee is all the way back, finishing fourth and posting an absolute clinic on Beam tonight, while continuing to push her Bars routine into the stratosphere where it was before she was forced to fight her kidney disorder. Biles is a lock for Paris; Jones is a slightly less durable lock, but a lock nonetheless; Lee is having her lock brought in from the locksmith as we speak. Lee is such a perfect compliment to Biles and Jones, I do not see a Paris team without the three of them on it, which leaves 13 women to fight over 2 spots.
Jordan Chiles had a strong comeback after starting Night 2 with a fall on Beam to finish a respectable 5th.You gotta love Chiles; She has George Kittle-like charisma and personality, and she's a welcome addition to any team she's on. But I think at this point, she's going to need to finish fourth or higher at trials (and probably ahead of either Blakely or DiCello if not both) if she wants to make the team. She can't have another "respectable" finish and make the cut over this strong of competition, especially with Lee on the rise. Of course, this might be recency bias given Chiles took 3rd at the Core Hydration / US Classic a few weeks ago, and it was exclusively that fall on Beam that kept her off the podium tonight. Still, if Trials ends exactly the same as tonight, I think Chiles heads to Paris as an alternate.
Same goes for Jade Carey. A less respectable 7th place finish tonight largely due to a fall on Beam, after finishing 4th a few weeks ago with a fall on Bars. Both would be forgivable given the team would likely need her for Vault and Floor, but while her Vault score tonight was good enough for second, her Floor score was rather uninspiring tied for 4th with Wong and Roberson, and that was without Jones and Lincoln participating. That's not encouraging. If you want to send a Big Name #DreamTeam to Paris, Chiles and Carey have to be on it. But that may not end up being the best team.
Other than Floor, Leeane Wong had a bad meet, and Josclyn Roberson had a completely terrible meet by their standards. I don't see any chance for either of them to make the team short of nabbing at least a bronze, and more likely a silver at Trials. (I'd say gold, but by all accounts Biles being in the building, so ...)
I also don't think Tiana Sumanasekera has a real path to Paris here, but I thought it was really cool she choreographed her own Floor routine and used it to honor her Sri Lankan roots.
Let's hear it for Hezley Rivera, the still 15-year-old who's only been on the senior circuit for 3 months, finishing a commendable 6th, and entered the final rotation in 3rd, carried by her strong Bars and Beam score. I don't think she has any real hope of making the team to Paris, but she is certainly a front-runner for LA in 2028 ...
Along with a then 31-year-old Simone Biles
It's funny to reflect on my now two day old tier rankings and of my so-called "Dark Horses." Two of them didn't even fully compete due to injury, and a third finished 28th and out of contention entirely for Trials.
That Rivera "dark horse" pick though ...
Your third place finisher is Kayla DiCello, and I worry this might end up sounding dismissive, when its meant more as an exacerbated sigh. DiCello is a stellar gymnast, and she's clearly put in the extra focus and dedication to take the leap into A-tier and onto the main squad for Paris. She just missed the team for Worlds last year and had to settle for an alternate spot, just like Tokyo. But then rebounds to become both the PanAm and Winter Classic All-Around Champion so you think she's figured it all out and is going to be a force for Paris. Then she completely bombs at the U.S. Classic, and you think she's back to B-Tier inconsistent DiCello when the big names are in the building. But then, again, she shows a champion's resiliency to shake that off to be neck-and-neck for second with Blakely through 6 rotations and you again think maybe she's ready to jump in the pit and wrestle with the big dogs after all. And then she ... just kinda falls on bars, before wrapping up the meet by sleepwalking through beam, narrowly avoiding dipping off the podium entirely. And the real kicker to that is, Team USA potentially is going to need someone strong on Bars and Beam, which she has worked tirelessly this year to become, but it ends up not looking that way now and what could have been a triumphant exclamation point heading into Trials, ends up being a confusing, underwhelming whimper.
After a rather superb meet to that point, she's back into the Nether Realm territory heading into Trials. DiCello has all the talent and tools to make a splash for Team USA. But does the committee risk sending an Olympic rookie who shows mostly giant neon sign levels of sublime brilliance with just enough confounding unforced errors to make you wish you'd picked a different day to stop sniffing airplane glue on to Paris when the competition is the definition of intense and every score counts? We'll find out in a month /rant
Suni Lee is all the way back, finishing fourth and posting an absolute clinic on Beam tonight, while continuing to push her Bars routine into the stratosphere where it was before she was forced to fight her kidney disorder. Biles is a lock for Paris; Jones is a slightly less durable lock, but a lock nonetheless; Lee is having her lock brought in from the locksmith as we speak. Lee is such a perfect compliment to Biles and Jones, I do not see a Paris team without the three of them on it, which leaves 13 women to fight over 2 spots.
Jordan Chiles had a strong comeback after starting Night 2 with a fall on Beam to finish a respectable 5th.You gotta love Chiles; She has George Kittle-like charisma and personality, and she's a welcome addition to any team she's on. But I think at this point, she's going to need to finish fourth or higher at trials (and probably ahead of either Blakely or DiCello if not both) if she wants to make the team. She can't have another "respectable" finish and make the cut over this strong of competition, especially with Lee on the rise. Of course, this might be recency bias given Chiles took 3rd at the Core Hydration / US Classic a few weeks ago, and it was exclusively that fall on Beam that kept her off the podium tonight. Still, if Trials ends exactly the same as tonight, I think Chiles heads to Paris as an alternate.
Same goes for Jade Carey. A less respectable 7th place finish tonight largely due to a fall on Beam, after finishing 4th a few weeks ago with a fall on Bars. Both would be forgivable given the team would likely need her for Vault and Floor, but while her Vault score tonight was good enough for second, her Floor score was rather uninspiring tied for 4th with Wong and Roberson, and that was without Jones and Lincoln participating. That's not encouraging. If you want to send a Big Name #DreamTeam to Paris, Chiles and Carey have to be on it. But that may not end up being the best team.
Other than Floor, Leeane Wong had a bad meet, and Josclyn Roberson had a completely terrible meet by their standards. I don't see any chance for either of them to make the team short of nabbing at least a bronze, and more likely a silver at Trials. (I'd say gold, but by all accounts Biles being in the building, so ...)
I also don't think Tiana Sumanasekera has a real path to Paris here, but I thought it was really cool she choreographed her own Floor routine and used it to honor her Sri Lankan roots.
Let's hear it for Hezley Rivera, the still 15-year-old who's only been on the senior circuit for 3 months, finishing a commendable 6th, and entered the final rotation in 3rd, carried by her strong Bars and Beam score. I don't think she has any real hope of making the team to Paris, but she is certainly a front-runner for LA in 2028 ...
Along with a then 31-year-old Simone Biles
It's funny to reflect on my now two day old tier rankings and of my so-called "Dark Horses." Two of them didn't even fully compete due to injury, and a third finished 28th and out of contention entirely for Trials.
That Rivera "dark horse" pick though ...
Shi Jones and Kaliya Lincoln have successfully petitioned to compete at Trials
Gabby Douglas, Trinity Thomas and Konnor McClaine are officially out of contention for a spot at Paris due to injury.
Next stop, the Olympic Trials and Team USA.
See you all June 27th
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