Women

1.    Jordyn Wieber           

 2.    Gabrielle Douglas                          

 3.    Aly Raisman           

 4.    Kyla Ross                         

 5.    McKayla Maroney                       

 6.     Sarah Finnegan

7.     Rebecca Bross

8.     Bridget Sloan

9.     Nastia Liukin

10.    Shawn Johnson

11.    Sabrina Vega

12.    Alicia Sacramone

 

Just Outside The Top 12:

 

Anna Li

Chellsie Memmel

Mckenzie Wofford

 

 

Major Moves Since March:

 

Although Gabby Douglas had some problems at the Pacific Rim Championships on vault and beam, her bars was stellar both days, and in fact included a brand new spectacular full spin from elgrip.  This event alone not only puts her on my current Olympic team – it’s enough to move her past Aly Raisman into 2nd.

 

Aly Raisman is still solidly on my team, given her world class floor routine, new and improved Amanar on vault, and proven competitive poise.  She also showed a little improvement in her form on bars at the Jesolo meet.  It was interesting to see how tough the judges were on her beam set a this same competition, however – an indication that she likely does have some things to work on here if the U.S. is going to use her on beam in the Olympic team finals.  Despite a few weak areas, I don’t see this rock solid gymnast being left off this Olympic team.  I’ve kept her up there in 3rd.

 

I moved Kyla Ross from 6th to 4th after her outstanding performances at both Pacific Rim and Jesolo.  She’s proven she can handle international pressure on every single event, and she’s proven beyond the shadow of a doubt she’s one of the very best America has on both bars and beam.  Right now she is a perfect fit for the holes this team has on these two events, and I’d say that heading into the upcoming selection meets, an Olympic berth is Kyla Ross’s to lose.

 

McKayla Maroney has slowly slid down the rank list – more because of the way the team has formed itself around her than because of anything she has done.  Maroney is essentially the same gymnast she was last year – the best vaulter in the world with some great tumbling ability and mediocre routines on bars and beam.  Right now I’ve still got her on the team because of her sensational vault, but her spot is definitely a bit tenuous.  It would boost her chances a great deal to show she could put up a 15 on another event, like floor.

 

Sarah Finnegan made a dramatic leap from just outside the top 12 all the way up to 6th.  That might sound crazy, but after a stellar showing at Jesolo, combined with a poor showing from Rebecca Bross, and continued absences from all five returning Olympians, I think Finnegan currently looks like an Olympic alternate.  This could certainly change if Bross gets her act together and/or some of the returning veterans step up to the plate, but as for now, Finnegan is healthy, polished, well-balanced, and technically exquisite…not to mention able to compete.  Sounds like a great alternate to me.

 

Although I have yet to see Bridget Sloan, the fact that she showed up to this week’s national teamp camp means she is likely in routine shape, and given how strong she is on bars, she could be a surprise.  I felt it appropriate to at least move her ahead of Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson, who still have yet to show anything significant this entire year, and Chellsie Memmel, whom we really haven’t heard anything from since her recent shoulder surgeries.  I’m still holding out hope that all five of the stars from Beijing will at least be in the mix, though that’s certainly questionable at this point.