Rio Rankings

[vagymmomma]

I was looking at an interesting Rio team ranking on the Flo website (updated after Jesolo). They had their top 10 (in order) as:

Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, Aly Raisman, Maggie Nichols, Madison Kocian, Ragan Smith, Laurie Hernandez, MyKayla Skinner, Emily Schild, and Ashton Locklear.

I am curious what everyone thinks about this order. First, it makes me so sad to think about the great gymnasts who will be left off the team. It just shows how incredibly hard it is to make the Olympic team. Plus, there just aren't that many more meets for people who want to move up. I really question whether Madison would go over Ragan or Laurie. Thoughts?

 

[dmbgymnast]

I think Laurie and Madison should switch places on the list. I just hope everyone does what they're capable of. This will be a very interesting lineup to watch fall into place.

 

[Seeker]

I don't think that's an accurate representation of how the gymnasts would be brought together to make a team for Rio. It is basically an AA ranking and that is likely not how they select the team. There will be considerations made for which 5 gymnasts complement each other best, gymnasts who have high-scoring individual events and how those selected would be used in a 3 up/3 count scenario in Team Finals.

I agree it is sad that we will leave some amazing gymnasts at home, but the Olympic format doesn't allow for more. The competition this year is fierce.

 

[bookworm]

Skinner's form doesn't hold a candle to anyone on that list.....so I'd never have her on it...Schild on a list for Rio? ...not really seeing that...and Locklear? she has nice bars, but so does Kocian so they don't need 2 one event wonders ( although Kocian is usable on beam too) .....

 

[vagymmomma]

I LOVE Ashton's bars, but it's probably not enough (I prefer hers to Kocian's). I have been impressed by Gabby's consistency these days (especially on beam), but I sure miss seeing her smile. It seems inevitable that at least one of Maggie, Laurie or Ragan will be left behind. I don't understand why Skinner is in the mix. Her vault is good, but she's no Maroney.

 

[bookworm]

1. It seems inevitable that at least one of Maggie, Laurie or Ragan will be left behind.

2. I don't understand why Skinner is in the mix. Her vault is good, but she's no Maroney.

Point 1: Smith and Hernandez have looked pretty good recently and Maggie did well at American Cup so yeah, someone really talented is going to be the "traveling alternate" ...probably working out in Chile while the rest of the girls are in Brazil....

Point 2: Me either...vault would be the ONLY thing I'd let her do, and it wouldn't be on a 5 person Olympic team...if she wants to continue to do World Cup circuit stuff, ok but I don't think she's of the caliber to consider deferring from her college in the fall for Rio...

 

[ZJsMom]

I would have Maggie ahead of Aly, Skinner second to last ahead of Schild and Locklear ahead of Skinner and Schild.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

Its Raisman who needs to worry about Ragan and Laurie. They are getting/are better on 'her' events, plus have far better bars, and imho have far prettier gymnastics to watch (especially Laurie). Raisman has also done herself no favours with some of her mistakes in this comeback (we all make mistakes but it is obvious that this is not acceptable for those on the usa team bubble). Her trademark was consistancy and she is not showing that to the previous standard.

 

[ZJsMom]

I agree. I actually don't see Raisman on the team. Her biggest problem is that the judges are cracking down on execution and she's just not getting the scores she used to.

My pick would be Biles, Douglas, Nichols, Hernandez and Locklear. The above team with Kocian instead of Locklear might be more realistic though.

 

[bookworm]

I don't see Locklear on a 5 person team as she is literally one event....Kocian would be a better option than her, if that....and Biles, Douglas and even Nichols could be suitable if you don't want to take up a spot with a bar specialist....and winning an individual medal is never Marta's priority as she's all about the team win....with Biles, Douglas and Nichols, you could add Smith and Hernandez, who both have multiple events they do well on versus the Kocian/Locklear bar option...if one of the 5 gets injured on a team with K/L ( other than K/L) , the team would be seriously screwed for options to fill in the other events...

 

[bogwoppit]

I agree, Locklear has no place on the Rio team. The 5th person needs to be an AA girl. She has to be capable of stepping in to the team at any minute.

 

[ZJsMom]

I know there's a risk that's why I said it was an unlikely team, but with 4 strong AAers, I think there's room for a one event gymnast. To me, her bars are really superior. Maroney ended up as a one event gymnast on London and the team was fine.

 

[bookworm]

I know there's a risk that's why I said it was an unlikely team, but with 4 strong AAers, I think there's room for a one event gymnast. To me, her bars are really superior. Maroney ended up as a one event gymnast on London and the team was fine.

I don't think the delta between the others and Locklear's bars are the same degree that Maroney was with her vault....and Maroney was still training floor and beam back then too...

 

[bogwoppit]

I know there's a risk that's why I said it was an unlikely team, but with 4 strong AAers, I think there's room for a one event gymnast. To me, her bars are really superior. Maroney ended up as a one event gymnast on London and the team was fine.

She ended up a one event gymnast, but was capable of stepping in to the AA. Locklear cannot step in for vault or floor. I would be shocked if they sent a specialist with so many strong AA'ers who could make EF's to choose from.

 

[Jenny]

I would love to see Biles, Douglas, Hernandez, Nichols, Raisman and Kocian. One of the last 3 being alternate depending on how events were looking at the time. If one of them drops down the consistency rankings or gets injured between now and declaring a team I would put Ragan Smith in.

 

[vagymmomma]

Unfortunately, I agree that Aly might now be on the bubble. She has not done herself any favors in the last few meets (although her floor looked really solid). Who's competing at Pac Rim?

 

[twocurlygirlz]

Who's competing at Pac Rim?

Pac Rim camp starts on Thursday- so we will probably know by Monday.

 

[Rockygym]

On the girls side all I have heard of definitively is Simone Biles. Sooooooooooooooo excited to go with DD

 

[bogwoppit]

On the girls side all I have heard of definitively is Simone Biles. Sooooooooooooooo excited to go with DD

You are going to Rio? How cool is that.

 

[GymDad9.9]

You are going to Rio? How cool is that.

I'm shooting for Tokyo in 2020. Always wanted to go to Japan.