Rio Rankings

[Jenny]

I actually can buy the 'equality' thing at the olympics, if and only if the World Championships were pushed the other way and allowed much bigger entries from single countries and didn't have 2 per country rules. If the spots for worlds went to the top 25 gymnasts scores/ top 4 teams from each continent in their continental championships (and these spots were then given to their country not named spots) or some such. Ie if worlds was truly the best gymnasts of the world regardless of country I can live with the Olympics being more restricted.

 

[profmom]

I like Jenny's idea. The Olympics can remain its own distinctive thing for mass audiences but the real competition could be at Worlds, as it is for men's soccer. The four per country rule for a team is not a good thing, IMHO, and I don't think it's going to accomplish what the grand poohbahs think it will. On the men's side, sure, there are some individual athletes who will come even if teams don't qualify, but I have to imagine that most of those individual specialist slots are going to be taken by guys from countries that already have teams in. It will just mean that they can't compete for their countries.

On the women's side, I sure hope Raisman gets selected for Pac Rims and kills it there. She could still make a solid case for herself by hitting at Secret, Nationals, and Trials, but I think Marta will be much more likely to take her if she shows she's turning the corner and becoming consistent again before the summer. I'm VERY curious to see who ends up going to Pac Rims -- I wonder if USAG will use it as a proving ground for the young women on the bubble?

Edited to add: on the men's side, the athletes currently listed are

• Jake Dalton, Reno, Nev./Team Hilton (University of Oklahoma)
• Sam Mikulak, Newport Beach, Calif./Team Hilton (U.S. Olympic Training Center)
• John Orozco, Bronx, N.Y./Team Hilton (U.S. Olympic Training Center)
• Alex Naddour, Gilbert, Ariz./Team Hilton (USA Youth Fitness Center)
• Eddie Penev, Penfield, N.Y./U.S. Olympic Training Center
• Donnell Whittenburg, Baltimore, Md./Team Hilton (U.S. Olympic Training Center)

I find the addition of Eddie Penev very, very intriguing.

 

[sewgood]

Why isn't there a Team Hilton for the women gymnasts?

 

[bogwoppit]

Why isn't there a Team Hilton for the women gymnasts?

What is a Team Hilton?

 

[bookworm]

What is a Team Hilton?

USAG partnered with Hilton hotel brands and created Team Hilton, which provides financial support for male gymnasts as they pursue the Olympics. It was started in 2011.

 

[bogwoppit]

USAG partnered with Hilton hotel brands and created Team Hilton, which provides financial support for male gymnasts as they pursue the Olympics. It was started in 2011.

Interesting but surely that would affect NCAA prospects? How would that work?

 

[bookworm]

Interesting but surely that would affect NCAA prospects? How would that work?

It is similar to the funding that girls on the National team receive...pays for training....like the stipends Aly, Gabby, Kyla etc received for the years they were on the team.

 

[bogwoppit]

It is similar to the funding that girls on the National team receive...pays for training....like the stipends Aly, Gabby, Kyla etc received for the years they were on the team.

How very bizarre, so somehow this corporate money is magical and has now effect. Wow.

Thanks for the explanation, but that is nuts.

 

[bookworm]

How very bizarre, so somehow this corporate money is magical and has now effect. Wow.

Thanks for the explanation, but that is nuts.

I think the stipends are paid to the gym, so it's not a direct payment to a gymnast but it's a decent amount that I wouldn't have minded having through the years!

 

[bogwoppit]

I think the stipends are paid to the gym, so it's not a direct payment to a gymnast but it's a decent amount that I wouldn't have minded having through the years!

Agreed, I think it would be nice if all girls who made elite got a stipend. Not just Nat Team. USAG seems to pull in lots of money.

 

[duyetanh]

Agreed, I think it would be nice if all girls who made elite got a stipend. Not just Nat Team. USAG seems to pull in lots of money.

THIS
(spoken from a mom whose kid will never be an elite, btw...)

 

[gymdog]

USA Men's team has historically had a few different things than the women's team. I assume it's because there's probably more funding from the greater athlete base in the women's program, but I don't know for sure - dunno would. But there was the Gattaca thing about a decade ago and now the USOTC and Team Hilton thing.

 

[skschlag]

Here is a little more about Team Hilton:

Link Removed

 

[sewgood]

It is similar to the funding that girls on the National team receive...pays for training....like the stipends Aly, Gabby, Kyla etc received for the years they were on the team.

But don't the guys get training paid to the gym plus "living expenses" (stipend for rent /food/etc) paid to the gymnast?

 

[skschlag]

Here is a bit about Team Hilton:
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Iam not sure if they can be in college and on Team Hilton, or if Team hilton is for non-college team members/graduates.. more research needed and I am tired

 

[profmom]

I think the full Hilton sponsorships generally support men who are done with college. Keep in mind that women have far more capacity to monetize their gymnastics than men and that by and large the men tend to reach their highest level of competitive capacity later than the women. Also keep in mind the very small number of college opportunities available to men versus women. Without Hilton or something like it, the US would have a hard time keeping guys like Dalton, Mikulak, Orozco, Ruggeri, and Brooks in the sport.

 

[skschlag]

That is my thought as well profmom. That they are either done with or have no intentions of going to college.

 

[vagymmomma]

Interesting line up announced for Pac Rim:

The members of the U.S. Women’s Team for the Pac Rim Championships are listed below.
Simone Biles, Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre
Brenna Dowell, Odessa, Mo./Great American Gymnastics Express
Laurie Hernandez, Old Bridge, N.J./MG Elite
Ashton Locklear, Hamlet, N.C./Everest Gymnastics
Maggie Nichols, Little Canada, Minn./Twin City Twisters
Aly Raisman, Needham, Mass./Brestyan’s American Gymnastics

Simone was a known participant (can't wait to see her new floor routine and Cheng vault). Brenna though?? She just seemed to have fallen off the radar of late (was she injured). And I love Ashton bars, but I just see her chances of making the team as so low that I don't understand why they wouldn't give another girl a chance to compete at an international event. I think this is Aly's chance to prove she can still be consistent. Excited to see Laurie and Maggie again.

Any other reactions?

 

[HoldThePhone]

I would have liked to see Ragan Smith again, I too was a little surprised to see Brenna on there. Rio is going to be really interesting!

 

[bookworm]

I agree...what is the point for Dowell and Locklear, both one event wonders...I would have put Smith on the team before either of them...