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 Fresh off their performances at the recent American Cup, world championship gold medalists Jordyn Wieber and Gabrielle Douglas will lead the U.S. women's squad at this weekend's Pacific Rim competition in Everett, Wash. Held every two years, the competition features senior and junior gymnasts from nations bordering the Pacific, including Australia, Canada, China, Japan and Russia. USA Gymnastics announced its women's lineup Monday morning, following a training camp in Houston. Wieber, the 2011 world all-around champion, won her third American Cup title on March 3 in New York City. Douglas, who was competing exhibition, outscored Wieber but her results did not count toward the results. The U.S. lineup also includes first-year senior Kyla Ross, junior national champion and Seattle native Katelyn Ohashi, Japan Junior International champion Lexie Priessman and Cincinnati clubmate Amelia Hundley. The U.S. women are expected to dominate the competition. With the exception of world team member Tan Sixin, reigning Olympic champion China sent a squad of newcomers. 2010 world champion Russia — preparing for its national championships March 21-25 — did not send any Olympic contenders. Olympic qualifiers Australia and Canada, however, are sending top teams. 2010 world floor exercise champion Lauren Mitchell leads Australia, while Christine Lee, Victoria Moors and Kristina Vaculik represent Canada. The U.S. men are represented by world team members Chris Brooks and Jake Dalton and Olympic contender Sam Mikulak. Their strongest challenge will come from Japan, which is sending 2008 Olympian Takuya Nakase along with Koji Uematsu and Tatsuki Nakashima. Uematsu, a finalist on parallel bars and high bar at the 2010 Worlds, is returning from a torn ACL suffered in April 2011. Check back with International Gymnast Magazine Online for daily blogs and updates from Everett. External Link: USA Gymnastics 2012 Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships
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Huh? This make zero sense to me. Why send Wieber and Douglas to yet another competition, especially when we know they won't have any "real" competition in Everett? It's just another way for them to get burned out or injured in a marathon season that includes Am Cup, Pac Rims, Jesolo, Classics, Nationals AND Olympic Trials. Why not send a couple of other new seniors instead, and save Wieber and Douglas for Jesolo, where they will actually be challenged? I am baffled. |
Juan Antonio Moreno
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... Well, they need to justify the high scores they received last week. Moreover, Martha surely believes Douglas could benefit from competing more. It's interesting they did not send Vega or Maroney. Especially since they could build up their confidence level. Johnson, Caquatto & Bross are not there either, all of whom are Olympic team contenders. At least Aly Raismann is not going... |
Anonymous
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Jesolo They just announced Jesolo as well. Shawn isn't on the roster. It worries me that she wasn't chosen for either team. |
Ksenia
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... I dont get it too !! I looked for russian gymnast going on this event and u know there will be no real competition for Wieber or Douglas cause its new girls and men: ( SO its weird to send elite gymnast here of course she is probably win the most Another gymnast should have chance too !!!!! |
Ksenia
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... Someone doesn't like my comment maybe cause i compared only Russian team I am russian true and it's not like i think only our girls can win, it's just i look at the list gymnast perform here from my country and they all don't have nor difficulty not many competitions ! They can have nice train here I dunno about other countries juniors and new seniors SORRY! Douglas and Wieber competed at worlds so far Other American gymnast nice to try here like Ohashi : ) |
Derek
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... i agree ksenia... can anyone tell me is there a website or somewhere to get news and updates on how the us women's training camp that just ended to where the selection was made for this? johnson or other girls getting ready for this olympic year, how was their progress? just wondering. |
Diana Lundell
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... I can see sending Douglas because she needs more experience, but I would rather see Maroney or Vega here than Wieber. I suppose they sent Wieber so that they could pit the two of them against each other and see if Douglas will come out ahead this time again too. Seems like it's more about viewership and how the press can present the story than about giving other athletes facetime. |
Rachel T
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My sincere opinion for what it is worth I don't have a problem with the decision to send these gymnasts. I respectfully don't agree with the burned out comment. They would be doing the same routines hundreds of times at their own gyms and every time they get an opportunity to go to an international competition will make them more prepared and stronger in my opinion. I do agree with the earlier comment about Shawn and for the matter what about Nastia? I am strongly beginning to doubt they will be making the team and that makes me sad. They both should be going to as many competitions as the can and I am not sure what Nastia is planning. Is she just hoping that at the eleventh hour she will be picked? We need gymnasts that are not only great but more importantly highly consistent. If we don't start see Shawn and Nastia competing, one would really question how consistent they are. For example, if Nastia decides to compete in one competition prior to the Olympics and she does well, is that enough to assume she is going to do great at the Olympics or is it a fluke when we simply haven't seen her compete virtually all year? Don't get me wrong, I love these gymnasts but I would feel more confident if we have been seeing them consistently perform at a high level all year long. It is hard to believe there are only five slots!!! What a horrible decision. How can we gain mass popularity in the sport when spectators have their favorite gymnasts and very few will ever make it to the Olympics. I think there should be at least seven gymnasts. This decision is almost as bad as the decision to remove compulsaries. Now that in my opinion was a crime. So with only 5 slots who is it going to be? If we assume it is Wieber, Raisman, Douglas (and I think they will be certain barring an injury), I honestly can't imagine who the other two will be given the depth of talent. I hope they just go with the five highest scores at the Olympic trials and no one should be allowed to be petitioned in. It simply isn't fair otherwise. In the end, they will say the best need to go....but I believe the right thing to do is to put everyone on the same playing field and whoever has the top 5 scores at the trials go. So we shall see. |
