It starts with a dream...

On July 1st, 2012 five lucky girls were named to the 2012 Olympic team! Since the day they were enrolled in their frist gymnastics class, to the day they were named Olympians, this has been with out a doubt one heck of a journey! Years of  hard work, training, and sacrifice have finally payed off, and every hour spent in the gym has reached it ultimate purpose. Watch out London, team USA is firece!

Jordyn Wieber (Gedderts Twistars)

(Photo Credit: NBC)

Obviously a lock on the team for quite some time, Jordyn has definitely earned this spot! She can help the team on all four events and is one of the few fighting for the title of All Around olympic champion! She has been on the national team for 7 years and has never been shy about her ultimate goal. From junior national champion to world champion, this kid has won it all! Best of luck to Jordyn has she leads Team USA to gold in London!

Gabby Douglas (Chows Gymnastics)

(Photo Credit: NBC)

If you would have asked me in 2011 if Gabby would make the Olympic team, I would have told you no. Gabby has really stepped it up and proved what she can do, not only as a bar specialist...but as an All Arounder. She is 1 of the few gymnasts in the world that is capible of beating Jordyn Wieber. When Gabby hits, it is VERY good and I expect to see great things from her in London.

Aly Raisman (Brestyans)

(Photo Credit: USA Gymnastics)

Aly was another one of those girls who many people suspected to be a lock. She easily makes the team because of her power, difficulty, and consistency! She has really proven herself in the last 3 years and is considered to be a fan favorite. Aly is most useful to Team USA on beam and floor (where she boasts a 16.5 start value!) Aly will certainly be the rock for this team.

Kyla Ross (Gym Max)

(Photo Credit: NBC and GK)

Junior standout Kyla Ross has proven herself to be a vital member in Team USA's picture. Although she dosent have the biggest start values, she dose have something that many gymnasts today lack; artistry and consistency. Kyla knows how to keep her cool in pressure situations and get the job done.  You can always count on Kyla for a hit routine when it matters most, a quality that is key at the olympic games.

Mckayla Maroney (All Olympia)

(Photo Credit: NBC)

With Mckayla, team USA has the gold medal on vault locked up. She can bring in a huge score with her amanar vault and when she hits, her floor is great too! At one time, her spot on the team was in question, but she proved to us all that she is a fighter and deserves to be on this team!

Now a look at the alternates......

Sarah Finnegan (Great American Gymnastics)

(Photo Credit: USA Gymnastics)

Sarah has come a long way and makes a great alternate. She is tremendous on beam and floor and will be ready to step up if team USA needs her!

Anna Li (Legacy Elite)

(Photo Credit: Inside Gymnastics and USA Gymnastics)

When Anna Li showed up on the elite scene in 2006 she was unknown. She went on to become at star at UCLA and wanted to give the elite world another shot. Just look at where she is now, a 2011 world team member and 2012 Olympic team alternate! If she's needed, Anna can help a lot on bars. She currently has the highest start value in the USA!

Elizabeth Price (Parkettes)

(Photo Credit: Ruth Judson and Ronald Martinez)

Elizabeth literally came out of nowhere and just rocketed onto the Olympic scene. With one of the best amanar vaults in the world and a near perfect double double on floor, Elizabeth quickly came into the picture. Although it didn't work out this time for Elizabeth, I hope she sticks around until 2016 because she is phenomenal. 

So there you have it. Team USA. Now our journey continues to London!

(Photo Credit: USA Gymnastics)

Click here to read about the athletes who didn't make it and what their futures hold!

Written by: Ashlee

Who wore it best?

This is the 2nd post in our who wore it best series!

Again on the panel we have:

Ashlee and Brittany from Triple Twist
Stacie from Beam Dreams
Izzi from Chalk it up Gym Blog
Jackie from Gymnewstics

1. Kyla Ross or Dominique Moceanu 

Ashlee: Personally, I like Dominique's leotard. I like how it has the stars in the corner resembling the American flag. Kyla's is sort of bland and I don't like that shade of blue. 

Brittany: I'm going to go with Kyla on this one. I think it looked alot better on TV, but I like how the red ribbons are shiny and the blue star section is sparkly. It all balances out pretty well, although I wish the stars were alittle bit more noticeable. At frist glance, I was not a fan of this leotard but I have to admit its growing on me! 

Stacie:  This one is close for me, but I will vote for Kyla. Maybe because it is more recent and came as the only USA themed leo at Visas. But I like the slight irregularity of the ribbons forming the "stripes" and loved the subtle amount of sparkles in her stars. I would be very happy if this was our Olympic team leo.

Izzi: I really love Kyla’s version of the leotard. I like the sleeker, modified, version of the flag, and I love that the white part isn’t shiny at all; it’s just simple and clean. This was definitely one of the best leos of Nationals!

Jackie: Kyla wins this for me! I love the sparkly blue! It's patriotic and stylish at the same time and Kyla is one of the few girls that can pull off white.

2. Team Russia, Gabby Douglas, or Simone Biles

Ashlee: Not a fan of this leotard, but I would have to say Gabby's is the best, I actually didn't mind it much. You might as well go all out if you're going to wear this leotard. 

Brittany: It's really just an overall ugly leotard. But if I HAD to choose one, I'd pick the Russian gals. I think it's a pretty shade of blue, very bright and vivid! I also like how the colors go together. Red, white, and blue is better than lime green, teal blue, and hot pink!

Stacie: I can't believe I am going to say this. But I have to choose Gabby Douglas. I must admit, I really didn't like the color combinations of her leo at the beginning of the night. But as the night wore on, it just began to grow on me. It is so perfectly Gabby. Not many girls could pull this off. And I can't imagine liking it on anyone else. But I have grown to love it on Gabby. In any other sane mindset, I would say the Russian girls. Well, really I would say none. It is a bit to busy/sparkly/velvety for me.  

Izzi: THIS LEOTARD. Honestly, I get where some leotard repeats come from because some of them are just really nice leos. For example, the pinwheel leotard, though hugely overused, is nice in almost every color scheme.  However, this leotard is not good in ANY color scheme.  I can’t for the life of me figure out why everybody has worn this leotard.  If I had to pick one, I would pick Team Russia, because at least their color scheme seems cohesive. The others have that random pink stripe which doesn’t match at all! Russia’s look a lot classier with the two shades of blue and the colors of the flag.

Jackie: I think the Russians wore it best here. That color combination is the best for me out of all three choices. I love Gabby and want to like that lime green, but I just...can't. 

3. Jordyn Wieber, Kyla Ross, or Shawn Johnson

Ashlee: I LOVE this leotard and I like it in almost any color! I really like how the red, white, and blue stands out against the white sleeves. Not sure if I like the green and yellow with Kyla though. I think I'll give this one to Shawn. 

Brittany: This is a tough one! All 3 of these leotards are absolutely stunning but if I had to pick a favorite I'd choose Kyla. I really like the combination of green and gold, I like how it stands out on the white sleeves! My second pick would be Shawn.

Stacie: I don't exactly know why, but this is my all time favorite leo in all of the colors. It is a great combination between simple (the majority of the leo is all one base color) with a really fun pattern on the arms to set it apart and make it interesting. I will declare this a tie. This is my very favorite USA leo we have ever competed in. So I have to give it that vote. But it is also my very favorite "hot pink" trend leo. It looked beautiful on Jordyn. The pictures in this leo were some of the most stunning she has taken. 

Izzi: This design, much like the famed pinwheel leo, actually looks good in almost any color. The problem with Jordyn’s is that you can see more of the rhinestones, since the sleeves are black.  When you can see them like that it makes them look less sparkly and more just like jewels. Other than that, I really love all three, although I’d have to go with the original Team USA version. I love how this incorporates the colors of the flag but still keeps it simple on the body of the leo.

Jackie: I'll go with Kyla on this one, although I do love Jordyn in purple. The color and shape look perfect on her. Plus, that determined face as she goes to catch the bar is priceless!

4. Bridget Sloan or Alyia Mustafina

Ashlee: What a boring leotard. I'm not a fan of the green version at all.  Bridget wins! 

Brittany: I'm going with Sloan on this one. I honestly just don't like the shade of green.

Red looks much much better!

Stacie: This is the only easy one for me. I really never liked this color of green on Mustafina's leo. Not in general and not for her. Hands down, this one goes to Sloan. I do like the subtle sparkles and pattern on this leo in general.

Izzi: I’m not a huge fan of this leotard, just because it’s kind of boring and the design is a little bit weird. I guess Mustafina’s is slightly better because of the colors. On her version, the part at the neck is less of a contrast from the body, making it a little bit subtler and more interesting. I also like the shade of green; it’s fairly unique. Overall, I think her color combinations are just more intriguing and less obvious.

Jackie: Alyia wears this one best. The green is gorgeous and she really seems to own it. I also love that the simple elegance of the leotard matches her classic gymnastics style perfectly.  

5. Nastia Liukin or Beth Tweddle

Ashlee: Hmm tough one. I'm getting tired of the pink leotards on Nastia and all the USA girls. Beth's leotard is sort of refreshing because it's different, but I don't like either of these leotards to be honest. I don't like the sparkly streaks going down the sleeves and mid section which looks less noticeable on Nastia. So I'll give this one to her. 

Brittany: Is it just me, or is this leotard extremely unflattering on everyone who wears it? I guess I'll pick Nastia...but only because I don't like the yellow collar design on Beth's.

Stacie: I must admit, I was actually a fan of the pink leo! I just liked it. I liked the colors, I liked the sparkles, an I think it's a good balance between simple and elegant. I didn't like it at all in blue and green. Love Beth. Not so much the leo. 

Izzi: I had no idea anyone else had worn this atrocity! This is such a bad leo on so many levels.  I’ve seen a picture of it in different colors and it looks so much better when the top and bottom are different colors, so I really don’t understand why neither of these people did that. I’m torn, because the #hotpink version is just such a bad shade of pink, but at least the stripes are white and not some other glaring color like in the blue version.  It kills me to do this, but I’m going to have to give this one to Nastia. I didn’t realize this leotard could get worse, but that yellow just pushes me over the edge.

Jackie: As much as I'm sick of #hotpinknation, I do like this leotard on Nastia. She clearly loves rocking the pink and that confidence shows. Now hopefully we'll see some of that confidence in her bar routine.

The injured list (London 2012)

With the games just month away...it seems like more and more athletes are withdrawing from the Olympic team or selection process. Below we are keeping track of the athletes who won't be appearing in London due to injury or some other reason. Let's hope this list remains as small as possible, although it seems to get bigger everyday!

(Photo Credit: Jeff Sipsey)

Christine Lee (Canada)- Injured knee
Talia Chiarelli (Canada)- Back problems
Marine Brevet (France)- Fractured & dislocated elbow
Julie Crocket (Belgium)- Injured knee
Cheng Fei (China)- Injured Achilles tendon
Marissa King (Britain)- Hamstring injury, didn't feel ready
Georgia Simpson (Australia)- Ankle injury
Clara Della Vedova (France)- Ruptured Achilles tendon
Camille Coudret (France)- Injured, unsure what happened
Anastasia Sidorova (Russia)- Back injury
Jade Barbosa (Brazil)- Refused to sign a contract and will not have a chance at making the Brazilian Olympic team.
Lais Souza (Brazil)- Hand injury

We'll keep this list updated with the latest withdrawals. 

10 Questions with Simone Biles

In only her second year on the elite scene, junior gymnast Simone Biles has caught the eyes of fans across the country. With her explosive amanar and powerful tumbling, Simone is proving she's one to watch in the upcoming years. In 2011, she placed 14th at Nationals...failing to qualify to the national team. However in 2012, Simone has quickly climbed up the ranks winning both the American and Secret Classic. She then went on to place 3rd all around at Nationals! We caught up with Simone to talk about her experience at Nationals and much more!

(Photo Credit: Heather Maynez)

You came into nationals as the 2012 Secret Classic champion. Did that give you more confidence? 


"It did give me a lot more confidence! I knew that I could have a shot at winning the title if I hit my routines, but I didn't let myself think about that!"

How would you describe your experience at nationals? 


"It was an amazing experience, I had a lot of fun! I was a little bit nervous though!"

How do you feel you have improved since last year?


"I think I improved a lot since last year! I felt more prepared and confident going into nationals because I knew what to expect."

What do you think was your best routine from the competition? Was there an event you'd like to improve on?


"Probably vault was the best. I had a good meet all around, but I would like to improve on bars and beam!"

You gained a pretty big fan base between classics and nationals, what was that like for you?


"It was very exciting to see all the fans and know there cheering us on. It was great!"

How long did it take you to learn the amanar vault?


"I mean we worked on it here and there, but I'm not really sure how long it took! It wasn't really that hard for me to learn."

Do you plan on upgrading any of your routines?


"Yes, on bars and beam!"

What gymnast do you look up to? 


"Umm. I don't really know!"

What keeps you motivated to keep training everyday?


"Just being in the gym with my friends. Gymnastics is my life and I've never considered quitting at this level. Maybe I did in level 6, but that doesn't really count!"

What do you like to do for fun when you're not in the gym?


"I like hanging out with my family and friends and of course I like shopping and playing with my dogs!"

(Photo Credit: USA Gymnastics)

Thanks Simone and good luck in the future!

         


         

Who will win in London?

We all have our own hopes and dreams of who will win what medals in London. But now with the games just about a month away...let's be realistic! Who can take gold?

*All scores are from an event final unless it says otherwise.

Team Final


The only teams with a legitimate shot at being on the podium in London are the USA, Russia, China, and Romania. Now let's look at some results. I took the highest total score from each team in an international competition from this quadrennium to come up with the final result. From that, you can see how our podium shapes up.

1. USA- 179.411 (2011 Worlds)
2. Romania- 176.288 (2012 Europeans)
3. Russia-175.536 (2012 Europeans)
4. China- 174.781 (2010 Worlds)


The USA is living up to their potential. Romania is taking flight. Russia is struggling. And China has slipped a lot in the past 4 years. I would be happy with this podium!


All Around


Now of course anything can happen, but who are the top girl's vying for the all around gold? Jordyn Wieber, Gabby Douglas, Viktoria Komova, Alyia Mustafina, Larisa Iordache, Yao Jinnan...am I missing anyone? While reading these, keep in mind the years in which these scores occurred and where the gymnast currently stands.

1. Gabby Douglas- 61.299 (2012 American Cup)
2. Viktoria Komova- 61.250 (2010 Youth Olympics)
3. Jordyn Wieber- 61.050 (2012 Pacific Rim)
4. Alyia Mustafina- 61.032 (2010 Worlds)
5. Larisa Iordache- 60.150 (2012 France vs. Romania)
6. Yao Jinnan- 58.598 (2011 Worlds)


I would not be happy with this podium. Honestly, I do want to see Jordyn on top. Although I would be extremely happy for Gabby if she did win. Personally I'd love it to go: Jordyn, Gabby, Viktoria. 


Vault:


Contenders: Mckayla Maroney, Oksana Chusovitina, Sandra Izbasa, Jade Barbosa, maybe a few others? 


(These are the averaged scores of 2 vaults!)

1. Mckayla Maroney- 15.300 (2011 Worlds)
2. Sandra Izbasa- 14.833 (2012 Europeans)
3. Jade Barbosa- 14.799 (2010 Worlds)
4. Oksana Chusovitina-14.733 (2011 Worlds)


Do I like this podium? Yes! Do I think it will happen? Possibly. Of course Mckayla will be on top IF she makes the team. I think Oksana could sneak onto the podium.


Bars


Contenders: Viktoria Komova, Alyia Mustafina, Anastasia Grishina, Beth Tweddle, Huang Qiushuang, Gabby Douglas, Elizabeth Sietz & Youna Dufournet.


(Who qualifies for Russia will all depend on the Qualification round at the games!)

1. Beth Tweddle- 15.733 (2010 Worlds)
2. Viktoria Komova- 15.666 (2012 Europeans)
2. Huang Qiushuang- 15.666 (2010 Worlds Qualifications)
3. Alyia Mustafina- 15.600 (2010 Worlds)
4. Gabby Douglas- 15.500 (2012 Pacific Rim)
5. Anastasia Grishina- 15.200 (2012 Europeans)
6. Elizabeth Seitz- 14.733 (2010 Worlds)
7. Youna Dufournet- 14.450 (2010 Worlds)


This podium could end up in several combinations. I think Beth deserves to win an Olympic gold medal in her last Olympics on her best event. I would also like to see Gabby Douglas on the podium! 


Beam


Contenders: Jordyn Wieber, Sui Lu, Larissa Iordache, Catalina Ponor, Aly Raisman, Yao Jinnan, possibly Komova. 

1. Sui Lu- 15.866 (2011 Worlds)
2. Larisa Iordache- 15.733 (2012 European Qualifications)
3.. Catalina Ponor- 15.633 (2012 European Qualifications)
4.. Jordyn Wieber- 15.266 (2011 Worlds All Around) 
5.. Viktoria Komova-15.250 (2010 Youth Olympic Games)
6.. Yao Jinnan- 15.233 (2011 Worlds)
7. Aly Raisman- 15.066 (2011 Worlds)


I would be happy with this podium. As you can see, everyone is capable of putting up big scores on this event so anything can happen.


Floor


Contenders: Ksenia Afanasyeva, Aly Raisman, Jordyn Wieber, Sui Lu, Victoria Moors and Lauren Mitchell if she can clean it up and get her self together. 

1. Aly Raisman- 15.433 (2012 American Cup)
2. Larisa Iordache- 15.233 (2012 Europeans)
3. Jordyn Wieber- 15.125 (2012 Pacific Rim)
4. Ksenia Afanasyeva- 15.133 (2011 Worlds)
5. Sui Lu- 15.066 (2011 Worlds)
6. Lauren Mitchell- 14.833 (2010 Worlds)
7. Victoria Moors- 14.750 (2012 Pacific Rim)

Again, I would love this podium. In my opinion Aly Raisman is the best floor worker in the world and she deserves a gold medal. I would also be extremely happy if Moors could medal!

Anything can happen at the Olympic games. One slip up and you're shot at a medal vanishes! Who knows, some of these girls may not even qualify to the finals because of a bad performance during the qualifications. Someone we never expected could really step up their game and place on the podium! This was just for fun, to see who could realistically win the gold medal. I can't wait to see who really wins. So with that being said...let the games begin!

Laurie Hernandez- Interview

There's a new name on the gymnastics scene that you may want to remember: Lauren Hernandez or Laurie for short.  In 2010, Laurie started competing as a level 6, by the end of the year she was already testing for pre elite. In 2012, Laurie placed 3rd all around at the national elite qualifier, she also placed 1st on beam and floor. Her score of 53.450 also qualified her straight to her first national championships! At the U.S. classic, Laurie placed 11th all around and 6th on floor. At the Visa Championships she was in 14th place after the first day of competition. However, day 2 was a little rough for Laurie and she dropped down to 21st. Not bad in your first year as an elite gymnast, not to mention...she's only 12 years old! Laurie is gaining the attention of many people (including national team coordinator, Martha Karolyi) because of her power, flexibility, and style! She also get's great height on her bar releases and dismount for being so tiny! Laurie trains at Monmouth Gymnastics in Morganville, New Jersey where she is coached by Maggie Haney. Laurie was born on June 9, 2000 making her eligible for the 2016 Olympic games! We caught up with Laurie to talk about her first Visa championships, future plans, and more!

(Photo Credit: Heather Maynez)

What was it like competing in your first Visa Championships?

"It was very exciting! I was so happy to be there. I had no idea what to expect since it was my first time being there, but I LOVED being on the podium. It was cool having to go up and down the stairs to compete!"

You're an amazing dancer, have you ever had any formal dance instruction?

"I did ballet when I was 3 years old for about 4 months, but it was so boring. I only went to get the sugar cookies they gave us at the end of the class! So really, no I haven't had any real dance training. My coach has been my choreographer my whole life. She's been my coach since I was five. She is really the only reason I can dance like that! I'm getting a new floor routine next year, so I can't wait for that!"

Who are your idols in gymnastics?

"I don't know, I like them all! Bridget Sloan was really friendly to me at Visa's, so that felt good. I was really happy when I waved to Alicia Sacramone at the meet and she waved back with a big smile!"

What is your favorite event and why? What is your least favorite event?

"So many choices! I think floor is my favorite event because I love tumbling and I love to fly! I don't really have a least favorite event, but I think the vault is the hardest for me!"

What is your favorite thing about gymnastics?

"I love to fly! It feels cool to be in the air, knowing what your doing, and then landing on your feet! You're like...YES!"

You turned 12 the weekend of nationals. Did you celebrate at all?

"We went to the big arch in St. Louis. We also went to lunch and they got me a cake lollipop that was so good!

Have you ever had an embarrassing moment during competition?

"Well the second day of Visa's was a little embarrassing...well very embarrassing. I don't really know what happened. Also when I was a level 4, I jumped to catch the bar on my glide swing and totally missed the bar and fell flat on my face...it was pretty funny actually!"

How did you get started in gymnastics?

"I saw gymnastics on TV and told my mom I wanted to do that. So I went into a class and Maggie's sister was my teacher."

If you weren't a gymnast, what other sport would you consider doing?

"Probably track."

What are your goals for next year?

"I want to compete a LOT of new skills and make the national team."

(Photo Credit: Heather Maynez)

Watch some of Laurie's performances below:

         

         

         

Thanks Laurie and coach Maggie! 

Shantessa Pama- We miss you!

She was a beauty to watch on the gymnastics scene. The Hawaiian born Shantessa Pama was nauturally a fan favorite and had a lot to show out on the competition floor. Everybody wanted to see Tessa at the Olympics in 2008, but that unfortunately never happened.

At the time, things were looking great for Shantessa! She placed 5th all around at the 2005 national championships as was doing skills that seemed impossible - like a triple back dismount off the bars. (She was just 13 years old at the time!) Tessa was always know for her unique skills and beauty!

                            

In 2006, Tessa won a gold medal on bars at the Pacific Rim and Gymnix International. At the national championships she placed 9th all around making her 3rd national team. Little did her fans know, that would be the last time they saw her.


                             

After struggling with a severe ankle injury in 2007, Tessa decided to drop down to level 10 while she finished high school. Her plan was to qualify to JO nationals and then try for elite again. Sadly, Tessa didn't make it past the regional meet.

In a 2008 interview, Tessa said "I love college gymnastics and I will definitely be attending college in 2009...hopefully on a scholarship." For reasons unknown, she never competed in college gymnastics. She did attended UCLA for a short time and finally settled with a community college. 

To this day, it remains unknown why Tessa never competed in college gymnastics. Perhaps it was something out of her control or she just wanted to live a normal life. However, Tessa did remain in gymnastics for quite some time after she disappeared from the gymnastics scene. Tessa was still training in 2010 and was doing some coaching in the gym as well. In 2011, Tessa mentioned making a comeback, but never followed through with the idea. 

All that can be said is that Shantessa Pama's gymnastics is sorely missed. She truly was a talent!

Check out this fun photo shoot Shantessa did back in 2006 for her mom's leotard line.

                              

For more info visit our former elite gymnasts post! (here)
You can also check out Shantessa's old website here

Written by: Ashlee