Wieber Leads U.S. to Easy Victory at Pacific Rim

Wieber Leads U.S. to Easy Victory at Pacific Rim
Written by Dwight Normile for International Gymnast Magazine \| Friday, 16 March 2012 22:48

(21 votes, average 3.76 out of 5)

World champion Jordyn Wieber led her U.S. team to a landslide win at the Pacific Rim Championships. Her 61.05 topped the senior all-around and helped the U.S. amass a 239.10, with a Chinese B-team a distant second with 220.65. Canada, which won the first subdivision, finished third with 219.00.

Following Wieber in the all-around was first-year senior Kyla Ross, who competes with a poise rarely found in a competitor of any age. She went four-for-four and posted a 59.200, well ahead of third-place Christine Lee of Canada (57.800).

"I was pretty happy that I hit four solid events, because it's been a few meets since I've [done that]," Wieber said.

But all was not perfect for the Americans. Gabrielle Douglas, who stole the show as an exhibition performer at the American Cup two weeks ago, had a terrible day except for one event, uneven bars. Her hand slipped on the vault table in rotation one, and her planned Amanar turned into a double-twisting Yurchenko.

"During vault, I rushed myself," Douglas said.

Said her coach Liang Chow, "She had a problem with her hurdle, is what I observed." Chow went on to say that there are issues with Douglas's consistency, and that "it's good to see that problem at this early stage."

After a beautiful set on bars, she came unglued on beam with wobbles and a fall. She was scratched from the floor lineup to protect an ankle she had slightly injured on vault.

"I think it was too much in her basket this time," said U.S. National Team Coordinator Marta Karolyi of the upgrades Douglas attempted here.

Katelyn Ohashi easily won the junior all-around with a near-perfect day and a score of 60.00. U.S. teammate Lexie Priessman was second with 57.80, and Japan's Sakura Yumoto won the bronze with 53.60. (American Amelia Hundley scored 57.60 but was ineligible for the bronze because of the two-per-country rule.)

Following are summaries of the top teams from Subdivision 2:

United States

Going in Olympic order, the U.S. began with one double-twisting Yurchenko from Katelyn Ohashi (nice block before late, quick twist, hop) and followed with an Amanar from Lexie Priessman (underrotated). Gabrielle Douglas slipped on the table and did only a double twist instead of an Amanar, and fell. A humbling beginning after such fanfare at the American Cup. (No matter how you slice it, competing exhibition is different than the real thing.) Kyla Ross overrotated her Amanar and staggered forward off the landing mats. and Jordyn Wieber nailed her Amanar and needed only a small hop forward (15.70). For those keeping tabs on the Douglas-Wieber rematch, Gabby has 1.75 to make up. Amelia Hundley went last with a high double-twisting Yurchenko. After one event, the U.S. is leading China by 6.050.

Hundley started bars strong, and really took control of the apparatus with a difficult set and clean tucked half-in half-out. Ohashi followed with a dynamic set, high Jaeger and even higher tucked full-out, stuck. The crowd roared. Wieber had some demons to erase on bars from American Cup, and for that matter, Tokyo, and she did just that with one of her best sets ever (stuck double layout, 15.00/6.3). With Marta Karolyi calling out encouragement form the sidelines, Ross nailed her set with strong inside-Stalder work (15.25/6.2). Douglas followed with a brand new routine and the highest Tkatchevs of the meet (piked and straddle, both in combination), but her transition from low to high was a bit off. Still, her amplitude on this event is impressive. The judges took a long time to come up with 15.50/6.4. They simply had a lot of adding to do. Priessman closed the event with another hit. An impressive rotation for the Americans, for sure.

Hundley was first up on beam and promptly threw a standing full. A few wobbles kept her score down, but she stuck her 2.5 twist from two flip-flops. Ross, who is extremely elegant and refined in her movements, had one wobble at the start but calmly negotiated most of her other combinations with grace and amplitude (14.20/5.8). She ended with a roundoff double tuck (15.00/6.1). Douglas attacked her set and was nailing everything until the second half, when one foot missed the beam on a front somi and she sat on the beam, and she fell on her switch-ring leap. Ohashi linked an Arabian front to flip-flop and she nailed her layout full, and just about everything else. For such a small girl, she does very big gymnastics. Wieber was solid on her two opening passes (front aerial, one-arm flip-slop layout; front handspring, standing full, flip-flop, and combined a side aerial to side somi in the other direction. Her 2.5 dismount needed only the slightest hop, which drew a huge cheer (15.70/6.4).

Ohashi began well on floor with expression and strong tumbling to jump into the junior all-around lead with an even 60.00. Priessman followed with a double-double mount and lively music. She seemed to get ahead of her music before her full-in dismount, but an impressive routine, still. Her 14.00 put her in second with 57.80. Ross opened with an Arabian double but went O.B. on her full-in second. She was clean on a 1.5 twist to double twist, but cowboyed slightly on her double tuck dismount, which she stuck. An impressive all-around effort from Ross, who seemed in control throughout, except for her Amanar landing (14.10/5.5). Douglas scratched from floor because of a tweaked ankle from vault, leaving Wieber to finish off the gold-medal effort. She stuck her double-double, but hestitated between her triple twist to stag jump. It was the biggest mistake in an otherwise solid routine that reaffirmed her status as the one to beat in the coming year (14.65). Wieber took the all-around lead with 61.05, with Ross in second with 59.20. Hundley finished her night with powerful tumbling (1.5 through to double pike), and her score of 14.45 gave her third place all-around (57.60) to complete the U.S. sweep. (With 57.80, Priessman was second, behind Ohashi.) The two-per country rule moved Japan's Sakura Yumoto into the bronze-medal position.

China

Luo Peiru grinned her way through floor, opening with a 2.5 twist. Her tumbling wasn't that difficult, with only one double somersault, a double pike at the end. Tiny Shang Chunsong followed with good twisting skills. World team member Tan Sixin opened with two twisting passes, tumbled a double pike third and ended with a 2.5 twist (13.90/5.5). Wang Wei followed and crashed a triple twist and seemed to balk on another pass. Her dismount wasn't much better as she landed on all fours and her face on a double tuck dismount (9.55). Lou Nina, wearing socks, opened with a high double tuck, came back with a 1.5 twist-front-full, stuck a high double pike and closed with a 2.5 twist, sissone. The crowd loved her. Mei Jei also opened with a double tuck, but the remainder of her routine was fairly basic.

Lou Nina opened with a simple Tsuk-full, and Luo crashed a double-twisting Yurchenko. Tan landed a Yurchenko-full as the third vaulter. Shang did another Yurchenko-full, but that vault, similar in proficiency to the others.

Mei opened bars with excellent elgrip work, a piked Jaeger and ended with a double layout. (She and Shang are very short.) Luo did a crisp full pirouette to Ono but broke on a 1.5 pirouette. Tan followed with a 1.5 pirouette to Tkatchev, two full pirouettes to Jaeger but then fell off on a low-bar handstand pirouette. She dismounted with a double front from elgrip. Shang mounted with an impressive Tkatchev-Gienger but fell to her knees and face on a full-in dismount.

Wang got China off to a strong start on beam, but Tan fell on a layout after two flip-flops. Shang floated through her routine with excellent tumbling and lots of connections (15.25/6.6). Lou struggled with a fall but otherwise worked with precision and confidence, sticking her double pike (14.30). Mei dropped off on a front tuck and wobbled elsewhere to complete China's effort (13.65).

Australia

Emily Little got beam started with a 13.40 but had trouble, and Georgia Simpson followed with a 12.450. Finally, veteran Lauren Mitchell worked a cautious but solid beam set until her double tuck dismount from two flip-flops was a bit under (14.80/6.4). Alexandra eade followed Mitchell with three falls. Jazminne Casis also had a fall but finished with a strong double pike.

Casis began floor with strong tumbling (piked and tucked full-ins, double pike). Later, Georgia Simpson landed low on a full-in mount and dislocated her left ankle and was wheeled off on a stretcher. It was hard to tell if she was trying to do some sort of jump after landing the full-in. Regardless, the FIG really needs to take a look at this trend of doing jumps (which go every which way) after double somersaults. They can't be good for the ankles/knees/hips/low back. After a long delay, Emily Little mounted with a stuck piked full-in and followed with a tucked full-in. These Aussies are tumblers. After a 1.5 through to 2.5 twist stag jump, Little closed with a big double pike, stuck cold (14.15/5.6). Former world floor champion Lauren Mitchell opened with a whip-double Arabian and then a piked full-in. Both were followed by low jumps that traveled backward. After a combination pass, she ended with a double pike to sissone. Junior Madelaine Leydin closed with a basic routine that included a fall on her dismount. Often, the last gymnast up is only competing for the all-around, and not for the team.

Australia vaulted Yurchenko-fulls primarily, Mitchell included. Little changed this up a bit with a Yurchenko-double twist that had plenty of power.

With only four gymnasts on bars, Australia did fairly well. Casis fell on a Jaeger but Little anchored well.

Mexico

The Mexican team struggled on bars with the first three gymnasts scoring under 10.0 (Andrea Mora, Federica Scheiman, Shaden Michelle Cortes). Sandra Garcia scored 10.45, and anchor Karla Martinez scored an imperfect 10.0.

This is certainly not Mexico's top team, but the meet is providing excellent experience, nonetheless. With low levels of difficulty on beam, the gymnasts performed some nice elements, but falls and wobbles kept their E-scores low as well. Shaden Michelle Cortes was tops with 12.30/4.4.

New Zealand

The New Zealanders began on beam, led by high scorer Charlotte Sullivan (13.40), whose 7.9 was also their highest E-score. Not a strong start, but great experience for this team. It must feel like the Olympics for them.

2012 Pacific Rim Championships
March 16, Everett, Wa.

Women's Team		VT	UB	BB	FX	Total
1.	United States	60.70	60.40	60.75	57.85	239.70
2.	China	53.15	54.65	58.10	54.75	220.65
3.	Canada	55.15	55.35	53.30	55.20	219.00
4.	Australia	55.30	49.60	53.35	56.25	214.50
5.	Japan	53.60	51.80	54.20	52.95	212.55
6.	Russia	53.65	51.15	51.50	54.20	210.50
7.	New Zealand	49.10	40.10	47.55	49.00	185.75
8.	Mexico	50.70	37.00	45.75	46.05	179.50
9.	Chinese Taipei	49.30	33.65	41.05	40.10	164.10

Senior Women's All-Around		VT		UB		BB		FX		Total
1.	Jordyn Wieber	6.5	15.70	6.3	15.00	6.4	15.70	5.9	14.65	61.05
2.	Kyla Ross	6.5	14.85	6.2	15.25	6.1	15.00	5.5	14.10	59.20
3.	Christine Lee	5.0	13.95	5.7	14.55	6.2	14.95	5.8	14.35	57.80
4.	Luo Peiru	5.8	13.20	6.1	13.95	6.1	14.50	5.3	13.85	55.50
5.	Shang Chunsong	5.0	13.30	6.5	13.65	6.6	15.25	5.9	13.15	55.35
6.	Emily Little	5.8	14.50	5.4	13.25	6.0	13.40	5.6	14.15	55.30
7.	Kristina Vaculik	5.0	13.25	5.8	14.20	5.8	14.20	5.2	13.45	55.10
8.	Victoria Moors	5.8	14.50	5.3	13.55	4.5	12.05	6.0	14.75	54.85
9.	Tan Sixin	5.0	13.20	6.7	13.45	5.9	14.05	5.5	13.90	54.60
10.	Yuri Ishi	5.0	13.30	5.3	13.05	5.1	13.60	5.2	12.95	52.90
11.	Anastasia Marchuk	5.0	13.15	5.0	12.60	5.7	12.80	5.4	13.45	52.00
12.	Risa Konishi	5.0	13.25	5.5	12.40	5.4	13.65	5.6	12.25	51.55
13.	Wakiko Ryu	5.8	12.95	5.1	13.10	4.9	12.20	5.1	13.00	51.25
14.	Bibiana Velez	5.0	13.40	5.6	12.70	4.8	11.95	5.0	12.70	50.75
15.	Yurany Avendano	4.4	12.80	4.6	12.30	4.8	11.55	4.5	11.85	48.50
16.	Hiu Ying Angel Wong	5.2	13.55	3.0	10.75	5.4	12.70	4.9	11.10	48.10
17.	Karina Regidor	4.6	12.95	5.2	11.25	4.8	11.20	5.0	12.35	47.75
18.	Chen Yu-Chun	5.0	12.85	4.5	10.00	5.4	11.90	5.0	11.65	46.40
19.	Sandra Garcia	4.0	12.15	3.3	10.45	4.5	10.60	4.6	12.00	45.20
20.	Lauren Mitchell	5.0	13.85			6.4	14.80	6.3	14.85	43.50
21.	Tsai Chia-Jung	4.2	12.40	4.0	8.50	4.2	12.15	4.4	10.05	43.10
22.	Karla Martinez	4.4	12.65	3.9	10.00	4.2	9.50	4.4	10.85	43.00
23.	Gabrielle Douglas	6.5	13.95	6.4	15.50	6.5	13.15			42.60
24.	Maria Stepanova	5.0	13.35			4.8	11.80	5.5	12.95	38.10
25.	Leung Ka Man	4.4	12.00	1.0	6.80	2.9	8.45	3.7	10.60	37.85
26.	Choi Nim Yan	4.2	12.20	1.5	1.50	4.4	10.85	3.2	10.15	34.70
27.	Diana Yelkina			5.6	13.45					13.45
28.	Georgia Simpson					5.6	12.45			12.45

Junior Women's All-Around		VT		UB		BB		FX		Total
1.	Katelyn Ohashi	5.8	14.85	6.0	14.65	6.6	15.85	5.9	14.65	60.00
2.	Lexie Priessman	6.5	15.30	5.7	14.30	5.6	14.20	6.0	14.00	57.80
3.	Amelia Hundley	5.8	14.95	5.6	14.00	5.8	14.20	5.8	14.45	57.60
4.	Sakura Yumoto	5.0	13.45	5.2	13.25	4.9	13.50	5.1	13.40	53.60
5.	Maria Kharenkova	5.0	13.70	4.1	11.35	5.9	14.00	5.5	13.90	52.95
6.	Yekaterina Baturina	5.0	13.20	4.9	12.60	5.5	12.90	5.2	13.65	52.35
7.	Yuki Uchiyama	5.0	13.60	5.3	11.10	5.3	13.45	5.3	13.60	51.75
8.	Jazminne Casis	5.0	13.40	5.1	12.05	5.2	12.70	5.2	13.45	51.60
9.	Victoria Kayen Woo	5.0	13.25	5.1	13.05	4.7	12.10	4.9	12.60	51.00
10.	Charlotte Sullivan	4.7	13.00	4.2	11.40	5.5	13.40	5.0	12.50	50.30
11.	Jordyn Pedersen	5.0	13.45	5.1	12.55	4.8	11.60	4.8	12.65	50.25
12.	Anastasia Belova	5.0	13.40	5.1	12.50	4.9	11.05	5.4	13.20	50.15
13.	Alexandra Eade	5.0	13.55	4.9	12.20	4.9	10.35	5.4	13.80	49.90
14.	Rebecca Morrison	4.0	12.15	2.9	8.75	5.1	12.65	5.0	11.75	45.30
15.	Millie Williamson	4.0	11.80	3.0	9.85	4.9	11.35	4.4	12.25	45.25
16.	Valentina Brostella	4.0	12.05	2.5	8.85	4.3	12.10	4.5	11.55	44.55
17.	Shaden Michelle Cortes	4.4	12.85	4.0	7.40	4.4	12.30	4.7	11.95	44.50
18.	Hanna Malloch	4.0	11.95	2.5	10.10	4.5	10.15	4.6	12.15	44.35
19.	Andrea Mora	4.4	12.50	3.3	9.15	5.0	11.25	4.7	10.35	43.25
20.	Ana Victoria De Leon	4.2	12.30	1.6	8.35	3.7	11.40	3.9	11.05	43.10
21.	Federica Scheiman	4.6	12.70	3.6	7.05	4.9	11.60	4.8	11.25	42.60
22.	Courtney McGregor	4.4	12.10	3.3	7.85	5.0	10.05	4.8	12.10	42.10
23.	Lou Nina	5.2	13.45			6.1	14.30	5.4	13.85	41.60
24.	Mei Jie			5.8	13.60	5.8	13.65	4.9	13.45	40.70
25.	Lai Yu-Chun	4.2	12.00	1.7	8.40	3.2	10.35	3.2	9.30	40.05
26.	Madelaine Leydin			4.7	12.10	5.2	12.75	4.7	11.05	35.90
27.	Chen Wan-Yin	4.2	12.05	1.7	6.75	2.1	6.65	2.7	9.10	34.55
28.	Angela Arce	4.0	11.00	1.1	4.10	3.8	9.00	3.7	9.20	33.30
29.	Maegan Chant	5.2	13.75	4.8	10.55					24.30
30.	Tara Purvis	4.0	12.05	1.4	8.50					20.55
31.	Wei Wang							4.5	9.55	9.55

Comments (9) add comment

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Anonymous said:

	2 per country I really hate the two-per country rule. It is ridiculous to steal a medal from someone's hands and put in the hands of someone who did not earn it. Period.
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March 16, 2012
Votes: +12

avril enslow said:

	... It may have been good to note that all 6 of the New Zealand gymnasts were young - juniors and will be at the next Pacific Rims as juniors as well.
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March 17, 2012
Votes: +1

Rachel T said:

Who will end up going?
I feel bad for Douglas, but again solidifies one point. We need the best consistent gymnasts at the Olympics. As much as I love Nastia and Shawn, I haven't seen them compete in a very long time. Would it be wise to take someone like Nastia who hasnt had many recent competitions under her belt as well as proven consistency? Would it be right for someone like that to be petitioned in when all these other girls have competed consistently over the last handful of years? Someone like Douglas certainly has the skills, but does she truly have the consistency? I believe she had a huge advantage in just being an exhibitor at the American Cup where she ultimately knew her scores wouldn't count and therefore the pressure was greatly reduced. As we all know, a successful gymnast needs to be psychologically strong with a healthy consistent level of confidence. Would someone like Douglas crumble at the pressure at the Olympics?

March 17, 2012
Votes: +3

Anonymous said:

Gabby
With all the depth that the U.S. has right now, I think Gabby's saving grace is that she continues to hit on bars. However, I think we have enough strong all-arounders that we won't want or need specialists on any event. So she should be a little bit worried, frankly. I also believe that the veterans (i.e, Sloan, Johnson, Sacramone, Memmel, Liukin) are pretty much out of it at this point. Marta confirmed that if they aren't doing at least half routines by the end of April, they are "pretty much done." It's getting easier to see who will be on that team.

March 17, 2012
Votes: +1

A said:

	Russia What happened with Russian team?
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March 17, 2012
Votes: +3

liya said:

...
@WHO WILL END UP GOING?

I completely disagree. Gabby wasn't under any less pressure because she was competing exhibition. The American Cup is still a nationally televised event;this is an Olympic year; Gabby is vying for a spot on the team, and Marta was judging her performance. Now if you want to say that Wieber had added pressure because she's the reigning world champ, then fine, but this "Gabby wasn't under any pressure because she competed exhibiton at AC" meme needs to die quickly. Exhibition or not, Gabby had as much at stake going into the meet as Raisman, and Gabby out-shone both Aly and Wieber at American Cup. Deal.

March 18, 2012
Votes: +2

Robin said:

...
Thanks for including the skills and routines performed (although I don't know what a sissone is). Since I don't get cable and can't watch for myself, it's nice to know what the girls are doing, especially with the Olympics only 4 months away...yippee! I'm so excited smilies/cheesy.gif

I'm not particularly worried about Douglas' performance. Ideally, everyone wants to peak at the Olympics, right? The big skills are there, and this gives her and her coaches time to work on her consistency. If she and the rest of the Americans can refine some of those mistakes and avoid injuries, the Americans will be in great shape come July.

March 18, 2012
Votes: +1

EDB said:

	... Russia competed a very young, inexperienced team. They were also in the first subdivision so they didn't compete in the same session as the teams highlighted above.
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