USA Ladies Olympic Gymnastics Team

My prediction of the Olympics.

Hey folks,

If you are like me, your Weekend, starting Friday, was consumed with the Olympic Trials. I love the Olympics, and watch as much as I can throughout. I have some favorites I am routing for, some old favorites that retired this year, and some old favorites that are not doing as well as they could.

As for one of my favorite events, the Ladies Gymnastics, I have a prediction. One, we win the Gold. Two, HERE is the Olympic All Around Champion. Gabrielle Douglas. This chick is AMAZING. Basically, even though it didn't count, She WON the World Championships.

She takes competing very seriously, but she has fun while doing it. She does not however, take herself very seriously. She is humble, and funny, and just simply, the best at what she does. She hits her routines and makes it look easy. I personally think she has been overlooked, and I think she will surprise everyone. Everyone except me that is.

Our whole team, no matter who makes it through, will be the best in London. Here is a look at the Ladies via ESPN..

Jordyn Wieber: Current national champion Wieber did what she always does: Hit cold. She's in the top three on every event after Day 1, showing how invaluable she is to the team. She even improved from nationals on her bar set, typically her weakest event, with an upgraded dismount (full-twisting double layout). She's ahead of Douglas by .3 going into Sunday.

Gabrielle Douglas: Douglas always has been an incredible talent, and now she has become a very good competitor as well. She was off on her first routine on bars, but worked through it, and ended up earning a respectable score. "I pulled it out of nowhere!" she joked after. She gave perhaps the performance of the night on floor, lighting up the crowd with her powerful tumbling and huge smile throughout.

Alexandra Raisman: 2010 and 2011 worlds veteran Raisman showed the consistency that she has been known for of late, and earned the top score on floor. If she hits her events Sunday, she's on the team. "I don't like to think that I'm on the team," she said later, "because it's always so important that I keep really humble and keep working hard. But I really hope I am!"

Kyla Ross: The former junior national champ is best on bars and beam, and she excelled on bars Friday. She had a few wobbles on beam and sat down the Amanar vault that has been causing her trouble lately. She can improve Sunday, but her bar talent probably will be enough to put her on the team.

McKayla Maroney: Maroney is coming off a concussion that grounded her from the second day of competition at nationals. She had major mistakes on both beam and bars, but those aren't events on which the U.S. team would look to her to contribute. On floor and vault -- the events where she's needed -- she looked great. She garnered the top vault score, and earned the fourth-best mark on floor, nailing the back 3.5 twist opening pass that gave her the concussion at nationals. Her vault score alone makes her a strong candidate for the team, and with a good floor set as well, she's most likely the fifth member.

Nastia Liukin: The 2008 Olympic all-around champion needed to hit both of her routines perfectly to have a chance at the team, and it didn't happen. On bars she made it through most of her super-difficult set before struggling at the end. She looked visibly tired, broke form, and landed her double front dismount to her back. Her beam wasn't up to her usual standard either, but the damage was already done. The team needs a strong bar worker, and Liukin has just run out of time to fill that position. "Obviously, I'm hoping to do a better bar routine and a better beam routine [on Sunday], but whether or not I'm on the team, I'm glad that I gave it a shot."

Alicia Sacramone: Another 2008 Olympian, Sacramone is making a case for herself with solid routines on both beam and vault. The U.S. is very deep on vault, though, so she may be looking at an alternate spot. Her performance Friday was superb however, and reflected her more carefree attitude this time around. "In 2008 I was so stressed and focused on making the team that I didn't enjoy the process. This time, I honestly have done everything in my power to get back to where I am today, and if that's not good enough, it's all I can do. I won't have any regrets."

Elizabeth Price: Price is one of the youngest competitors at trials, but looked like a veteran. She has the second-best vault in the country behind Maroney, and has power to spare on floor, where she tumbles a sky-high double-double mount, then comes back with a double layout. She can score reasonably well on bars, too, making her a great potential alternate.

Rebecca Bross: The six-time world medalist has had a rough go of it since coming back from a dislocated kneecap suffered last year, and now is a specialist on bars and beam. Though she earned the fourth-highest score on bars, she fell twice on beam, an event in which she has had consistency issues all year. She could be an alternate if the selection committee feels it needs another good bar routine as back-up.

Anna Li: Li is in a similar situation as Bross. She tied for first with Ross on bars, and does one of the most difficult and unique routines in the world. But she fell on beam, and didn't compete in floor or vault here, so most likely can't challenge for the team with only one usable event. She and Bross may be competing for the same alternate spot.

Alicia Sacramone has always been one of my favorites. She rallied the Ladies in 2008 to do what they did. If she can just relax and do what we all know she can do, she will have gold around her neck later this month. Alexandra Raisman will be breaking out as well, and help us to the all around Gold. Who do I think will break out as the Leader? Jordyn Wieber. Not necessarily by words, but by deeds.

I really do feel sorry for Nastia Liukin. I do not mean to be mean, but I think she only here because of her name. I really think she may be in over her head this time around. She is really working hard. But the magic appears to be gone. I think it may be time for her to step aside and let others, like Rebecca Bross, and Anna Li to move forward and introduce themselves to the world.

All in all, I feel really proud of our Ladies, and SO look forward to London. I think we will have a good year. But keep your eye on Douglas. If her nerves do not get the best of her, she wins it all.

Peter

Sources:
ESPN - Wieber, Douglas battling for top spot