Commonwealths Predictions

Tomorrow, the artistic gymnastics competition of the Commonwealth Games will finally be upon us! Qualification rounds will begin with all teams and individual gymnasts competing on vault and bars, with beam and floor qualifications on Tuesday. The qualification round also serves as the team competition. The all around final (which is 3-per-country!!!) takes place Wednesday, vault and bars finals Thursday, and beam and floor finals on Friday.

The last Commonwealth Games took place ridiculously soon before the World Championships, so most teams sent maybe one or two of their A team. In Glasgow, however, England, Australia, and Canada are all bringing their big names.

Rebecca Tunney was not named to the Commonwealths team due to an elbow procedure. Victoria Moors was recently pulled from the Canadian team to be replaced by Victoria-Kayen Woo. Word is Moors is not injured.


Team
1. England
2. Canada
3. Australia

With Rebecca Tunney out, I was thinking Canada might have had a chance at taking the title, but now Victoria Moors's absence pretty much cements this in England's favor. Team Australia, which elected to make a bit of a risky move and stack its team with specialists, may be able to steal the silver, but I think Canada is the superior team.


All Around
1. Becky Downie
2. Ellie Black
3. Georgia-Rose Brown

The bronze was pretty much a shot in the dark, and honestly my favor for her is what made me go with Brown. I would not be at all surprised if I was incorrect, in fact, I'd probably be more surprised if Brown took the medal, but I'm sure she'll be competing in the AA and pretty much at a loss for everyone else. Unless Downie implodes, she's pretty firmly the favorite. Ellie Black is the only other serious AA contender.


Vault
1. Ellie Black
2. Claudia Fragapane
3. Maegan Chant

Ellie Black is easily the favorite to take the title, adding to her 2014 collection with the Pac Rims gold. I think Claudia Fragapane's superior difficulty should be able to put her into silver position. The bronze is definitely between Chant and New Zealand's Courtney McGregor. I think Chant's precision should put her into the medals, but McGregor beat Chant at Pac Rims this year.


Uneven Bars
1. Becky Downie
2. Ruby Harrold
3. Larrissa Miller

England is totally dominant on bars. Downie is fresh off her recent Euros win on the event and had a breathtaking routine, both in its difficulty and execution. Harrold is actually Britain's #3 UB gymnast right now behind Downie and Tunney, but with Tunney out, it's Harrold in. Harrold's routine contains two stunning transition combinations. Miller is Australia's reigning UB champion and a 2012 Olympian.


Balance Beam
1. Ellie Black
2. Becky Downie
3. Lauren Mitchell

Black has a 6.6 difficulty beam which qualified first into the Pac Rims finals with a 15.000. However, she has also displayed inconsistency on this particular event. Downie has displayed strong consistency on this event so far this year and scored in the low- to mid-14s at Europeans. Mitchell comes into this competition with the most prestige, being the reigning Commonwealths champion and 2010 World silver medalist. She has a potential 6.6 difficulty and has scored in the mid-15s at home in Australia.


Floor Exercise
1. Claudia Fragapane
2. Lauren Mitchell
3. Isabela Onyshko

Fragapane's floor took the gymternet by storm earlier this year at Europeans. It qualified second into the finals and has some great break dancing in the choreography! The silver and bronze positions will be a fight between Mitchell, Onyshko, and potentially Black. Mitchell made her debut in Doha this year, as did Onyshko, where they came 4th and 3rd, respectively. Though Moors's absence takes some of the excitement out of this final (as well as the potentially awkward situation of having two teammates use the same music), it should still be a good fight!



Let the gymnastics begin!!