Gymnastics continued today in the Hydro at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. Two huge finals were contested today, vault and uneven bars. We were treated to some of the most difficult routines in the world on both events and very, very big gymnastics.
Vault Final
This is a great example of why I love vault finals at smaller meets better than at major internationals. Less crazy sloppy chucked vaults and more simply prettiness! Though there was some insane stuff on display today!
Georgia-Rose Brown got the day started of right with the beautiful vaults. She vaulted an FTY for a very high 14.100. FTYs rarely are able to break the 14.000 barrier. Her second vault was a fairly simple half-on tucked front. She scored a 13.566 to average 13.833 and take seventh place.
Hometown favorite Emma White was second up in the vault final. She began, like Brown, with a very nice FTY. It piked a bit into the ground, but was otherwise nicely executed and scored 13.800. White's second vault was the same as that of Brown's but in a piked position. She tucked her legs too early and was thrust forward. Christine Still said in her commentary that White had landed the vault with her legs locked in the training earlier in the day, which explained her issues. She earned a 13.300 for an average 13.550 and eighth place.
South African great Kirsten Beckett showed very powerful vaults in the final today. She had an amazing 1 1/2 Yurchenko for her first vault. Her only problem was a hop on landing, but it was an otherwise amazing outing, scoring her a 14.366. Her second vault was a Tsuk full which also showed great power for a 13.866. Her 14.116 average was good enough for sixth.
England's Kelley Simm had a very respectable outing on vault today in her first individual final of a major championships. Her first vault was a very powerful DTY, though it was rather sloppy. Her DTY scored 14.633. Simm's second vault was a half-on tuck front half, which she landed a bit low, but was otherwise solid for a score of 13.766, giving her an average of 14.199 for fifth place.
Maegan Chant of Canada placed fourth in the final with both vaults scoring 14.233. She had two very clean vaults but not enough difficulty to put her onto the podium. Her first vault was a handspring front 1/2, which was fairly piked. There was a fair bit of discussion among the commentators about whether it would be credited, which it was. Chant's second vault was a beautiful Tsuk full with only a small hop on landing.
The biggest surprise and the buzz story of today was India's Dipa Karmakar. Karmakar is a hugely powerful gymnast, which is well displayed in her vault work. Her first vault, a Tsuk full, was fairly sloppy. She had a significant leg separation, especially on the block, and also incurred a penalty for out of bounds. She scored a 13.633. However, she matched that vault with her Produnova. I was literally watching through my fingers as she vaulted, expecting a huge crash, when, to everybody's surprise- Karmakar stood her vault up! She likely incurred a deduction for brushing against the landing mat, for she landed in a very deep squat, but she definitely stood it up! Her Produnova earned her a 15.100, the highest score of the final, and earned a bronze medal, India's first in artistic gymnastics.
Elsabeth Black was able to put all prior misfortune behind her today for an amazing vault final. Black had the same first vault as teammate Chant, a handspring front 1/2. It was dead center and almoooost stuck! It was an absolutely beautiful effort. Black saved her more difficult vault, a Tsuk 1 1/2, for second. This time, there was nothing almost about it, she landed in a stick! She tucked her legs slightly coming in for landing and landed fairly deeply, but it was definitely a huge victory! Black scored 14.433 for both vaults to take the silver.
Claudia Fragapane continued her gold streak in her one event final of the day. Fragapane began with bit of a scraggly DTY which incurred a penalty for out of bounds, and on which her feet were flexed. Her DTY earned her a 14.766. Fragapane's second vault was a Lopez. Off the table, Fragapane had a very open layout position. She piked down a bit for the landing, on which she had a hop. The Lopez scored a 14.500 and gave her an average of 14.633.
I love Claudia as much as anybody else, but as much as I would love her to be rolling in gold medals, it was clear she didn't deserve this title. Ellie Black was simply robbed. She put up two textbook vaults of respectable difficulty and had much better landings than Fragapane, who has iffy blocking technique on her Yurchenkos especially and took hops on both of her landings. Black was the best vaulter of the day, and it was obvious.
Uneven Bars Final
Bars showed many very exciting routines with very unique and original combinations. The Brits are some of the best bars workers in the world, and Australia sent a team of many very talented bars workers, so it was quite competitive!
Sadly, the Welsh gymnasts did not see the success and consistency of the team final today. Both gymnasts had very rough outings on the uneven bars today. Lizzie Beddoe was the first gymnast of the final, and her problems began very early in her routine. After her toe-on full, Beddoe had a very well flighted Maloney, but she stalled on her cast out of it which resulted in an empty swing. She then fell on her next move, a Jager salto. Beddoe went on to have a good rest of her routine, and showcased gorgeous lines. Rear Theaker came into this final injured, so many questioned whether she would even participate. It was clear from the beginning of her routine she was not in top form after she stalled on her hop grip change. On an attempt for a Weiler, Theaker fell from the bar. She came back onto the bars for a beautiful Maloney. However, on a clear hip circle, Theaker fell again and chose to end her routine. Theaker was clearly not on top form and working through immense pain, but she put on a gutsy performance and made a wise decision when she saw she couldn't go on.
Ellie Black had a very clean routine today. She began with a clear hip circle into a beautiful Shang release. She had a very nice Jager into Pak down to the low bar. She was off handstand on her giant full, but absolutely PLANTED her Moors dismount, which showed a very good stretched position. I still never quite understand that weird half turn under the bar and how that doesn't kill her score, but it was a great routine otherwise. Black scored a 13.700 and placed fourth.
Kirsten Beckett also had a very clean going of it in finals today, but without much of any difficulty. She began her routine with a nice bail straight into a Ray back to the high bar. She had a giant full which landed beautifully in handstand and then went straight into a HUGE Tkatchev. She finished with a very nice double front dismount. Due to her low difficulty, Beckett scored only a 12.933 and placed in sixth.
Georgia-Rose Brown was once again able to put her difficulties of the past two days behind her and put on a beautiful routine which showcased her gorgeous lines. She brought the original difficulty immediately opening with her gorgeous Maloney+Geinger connection, but caught close with bent elbows. After her toe-on full, Brown executed another flight series with a Jager connected to a bail which hit perfect handstand. From a toe-on 1/2, Brown went straight into a beautiful stuck double front. She was short on handstand for most of her routine, which is where she incurred most of her deductions. Brown scored 13.566 for fifth place.
Ruby Harrold, the final performer of the day, had another of the routines of her life. She had great flight on her Maloney into her Bhardwaj, which she caught well. Then it was back to her Van Leeuwen into Zuchold, which she connected directly into her toe-on full. She had a good Jager, but was over handstand in her cast out. She went into a double front with just one step forward. Harrold had a fair bit of leg separation in her routine, but she hit all of her connections and was very solid. She earned a bronze with a 14.366.
Larrissa Miller of Australia also had unique connections in her routine, and beautiful execution. She had a very unique Ricna into Geinger connection. She had a beautiful toe-on into a Jager, but kipped out of it before her bail. On the high bar, she executed a Stalder full before her full-in dismount. Miller had beautiful lines and lovely execution, and this is definitely a routine that might be seen in the event final come Nanning. She earned the silver with a 14.566.
Becky Downie added a Commonwealth Games title to match hers from Europeans with a 14.666. Her routine opened with the ever-exciting Chow to Hindorff connection. She hit all her connections except for her Ricna into Pak. She went cleanly through the whole slew of releases and transitions very cleanly. Her only significant errors were two small steps on her dismount, but this was definitely unarguably the best routine of the day.
In other parts of the world, two gymnasts pulled out of big upcoming events. Ari Agrapides will no longer be competing in the Secret U.S. Classic this Saturday. According to MG Elite's Facebook, Ari hit her foot on the low bar which created an open cut and fractured her toe. However, word is she will be competing at Championships later in August. Sadly, a major name for the YOG who was expected to be a top contender, Rebeca Andrade will no longer be competing for Brazil and be replaced by Flavia Saraiva. Andrade has broken her toe according to Alexander Alexandrov, and he does not want to risk anything the season before she turns senior. The Netherlands' Wendy de Jong has also withdrawn due to a broken ankle in favor of Isa Maassen.
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