2015 Worlds Predictions

So, for the first day of the year, I decided to do some crazy early Worlds predictions, just for fun.

USA Team
Simone Biles, Bailie Key, Nia Dennis, Kyla Ross, Mykayla Skinner, Ashton Locklear/Gabby Douglas
VT: Key/Dennis, Skinner, Biles
UB: Ross, Dennis, Locklear/Douglas
BB: Ross, Biles, Key
FX: Key, Dennis, Biles
The US literally has over 50 combinations of gymnasts expected to compete this year which could stroll away with the gold. Even if Simone pulls and Ebee-style "See you at UCLA, losers" retirement this year, the US would still be the top pick for gold. Raisman could be brought for BB/FX over a bars specialist. We've seen Locklear working on some things in IG which could put her out of one-event territory. Basically, at this point, the possibilities are endless. I've taken the plunge with the 'kaylas. I never thought I'd put My on a team over Mc, but if she makes a quarter of the improvement she made last year this year, she should take the spot.

China Team
Yao Jinnan, Wang Yan, Shang Chunson, Huang Huidan, two of Tan Jiaxin, Deng Yalan, and Bai Yawen
VT: Tan, Deng, Wang (Yao goes up first if Tan and Deng aren't both on the team)
UB: Tan/Shang, Huang, Yao
BB: any combination of gymnasts not including Deng or Tan
FX: Yao/Tan, Shang, Wang
I know a lot of people don't like Shang/don't see her on another team, but she can tumble, so she has a spot on the team. If Tan does in fact get that Amanar, she'll definitely take one of those last two spots. Wang Yan will be like a ray of sunshine for China on their trouble events. There's no way she's not on the team.

Russia Team
Aliya Mustafina, Seda Tutkhalyan, Maria Kharenkova, Ksenia Afanasyeva, Alla Sosnitskaya, Viktoria Komova
VT: Mustafina, Afanasyeva, Sosnitskaya
UB: Tutkhalyan, Mustafina, Komova
BB: Tutkhalyan/Komova, Mustafina, Kharenkova
FX: Mustafina/Tutkhalyan, Sosnitskaya, Afanasyeva
This is probably the hardest team for me to predict just because everyone is as likely to be in Germany having surgery as at Round Lake. Aside from Aliya, who probably would have competed through that ACL tear if she could have, I'm pretty confident in Tutkhalyan, Kharenkova, and Sosnitskaya to still be in one piece for Glasgow. Afan just competed a 6.0 difficulty at Voronin, and considering Valentina's enthusiasm to put her on the Nanning team, I expect she'll be in Glasgow. Komova I don't know about, but she's actually put together four routines and hasn't tripped over any mats lately, so I'll go with her. That first beam spot is still kind of scary, and Afan could potentially go up if she is consistently hitting a beam routine this year. I'd love to see Grishina come back and take one of the spots.

Romania Team
Larisa Iordache, Laura Jurca, Andreea Iridon, Alina Stanila, Andreea Munteanu, Diana Bulimar
VT: Stanila, Jurca, Iordache
UB: Bulimar, Iridon, Iordache
BB: any combination of gymnasts not including Stanila
FX: Bulimar, Jurca, Iordache
Didi needs to be in one piece for Glasgow. She's had the worst luck! She really needs to be on the team for bars. With her they have a respectable lineup. Without her, it could be a tense rotation. Iridon and the newly amazing Iordache should be a strong back end, though, regardless of the first spot, but they're podium-worthy with Didi's bars. I mean, a mediocre first routine would still keep them podium-worthy, but they'd be at the top of the silver-and-bronze pack with Didi.

Italy Team
Vanessa Ferrari, Erika Fasana, Iosra Abdelaziz, Elisa Meneghini, Carlotta Ferlito, Martina Rizzelli
VT: Rizzelli, Ferrari, Fasana
UB: Fasana, Ferrari, Abdelaziz
BB: Meneghini, Ferlito, Ferrari
FX: Meneghini/Ferlito, Fasana, Ferrari
Eh, it's a lineup. Putting Fasana on bars is not ideal, to say the least. But hey, that's the point of this, to just put something together and laugh come October.

Great Britain Team
Ellie Downie, Becky Downie, Rebecca Tunney, Gabby Jupp, Claudia Fragapane, Amy Tinkler/Tyesha Mattis
VT: Tunney, Tinkler/Mattis, E Downie
UB: E Downie, Tunney, B Downie
BB: E Downie, Jupp, B Downie
FX: E Downie, Tinkler/Mattis, Fragapane
Team GB has a lot of potential for this year. If they can keep beam under control, they should be in the silver-and-bronze pack with the rest of the Big Four. The Downies should be the cornerstones of this team. Tunney and another new senior should be throwing down strong routines on their best events. Jupp is going to fill out the beam rotation and help keep it from being too tense. Fragapane isn't entirely necessary, but I don't see her being left home.



Team
Finalists:
USA
China
Romania
Russia
Italy
Great Britain
Japan
Germany

Podium:
1. USA
2. Romania
3. China
The USA is obvious for the gold. If Didi can break the curse and actually make Worlds this year (and no one else takes her place in being injured), I think they have the best team of the rest of the world. No real trouble spots. Wang Yan's inclusion alone will greatly improve China. I think Great Britain could be close behind them, but I'll give the edge to China now.


All Around
1. Simone Biles
2. Larisa Iordache
3. Bailie Key
Of course, now that Aliya actually has a coach, she could be on here as well. But at this moment, Larisa and Bailie outstrip her. Simone will win if she goes clean, as always, and with a Moors and possibly a TTY, who knows what will happen. I really want Rebecca Andrade on this podium. The all around should be fierce this year.


Vault
Finalists:
Simone Biles
Mykayla Skinner
Hong Un Jong
Wang Yan
Giulia Steingruber
Oksana Chusovitina
Yessenia Ferrera
Deng Yalan/ Alla Sosnitskaya

Podium:
1. Simone Biles
2. Hong Un Jong
3. Mykayla Skinner
I really don't know about bronze. Skinner would seem the best choice, but if Steingruber can ger her DTY back, she'll be a strong challenge, and Yessenia Ferrera and Wang Yan can both be expected to put up a strong challenge. This should definitely be the best vault final in a long time.


Uneven Bars
Finalists:
Yao Jinnan
Huang Huidan
Viktoria Komova
Aliya Mustafina
Becky Downie
Rebecca Tunney
Ashton Locklear/Gabby Douglas
Lisa Katharina Hill

Podium:
1. Yao Jinnan
2. Viktoria Komova
3. Huang Huidan
This should be another super strong bars final. I expect both the Chinese to medal again. Komova might need some upgrades for that silver, but this is her event. I'm not too concerned.


Beam
Finalists:
Simone Biles
Bailie Key
Larisa Iordache
Maria Kharenkova
Seda Tutkhalyan/Aliya Mustafina
Wang Yan
Shang Chunsong/Bai Yawen
Andreea Munteanu

Podium:
1. Maria Kharenkova
2. Bailie Key
3. Larisa Iordache
I'm predicting Larisa will have a fairly large wobble but not fall this year. This has the potential to be a great match-up, but there is also some splat potential. If Seda can somehow do some witchcraft to hit in both qualifications and finals, she should be on the podium. But that would probably require some witchcraft. Bailie Key should be gorgeous and steady as always. Wang Yan could also upset for the podium if other people are having an off day, as could Simone. Should be interesting, at least, and somewhat less of a disaster than last year's.


Floor
Finalists:
Simone Biles
Larisa Iordache
Mykayla Skinner
Vanessa Ferrari
Giulia Steingruber
Claudia Fragapane
Erika Fasana
Yessenia Ferrera

Podium:
1. Simone Biles
2. Larisa Iordache
3. Yessenia Ferrera
I really want Yessenia to medal here. She's got mind-blowing tumbling and is an amazing performer. She definitely has the potential. Again, Simone is the obvious pick here. And Larisa is the obvious second place. The other women I have listed are all great too, but their execution doesn't match up with these three. I think Fasana might surprise us, though.


Really, looking at the gymnasts I have predicted to make finals, this should be an epic Worlds. Maybe if we burn some incense over the beam or something, it might not be such a splat fest of a final. Vault, bars, and beam should have some good battles. Floor is more locked up, but I love those gymnasts and their work anyway, so I'll still love that final, regardless of what you guys will think. The team and all around titles are fairly well spoken for if there aren't major upset injuries or weird off days on the day of the final, but the fight for silver and bronze should be great.