And once again, the titles have been decided, the competitors put up their performances, and I have taken forever to type anything up because school!
The Boys
The men's competition was INCREDIBLE! The team and AA finals were the craziest things I've ever seen! Also, the fall and rise of Daloloyan across those two finals was breathtaking. Of course, I was also devastated at the end of the AA when Sam missed by so little. Waiting for him to FINALLY get that medal, this was the most tense men's Worlds! And he finally got it in the last final!! Sam's medal was the biggest win from the men's side for me. Other highlights included Epke's reign of glory, the p bars final, and Eleftherios's mind-boggling win.
Team
This was the first of the weird WAG finals where the final podium was pretty tame but the ride to get there was a roller coaster. UGH, Brazil's UB rotation was heartbreaking!! France also could have sprung in there. I think this final really exemplifies this weird shifting period we're in right now. Outside the US, the Big Four are all on something of a downswing, and gobs of other top countries are on the rise, so you end up with a huge array of teams at about the same level, but I think the record of Russia and China gives them a slight edge in the mental game. I hope this just makes Brazil hungrier and motivates them! Russia is also showing a refreshing new consistency with only one fall in the TF. Also, we can't forget about Canada! They're another team with and awesome uprise, and that without an Olympics in near sight! I really expect them to become a major player. Also, China has some really lovely gymnasts right now, but their lower difficulty is a bit worrisome, especially with Japan presumably coming in with a stronger side next year.
All Around
Our second final with a pretty vanilla podium but a ridiculous ride to get there. What happened with Simone's performance! Just a weird fluke day from her. That was too bad, too, because if she'd had a perfect hit it would have been a perfect example of an exciting final with major dominance. With that performance, it put quite a dimmer on the otherwise excellent competition. I've got feelings on her winning, but basically I don't see a practical way of addressing this issue within an open-ended system because Simone's just Simone. But seriously, who would have thought SIMONE would have ended our five-year no-falls-on-the-podium streak! (Though I do get a certain petty satisfaction in THAT being the performance to break Khorkina's record.) I loved Mai getting the silver! She put in an awesome performance and showed why she would have won last year without the fall. Morgan's issue on beam was slightly disappointing, but she also had an otherwise great day. I also loved how well Nina, Gelya, and Melanie did and how close they got! No one's catching Simone, but everyone behind her is in a super tight fight! I love it!
Vault
Viva la Mexico! Yes Alexa! And I'm totally crediting her bronze on the ASU leotard she wore (okay, it isn't the exact same leotard, but it's basically the same.) It was very sad that we were between Alexa and Chuso because why can't we have both?, but I do love that Alexa made history. Chuso also did just because she's Chuso, so it's great all around. And Simone finally has her World vault title! It took too long. I'm less excited about Shallon, but I don't have any really strong feelings either way with her medal. On the one hand, I love seeing Canada bust out medalist after medalist. On the other hand, I'm always going to pick Chuso in my personal desires. I also loved seeing Yeo Seo-jeong, and I'm always up for Ellie Black's vaulting!
Bars
Once again, I love this bars podium, and the whole final was a delight. Bars has been killing it this quad. All of the medalists used the code in different ways to create interesting compositions, and I enjoyed seeing that rewarded. Really, more original approaches to composition was a theme for this whole final, with the exception of Aliya, but she's Aliya so it's okay. I'm also very excited for all of the medalists in different ways: Nina because YAS NINA WON!! and I love her composition more than anything, Simone because it completed her set and showed her fantastic development on the event, and Eli because she's been the cool kid busting out the exciting skills for so long and to see her finally get the medal, especially after coming so close in Rio, was wonderful. But of course, we also had to suffer the falls from Becky and Jonna. After they both made the final, I was pretty much expecting it because there was no way they were going to hit after they both hit in qualifying, but I've worked out a deal for them. Jonna's Euros medal shows she is gaining in her hitting and winning capacity, so each of them can fail in qualifying one year so the other gets the hitting energy, and the Euros proof supports my idea that it can work. So... yeah! But overall, bars is showing itself to be the strongest women's event, so that even shallower years still put up a satisfying crop of routines.
Beam
TINGTING! In contrast with bars, beam has been slumping since, like, London, with even winners rarely having routines without major falters, and Tingting's winning routine was a gorgeous shot of steadiness into that trend. But seriously, let's just remember Tinting and Anne-Marie Padurariu from that final, okay? Okay. Of course, the most depressing moment for me was Sanne's fall, followed closely by Kara Eaker's. Seriously, I'm too depressed thinking about this final so let's just move on. And beam's always the event I'm most emotionally invested in... I guess I'm just a masochist....
But also, the moral of Simone on beam in Doha is WHY HAVEN'T YOU GOTTEN RID OF THAT BARANI ALREADY
Floor
A much better final to end on! In general, I think this final shows a great trend in the artistry-scape. Akhaimova's isn't particularly inspiring, and I definitely think this is a low year choreography-wise for Simone, but otherwise this was a very aesthetically pleasing group of routines. Of course, I'd have loved for a Belgian routine in the mix, but I'm also not totally delusional. While Simone's choreography isn't my favorite, her tumbling was just as effortless as always. Her big OOB is another area where I feel you just can't do much about Simone's dominance. Behind her, Morgi was a fantastic silver medalist. I love how much she's grown as a performer and especially in her expression. Combined with her clean product and she was a perfect silver medalist. While I adore Mai and I love seeing her as a big FX presence after she was robbed in 2013, I personally would have given the bronze to Melnikova, seeing as Mai had her troubles in her big spin and Gelya had such awesome landings. It was also sad with Flavia just missing out on a medal with her OOB. But she, Melanie, and Brooklyn all also contributed to making this such an artistically strong final.
