(Floor) Artistry in Nanning: My Favorites

To finish off my artistry roundup of the Nanning Worlds, I decided to end with some of my personal favorites from Worlds which weren't from major competitors. Obviously, since these are my favorites, I'll think they're all pretty amazing artistically.

Anna Pavlova

The last of an era. I debated as whether to include Anna because with her it's basically, Duh, of course it's artistic, but I went ahead and did it anyway. It's not the grandeur of the majestic 2008 routine, but I like it better than most of her earlier routines. The flowing piano music is not what we typically associate with Anna, but she really did a beautiful delicate and lyrical routine. Thank goodness Azerbaijan is scouting for athletes so we can continue to watch Anna's beautiful gymnastics! Perfect line, lovely classic style, better choreography than has been coming from Round Lake recently (GET THE RODS OUT OF THERE)... just a dream of a routine. The ending is my favorite part of the routine, I love how she seems to replicate two deep breaths. It's just beautiful, there's really no other way to put it.

Claire Martin

Another classical routine. The combination of strings and piano music is gorgeous. I especially love 0:59-1:10. A great combination of strong, short movements and smooth transitions. I love how the music, and Claire's interpretation, is pulsating and dramatic but delicate and lyrical at the same time. Another flourish I am very fond of is the use of balances throughout the routine. It makes for sharp transitions between movements which make you really sit up and take notice of what she's doing as well as a very cohesive routine. It's a really great classical routine with a very strong presence. The ending is also very intriguing to me. The sharp and dramatic routine is capped off with a quiet ending which just sort of hangs there. It really keeps you wrapped in the routine for just a moment after it ends.

Celine van Gerner
It won't embed, sorry. Celine's is such an innovative routine. There's really not a second of this routine I don't love. She has great variation of tempo and rhythm here. She also has lots of full body movement with great changes between extension and more compacted shapes. My favorite part is 0:47-1:07. I love the theme of twisting elements of choreography there. The beginning of the sequence where she hops out of the turn is just a small thing but really eye-catching. I also love the part of her low-to-floor section where she bends and re-extends her leg as she is rolling over her shoulder. When she runs into the corner and bends her knees as she jumps is another eye-catching flourish. Another clever moment of the routine is at 1:19 when she changes plane without warning. The ending at 1:29 when she rolls over her legs to lie on the ground makes a great mounting tension which she releases with her fun heart ending. It's just such an innovative and exciting routine, and I LOVE IT!

Ruby Harrold

The drum solo was a really unique music choice, but Ruby rocks it. Her percussive movements really accentuate the pulse of the music. I also love how she includes arm circles with one arm as a unifying element in the routine. The switch between sharp percussive movements and waving arm motions before the third pass is nicely done is does a good job of switching up the routine. I also love how she has a unifying element of dramatically plunging her fist down to the chest and ends with her fist over her heart. This routine is a great example of what the Code should be encouraging for navigating the corners. Ruby always enters them smoothly in her dance and never linger, but she doesn't overuse the stork stand either. Never does the momentum stop and it's not awkwardly obvious she's trying to avoid the deduction for waiting in the corner. I'm also a sucker for a twisting leap to the ground for an ending. Also a shoutout to her for getting up from her low-to-floor in a way that isn't awkward. One of my big beefs with floor is how awkwardly many of the gymnasts navigate exiting the low-to-floor, so if a gymnast can make it a smooth transition, she automatically gets brownie points from me. Ruby clearly loves this routine and expertly navigates the line between being playful and intense.




As I said at the beginning of the post, seeing as they are my favorites, I obviously find all these routines super artistic. All these gymnasts have incredible presence while they are on the floor and draw you into the routine immediately. These routines are a mix of smooth, flowing, classical, and elegant routines and innovative ones. Most of the routines here are dramatic, but Anna's delicate routine is just as engaging and beautiful. They all represent different directions a highly artistic routine can follow and, most importantly, the gymnasts all clearly love performing them. All these routines are tailored to their performers, which is precisely what makes them so enjoyable to watch.

(Floor) Artistry in Nanning: The "Other" Top Routines

Plenty of routines which have been major buzzes in the gymternet and from top gymnasts didn't make event finals, but still deserve a mention.

Roxana Popa
Won't embed, sorry. I love this one SO much more than last years. The composition was fine last year, but she's just not the super-bubbly performer you have to be in order to pull that one off. This dramatic flair is more for her. I love how Roxana incorporates the Spanish-style guitar! This routine can get just a bit dull in the middle at around 0:53 when she's obviously resting and keeps hitting poses with the accents of the music, but it isn't really ugly, just fairly uninteresting. My favorite part is the low-to-floor interpreting the slow music. Some really cool shapes and flowing movements. I also love how she ends it with a flourish of her wrist! The choreography isn't super intricate, but it is nice to watch. A good effort. And on another note, THAT MEMMEL!!!

Giulia Steingruber

Gorgeous dynamic routine. I especially love how varied her wrist and hand positions are. They really create a flowing impression and add to the intensity. A unique and slightly innovative routine, one which suits gymnastics in 2014. This routine had elegance, power, strong expression, and an assertive aura. Can you tell I love it? Too bad about that double back.... This proves you can combine power and beauty, and I really think this kind of routine should be more encouraged. I love her switch from slow choreography to quick movements after the DLO. Giulia does a great job of combining flowing and staccato movements to create a really dynamic routine with great forward motion.

Alla Sosnitskaya

I'm not feeling this one for Alla. To me, she just looks a bit gangly and awkward out there. This music and choreography require a gymnast who can go out there and own the arena, and Alla really isn't doing that here. She is just ever so slightly stiff and really doesn't connect with the performance or the audience. At parts she even looks like she isn't really trying to sell it. And this is the kind of routine you really have to sell. The short bit at 0:43 is always the best part of the routine- she has a little slinkyness which I think Russia should try to capitalize on in the future. I think this routine could be fabulous, but it really, well, isn't right now. They either need to work her on performance quality or work a different angle for her when they compose her floor routines.

Marta Pihan-Kulesza

I can't figure out if I love this or hate this. More to the point, I can't figure out if I love it in spite of the fact that I hate it. It's definitely a Marta-only routine! The music change is kind of bizarre. I have some very unfavorable opinions about the music change requirement. Surely there was something more jazzy they could have used? It's not an especially intricate choreography, but it works fine with the music. The ending is definitely the highlight of the routine, and where she does the best job of reflecting the Pink Panther music. I think this one just about works, and for her performance quality alone. I prefer her 2012 routine.





So, how do these routines stack up? Giulia's was definitely on of the best so far, I'd say. Roxana also did a lovely job. Marta and Alla are sort of in the same situation music and choreography-wise, but with very different approaches to their performance. Alla had decent choreography but moved without real presence while Marta had somewhat uninspired choreography and was only really able to pull of her routine because of the personality she infused into it. If you took Alla's routine and had Marta perform it, I think it would be something fabulous. Aside from Giulia, I'd say these ones were all fairly average.

(Floor) Artistry in Nanning: Team China

China's floor routines received a lot of buzz for being- very different. So I decided to dedicate an entire installment to China's routines in their home Worlds.

Chen Siyi

The music is lovely. The choreography has the classic and elegant look going for it. But- it just sort of doesn't go together. When it does fit together nicely, it is has a nice light feeling and seems very crisp. However, when it doesn't- which is a fairly large portion of the routine- it just seems awkward. Like with Larrissa Miller, musicality! That's the issue here! If a routine doesn't have musicality, it doesn't matter what your style is or how intricate the choreography it. Artistry won't happen.


Tan Jiaxin

Tan's music is far more what you'd expect from NCAA than Chinese elite. And I think Tan's presentation is a bit too Chinese elite and not quite NCAA enough for it. She seems just a little too reserved to manage the performance, and the choreography seems just a bit inhibited in parts. I don't hate it though, seemingly in contradiction to the rest of the gymternet. At least what I've seen. It is an engaging routine, and the choreography is well in harmony with music (most of the time, at least, but most gymnasts need a little breather every now and then- not everyone can be Simone). It just could do to be a bit more dynamic. So, overall, a decent routine (in my eyes, anyway).


Shang Chunsong

It's not a masterpiece, admittedly. But frankly, I think if we are waiting for a masterpiece from Shang, we'll be waiting forever. She just seems to be more suited to more quirky and nontraditional choreography. It's definitely better than her routine from the national championships earlier in 2014. She handles well the powerful beginning of the routine. The middle falls a bit flat, but she never seems lost in the music either. The very beginning and the very end are my favorite parts, but the whole routine is fairly well composed. Again, not a masterpiece, but I think it does well to take advantage of Shang's strengths.


Yao Jinnan

Unfortunately, Yao never really hit this one in Nanning. Too bad, it was my favorite of the Chinese pieces. I absolutely loved it at the Asian Games! Who knew Yao could pull off Prince? I love the way she accents the percussive bits with her sharp and staccato movements. The ending especially is just so great! I actually really liked the cartwheel into the ending, too bad it was a fall. She really doesn't miss a beat (literally) with her choreography. It works in great harmony with the music and is fun and upbeat while still being a little bluesy. I never would have expected this from Yao based on her old routines, but it really does work for her and her choreographers should work to utilize this combination of crowd-pleasing and toney in her future floor work.



So, how was China's artistry on floor at Worlds? In general, I'd say I thought it was fine. Chen Siyi needs more musicality and Tan Jiaxin more expression, but I think they did well in general with what they had to work with. I definitely think Shang Chunsong and Yao Jinnan both had routines about as good as they can have. If Tan Jiaxin could get her expression up, I think Chen Siyi would be the only real place with much work to be done. I'd say China is on the right track but still has some work to be done. I'm actually totally down with the unorthodox approach they've been taking. I think it really sets them apart and China has been focusing on what works for their athletes.

(Floor) Artistry in Nanning: The EF

Yeah, so it's REALLY late to make a Worlds post, I know. This is just the first of three or so on artistry, but I'll get to them before the end of the year at least. Just be patient.

We're all accustomed to the claims the the sport is totally lacking in artistry and should just drop that part of the name and kick out anyone bigger than a size 2 and just shut down all the programs outside Europe except with maybe of the exception of the China, depending who you're talking to, and lynch Martha Karolyi while we're at it- or, at least, we're used to the whining of the artistry trolls who can't accept that the sport won't evolve from what it was in the 80s, and the rest can often be easily inferred. So, what was the artistry situation really like this year? I decided to take a look at some top routines from Worlds (and some of my favorites as well) to get a general temperature of (floor) artistry in 2014.

On tonight's episode of (Floor) Artistry in Nanning- the 8 routines of the floor event final!

Simone Biles

This is the kind of routine the trolls mentioned above love to crucify with no real reasoning as to why. Simone is a real performer and it is on perfect display in this routine. Her amazing eye contact, totally genuine dazzling smile, and even fun expressions before her mind-blowing tumbling passes make for the most enjoyable performance. This routine works with all her strengths and is another example of Dominic Zito at his best. This routine interprets the music perfectly. Her low to the floor bit is especially in tune with the accompaniment. The choreography also does a great job of capturing the fun nature of the music and making it like a party instead of a grueling test of physical ability. I love the way she is constantly moving from one skill or gesture to the next. This routine never stops and continues seamlessly as one complete, cohesive unit. I also love how well her trademark cartwheel was incorporated into the ending!

Larisa Iordache

I definitely prefer this routine to her guitar one from 2012. Larisa is one of the best gymnasts at working with the regulations of how long the gymnasts may stand in the corner. She has great body movement and does a great job of moving her body along with her arm and leg movements instead of having disconnected gestures. Larisa does a really good job of combining punctuating movements with extended ones to shape the music. I also like the way she changes the way she holds her hands and head position to add flourish and depth to her choreography and get in lots of good eye contact. It's a really great energetic and joyful routine but still mature.

Aliya Mustafina

This routine is just so- empty. I finish the routine and wonder where exactly the choreography was. It's good, but... she can do so much more than this! She does, as Christine says, have a beautiful shoulder line and nice smooth movement. She just spends so much time setting up for turns or getting into place for them with extremely simple movement. Aliya has just had such underwhelming routines that don't take advantage at all of what she can put forth since London! Just- the Rods! Like I said, it's good, but it should be so much better than good.

Mykayla Skinner

Mykayla is most certainly not the best dancer. She is fairly stiff, especially in her upper body movement. Whereas Aliya has great movement but lacking choreography, Mykayla- well, she doesn't have great choreography but it does fill the routine, but her quality of movement is just not there. Usually I prefer gymnasts who don't have the most natural movement to perform routines like this instead of crowd-pleasing ones, but her folk routine worked for her because she was able to have angular movement for the music. I think she handled it pretty well in the final and it was definitely her best performance, but there's only so much you can do when you are stiff in movement.

Vanessa Ferrari

Like her Last of the Mohicans routine, this is really a Vanessa-only routine. The choreography itself really isn't the greatest and fairly repetitive, but Vanessa is exactly the one to perform it. She makes it dramatic and full of flair and somehow regal. It suits the music and fits it easily, and her interpretation of the slower part is similarly perfectly Vanessa. There's really not much more to say about this routine. Vanessa makes this routine.

Larrissa Miller

Larrissa is elegant, no doubt. But where is the musicality in this routine? Her movements seem to have little to no relation with the music. Christine says that she seems to be waiting for the music- this describes her less than serendipitous relationship with the accompaniment. She also seems to be a bit stiff in her movement at times, though not as bad as Mykayla. The best choreography is definitely between her second and third tumbles.

Erika Fasana

Erika has amazing presence here. Very aggressive and she really attacks her movements. Works well with the slightly different music choice. She really has a flair for the dramatic. The choreography isn't always the greatest, but it has some really good moments as well. I especially love the sequence after her leap passage and before her final tumble. Nice variety between sharp movements and smooth ones and really exciting moments. She moves quickly throughout the routine but really does a good job of interpreting the music. I also really love how Erika is pulling in toward herself and tossing her back backwards throughout the routine. The routine seems to pass fairly quickly because Erika moves so quickly and it is such a forward moving routine but she really packs in a lot of good artistic work.

Claudia Fragapane

I'm still so sad about that fall! What is there really to say about this routine? It's just so mind-blowing! Claudia has such unique, fun, and exciting choreography! It totally works with the unusual music choice. Claudia has perfectly combines her skills with dynamic artistic work. The best sequence is definitely in the corner after her leap pass. The leap to prone position is so exciting, and is the falling spin into the back spin into the toss to her knees. She shows such delight in her movement and is just so much fun to watch!

Overall, I'd say the artistry in the floor EF was... okay. There were some really fun routines to watch, there were some fine ones, and there were some flat ones. Quality of movement definitely needs to be addressed in gymnastics as there was some fairly stiff work. The best routines in this final were exciting and crowd-pleasing ones as opposed to elegant ones, which were strangely lacking. Performance quality was good, as a lot of the gymnasts seemed to really enjoy what they were doing and drew in the audience to watch.

Worlds Wrap-Up

Worlds are well and truly over, and now that I have done my ranting about the judging, it's time for the wrap-up post!

The Good

• No major injuries YAY!!!!!
• Super tight competition and high-quality podiums everywhere (except for beam let's just forget that ever happened)
• NOT A SINGLE MEDALIST WITH A FALL!! Only the second time to happen since 2006 (the first being last year)
• Simone is awesome
• No major errors from any of the young and inexperienced Americans in a final
• Kramarenko is perfect and she ALMOST made the all around final!
• Jessica Lopez's amazing all around comeback
• Unique and interesting floor choreography, especially from those who didn't make the final
• Romania going from seventh to fourth
• Pavs back at Worlds
• No crashed-landed on-the-back Prods in the vault final (still looking for video of Dipa's, but she needed to land to get an 8.1, right?)

The Bad

• Pavs having such bad vault QFs and not making the final
• Giulia, Marta, and Masha messing up in QFs and missing their respective finals
• Claudia falling in floor EFs
• Everyone other than the US having problems with their inexperienced members in TF
• Azerbaijan and New Zealand not qualifying a team for next year
• Queen Chuso gone!

The Ugly

• Screwy judging
• The beam final. Let's erase it from memory.
• The Chinese teal and lime leos and the US beam and floor EF leos
• Bad blocking on Chengs

Team: One of the best team competitions in years. Not the tightest race for gold, but an amazing battle all through the ranks. The US did a great job saving any potential disasters and was the only team to put up three strong routines everywhere. China is about where they should be right now, but will definitely need Wang Yan to stay podium worthy. Shang was a bit of a disappointment, especially on bars in team, but I suppose that's what going from one major competition to another will do to you. And she was still scored mercilessly. Russia performed about how I thought they would. Romania shocked me and proved why they got the unexpected bronze at the last two Olympics. They just didn't have quite enough, but Jurca and Iridon (and please Bulimar!) should help remedy that. I was disappointed by Great Britain and I definitely think they could have medalled if they kept it together, but they definitely have the potential and upcoming talent.

All Around: All hail the great Simone Biles. Not her absolute best, but better than anyone else by far. She definitely has the best skills and abilities. This was a way closer final than anyone expected, though, which made it fun. LARISA!! Finally it all came together! She absolutely deserved the silver. She just hit it out of the park and put up her best performance on the day it counted most! Such a happy outcome for such a worthy gymnast! Kyla proved that strategy is still a thing in gymnastics. If something is outside her limits, Kyla's coaches won't make her do it. They put her health and consistency over iffy difficulty, and once more it proved prudent. And, contrary to popular belief, good execution and consistency is enough to make the podium. Aliya's fall was definitely unfortunate. However, I'd say her bars were her only standout of the day. And her beam dismount. Yao Jinnan's floor was also unfortunate. I love the quirky choreography! And of course a shoutout to JLo for coming eighth! Please give her the elegance award next year!

Vault: It was so refreshing so see a vault final with no falls! Hong Un Jong's Amanar is just breathtaking! It's so floaty! Her Cheng was a bit wonky and klunky, but it is worth 6.4. She's made huge strides and it's great to see her winning a World title to complement her Olympic title six years later! Simone was amazing. Two of her most beautiful vaults this season. I can't wait to see what she busts out for next year! She's definitely the favorite if she can up that second vault just a little. Mykayla was definitely clean in her form. The judges weren't really harsh on anyone for shoddy technique, but it is disappointing that someone with that block medalled. Her legs were glued together and she landed nicely on center, though, which was great. Alla should focus the next year on cleaning up her vaults currently in her repertoire. I hope Giulia is able to bring back the DTY- apparently the rumor is that she's developed a twisting block.

Uneven Bars: Such a great final! So many unique routines and exciting combinations! I loved everything about this final- except Ruby's fall. And some of the judging. But great gymnastics! Yao's routine has a great opening combination which is really pleasant to watch. I also like the combination of the spins right into the Tkatchev, and the stuck dismount was a great exclamation point. Huang's routine was the one I thought was better. It was really well polished, and I for one do not mind how she does her pirouettes. And the dismount! It's been a long time since someone's used that! Daria Spiridinova had an absolutely beautiful routine, which was was put her just over the edge for the podium. She had beautiful lines and her pike Jager was absolutely gorgeous. Ashton and Aliya both had wonderful routines with beautiful lines, and Becky Downie had an amazingly hit and exciting routine. It was so great to see her finally hit after how often she's missed before!

Balance Beam: Ugh. Let's just pretend this final didn't happen. Simone and Bai were both outstanding, so it was great to see them on top. Either combination would have been great to see, too bad they couldn't tie. I really love the composition of Simone's routine this year, so it was great to see her finally hit it right. Bai, of course, was just breathtaking. It was great to see her in the final when the Chinese federation was considering dropping her in favor of Shang. Beautiful routine and stunning execution. But otherwise, let's just forget about this final. Yao, Larisa, and Ellie fell, everyone was handing Kyla a medal she just threw away, and then the bronze fiasco. Ugh. This is getting depressing.

Floor: Alright, a good final to end with. I'm still saddened by Claudia's fall since it's just such an awesome routine, but she was definitely able to pick up the rest of her routine and seemed to take it well. That's something that seems to run among the Brits. I never thought a wolf jump out of a tumbling run would look good, but she makes it so cool. Simone, what is there to say. She just blew everyone out of the water. So powerful and so well performed. Just astounding. Larisa's routine is just so pleasant. I love how she added the full-in pike for her dismount, so special! I love her music and choreography. So exciting and energetic and such a complete performance! Aliya adding the whips was such an exciting addition! I also just love the spins. It's a great way of working the code for her. Mykayla hit her routine out of the park, especially her Moors! It was a great ending to her season. Vanessa also had a great routine, but I was sad she didn't do any of her connections.

Worst final: Beam. That final scarred me.
Best final: Bars. Breathtaking work.
Predictions: Not a single one right. I did get the gold and silver for team, bars, and floor.




Best and Worst Leotards
I'm only counting leos once, to make things more fun. So, a leo is out for any rounds after the first one a leo is chosen for.

Qualification:
Best- Great Britain

Source: bbc.co.uk

I love the designs with the flag on the back, and the red is such a wonderful color for it. Good use of mesh, and I liked how the rhinestones went.

Worst- Japan

Source: thegymter.net

......Ummmmm. This paint thing just didn't work. And it made them all look like they were wearing backpacks.

Team:
Best- Russia

Source: www.sportgymrus.ru

This design was so, so sophisticated. It looks old Hollywood glam. Just beautiful. And the shade of red was beautiful. The only thing is the breaks in the rhinestones on the shoulders.

Worst- Italy

Source: angolodellamicizia.forumfree.it

*Sigh* The basic design of this leo I love, but then they throw in mesh armpits and ugly rhinestone patterns on the right shoulder and- ugh.

Shoutout to Romania. I hated this at first, but I really like it now.

All Around
Best- Ruby Harrold

Source: big5.news.cn

Like I said earlier, I love the flag leos. Not the greatest angle, but the best I could do. The blue is gorgeous and I love the rhinestones. The sleeve length is perfect as well. Just perfect overall.

Worst- Shang Chunsong

Source: news.xinhuanet.com

Oh, the Chinese teal and lime leotards. With black mesh. Oh, China.

EF Day 1
Best- USA

Source: thegymter.net

A red, white, and blue USA leotard! It has a bit of an armor-like feel to it, which totally suits the US, but is still really pretty.

Worst- Huang Huidan

Source: zimbio.com

Sleeveless? Check. Nude mesh? Check. Otherwise strange mesh placement? Check. Weird yellowish-green doodles? Check.

EF Day 2
Best- Claudia Fragapane

Source: thegymter.net

She may have fallen in the final, but at least she can have the best leo. I love the colors on this leotard. It looks fresh and light and somewhat Grecian.

Worst- USA

Source: thegymter.net

Oh. Oh. Why? Why this radioactive pink?

Worlds as a Whole
Best- Ruby Harrold AA

Source: big5news.cn

Worst- Japan

Source: thegymter.net

Top 5 Routines
Vault
4. Alexa Moreno VT 1 EF

3. Noemi Makra QF- the video won't embed, for some reason

2. Hong Un jong VT 1 QF

1. Simone Biles VT 1 EF

Yeah, only four. I'm going to assume Ellie Black or Megan Chant would have a vault on here, but no video, sadly.

Uneven Bars
5. Ashton Locklear QF

4. Becky Downie QF

3. Aliya Mustafina QF

2. Lisa Katharina Hill EF

1. Ruby Harrold QF

Balance Beam
5. Larisa Iordache TF

4. Simone Biles EF

3. Bai Yawen EF

2. Shang Chunsong TF

1. Sanne Wevers QF

This was difficult to try and rank- especially 2-4!

Floor
5. Giulia Steingruber AA

4. Claudia Fragapane TF

3. Simone Biles TF

2. Celine van Gerner QF- Again, it's not embedding

1. Ruby Harrold QF- I'm becoming obsessed by this routine

This was hard!! And we're missing video of a ton of routines!




Score: 9.3
Deductions taken for the beam final and screwy judging. I decided not to score Worlds in conjunction with how current E scores are or scores under the system pre-2006, but to just give it a score on how I felt it was. And, other than the beam final and screwy judging, and some under performance as well, it was a great Worlds. Strong competition and amazing gymnastics on display.

For in the Same Way You Judge Others, You Will Be Judged

I'll be making some Worlds wrap-up posts later, but first I need to address a very big problem from this Worlds.

The judging.

There were close races- the vault gold, the bars bronze, the beam gold- these were medals that could have justifiably gone to more than one person. Simone and Hong both were stellar on vault, and Simone and Bai were insanely close on beam, though they had very different approaches. Any of the gymnasts ranked third through sixth in the bars finals could have legitimately received the bronze. Close races like this are simply an aspect of gymnastics. Even though it can be disappointing to lose the coin toss, they are a fair and even healthy part of gymnastics.

And then there were agendas. The judges this year very clearly did not leave their biases at the door this year. Half of the finals were very clearly marred by the judges' determination that certain gymnasts be rewarded.

Yao Jinnan was pushed by the judges in the uneven bars final. While it is true that, as I said in my earlier post, it is lovely to see her finally win through after what a rough career she's had, she was handed an undeserving win. Huang Huidan's routine was only one tenth less difficult. Her execution should have more than made up for it, and that her E score was only .033 higher than Yao's is laughable. It was absolutely more polished than Yao's. Yao missed two handstands by a fair margin, had to shuffle to get in place before her pirouettes, and lacked flight on her Tkatchev. Not only did home bias come into play- which affects all sports, not just those that are judged- but the judges actively favored Yao to beat Huang. They were eager to give her the gold as long as she did nothing major wrong, and they rewarded her over the better gymnast in the final.

Yao Jinnan, however, was far from the gymnast most favored by the judges. One gymnast was pushed blatantly almost everywhere she competed. And she was Aliya Mustafina.

This is not meant to be an attack on Aliya. She is a legendary gymnast and a lovely person. But she was given favor by the judges in many situations that were questionable to say the least.

Even in the all around final, Aliya's scores were given a bit of a bump. Her vault should in no way have scored higher than Larisa's, which was much cleaner. Her beam also scored higher than her beam from qualification despite her low standing Arabian and how much she had to bend to save her Onodi, while her qualification routine was much steadier. Though her scores wouldn't have affected the standings any, the judges did show their penchant for giving Aliya just that little nudge.

In both finals where she medalled, Aliya was clearly given a push to land on the podium. In the beam final, Asuka Teramoto was simply robbed. She was one of the three gymnasts in that final to hit her routine, yet she was not rewarded with one of the three medals. Asuka had a very clean routine (with an acro series) and yet somehow placed below Aliya's, which after the Arabian was very hesitant throughout and riddled with small checks after every skill that was supposed to be connected. And she DIDN'T HIT ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS. No way should Aliya have landed on the beam podium.

While the floor final was less blatant, she still was clearly given a bit of the benefit of the doubt. Aliya certainly could have been justifiable medalist, but the super-close victory by the exact margin needed immediately after being handed the beam bronze made it eye-roll worthy. The judges were inconsistent in their level of harshness and how they chose to deduct in comparison to the former rounds of competition. Mykayla had her best floor routine certainly of the season, and arguably her entire career. Her landings were the best they have been Nanning and her leaps were about as good as she's done them this year. However, the judges gave her a lower execution score in the event final than in qualifications. Aliya, on the other hand, had a better executed performance in qualifications. She fell out of all her turns in the final and had a worse landing on her middle tumbling pass. Aliya, however, received a higher execution score in the floor final. In fact, had Aliya added the stag jump to her routine, she would have beaten Larisa Iordache for silver, which is simply preposterous. Again, it is not necessarily her placement that is suspicious, it is the inconsistency and the methods of the judges. That she got the exact margin she needed to beat Skinner just makes an even stronger case for dishonest judging.

This was (apart from the beam final- that needs to be erased from memory) an outstanding World Championships. The quality of competition and the parity of the competitors was more in the way of an Olympics. However, the judging will stand as a dark blot that will taint this competition. I hope there are disciplinary hearings and consequences for the dirty judging we saw in Nanning.

Worlds Vault and Bars Finals Thoughts

Despite everyone else's tepid feelings going into this Worlds, I knew it was going to be a good one. And these event finals cemented in my mind that I was right! Some of the closest competition in recent years and with only one fall across the two finals!

Vault
Phan Thi Ha Thanh: It's great to see her in the final, even if it didn't go her way. It's her landings that get her, she just seems not to get enough air time to really wrap in the twists during the salto. In a way, I'm glad she came in last, because that's just a testament to how great this final was.

Claudia Fragapane: Definitely not the cleanest vaulter, but I do definitely think she's improved the Lopez on CWGs. It still had a bit of the whip open-whip closed of her Lopez there, but it was nowhere near as pronounced. The DTY was about like usual for her, nothing really memorable either way.

Alexa Moreno: I'm just so happy she made this final! I love how she does an FHS and a Tsuk! Not the cleanest and and the floor seems t come to her as a bit of a surprise, but it's just so lovely that she made the final! I do think her Rudi was my favorite of the final, as well.

Alla Sosnitskaya: The Cheng was fairly nice, other than the landing. She just doesn't seem to get quite enough power to make it to the ground easily. It's definitely one to keep and continue working on though. Her DTY was pretty soft, form-wise.

Giulia Steingruber: Not her best of outings, certainly. The Rudi wasn't one of her better efforts and seemed kind of all over the place. She seems to have kind of lost steam this year. I think it might have been a smart idea to keep the FTT in the locker in case the DTY didn't work out, as it didn't here. I'll always be annoyed at her lack of toe point in the salto of the FTY. It's sad to see how much she's gone back from last year.

Mykayla Skinner: The judges are certainly being generous where the block is concerned, because that second hand could barely have been said to touch the table. Otherwise, it was a gorgeous vault. The form and body position were both lovely, and it was the best Cheng in the air of the final. Her DTY is always nice and powerful, and her vault in the final was no different. Beautiful. She really does just look so great at this Worlds.

Simone Biles: That Amanar is breathtaking. And she minimized the hop for the final! She just rockets off the table and into the stratosphere. I just love the way she's able to really open up into the grouns because she does everything so well in the air. The Lopez was beautiful as well! There's just nothing negative to say about either of her vaults, they're just so precise!

Hong Un Jong: Hong's Amanar has quickly become one of my favorites at Aisian Games and Worlds. I finally understand why they thought she could do a triple. She just hangs in the air! This one was no different, though she took a bit of a large step. Just beautiful vaulting, still. She didn't seem to get quite enough power for the Cheng and looked to go more out than up, but other than a bit of a scrappy landing it was still a crackerjack vault. I never thought I'd be fawning over Hong's vaulting, but she really has just improved a ton. And at 24!!

This was definitely one of the best vault finals in a long time. No falls!!! The top three vaulters were definitely the ones to medal, which is what we always want. It was super close between Hong and Simone and it could have fairly gone either way. This was definitely one of the only times I was on the edge of my seat waiting for a vault result! Two Amanars, three Chengs, three Rudis- great difficulty. All in all an amazing final. Well done to everyone!

Bars
Aliya Mustafina: Gorgeous. Duh. She really is just gorgeous on this piece. I think her handstands were a little bit less perfect than usual, but they were all still very nice. She caught her Van Leuwen with the straightest arms I think I've seen her catch with. I remember Mitch Fenner one time commenting that she was "leisurely in the full turn," and I really think "leisurely" is the best word to describe her bars. She just always seems so calm throughout her work and it really makes you feel like you don't have to worry with her. Brilliant stuff.

Ashton Locklear: Ashton can definitely be really proud of herself after these Worlds. She went from not even having competed at a Nationals to a Worlds gold medalist and individual finalist in such a short amount of time! She did one of her best routines in the final, which was wonderful for her. And she got the six-skill connection! I know some people think this routine is too cookie-cutter, but that connection has the wow factor for me! She had some of her cleanest execution of the season and it flowed really well. She just had the small step on the dismount, which was disappointing after she'd been sticking them so well in the domestic season.

Becky Downie: Becky also did a great job here. Her only really noticeable errors were some short handstands, including the one before her dismount. I wonder if she was maybe playing a little safe since she knew that was where she fell last year. The connections in this routine are just dynamite and I love them so much. It's great that everything is finally coming together for Becky this season and she's really showing the world what she's made of!

Ruby Harrold: I was so sad that she had a fall here! I love this routine so much and it was just so sad to see her falter. The Van Leuwen to Zuchold was breathtaking, as always. Her stuck dismount was also great to see after the disappointing fall. Ruby's had a stacked year this year, and she's done really well overall.

Lisa Katharina Hill: This is a great composition. Her connection of toe full-Maloney-clear hip 1/2-clear hip full-Geinger is really unique and eye-catching! Her Bhardwaj was also beautiful. She definitely had some bobbles throughout the routine, but she covered really well and kept her head through it all. Really exciting stuff and she did very well in the deepest final of these Worlds.

Daria Spiridonova: This was absolutely one of Daria's best routines. Why not save the best for last? All the inbar work was really deftly completed. She caught pretty much everything with fully extended arms, which was wonderful to see. Her Van Leuwen was also really well done, and she managed to make it stand out. The piked Jager was gorgeous and well above the bar in the flight. She hit most of her handstand perfectly, her only really noticeable error being when she lost herself in her last half pirouette before the dismount. Really gorgeous work.

Huang Huidan: I just love her dismount. Just something a little different. She performed pretty much like always. The pirouette combination into the piked Jager was really deftly performed. She also caught her Chow 1/2 with COMPLETELY extended arms, which just made it look so nice! The stuck dismount was a great finishing touch for her great routine. The slo-mo afterward really made me appreciate her lack of grips. She seemed to barely have her hands on the bar at all in some of that elgrip work!

Yao Jinnan: Everything finally came together for Yao! The opening connection was incredibly fluid and beautiful. Her pirouette series into Tkatchev went very nicely, and a 1 1/2 pirouette is always a nice somewhat unexpected flourish. The highlight of the routine was definitely the dismount for me. She just hung in the air and stuck it so easily. And a perfectly done DLO dismount is very easy to watch.

Bars was pegged to be the nail-biter of this year's Worlds, and it didn't disappoint! Excellent work all the way through the ranks and a ton of super exciting routines. Who would have expected Daria to claim the bronze here? Really well done for her, she had an outstanding routine last night and totally deserved the bronze. Haung and Yao pulled off the Chinese 1-2 on bars everyone was contemplating, and they really have superior work. Ruby's fall was disappointing, but it was great that there was only one fall across both finals. It was great to see Yao finally bringing home a World title after a lot having not gone her way in her senior career. There were also some great unique moves- TWO Bharwajes, a Zuchold, and a half-in double front, showing that there is still a ton of creativity!


Leos
My favorite leo of the night belonged to Becky Downie. I love the flag-on-the-back design, and the red was just beautiful! I personally love the bumblebee leo, so I was totally down with Aliya wearing it in the UB final. I loved the American one! It's great to see them in red, white, and blue, and I liked how the design was done. I was also a big fan of Giulia's. The light blue color was really gorgeous on her and the combination and design was great too.

My least favorite was definitely Huang's. I'm a person who prefers long sleeves, and the nude mesh and yellow/green... stuff didn't look great. I'm not a huge fan of the North Korean leotard either. It just seems all king of thrown together to me. I thought Phan Thi Ha Than's was a bit strange as well, kind of space-agey mixed with we-put-together-our-scraps. Alla turned up in a Russian stand-by. I'm not a big fan of it. It is very busy and the colors all kind of compete with each other.

Worlds Qualification Day 1 Thoughts

Vault

This is shaping up to be one of the most exciting vault finals in recent world-level competition. Fortunately, the amount of death-defying skill-chucking that can get you into a final seems to have diminished greatly. And only one Prod this year, and from the gymnast most equipped to handle it! And even then, it looks like it might not be enough to make it into the final. I'm predicting the top five (Simone Biles, Mykayla Skinner, Alla Sosnitskaya, Alexa Moreno, Phan Thi Ha Thanh) are in, Giulia will be able to cling to a spot, and Dipa and Ellie are out. Hong Un Jong, Larisa Iordache, Claudia Fragapane, and maybe Courtney McGregor are the biggest threats going into today, and I'm thinking Hong Un Jong and maybe Claudia take the last two spots. Who knows, though, this could be a very interesting qualification!

• PAAAAAAAAAAAVS!! Why? WHY! Whyyyyyyyyy?
• The Cheng seems to be worth its weight in gold this year. Seems to get a bit of the benefit of the doubt from the judges.
• I'm totally down with Nabieva sticking her DTY at the Worlds she's at by accident
• KRAM!! You do that DTY!
• Where can I find video of Dipa's Prod? If she got an 8.100 E score, I'm thinking she had to have stood it up?
• All hail the great Simone Biles.
• So, Marina seems to have a score now? YES! Go Azerbaijan!
• I am so excited that Alexa Moreno is likely in the finals!
• It just isn't the same without Queen Chuso.

Bars

Again, as I said in my predictions post, why can't this final be open to more gymnasts?! Seriously, qualifying to bars might be harder than the actual competition. Shaposh variations are definitely here to stay, and frankly, I'm okay with that. I'd far rather watch a bunch of Shaposh variations in connection than a bunch of toe shoots or Rays. This should be a nail-biter qualification, and everyone right now has reason to be a little uneasy. I think Ashton and Aliya are fairly safe. I'd also be surprised if Daria wasn't in the final. If Kyla makes it, she'll scrape in if there aren't major errors from most of the big players. I don't think anyone qualified below Kyla will be able to make it if there isn't mass hysteria, which is sad, because there's a lot of good work there. China, Great Britain, Germany, and Australia should all have heavy hitters, and North Korea has some nice bar workers in the mix too. This final could have fifteen spots and it would still be exciting!

• Poor Maddie. I don't think I've ever seen that happen on an inbar before.
• Why can't Russia's qualification have just stopped after bars? So perfect then.
• I wonder what Aliya will actually whip out in finals.
• Where the heck did Adlerteg's score come from? That was a great routine!
• I know some people find Ashton's routine uninspiring, but I just love that opening connection!
• Why can't there be more videos?!!?

Beam

This one should be another nail-biter, if only because there's such parity once you get past the top two, one of whom is now out. With China and Romania coming up, we can definitely expect some change in the lineup, though the judges have been merciless on Shang again this season. And then Becky Downie definitely has a shot if she hits to the best of her ability. Simone should definitely be in the final, and I'd be surprised if Ellie isn't too. Kyla and Aliya are both on the periphery and are vulnerable right now. I'd doubt anyone ranked lower will make the final, but this is beam, so who the heck really knows.

• Yes! Ellie is definitely in good standing!
• Sanne is in the top eight after one day! It's an irrational hope of mine that she wins a World beam medal in her career. Don't you dare bring up how it's unlikely she'll make it- LET ME HAVE MY DELUSIONS!
• MASHA!!!! You could have won!!!!
• This was literally my thought process before/during Maria's beam: Okay, Maria, oh please let her hit, Maria's a holy name, Catholics pray to Mary and it's Maria in Latin, I mean I'm a Protestant but whatever, DANG IT!!!!
• What the heck is up with Kyla's D score? How did she lose four tenths when she only broke one connection?
• Two Swedes in the top eight after one day? Awesome!
• Thank goodness Simone took out that godforsaken wolf hop.
• No Ana why did you only score in the 12s?

Floor

The top three right now are definitely favorites to make the final. I think this one might be a bit tepid in comparison to the drama of the others, especially with one of the top favorites to qualify out. I love the group of women who are in qualifying contention right now, though, and I think it will be entertaining even if it isn't hair-tear-out-inducing suspenseful. Vanessa, Larisa, and Claudia are all obvious picks to make the final. I don't think there's anyone else really in the mix, but there are always surprises!

• ELLIE!!!! GIULIA!!!! WHAT HAPPENED??????
• On the other hand, Julie and Elsa YAS!
• Mustafina outscored Roxi. Let's just let that sink in.
• Again, I don't get where Kyla lost her D score?
• That was the best Moors I've ever seen.
• Simone scored less than four tenths below her Classics floor score (minus the stick bonus) with an effort not quite as strong. Seems a bit less preposterous now, no?
• Marta, I wanted you in the final! I thought you could make it! That save is life-giving, though.
• Love the tripley and the smile after from Aliya!
• Apparently the Uzbek gymnast completed it as well, so no name. On a side note, since her last name ends in "baeva" I always immediately associate her with Alina Kabaeva.
• Yes Pavs you deliver that glorious performance!!
• Ilaria Kaeslin is perfect and she needs the Elegance Award. Shared with JLo.

All Around

• Simone would be in the lead all around by almost a point after that kind of error on bars. Everyone else can just go home.
• I'm still kind of depressed Kram wasn't able to qualify for the all around. I went from not even being a fan of hers to going gaga over her in about one month.
• How did this happen with Noemi Makra? She was in better standing last year, wasn't she?
• I'm super excited Marta, Ellie, Giulia, and Elsa all are right next to each other in spots 6-9 (not counting ousted two-pers)!
• I'm just happy Elsa did so nicely!
• *Sigh* Pavs.....
• No Ilaria what happened? I guess this means no Longines Prize..... It's only those in the AA final, right?
• But Ana, you're so talented, why are you not going to make the all around final?

Team

• Canada, what happened? I just can't help wondering about Tori...
• Belgium ahead of Canada. No one would have expected this two years ago.
• I just can't get past this. But well done Belgium, Julie is a gift to this world.
• I'm super happy to see the Netherlands so well up the standings. They're a great team!
• Azerbaijan in sixteenth- is it too much to hope they can make the top twenty-four? Probably.
• It's really just sad what happened to Ukraine. They were such a great team.

Worlds Predictions

Alright, Worlds is around the corner, it's that time of year again to make predictions!

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

Podium:
1. USA
2. China
3. GB

The USA is the only team to have three strong routines on each event. China's bars will be a huge asset for them, but their vault and especially floor will provide problems. I was feeling GB even before the announcement over Paseka's injury was made, but now Russia is even farther in the hole. A strong Gabby Jupp should help the team out a fair bit, especially on beam, and it's pretty strong all over. Italy could also surprise, though- they looked great at Novara and Golden League.


All Around
Podium:
1. Simone Biles
2. Aliya Mustafina
3. Larisa Iordache

Simone on top is pretty obvious. I'm feeling Aliya in second after how great she looked at Russian Cup- that beam especially is amazing. I kept going back and forth on bronze between Larisa, Kyla Ross, and Yao Jinnan. I think Larisa and Yao both beat Kyla in ability, but Kyla is a rock. It should be a great fight.


Vault
Finalists:
Simone Biles
Mykayla Skinner
Hong Un Jong
Guilia Steingruber
Oksana Chusovitina
Ellie Black
Anna Pavlova
Dipa Karmakar

Podium:
1. Simone Biles
2. Giulia Steingruber
3. Mykayla Skinner

This one is fairly difficult as we haven't seen some of the big contenders (Hong Un Jong, Oksana Chusovitina, Phan Thi Ha Than) in a long time, so this might have to be adapted after the Asian Games. Figuring out places 2-4 is a bit difficult. If Mykayla does her vaults like day two of P&Gs, I might give her the slight edge over Giulia. And then she could also block like at Classics and be slaughtered. Hong Un Jong hasn't competed much this year, and so the Asian Games should provide more clarity where she's concerned. I'm rooting for Dipa out of all the Prods, and Pavlova got the silver at Europeans, so hopefully that's a good sign.


Uneven Bars
Finalists:
Yao Jinnan
Huang Huidan
Aliya Mustafina
Daria Spridinova
Becky Downie
Ashton Locklear
Madison Kocian
Larissa Miller

Podium:
1. Yao Jinna
2. Huang Huidan
3. Becky Downie

Ugh, why can't this final be open to more gymnasts? It's stacked! I'm feeling the Chinese going 1-2. Huang could potentially be replaced by Shang, but I'd still have her in silver. The big question make is Aliya's bars, seeing as we don't know what her routine will actually look like. She could also definitely medal. Really, anyone in this final could medal if things go their way. And of course, we can't count the Germans out to qualify. I'm excited!!


Beam
Finalists:
Kyla Ross
Simone Biles
Aliya Mustafina
Maria Kharenkova
Larisa Iordache
Andreea Munteanu
Shang Chunsong
Bai Yawen

Podium:
1. Shang Chunsong
2. Maria Kharenkova
3. Larisa Iordache

This one's near impossible to predict. Shang Chunsong has looked pretty steady this year, where as Larisa and Maria have both had some issues, but her scores were also merciless last year. But then again she's competing at home this year. Maria and Larisa are both obvious picks, but can definitely be inconsistent. Kyla, on the other hand, is very consistent, but her difficulty puts her down in the favorites list. Simone's new beam could definitely put her on the podium if she has a solid effort, but she really should take out that wolf hop. It does her no favors. We of course have no idea what incarnation of her routine Aliya will bring to the table, but the reigning champion (I still can't get over this) can't be counted out. Andreea Munteanu and Bai Yawen both can't be counted out either with good difficulty and beautiful execution. And then of course, there are the Lauren Mitchells and Ellie Blacks who could sneak into the final. This one's incredibly wide open, and basically any combination of gymnasts who can be expected to final would be a conceivable podium.


Floor
Finalists:
Simone Biles
Mykayla Skinner
Giulia Steingruber
Vanessa Ferrari
Larisa Iordache
Claudia Fragapane
Marta Pihan-Kulesza
Shang Chunsong

Podium:
1. Simone Biles
2. Larisa Iordache
3. Vanessa Ferrari

The first six on the list are almost certain to qualify, and the last two spots are fairly open. Lauren Mitchell might be able to snag a spot, Aliya did well in the floor final at Russian Cup, and in my dreams Ellie Black makes it into the finals again. Unfortunately, Mai Murakami doesn't look like she has good enough tumbling this year for the final. Simone winning is another obvious choice. Larisa's been super confident on floor this year and scoring consistently in the high 14s. Vanessa has also been strong and consistent, and word is going around that apparently she's upgrading, which could put her in favor over Larisa. I would cry tears of joy if Claudia were to medal.

US Worlds Team

In case you somehow have managed to miss out on the official announcement but have stumbled upon my humble little blog, the US Worlds team was named earlier this evening. The seven gymnasts named were Simone Biles, Kyla Ross, Mykayla Skinner, Alyssa Baumann, Ashton Locklear, Madison Kocian, and Madison Desch, with an alternate to be named later, with Brenna Dowell the non-traveling alternate.

Of course, there has been a bit of a collective emotional breakdown in the gymternet at the naming of Madison Desch over Brenna Dowell. And while I obviously, along with the rest of the gymternet, was pulling for Brenna with all my heart, I do believe the outrage seems a bit disproportionate. Desch was the alternate named on the nominative list, so it's not like we had no idea Martha's mine was in that thought process. Also, though we have no idea what went down at camp, Desch has been able to hit more than one routine this season. While I was hoping against hope until the very last second before I saw the selection that Brenna would be named and back to full capacity, I can't say I was shocked or even highly surprised. Unfortunately, the cards have not been stacked in her favor this year.

Now, again, I claim no knowledge of what happened at camp. If Brenna was vaulting consistent Amanars, I would say that she was the gymnast who should have been chosen and the US should have swallowed the very small sacrifice of putting Simone on bars. But I don't know that she was, though I was so hoping she was over the past two days. Martha has named the best teams in times the gymternet doubted her judgement. And really, Maddie will be the alternate, and when have we actually used the alternate anyway?

However, even in light of this disappointment, this team still looks very strong and poised to defend their title. Simone obviously needs no explanation, so I won't even bother with her. Kyla's consistency, level-headed approach to competition, execution, and specialty on bars and beam make her a great member, and she is good enough for the team lineup everywhere. She is a team player but also a standout individual, which will be great for this team. Mykayla was also becoming more and more of an obvious choice as the season went on. Her super high difficulty on vault and floor means she can bring in high scores, even if her execution has been the cause of scorn among the gymternet. I do think she has cleaned up in this area, though, and her form in the air in generally pretty decent, especially on vault. Alyssa Baumann is being brought for her great beam, an unusual weakness for the US, and floor, where she will likely be used as the table-setter. Ashton Locklear and Maddie K are both bars specialists with great D scores and good swing. Ashton has a talent for sticking her dismounts, and Maddie K apparently showed all four events at camp, helping clear any doubts about qualification lineups with this team.

Ultimately, I found this decision a disappointing one, but not a surprise. Brenna had a rough season and her camp clearly wasn't enough to make up for it. Maddie Desch certainly hasn't been perfect this year, but she has been decent overall and is an all arounder, which is what an alternate really needs to be. This team is still the favorite for the title, and Martha knows what she's doing.