Top Gym consists of 2 gymnasts per country with a team final that I don't really understand, an all around competition and event finals. This year, it will take place from Nov. 25th-27th.
In addition to the US, they're expecting gymnasts from Russia, Romania, Canada, Great Britain and a variety of other countries.
The question on everyone's mind is: "Who will Marta send?"
I might be in the minority as I'm thinking that Ohashi will not go to Belgium. Don't get me wrong, Ohashi's fabulous but, if I were Marta, I'd be more worried about 2012 than 2016, or even 2013.
Also, Marta's made a habit of sending national team members with the same coach on international assignments together. Fassbender & Guerra of Stars and Wieber & Moore of Twistars were both sent to Top Gym together, and Marta sent CGA and WOGA pairs out internationally to other competitions in the past year.
That's why, depending on health, I think that Marta has 2 solid choices for Top Gym:
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All four gymnasts: Brenna Dowell & Sarah Finnegan (Left Pic) Kiana Winston & Kennedy Baker (Right Pic) were born in 1996 and are age eligible for 2012. Brenna Dowell and Sarah Finnegan are coached by Al & Armine Fong at GAGE. They both competed in last year's Pan Am Championships where Sarah won the Bronze on Beam. Kiana Winston & Kennedy Baker are newer to the scene, and are coached by Kim Zmeskal & Chris Burdette at Texas Dreams. Although they haven't competed internationally, They've both been impressive for years and in my opinion, this would be the perfect experience for the two of them to prove how great they can be.
Who knows? I could be wrong. Marta could send Katelyn Ohashi & Kyla Ross. Who do you think she'll send?
If you're a member of IGF, you can talk about Top Gym here.
Here is the list of competitors from "The All Around" as Teo posted on IGF:
Russia:Yulia Chemareva &
Evguenia Shelgunova
Hungary: Dorina Jelencsics &
Borbala Nardai
South-Africa: Tylah Lotter &
Ryan Bloy
Italy : Carlotta Necchi &
Giulia Gemme
Netherlands: Maartje Ruikes &
Elise Bats
GBR: Georgina Hockenull & Sarah
Strawbridge
Canada:Tara Mauchell & Briannah
Tsang & Sydney Soloski & Maddie Copiack & Shallon Olsen &
Maegan Chant.
Belgium: Ellen Rabout &
Berangere Fransolet & Laura Waem & Jitske De Herdt & Amalia Heine
& Lia Baudet.
Romania: Bianca Ciobanu, Paula Tudorache and
Andreea Munteanu
With so many 96 girls on the Junior national team I see it will be difficult to send a group of gymnasts without hitting one of them. However if you look back at recent Top Gym years ... it has always been the babies of the national team that get sent. For that reason I would be surprised to see a team of Maddie Desch and Bailie Key. However I agree with you in that Martha tends to like to send pairs of gymnasts rom he same gym ... will be interesting! I think after this November national team camp there will be a couple assignments announced.
ReplyDeleteI think USAG likes to save money by sending two girls from the same gym who only need one coach there. That saves them money, and I don't blame them there. It kinda stinks, though, that someone like Ohashi wins Jrs, and then doesn't get an International assignment for the fall just because she doesn't have a clubmate on the National team. Oh well. Since they were the highest finishers at Nationals (and since the Cincinnati girls already got an assignment), I bet the GAGE girls will get to go to this one. But who knows?
ReplyDeletewhat do you have to say for yourself now that USAG decided not to attend this year?!
ReplyDeleteI think that it's pretty lame, but it was on the USAG schedule, so it made sense to believe that Team USA would be there.
ReplyDelete