A few thoughts on the US post-Nationals

The USA women's national team & olympic trials qualifiers: 

Back row (L-R): Kennedy Baker, Sabrina Vega, Sarah Finnegan, Elizabeth Price, Kyla Ross, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, Jordyn Wieber.
Front row (L-R): Nastia Liukin, Anna Li, Rebecca Bross, Alicia Sacramone, McKayla Maroney, Bridget Sloan and Brenna Dowell.

The top 4 (Wieber, Douglas, Raisman, Ross) 
Martha Karolyi will need a very good reason to NOT take these 4 girls to London. They all have huge difficulty and so far this year have been very consistent for Team USA. In fact I would guess that the USA could win team gold if they had a 3 member team of any combination of these girls. Kyla Ross was below the other 3 on points largely because she was advised to play it safe on vault and not throw an amanar, but she'll almost certainly have that back in the arsenal for trials in 2 weeks time. If all 4 girls do make the team, that would leave just leave 1 specialist spot - it's up to Martha whether she would want another high bar score to add to the team total or would prefer the almost guaranteed vault gold that would await McKayla Maroney.


The new faces (Price, Finnegan, Baker, Dowell)
Plenty has been said of the depth of the USA and the strength of their new seniors in the wings. I have a feeling great things await these girls on the international stage, but probably not this year. It would take an upset at trials or an injury to one of the top 4 to give these gymnasts their olympic moment this year. Still, they'll be a pleasure to watch in San Jose (if only NBC would broadcast them a little more) and likely on future world championship teams.

The comeback queens (Liukin, Sacramone, Sloan, Bross)
It's not been an easy road to the olympic trials for any of these veterans so far, but it can universally be said that they've done enough to qualify, but they all have to do better to REALLY have a shot at the 5-member team. There has been some controversy in particular over Liukin's place at trials in particular (given she still hasn't shown a full difficulty bar routine and her place at trials is at least partly based on her reputation) but I, like many gymnastics fans, will be happy to see her there.


The 'World Champions' (Maroney, Vega, Li)
It was not a 'bad' national championships for these members of the 2011 world championship team, but they are not locks for the olympics yet. Maroney sat in 7th all-around and a country mile ahead of the field on vault after night 1 before having to sit out day 2 with mild concussion from her fall on floor in the warmups. She can't have been that badly injured though if she was back in the arena in time for the national team photo. Of the 3 I think she most deserves to be on the team (in olympic terms a gold is a gold, whether it comes on vault or in the much more competitive team event). Both Vega (7th all around) and Li (3rd on bars) did well, but again not spectacularly. They could be useful to team USA but team USA is not in need of them at this point.

If you disagree (or concur) with anything I have said here, please comment. In the end it's still just a wait and see game until Martha and the commitee name their 5 girls for London.

Results
All Around

1.  Jordyn Wieber, 121.900
2.  Gabrielle Douglas, 121.700
3.  Alexandra Raisman, 120.950
4.  Kyla Ross, 119.950
5.  Elizabeth Price, 118.100
6.  Sarah Finnegan, 117.600
7.  Sabrina Vega, 114.450
7.  Kennedy Baker, 114.450
9.  Brenna Dowell, 112.600
10.  Bridget Sloan, 112.400
11.  Abigail Milliet, 110.400
12.  Brianna Brown, 109.700
13.  Grace McLaughli, 108.550
14.  Amanda Jetter, 108.400
15.  Mykayla Skinner, 107.150
16.  Brandie Jay, 105.700
17.  McKenzie Wofford, 105.250

Vault (based on 2 vaults on both days of competition)

1.  Alicia Sacramone, 30.025
2.  Brandie Jay, 29.475
3.  Mykayla Skinner, 28.725

Uneven Bars (top 6) 

1.  Gabrielle Douglas, 31.300
2.  Kyla Ross, 30.850
3.  Anna Li, 30.700
4.  Rebecca Bross, 30.400
5.  Jordyn Wieber, 30.100
6.  Bridget Sloan, 30.050

Beam (top 6)

1.  Alexandra Raisman, 30.650
2.  Sarah Finnegan, 30.400
3.  Alicia Sacramone, 30.300
4.  Kyla Ross, 30.100
5.  Jordyn Wieber, 29.750
6.  Nastia Liukin, 29.200

Floor (top 6)

1.  Alexandra Raisman, 31.250
2.  Jordyn Wieber, 30.500
3.  Gabrielle Douglas, 30.350
4.  Sarah Finnegan, 29.950
5.  Elizabeth Price, 29.350
6.  Kyla Ross, 28.650