Yep - still happy!

Congrats go out again to Rebecca Bross and Mattie Larson. 1-2 at the US championships after both completing 2 clean all around competitions in a row.

Full results at USA Gymnastics.
1. Rebecca Bross, Plano, Texas, 120.300
2. Mattie Larson, Los Angeles, Calif., 117.000
3. Alexandra Raisman, Needham, Mass., 115.650
4. Kytra Hunter, Frederick, Md., 114.350
5. Mackenzie Caquatto, Naperville, Ill., 113.350
5. Chelsea Davis, Lakeway, Texas, 113.350
7. Samantha Shapiro, Los Angeles, Calif., 112.000
8. Vanessa Zamarripa, Shiloh, Ill., 111.400

New national team family photos


Also on the other side of the pond- Romania narrowly beat GB at the friendly meet in Iswich 165.400pts vs.163.100pts. The big stars (Tweddle and Isbasa) didn't make an appearance after all but Hannah Whelan (GB 55.65) won the all around ahead of Daniela Andrei (ROM 55.60) and Raluca Haidu (ROM 54.900).


And - even further East - the Youth Olympics have started with Gymnastics taking place later this week. It's all go!

Happy Maker

I woke up to some good news this morning.

My 2 favourite US gymnasts hit 4 for 4 last night and are 1-2 at the Visa Championships.


Rebecca Bross started out with her ususal power and better execution than normal on bars (although she couldn't quite stick her dismount for once) she made up for it later by making her beam dismount with room to spare and sticking her vault cold. Bross Finished the night comfortably in first with 60.400.

Mattie Larson reminded us she is well and truely back with a great 4 events. Her floor was beautiful with almost perfect landings on all the tumbling. I would love to see these 2 make the AA final at worlds. Larson finished the night with 58.200.


Alicia Sacramone finished first on vault with an average of 15.350 and second to Bross on beam with 14.850.

I've only been able to watch a few of the hilights on the Universal Sports website, but one person who did not have a great night was Bridget Sloan. Onle competing beam here didn't give her much room to make an impresstion, and she managed to make a poor one with a dismal 13.150. She's going to need some real fight in her to make the world team this year or secure a second olympic spot once the new juniors come up fighting.

Mind you - speaking of Juniors. Shock of the evening was that Jordyn Wieber fell 3 times on beam and appears to have injured her ankles. She may not compete in the finals. With her place on the national team assured and her age keeping her from Worlds, I hope she plays it safe and smart. Kyla Ross leads the junior event

View full results here.

Right - gymnastics break over - back to my vacation!

Classic - Seniors

I have managed to get a video link of the Senior event- makes the late night worthwhile!

I'll be updating as much as I can, probably between rotations.

Rotation 1
Vanessa Zamarippa - started off with a good vault - but with some big steps on landing - 14.5
Mackenzie Caquatto - came out fighting on bars- looking great 15.05
Alicia Sacramone - got the job done on beam- announcing her comeback - 14.8
Kytra Hunter - threw some massive stuff on floor (full twisting dbl layout, piked + tucked dbl arabians) same music as last year.
Ali Raisman- started a bit wobbly on beam but finished with a dbl arrabian dismount 14.3
Cassie Whitcomb - strong on floor- great landings. - It's all going well so far...
Mattie Larson - looked awesome and so sure of herself on beam - until she sat down on the dismount :-( 13.45
Sam Shapiro - solid on beam, over-time on her routine. Still has a cool beam mount, lots of standing on the top of her toes though - ouchy
After rotation 1 - 1 Caquatto, 2 Sacramone, 3 Hunter, 4 Shapiro, 5 Zamarripa

Rotation 2
Amanda Jetter - double twisting yurchenko
(whoever is on floor in the background is using shawn johnson's old music)
Briley Casanova - bars, good handstands, slightly sloppy releases, big fall on dismount though. She has to do well today to qualify for nationals
Kytra Hunter- dbl yurchenko, small step fward
Ali Raisman - good on floor, 2 tumbling passes stuck. dbl arabian pike and tuck.
Rebecca Bross- fast and furious as ever on bars, stuck dismount, business as usual. 15.45
Mattie Larson - means business on floor - stuck almost everything until last pass- o.o.b.
Sam Shapiro - floor- slightly simpler tumbles, beautiful dance.
Mackenzie Caquatto- wobbly on beam- 1 fall and almost another on dismount.
Katelyn Clarke - pretty good on floor, not all that memorable though.
After Rotation 2 - 1 Hunter 29.45, 2 Zamarripa 29.05, 3 Shapiro 28.8, 4 Jetter 28.7, 5 Raisman 28.6, 6 Whitcomb, 7 Lee, 8 Larson

Rotation 3
Rebecca Bross- hard day on beam, sat down her dbl arabian dismount
Bridget Sloan- squeaks it on bars- a few tricky moment but made it
Ali Raisman- went for an amanar vault, under-rotated and fell. not even close.
Kytra Hunter- landed splat on her bars release.
Mattie Larson - good double yurchenko vault, maybe I will get my wish!
Cassie Whitcombe- good and tidy bar routine - a good day for her.
Sam Shapiro- bad landing on vault - likely done herself an injury (again)
Alicia Sacramone - 2 big vaults, handspring 1/2 and only a yurchenko full - but very well done
Vanessa Zamarippa- painful looking fall off beam, otherwise v. pretty
After 3rd rotation: 1 Whitcomb, 2 Jetter(-0.25) 3 Larson (-0.6) 4 Shapiro (even with the vt crash) 5 Raisman, 6 Lee, 7 Zam, 8 Macko

Rotation 4
Sam Shapiro apparantly hyperextended her knee back on vault. Not too serious but definitely the end of her competition today.
ASac says she is like a fine wine 'I get better with age' !!
Ali Raisman- a great bar routine by her standards.
Cassie Whitcomb - lookied like she had it in the bag until a fall on beam- open door.
Mattie Larson- great bar routine - I have my fingers crossed for her :-)
Vanessa Zamarippa- very expressive floor ex, lack difficulty but great to watch.
Amanda Jetter- no fall but some mistakes on beam, gonna be close...... 13.7

Mattie wins- yipee!!
Jetter 2nd, Caquatto 3rd, Whitcomb 4th

However - Larson's winning score was 57.1 - The Jrs wiped the floor with the Srs today

Anyway - its now 3am UK time --> bed time zzz

From USA gymnastics

Team USA gymnasts at the Prom
I know Mattie and Sam are going on to college gymnastics
I think Bridget and Ivana are staying as elites.