2011 WOGA Classic

I finally got to just WATCH a meet for once, so I won’t say TOO much (as I proceed to type an essay about the meet) but I will make a few quick points about the meet tonight before I hit the hay!

I feel obligated to point out that Jordyn Wieber competed beam and bars and looked awesome aside from a fall on beam. She has grown a little bit and looks a little older/more mature! Not sure why she didn’t compete floor or vault, since she was clearly vaulting at the Ranch a few weeks ago. Oh well, I guess they are protecting her for Classic/VISAs?

New girl on the scene Mykayla Skinner also had a decent meet and showed off her no-big-deal standing full on beam and double-double on floor, although I think she put her hands down on it. The girl can clearly tumble (and vault - but no sign of the Amanar tonight. I think she should stick with DTY until she gets more block, to be honest. I do like the fact that the USA has another Amanar on the shelf though!) but she DESPERATELY needs to clean up the execution, or she is going to get hammered over and over again for it. She is young, though, and has an exciting arsenal of skills under her belt. Should be cool to see her through the next few years!

The Wogettes looked great tonight! Everyone hit pretty well aside from a couple mishaps on bars. LOVED Katelyn Ohashi’s beam. Madison Kocian and Lizzy LeDuc also had nice routines. Katelyn also had a great bars routine. Briley Casanova finally had a nice meet which is good to see. Apparently she has been struggling lately as she grows a bit.

Mexico’s Alexa Moreno was her usual effervescent, powerful self! Balked at her vault twice before finally pulling out a huge piked handspring front with a half out. Definitely worth the wait! She also showed off a very nice, big piked Deltchev on bars and a powerful swing. As a matter of fact, that’s the word of choice when I think of her! Small and powerful! Definitely one to help Mexico in the future. No sign of Elsa Garcia or even WOGA’s own Mitzi Unda Sosa, who represents Mexico.

Russians Anastasiya Marchuk and Irina Yashina looked pretty good but definitely not the best. I am guessing they’re both juniors, they both showed off some nice skills (big tumbling, interesting release moves) but have room to improve for sure. They competed in a pretty pink GK leo with white swirls. One of my friends coaches gymnastics here in Dallas and ran into one of her students, who asked her about “the pink people”, LOL!

Definitely also impressed by Canada’s Victoria Moors. She won the Nadia Comaneci Invitational last week and had a great showing in Dallas tonight. Double-double on floor with a nice routine to the Assassin’s Tango from Mr and Mrs Smith was probably her highlight of the night. Fellow Canadian Anysia Unick was also a bright spot with a lovely line on all the events.

Disappointed to see no Ivana Hong. She walked past me outside in jeans about an hour before the meet started, so I was immediately like well….I guess she’s not competing tonight! Bummer.

Mack Brannan was at the meet in her adorable bright blue and bubblegum pink leo, and did pretty well but I was sad to see she didn’t do her new awesome skill, it’s like a double arabian with an extra twist. A one and a half twisting double back? I hate when skills get so technical, haha! She’s so cute, I just love anything she does pretty much! But pleeeease clean up the bars routine Barry!!

And finally, I also liked Claire Hammen from GK’s. She totally reminds me of Marie-Sophie Hindermann with her loooooong legs. Very pretty gymnast to watch.

There are some videos uploaded to Gymnastike already, you can click HERE to see them.