I’d just like to point out that Katelyn Ohashi is ELEVEN in this video. Ridiculous!!!! I will admit I did LOL a little bit at the super awkward wolf turn. But then she busted out an awesome routine full of tricks, so, jokes on me! PS. Love the mount!

(It’s from the 2008 Christmas Classic) 

I’ve been meaning to post this for a few days now but time has kind of gotten away from me lately! Dallas got hit with some nasty weather today and last week and needless to say, it was a little crazy! Anyways, here’s one of my Sooners, Jake Dalton, at the Winter Cup last weekend. If you haven’t seen yet, Jake took the title! Last year’s champ Chris Brooks is recovering from ankle surgery, and Jon Horton apparently only competed rings, I think he’s recovering from a hand/finger injury?

While I was at OU, I got the opportunity to see Jake train fairly regularly, so I can’t say I’m ENTIRELY surprised by his result at Winter Cup, but he’s definitely made a few upgrades since the last time I saw him, and he looked great at the meet! This is a HUGE floor routine that the USA can definitely use on the national team! Jake starts off with a GIANT arabian double layout, I mean seriously, this move is crazy. Next pass, he wows us with a laid out one and a half twisting Thomas salto that practically floats through the air. Aside from the ridiculous tumbling, my favorite thing about this routine is that he fights for every landing. Every tenth counts!

Jake went to the 2009 Worlds on the USA Team but didn’t get into any EFs. He’s very strong all around, but probably best on floor and vault, and has insane amounts of talent, so I wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest to see him on the 2012 Olympic team.

Kelly Garrison-Steves (USA) in the 1988 Olympics EF. She only got 7th?! I love all the unique moves that you would never see in today’s routines, like the semi-Valdez, arabesque hold, back walkover-half thingy, and forward roll. And of course, I also love her because we share the same alma-mater: Oklahoma! Unlike what we see today, with the exception perhaps of Mohini Bhardwaj, Kelly competed at the Olympics AFTER she had competed NCAA, under Becky Switzer at OU. I believe she was also the first woman to score a Perfect 10.0 on beam in the NCAA!

PODIUM TRAINING HIGHLIGHTS THOUGHTS
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BARS

Raisman: can you point your toes please? Easy looking straddled jaeger and big tkatchev. Blind change to double front dismount looks effortless for someone whose top event is not bars.

Larson: Kips look a bit forced but her pointed toes and lovely lines make everything better. Love the effortless Shaposhnikova. Small hop on double layout.

BEAM

Caquatto: Looks much more confident than at Classic and VISAs. Nice front aerial to BHS Layout stepout, not even the slightest of wobbles.

Raisman: BHS Layout is powerful but again, form needs to be cleaned up. Back leg VERY low on switch side/half. (I saw someone else mention this recently….this is toeing the line for not getting credit IMO) Nice front tuck-BHS-layout stepout but again, the flexed feet is driving me crazy! BHS stepout-BHS-Layout timer for dismount was actually very pretty….um, Aly, where were those pointed toes during the rest of the routine? Please bring them for Qualifications! :)

Bross: BHS-Layout stepout solid as usual. Small wobble on arabian but saved nicely.

Larson: Love the press mount! Pretty wolf jump and split jump. Is that all we get to see? :(

FLOOR

Caquatto: triple twist with small hop, piked full in with very low chest on landing

Larson: Big double layout with slight spot. EDIT: Found a video of her fx run through! Double layout again with spot, absolutely beautiful STUCK triple full, 2 1/2 to punch front, toed the line, nice triple turn, double pike landed on knees :( very pretty routine though!

Raisman: 1 1/2 through to back tuck timer.

Bross: dance…why do they show this?

Sloan: very big double pike.

Davis: very pretty double tuck, tiny hop.

VAULT

Sacramone: handspring front timer

Davis: Yurchenko full with steps back, i think it was a warm-up vault.

Bross: Yurchenko double, little untidy legs but overall decent.

Sorry, I only get to see the video that USAG uploaded so it’s just their “highlights” but I thought a little commentary would be better than nothing! This does absolutely nothing to help me decide who is going to be the alternate. PLEASE not Chelsea Davis, gymnastics gods!

Flashback to 1984: Mary Lou Retton on UB at the McDonald’s American Cup. Bars of this era always makes me flinch, it just looks so painful when they slam their hips on the bars! But the bars being so close together really allowed for some cool and innovative moves that they just can’t do today, so it’s really cool to take a look back and see how the sport has changed. This routine got Mary Lou a 9.95. Hope you enjoy!