2012 Secret US Classic - Full Broadcast

it's deja vu at gymnastics Olympic all-around champion Nastia Liukin is back on the competition floor for the first time in almost three years it's been nearly a full year recovery for 2010 national champion Rebecca Bross knocked out by a horrific knee injury last August her Olympic quest restarts here and Chellsie Memmel of silver medal teammate of Lukens in Beijing still feels there's unfinished business to attend to those are the veterans but what about the new kids on the block like Gabrielle Douglas virtually unknown until last year could a trip to London be in her future even current world champion Jordyn Wieber can't assume she's a lock for London in gymnastics it's never a case of what you've done or won in the past it's all about the now now is the time for the athletes to take center stage for their Olympic audition before this woman Marta Karolyi who will get a callback who will get one of only five Olympic spots available the road to London begins here in Chicago and it starts right now welcome to the 2012 secret US classic the final qualifying event for the visa national championships coming up in June we are inside the UIC Pavilion in Chicago Illinois for the first stop of three events that will lead up to the London Olympic Games this summer just two months away hello everybody I am Tim Daggett and I am joined today with a man to board and Olympic gold medalists yourself here Amanda great to have you thank you so much glad to be here well great this really is step one in the Olympic qualifying process step one of three and in just over one month the Olympic team will actually already be named how critical is it for these girls to come out and really wow Marta Karolyi right out of the box well this is the first step but it's an extremely important one because every athlete whether you're a newcomer or a veteran is here to prove one thing and that's that you deserve a spot on this year's Olympic team and you know after the athletes have gone through this whole thing like this young lady right here Nastia Liukin often times they say you know what the Olympic Trials process it was actually worse way worse than the Olympic Games themselves you've been there how do you deal with that pressure well I can very much relate to that because the Olympic Trials is by far the most stressful part of my career and walking into this arena watching the warmups watching them get ready and prepared brought back those memories my palm started sweating and I remember the kind of pressure that are on this shoulders of these athletes they've waited four years for this process to start and it's finally here the other thing is that Marta Karolyi is specifically watching who can handle the pressure when it counts most that is the big question for this young lady right here Gabby Douglas no doubt about it she has the ability to be on this Olympic team she actually has the ability to not just be on an Olympic team but to be a challenger for an Olympic all-around medal well you know like you mentioned she was a newcomer but she has started to prove herself being a part of the world championship team and this is Anna Leigh she trains actually with mom and dad both Olympians in 1984 for China she has done a tremendous job she was actually a collegiate gym gym miss got done with the sport and decided that she wasn't done that she was going to continue on well I had the privilege of watching her in the pac-12 conference at UCLA and this amazing to me to see her actually continue to mature as an athlete she said one of the best things about this process is that she still is learning new skills and is hoping to actually perform some of those skills in this competition and Tim what's so neat is that she's still doing all four events that's amazing actually she was on the world championship team in 2011 and was basically chosen for that spot to fill a weakness on the US squad the uneven bars she got to Tokyo and had an abdominal pole that actually they figured out was not just a pole but a slight tear and was unable to compete at all over in Tokyo but was there if they absolutely needed her in the end this is also a qualifying event annalee because of her World Championship status she has already qualified for the visa nationals and really where she would punch her ticket that's a new skill Wow she was completely sideways as she came through looked like she had a chance to pull out the release move but you can see she didn't have enough rotation came almost straight down just not able to hang onto that bar the first time that element right immediately prior to the release skill where she fell that's the first time that element has been done in women's gymnastics a little bit of nerves now right out of the box she has first stop well you know everybody used to ask me what event you like starting on you note if it doesn't matter they're all hard to start on you have so much adrenaline hard to handle that pressure [Applause] this event is very important to Team USA like I said it is where if she has a chance to make that Olympic team it's because of the uneven bars and that will not be a routine she'll be reminiscing about in the future when you fall from the apparatus it is a full point in deductions getting some coaching from mom and coach you Johnny Kyla Ross over on the balance beam and it is her first year eligible to compete as a senior gymnast you have to be 16 in the year of the games to be eligible to compete at the games she had a very successful junior year here at the u.s. classic but like I mentioned nothing like being in this senior competition right there and right there right off the top you saw her every event has its difficulties to start out on this one by far the toughest there are so many connections right there right your flight series it's the event that you can see that added pressure makes you doubt your land aces are holding back not pulling up and finishing and that really is the whole deal it's on balance being you cannot be afraid it has to be attack mode and you cannot doubt yourself and she just looks a little bit cautious [Music] she's beautiful lines and elements had a couple of those balance checks on the landings [Music] there's no you know I was asking some of the coaches you know what are they looking for what are the judges need and they said it's not just connected its rhythm it's speed everything's gotta flow in the rhythm they need finishing out though her first senior competition to start out on the balance beam you can see not quite what she wanted but she stayed on the equipment yeah I'll tell you that's a nail-biter I mean it is it is got to be one of them the most horrific experiences of her life I mean it's terrible to say that for that that is what she's feeling we're moving over to the vault Sabrina Vega who was a member of the 2011 gold medal team in Tokyo so she is world champion for the rest of her life wants to add the title of Olympian then it all starts right here a very nice ball but nicely done but not difficult not we will see some of the top athlete inches she's actually capable of doing a harder vault than that to be honest you know she's a pretty powerful at that I was shocked I was expecting the extra half twist there at least a double standard at the world in Olympic level getting ready next on the balance beam she will only do one event today this is Chellsie Memmel and you know I have said this before what a phenomenal athlete but could very well be the most unlucky gymnast I have ever known remember her from Beijing was a part of that silver medal winning team standing next to Nastia Liukin and they all have smiles on but those girls went to Beijing for one thing and one thing only and that was to win Olympic gold they were favored most people they had some arrows and the Chinese will just they were just too prepared Chellsie Memmel once again at that competition immediately prior to the event she injured herself was only able to contribute to the team on the uneven bars Wow you know they've all been here before they come back they've been out on the floor but I'm telling you the level of pressure that I have felt this weekend amongst the athletes and even the coaches has shown in the workouts and there again I mean that's not normal for Chelsea she's one of the most fearless competitors I've ever seen [Applause] and this is just a disaster right here I have seen Chelsea memo's gymnastics not go well because her body betrayed her but I have never seen her fail under the pressure and this looks like it is just a pressure situation that a little bit too much when we had a chance to talk to Chelsea she just felt like she knows this is her only chance to continue to be a gymnast and we both know that it does ed and once you totally finish you'd never get back and that is what's keeping her motivated yeah that was her that was close right there his very tricky leap sequence and it for Chelsea she's only doing one event tonight just the dismount remaining finishing double pike [Applause] never in a million years would I have thought that that would have been the routine that we'd see from Chelsea here today and I can guarantee she was not expecting that very difficult tumbling run here this is a front somersault with a half twist and you can see I mean she lands in just that left foot pops right up and there's just no chance when when the beam hits you versus you hitting the beans you're off before you even know it Wow that is a tough one right there I'll tell you she's thinking you know what I probably should have just petitioned to the visa championships in and been a little two weeks more ready Amanda jeder from Cincinnati gymnastics you ever heard of that Amanda [Music] oh you see that foot stepping out of bounds that is attempt at least for the staff an attempt for going out about [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] well certainly a good start for Amanda but could have been better a little bit shaky in spots great to see her back on that event last year at this meet she had that bad ankle injury and that brings back memories right there the hug coming off the podium of course from my coach Mary Lee Tracy and her daughter Rachel Tracy we're moving over to the other side of the arena this is Sarah Finnegan in her first year as a senior and really has been getting a lot of talk and chat about Marta Karolyi who actually is really the head of the selection committee she's the national team coordinator likes this young lady likes her lines she has that world class look beautiful toe point extension almost every skill she does but walking into this world as a first year senior is a lot of pressure handled it well they're on her release move and really we haven't seen anybody yet handle it completely a spike Jaeger toll point reminds me of a gymnast that they trained Courtney McCool looks like she held on and just kind of drugged the rotation a little bit but so far a pretty good start for such a rookie so we are starting out in Chicago Illinois some nervous moments but we have much more at the secret US classic [Music] the secret US classic on Universal Sports is brought to you by USA Gymnastics by Procter & Gamble by Geico 15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance visit geico.com for a free rate quote and by Kellogg's proud sponsor of USA Gymnastics and the u.s. Olympic team welcome back to the secret US classic and at the World Championships this young lady became the very best in the world she won that title in Tokyo back in the fall of 2011 and I would have to say that if I was pinned down as to what the most impressive piece of gymnastics at that entire World Championships was for men and women it would be this young lady if this is just jaw-dropping great and right now there is nobody in the world that can do this vault like she doesn't I never thought I would be saying somebody would be doing here chanko two-and-a-half 16 years ago [Applause] and that was just fabulous incredible power she did take a big step on that a 3/10 step but by my paws that step three tenths off is all the judges should take well she gets incredible height off the table beautiful form write down the minute down the middle perfect I tell you it's the most difficult ball being done today and because she is a potential medalist at the Olympic Games she will perform two vaults most of the athletes here today will do just one at the Olympics you have to do two vaults to qualify into the finals and then you have two two two balls obviously to win a medal these balls have to be different as well that one she turned around onto the board did the skill called a roundup and just jumped straight backwards this one she'll do that but with an extra half turn onto the table 16.1 from Mulroney and her first vault [Applause] slanting forward like that they are hard to stick but pretty small deductions that one of course stepping backwards she actually was a little bit high on the table on that one didn't quite get that the bounce that she's capable of but that is an upgrade she is already the world champion and that is a much more difficult second fall than she needed to win that gold in Tokyo last fall moving over to one of the sensations of the u.s. national team Gabby Douglas on the uneven bars and like Anna Lee Gabby Douglas made that world championship team in a big way because of this one event the uneven bars she's world class here made the finals at the World Championships and this routine is actually much better and harder than she showed in Tokyo she is so dynamic on this event tremendous height right here huge to catch up in the pike position beautiful my heart just starts beating which I'll do with this combination this is great and watch right transition to the low bar beautiful [Applause] there are a few people that you can say if they just do their job they're on the Olympic team if she does her job she's going to London [Applause] coach Lynch ow coach up the great Olympic champion Sean Johnson Sean is home still not ready at this point in time is planning on competing in a couple of weeks at the u.s. national championships but the upstart Wow great start our next athlete on the balance beam Rebecca Bross and what a few years this has been and last year just a mind-blowing injury at the visa National Championships this lands completely under rotated and dislocates her kneecap and coach Valeri Liukin right there I don't know if he'd say it now but I knew that if he left the floor in a wheelchair at that point this that she would be here at this point I think that there were a few that would think that she could get back [Applause] kind of new fire to prove to everybody that she can come back only competing on two events here course the balance beam will also see her on the uneven bars and those are the only two events that she'll compete at all you're a big test for her and was it well when she came back from the injury she was still planning on doing at least three events but she and her coach Valeri Liukin have decided that her best shot to earn a ticket to London is as a modified specialist doing only balance beam and uneven bars Luke Tim we watched her in the practices and she had some struggles on this event can see our doubting or landings a little bit the biggest struggle of all though is going to be the dismount switch ring difficult landing there anytime you take your eyes off the beam like that can't see it as you're landing hard to keep your balance this is just a very nervy balance beam routine and she is not inexperienced by any means has competed a couple of different world championships you can see she just took a very deep breath right there there's a lot of skills packed into it but this is the hardest one of all finishing around a double Arabian Oh not even close she has struggled with that as you've said Amanda all week long here in Chicago and actually though that was the worst landing I've seen her take well she just didn't get near enough height off the beam number one but the blind landing very difficult and really nothing to say after that see just not enough off if the Beeman she can't see the floor till she actually hits it so you can see she was still flipping not expecting the ground of either and anytime you're landing forward and you're that short well you saw how she also came quite a bit to the left that means that she kind of cheated the twist a little bit started early didn't get the same repulsion off of the beam she lost some height some rotation and hence a minimum of a one-point deduction next time floor exercise may be one of the toughest competitors you'll ever come across this is Aly Raisman course teammate of Alicia Sacramone who was a member of that 2008 Olympic team and herself trying to make a comeback from a torn Achilles tendon [Music] Wow I've seen her do that I've never seen her stay in the bounce crazy [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Tim she is so fun to watch you mentioned that she's a fearless competitor but she just gives it 110% everything she has and she always seems so happy like she's having a great time out there in this first pass sheep Jam packs more difficulty into this when I first heard she was going to do all of these elements in one tumbling run I was like I don't think she can do it it's a there's no room well just alone a double Arabian right to a layout front very difficult blind landing and is there enough room Tim she has plenty of room I think we can squeeze one more in there and we will see Nastia Liukin in her comeback attempt when we come back to Chicago [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] at the top we said that you got to impress right out of the blocks and this number right there a 15.7 for Gabby Douglas on the bars is out of the park that score for an even bars equals what the world champion is getting right now so that is huge [Applause] and the moment is almost upon us Nastia Liukin nearly three years since she has competed of course the most decorated gymnast from the 2008 Olympic Games the queen of gymnastics the all-around champion fell just a little bit short on the balance beam had to settle for silver and silver on the uneven bars that is wildly contested even to this day many people feel she should have won that one but I tell you her first podium training here her first turnout we were sitting right here about 10 feet away from her and she looked as nervous as I have never seen her and she confirmed that it's like she shouldn't be that nervous but you know she is a champion and she when she puts her hands up like that to start her exercise this is all business right here she said just stepping about back out on this podium she forgot it felt like she forgot until she's got through a couple turns [Music] here we go it's actually great way for nastiest stuff if she was just rock solid she moves so fluidly throughout this entire routine this is new very difficult switch half right - no no D doesn't stop there connects it right into your media chunk she struggled on the connections in the workouts and even the warm-up that was pretty solid slow though little bit slow but exactly where she wants to be this is nice nice slow turn and then really changes the pace there tension looks solid I I know we mentioned she almost felt like she didn't know what she was doing but I'll tell you what that green flag went up and this is who we are used to really her biggest test like her teammate Rebecca Bross is going to come on the dismount she's had some struggles with this in training but we saw her do a couple of them this morning for the first time in Chicago and they were great right here is the test right here roundoff and a back somersault with two and a half 12 [Applause] that is what you call mission accomplished you know she obviously knows how to handle pressure being an Olympic champion to get back out here which half see a small hesitation there but no major wobble directly connected right into the annuity perfect form here the dismount finishing with that two and a half [Applause] a little off-center there but she's only been doing these full sets for not very long so and that is about is great as Nastia Liukin could have hoped for that is the only event she will compete on we'll see her at the Visa Championships where she plans to expand to the uneven bars more gymnastics when we come back [Music] well one-twos Moroni yeah Balt bars beam but bars she's at Bart's yep yep so are we going to do standing so Alan okay okay and Nastia Liukin a 14.9 on the balance beam you see that eight nine execution she lost one point one but there was no loss whatsoever in her quest to be a two-time olympian standings after one rotation mckayla maroney leading the way with Gabby Douglas Aly Raisman Nastia Liukin and Kyla Ross finishing off the top five and I'll tell you Amanda we've seen a little bit of nerves at this point in time Rebecca Bross and Anna Lee but absolutely nothing from Nastia Liukin how do you assess this well we talked about this is a completely different pressure than a lot of these athletes have ever felt however nasi has been here before she knows what it takes to handle the pressure and like we said it's been at every practice it's been in the warm-ups and now it's carrying into the competition and we're seeing some of those nerves get to these athletes and I'll tell you another athlete that was just unbelievable look at Nastya she is done for the evening was mckayla maroney on her first event the vault just unbelievably spectacular well no better place to start the competition than on her best event she wowed the judges with two huge vaults really kind of reminding everybody that she is a world champion on that event Gabby Douglas of course another incredible start for her a 15.7 on the uneven bars you got to remember that events like vaulting have the potential to score higher and the uneven bars if there's a place where Team USA struggles it's the bars and that 15.7 is so valuable for Team USA so it's such a great position for Gabby to be Jordyn Wieber will be our first look at her today starting on the uneven bars and really if there's a place where Jordan isn't rock solid it's the uneven bars and she has struggled here in Chicago with that right there and that is a mistake right there it'll short that was supposed to be a full twist good save but starting to you can see how some more breaks there she's got to get it together hold it together yeah this is uh she has really not looked anywhere near her best on the uneven bars I talked with her coach John Gunnar and he said we're not supposed to be ready at this point I'm I was just gonna say for these competitions this thing the first that they have to continue to prove themselves she obviously will plan to be back in the all-around that is how frustrating that was disappointment for the reigning world all around champion getting I don't know if you could call it words of encouragement from coach John gathered we'll just call it words we'll be back in Chicago [Music] [Music] now on floor exercise for welcome McLaughlin [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] well not the way she wanted to start out her Olympic quest Jordyn Wieber a disappointing 14 to 5 you see that 8.15 execution that means she lost nearly 2 points in deductions in that exercise and really not a good start for Jordyn she is one of the very few athletes though that a routine like this at the start of the qualifying process for the Olympic Games that that is not life or death for Jordyn yeah she's an extreme competitor and she will bounce back very quickly from that 2011 world team members Sabrina Vega amazing team that had to deal with so many injuries Alicia Sacramone going down right before the competition began and a lot of young new kids like Sabrina they just took it and ran and did a phenomenal job is really the table center and what I saved she looked a little short on the first pair let's sequence she did and then came up short there about really turned not only saved it but directly connected into those release moves very important like I keep saying this was a young lady who was on that world Chi Minh yes she's good on bars but it's a place where the USA is weak that's why huge Plus that right there a little bit tentative I'm amazed she didn't come off the bars though it's a great safe but you know she's been to a World Championships gives her some experience but you can just see holding back not being fully aggressive pulling out of those pirouette moves and and not quite crisply cleaning the pirouette makes a big difference and of course those are not just deductions but this is Sara Finnegan from gage gymnastics harmony borrow ten they are no strangers to the Olympic floor terin Humphrey Courtney McCool their athletes terin Humphrey actually is the athlete representative who's on the Olympic selection committee Wow beautiful nicely done maybe doesn't look all that difficult but rest assured the simple full turn is difficult Wow that was that was close almost came off the beam two back handsprings right into a two-foot layout skills nice job with that see that flexibility and extension through her legs really makes a difference on those leaps [Applause] pretty real wow way under rotated on that I'm starting to think there might be something wrong with the Venice Beach people really doubting those landing positions solid there though two back handsprings right to double pike and just really just okay you know a little tentative and she knows it those judges all note it and the person she wishes wouldn't would be Monica she's such a beautiful athlete Tim and she has a ton of potential talking about potential this young lady right here Kyla Ross she is on the Marta's list saw that 14.7 on the balance beam a nice start for her also a little bit tentative on being but she has that international look according to Marta Karolyi [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] I'll tell you one of the things she does so well she has a great landing position she really does yeah a single landing was great yeah the last thing the judges see to that that dismount perfect stuck up right chest on the landing a good routine you're looking at Aly Raisman next up on the valta a good start on floor exercise has none of the most typical floor routines in the world and this is one of those vaults that has that potential 16-5 start score huge [Applause] she's just packed with power as you can see in the past though she hasn't really been all that comfortable with this vault but I'll tell you this one is definitive off to the side there a little bit you could see her shoulders were closed on the table kind of directed her to the side but still a clean landing did have that step but you got to remember they're just kind of the beginning process of cleaning all of these skills so I know Ali spends a lot of time focusing on her form her landings and that's something she's gonna really be detailed on in the next couple weeks leading up to the Visa Championships Gabby Douglas had that huge number on the uneven bars and now really this is her first test because she is like a kid at a playground on the uneven bars balance beam is a place where last summer at the Visa Championships we saw her really somewhat self-destruct and many people thought she would took herself out of contention for the world team right at that point but is really fabulous on this event as well and that right there grabbing the beam a huge huge deduction big test here back with a full look like she was just right in that zone and then came up on that landing I just doubt herself now you can see her regrouping commanding those urns right into the right position yeah because the acrobatic element looked fine and then all of a sudden she just didn't finish you know that's this event is more a mental game than anything else they do more numbers on this event they train this event beyond what most people can imagine and then comes competition and something you've done all the time it takes a millisecond of doubt and boom that's what happens beautiful switch ring there seen a few of them all day she not only hit 180 solid landing as well dismount to a double pipe right here she's mentally short on this a couple of times in training let's just say she survived that one well the good news is that where the major wobble happened on her back handspring layout step but that's a very simple move for Gabby something she can obviously fix very easily take a look at this now connection right there can see that back hip is just open and if she would have pulled right up and squared it down she would have had a shot to save it but instead she kind of picked that foot up and there it went move on over to the vault this is Elizabeth price from the park at Club in Allentown Pennsylvania and I told her coaches the other day that I saw her do the second best of all I've ever seen done she also does that a Minar or two and a half twists like we saw from Raisman or Maloney does it great though huge power [Applause] the table it just amazes me a few years ago we saw a few of these vaults now well it's really how the USA won the World Championships they dominated because of vaulting and she's great on this but this is not as good as she can do she rushed it a little bit you can see yeah the shoulder that shoulder angle basically kind of propels them to the side there tremendous power though you see Dianna Strauss robinette wall two coaches at Park hetz handsome Olympians themselves tune Maloney hope Spivey [Music] a Lele annalee now after that really rough start on the uneven bars it's great to have a rough start and then go to beam isn't it ha ha ha what did that feel like oh let me tell you you know any time you start the meet with a rough event it is very hard to regroup the good news is the four years of her being a collegiate athlete they competed every single weekend and there's tremendous amount of pressure when you're competing for your team all the time so I've watched Anna Lee on this event she knows how to handle the pressure we are still waiting for Gabby Douglas's score this is the worst part right there waiting aborting the 14.4 for Gabby Douglas all those two points and execution did their deductions the biggest part of it coming from grabbing the balance beam [Applause] twisting back handspring [Applause] I mentioned when I had a chance to talk to Anna during a workout she just was like talking to one of the younger gymnasts with her excitement level of padding new skills and one of those on this event she's hoping to dismount this routine with a double top solid that series there so really thus far though we have only seen Nastia Liukin on balance being be rock solid everybody else's head is showed a little bit of tentative 'no siz a good good exercise but this unfortunately the balance beam is not where anna lee punches her ticket to london that that comes on the uneven bars and that opportunity is gone getting ready for that dismount that you talked about Amanda never competed this before we never competed this before roundoff double tuck come on easy big step backwards a smile on her face what an accomplishment at her age to be continuing to add these skills in take a look at the dismount here she'll do a roundoff turn her body around and really gets great repulsion off the beam can see legs were just a little tired gotta get a few more numbers under her belt as she preps for the next two competitions [Applause] Nastia Liukin of course her work done an Allie Ray Smith she is our current leader and rock-solid so far at the us classic so so what title do you want me to highlight whatever you want oh come on really what is that let's see so because Alisha now technically has the most medals right world okay Olympic okay so what is you come on give me your best title what's your best title well you want what do you want to say ah you don't know you welcome back to the 2012 secret US classic a beautiful shot of Chicago and Navy Pier standings after rotation to leading the way Aly Raisman followed by Gabby Douglas Kyla Ross in third and Sarah Finnegan having a great first time as a senior we are honored and welcome seven-time Olympic medalist that's wow that's impressive Shannon Keller here thank you thank you great great to have you Shannon why don't you give us your impression of what you're seeing on the floor we see a little bit of nerves out there some emotions what do you see well this is a huge competition because obviously it's the last qualifier and this really kind of means it's go time for all of these athletes I think watching Nastia Liukin up on the balance beam today was huge I think for three years we've been wondering is she gonna come back cause she's gonna try it and she's got one under her belt so that's great she's gonna move on to national championships I'm positive and and then I think for the other athletes that are here in the arena it's all about making sure that they are showing what they can do for Marta and and I think the athletes that we're really looking at are Kyla Ross who is doing an amazing job Gabby Douglas she kind of runs hot and cold so what did you think of her beam routine she was great on bars graham bars I mean she is just amaze flying swirl as you know but she's amazing on bars but yeah you get to balance beam and she's had a lot of issues I want I want American Cup Gabby Douglas American Cup guy Gabby Douglas could win the Olympics and who else how about how about Maroney at this point in time well I could just watch her vault all day long every day it's absolutely amazing and I think she's got to have her spot on the team just for vault alone that's a so apart from everyone else no question about it we've seen some falters also Anna Leigh on the event where she could contribute mostly uneven bars yep and and she missed and that's not going to help her case for getting on the Olympic team we need bar workers and if you can show you can nail a bar set and have a decent star value you're gonna have a better look on the team but rock-solid I'll tell you Allie Raisman unbelievable right well you know as like she took over Alicia's spot Alicia went down that's exactly what happened I think she could truly become the next leader of the and she's such an amazing young lady and to watch her as an all around her is is tremendous and you know obviously she needs to work a little bit on uneven bars but as an all-around athlete she's the go-to girl because she is consistent one of course world champion Jordyn Wieber yes as well not the best start first she's only doing two events what do you think she needs a rest I think she needs her rest she needs to just do two events tonight and really look towards nationals and Olympic Trials because she's got a long road ahead and if you think about Jordan she's got to compete all four events at every single competition so where you might have a specialist that can have a little bit of a break a break she doesn't get one and the one thing we've said about Jordan is that she is the athlete that that mistake will not affect she will bounce back do you agree that that's what I love about Jordan it doesn't matter what she does she's gonna always have some little issues but she's gonna keep fighting well thank you very much Shannon great to have you and when we come back we will see once again the rock so far our current leader Aly Raisman on the uneven bars [Music] [Music] it's true you should have whacked me whack me jump right in on me seriously Vegas be okay and so she was so far balance beam has been dangerous territory at this us classic sabrina vega now moves to the balance beam well Tim it's always been the event that we described as the makin or break an event but typically we don't see that happening with Team USA this has been an unusual competition but literally in the all-around it could come down to the athlete that stays on and nails their routine one thing Marta Karolyi wants she wants consistent athletes and especially on the beam Annette right off the top some of these leaps they they don't look like an acrobatic skill like that that leap is actually much more difficult than we've seen a lot of mistakes on the leaps and jumps but so far it seems like the first one to two skills is where we're seeing the mistakes and I remember being that out that you get up there and your heart is racing and you can't get your breath calm that it's hard to get in the zone because you're feeling so much pressure to prove you can be consistent you can just see that element of doubt in almost every skill she's doing it was a nice sequence right there about really the first half of this routine just tons of little deductions for someone like sabrina vega it is all the audition process yet martin said this particular competition is like a dress rehearsal for the big show but we all know every skill every routine every competition even every workout matters at this point once again a balance check right there the balance beam has been just brutal on the athletes today nice landing [Applause] certainly nowhere near what she is capable of doing and you see Marta and you see a little bit of a shake of the head she is not happy with what she's seen so far on beam I can guarantee you that well remembering that every score counts at the Olympics is a big reason to be worried about that kind of stuff that three athletes you put up have got to be very consistent forth after two rotations Sarah Finnegan this is her first year as a senior she had a good birthday that means that she's eligible to compete in the Olympic Games if you don't turn 16 the year the games you don't get to go [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] I'll tell you this young lady right here is having a showcase of an event really at this point Nastia Aly Raisman and Sarah Finnegan are the only ones coming out in this competition and looking like they've got the emotions in check well she had a beautiful flora team great tumbling we saw those dance moves like you've mentioned she has that look and she's handling the pressure even more importantly watch this first pass huge double Arabian in the pipe position this is I mean she is in the rafters right there beautiful landing really she has done a tremendous job there's been a lot of hype around her and she has been living up to the bill over to the uneven bars Aly Raisman our current leader after two events both scores comfortably in the 15s but if there is a place as we've said that Ali struggles it's definitely on the uneven bars and if an Ali race Minh makes a team that means that they need those extra bar workers you see some form here when she was supposed to connect those elements but the big thing that gets her on this event Tim is that form almost every skill you see that small leg separation right there really doesn't have the toe point that the judges are looking for it's just messy a little bit messy and they know it finishing double fronts but Bradley that's actually a good exercise you know she knows that she's not gonna bring in the huge score she just needs to get through the uneven bars and that she did and we will be back in Chicago for the secret u.s. classic [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] and it is all about the audition we got a months-long of competitions this is the first leg of the Olympic Trials process and so far Gabby's got one solid under her belt and one tentative [Music] [Music] and she steps out about [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] she had a couple of little hiccups midway through but I'll tell you the last half of that was phenomenal well she opened with a strong pass and then came right back with that double Arabian and you could see hopped out this was then an Arabian double front she gets a hug from the coach look at see she has a great height they're a little bit over rotated hops forward you can hurt that's hard to see very hard to see but I did see the yellow flag go up so in case the head judge overrules that she'll get a tenth for the step an attempt for out of bounds and this is another big event for Kyla Ross she also does that hugely difficult ball team now avatar or checkable with two and a half twists and she has been good today but not as great as she can be she needs to knock this one out of the park [Music] [Applause] you could see if she came on to the table she was upset and there again a common mistake on this vault today turning a little early off the table and you could see she had a step completely off looked not as crisp as she can look especially on this vault she's incredibly powerful she was actually off to the left right there and of course turned a little bit early you can see completely landed on the side momentum going that direction and you have to wonder now that she's a contender now that she's in the running as some of that affecting her gymnastics yes certainly no question about it you know it's she's had this huge buildup you know she's been under the radar for so long and now she is on the big stage and you know she's certainly not crumbling no question about that but she is not doing what she's capable of doing Sara Finnegan however she is well you know I can relate in the 1992 Olympic Trials I was the rookie and I was 15 and I didn't even really know what was going on I went out there having fun and you know ended up doing a little bit better with that mckayla maroney on the balance beam of course we saw her be almost flawless on the vault Gabby Douglas scored a 14.7 on the floor exercise Sara Finnegan 15.2 huge oh no that was actually a her flight series element she looked like she had a strong connection and then completely stopped right there flipped leg [Applause] very nice one of those more difficult than it looks sleeps as is that one beautiful I can tell you that Marta is already planning how we're going to make sure that these athletes handled the pressure on this event all of these girls have beautiful skills lots of difficulty packed into these routines but bluntly Dean has not been good no you know if there's an event where everything can go all wrong so quickly its balance beam right there so easy just balance check questions doubts and she also got time finishing double pike I don't think I've ever seen so many mistakes on this event at the US classic as we look at Marta another beam routine that she will want to forget but what she'll do is exactly the opposite she will remind these athletes over and over again about their performance under pressure in this first leg of the Olympic process here annalee on the floor exercise even bars and a good routine for her on balance beam but certainly not great well this is the event she was most excited to get back out and compete and really put on a performance oh boy and just way under rotated on that first acrobatic element huge deduction and also a big to do the skill that she was supposed to [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Wow you know we I talked to her before in the competition and she said you know it was so hard to hang with the energy of these kids and she mentioned this event was going to be tough yeah well you know on our beam dismount it looked like her legs were given out a little bit you know I think you try to train the same way you did when you were younger but to do that start it off a little bit rough watch this combination tumbling pass a one and a half twist and see just really crunched in on that roundoff wasn't going to be able to do anything with it but then of course flew out of bounds at the same time - they're just deductions all over that her dad right there leeway Joe one of the greatest tumblers that ever lived for China of course and mom honey really not not a great day so far for Anna Lee our next athlete on the uneven bars Amanda jeder and this really is a place where Amanda had thought she fit the bill also uneven bars she takes a quick sip well she she's been a lot of time training this events last year when she had an ankle injury clean up some scores here mckayla maroney a 13 8 5 on the balance beam not a big number not a good number so what's happening now is the gymnasts immediately prior to Amanda they have not been able to come together on the score the judges have some sort of discrepancy whether it be in the content of the exercise how difficult the exercise was or in the execution score how many deductions there were in the routine we are just waiting for them to finish up their work this is where that mental game comes into play in fact that's something I train the mental aspect because that's where you start overthinking so what would our coach your coach Mary Lee Tracy how would you have prepared today I would call like verbal routines so I would be going through my routine using my verbal words and verbal cues things that I trained in the gym to keep my mind in the zone versus my mind wandering to all the what-ifs because it's very common when you get in this situation your nerves get the best of you my coach used to say you're gonna have butterflies we got to get them to fly in formation the direction we need to go and you can see right there that look right there is pure focus and partly saying come on judges let's go yeah no there's no question Mary Lee Tracy done a tremendous job over many many years dare I say decades will she be mad at me for that probably here we go I'm looking for handstands though everything needs to finish right the hints in how I'm good little close in on that catch oh and once again you didn't get a full push down on that bar on such an easy skill huge deduction finish it out double front now it's too bad cuz that was going great a very nice exercise you know not incredibly difficult but I've heard those words before and that's exactly the truth you know you've got a train what you want to compete it when you're inconsistent in the gym there's a chance you're gonna be inconsistent in the competition but the good news is I know as an athlete sometimes it was okay to make mistakes at this point in the season because you will go home and you will train harder to make sure that does not happen so what Mary Lee is actually saying though is on that particular skill at the end of the routine she's tired she's exhausted and sometimes in training she probably doesn't push as hard as she could hence the fall our next athlete on the balance beam will she redeem herself Jordyn Wieber at a disappointing start on the uneven bars not a disaster but a 14 to 5 nowhere near the routine she was looking for it's hard to be the world champion well you know she's coming off the 2011 worlds as the champion and it brought back memories even watching Nastya you know when you have those credentials everybody is watching for you and you are expected and sometimes that even adds to the pressure everybody's expecting her to get the job done and of course that lady as well and I think she doubted herself yeah she did doubt herself but not in the competition when she walked raising that hand she was she was rock solid but I'll tell you it's never felt better to be Nasia Lucan for masculine comeback then right now Marta Karolyi the head of that selection committee really the head coach of Team USA you know they call our coordinator but the athletes gather just about monthly at the ranch in Texas an Olympic Training Center now they make the trek down there to béla károlyi x' ranch and Marta Karolyi and they just make the magic happen and I'll tell you there is no magic about it it is daunting and just an unfathomable amount of work well you know you mentioned it before it doesn't matter what you've done it's about them now and it's about proving yourself here it's about proving yourself at those camps and even nastya mentioned she has no advantage being an Olympic champion coming into this competition or into this Olympics and just like that with Jordan being a world champion you still have to continue to prove yourself you know just you do but you know she did stumble a little bit on the uneven bars but you know that is in no way going to jeopardize her chances for the Olympic Games in London this is really critical because we've seen athletes that Marta Karolyi hoped she could count on on this treacherous event the balance beam Jordan had the rough start let's see how she deals here [Applause] Wow she looks like she is ready to not just handle the pressure but to deliver it's really difficult right here standing full connected to that back handspring there wasn't a wobble but it was a slow connection and I'll tell you you know at the World Championship she wasn't error-free she struggled on bars like she did here today went up on balance beam and did a routine just like this just was rock solid finished on floor exercise and placed just a miniscule above Victoria komova Russia [Applause] now let's check there but really this is a super solid exercise from Jordyn Wieber just the dismount the first beam routine since Nastya that we have seen rock solid skills a lot of stuff packed into that exercise and Jordyn Wieber looked to stumble onto the gates but when you're the world champion he can put in routines like this she is done for the night but we have much more gymnastics still to come stay with us at the secret US classic [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] yep his sheep before she will be first and she was not supposed to do it though right so though I know that okay okay what is that just a timer but jumping down yeah yeah because yeah definitely and Gabby Douglas who was not supposed to vault at the beginning of the competition she said she was doing only three events she warmed up which was very surprising and I'm wondering Amanda if it's because she felt like she didn't do and show all that she couldn't she just decided at the last minute that maybe she should give it a shot but I believe it looks like USA Gymnastics I said you said no and so it's no and now Rebecca Bross that really rough balance beam routine and the scary landing on the dismount the Arabian double front but once again as we have said all night one of the ways you punch your ticket to London is you're great on the uneven bars and she is a world medalist on this event it has the potential to bring in a big score but she's got to shake off what happened that because it was not good well she has what's very strong in the practices here on this event but rebounding after a disaster like that is tough to do for anybody especially when you know this event matters probably more than anything right now you know about four years ago many thought that this girl had the opportunity to do the unthinkable the team of Wooga the Larry Lukens team and the beginni Marchenko had had the last two Olympic all-around champions Carly Patterson in 2004 of course Nastia Liukin in 2008 lady right here many thought would follow in those twos footsteps at the World Championships in 2009 she basically had a world title in her grasp and on her last piece of gymnastics and had to settle for silver the gold went to US Olympic team mate Bridget Sloan but really people thought that it was possible that whoa go could have a three-peat in the Olympic all-around course after the leg injury it's just been about getting strong enough to be back on these two events the uneven bars and balance beam this one being the most important bars is her ticket and right here one of her big tests beautifully done a combination work up here just gotta stay on the bar right here very nice beautiful combination she's really coming out of those pure wedding skills and locking the position out hitting the angles sticks this landing head do not count Rebecca Bross out she just did herself a big solid right there step on the landing she can do that better but I'll tell you still a very a very nice exercise on the uneven bars a critical one for Team USA or Rebecca Bross the little clean up here Jordyn Wieber scored a 15-point 0 on the balance beam awesome set highest score past Nastya our next competitor also one of the toughest kids you'll come across Aly Raisman a balance beam she is fun to watch on this event in fact you don't see too many people attack this event like she does start to finish lots of power very aggressive of course even just her dance movements tumbling series incredible height thing and see her rotation completely all the way around when she lands and so what Marta has to do in the selection they have to come up with a team of five gymnasts one less than has ever been well modern times at the Olympic Games and they've got to find three incredible workers on each event and so far this would be the third balance beam routine because we have seen two really good ones and a lot of shaky ones all that's left is the dismount she does one of the toughest dismounts in the book that round off double Arabian very difficult [Music] [Applause] that should be not just your leader but I would say that she is going to be the 2012 US classic winner we will be back for the final act of gymnastics here in Chicago [Music] [Music] [Music] okay this is brandy J so we're here [Music] [Applause] [Music] I think she already went [Applause] [Music] no smiles after the balance beam but on the uneven bars Rebecca Bross a 15.3 that's the second best score on Team USA's weakest event at these championships that is a big deal for this young lady and keeps her in contention as her Olympic teammate Nastia Liukin also did a tremendous job she will just touch bars which means that she is able to be officially counted in this competition is actually an archaic role and I don't even know if it's a rule anymore we'll let her do it the athletes say they hate this but a long time ago when when all of the athletes when you were competing or when I was competing the athletes had to all do the all-around that's that is not the case anymore but you know for Nastya she did a great job here but really what will make it possible for her as if she is able to get back to even remotely the shape she was on the uneven bars at the Olympic Games and we saw pieces of that in training here we didn't see her put it all together in any way right that's what she's hoping to do in a few weeks at the visa Championships be able to put a full routine together in that competition to qualify her onto the Olympic Trials she will hopefully be a specialist not just on the balance beam but also on the bars and I'll tell you though Team USA could really use her like I said someone like an alley race meant for example who looks to be right on track to be a member of that 2012 team she is very weak on bars Jordyn Wieber it's not her best event USA needs a specialist on bars and that's where someone like nasiha like Rebecca Bross could fill the bill this young lady right here also has the potential Kyla Ross to be quite good on the uneven bars she has been okay today but how would you describe it well her day you know I think like I said I think that she's coming out knowing she's a contender she has beautiful gymnastics and I think getting out here at the u.s. Classic was really important for her to be a contender to do all four events and it's been an OK day but nothing that she is capable of yet a lot of flight on her bar routine she really does take her time and nice transition from very good adding in that half twist great reach there on that Jager excellent handstand position almost every skill she does shows that beautiful line something very important in that side of the execution score finishing double layout every single event she has been rock-solid on those landings and Kyla Ross she does a very solid saving her absolute best for last on the uneven bars in Chicago [Music] now on floor exercise for ejected Abigail the left did Sara Finnegan go yeah she went I think so Oh I don't have no idea I'd ever saw score so Alan what are we doing okay okay okay are we going are we gonna go to commercial and then okay Kyla Ross got a 1535 it's big number second-highest yep okay you're gonna have okay Kyla Ross waited till the last event to pull in a very big number of 15 for five that is the second highest score to Gabby and a huge number for the uneven bar and that's what she's capable of we didn't quite see that on the other events but I think this is a great start for her and Sabrina Vega has been able to hang on but also hasn't had the best of days here finishing up on the floor exercise but really this is it is a month of gymnastics trials that's what it comes down to the classic here from here she will has well all the other athletes we've seen they move on the visa nationals we talked about the pressure of all three of these competitions honestly this one sometimes is the toughest getting out here and see that Olympic pressure on you and getting it started [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] I'll tell you like Kyla Ross Sabrina Vega who had looked a little bit tentative all night long she saves unquestionably her best routine for last that was a huge exercise what a strong finish to this competition for both of the girls and I'll tell you when you can finish up wrap up this way like Sabrina did as she gets a hug from coach we will talk with Nastya when we come back okay all right [Applause] the secret US classic on Universal Sports is brought to you by USA Gymnastics by Procter & Gamble by Geico 15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance visit geico.com for a free rate quote and by Kellogg's proud sponsor of USA Gymnastics and the u.s. Olympic team and the first leg of the u.s. Olympic Trials in the book the secret US classic coming out on top Aly Raisman with over a 60 point that is a huge number Kyla Ross having a good day Kennedy Baker snuck in there and in fourth Sabrina Vega the main story of the day though was Nastia Liukin in her almost three years since competition comeback she was rock solid on beam the only event that she did perform here today but she was fabulous in our Amanda Borden has nastya on the floor well nasty I talked to you before the competition and you said in the podium training it was like you had never done this before you were so nervous but that green flag went up and that did not look like the case today yeah I definitely felt a lot more confident as soon as the green flag went up and it was kind of like something snapped and it was like the old nastya for a second and of course there were things that I definitely want to improve upon and my start value wasn't all there and being a perfectionist I definitely know that there's a lot to improve upon in the next few weeks well you had an incredible Olympic experience back in 2008 what is driving you to go after this again you know I didn't really want to think what if what if I didn't try and that was kind of something that was haunting me like in my dreams and so I felt like you know more than anything I owed it just to myself to give it a shot and you know whatever the outcome is I'll definitely be upset if it doesn't my dreams don't come true again but you know you have to deal with what the circumstances are and how is it different four years later four years older how's the journey different this time it's a little harder especially taking some time off but I finally feel like I'm getting back in the groove of things and I'm feeling stronger and you have more endurance and and really feeling more confident I think that was this weekend was the first step to that being back here on a podium and just competing for the first time in three years congratulations and good luck to you Thank You Amanda Thank You Nastya as we said the first one in the books and this is the winner of the competition and possibly the most confident athlete out on the floor and confidence and hit routines is gymnastics 101 and Amanda is with Aly Raisman well yes she does appear confident Ali are you nervous at all out there today I mean over the past couple days I was nervous but then when I got out here and I just tried to have fun and do what I've been doing in training well you said you've been waiting for this moment what was it like um it was really amazing it was better than I thought it would be I thought because it's an Olympic year I'd be more nervous but I wasn't and I'm just happy that all my hard work paid off well congratulations and thank you this has been the 2012 secret US classic the first test of three on the road to London June and July bring the Visa Championships and the final trials for Amanda Morton this is Tim Daggett saying so long from Chicago Illinois and the 2012 secret US classic on Universal Sports you

Channel: USA Gymnastics

Views: 155,768

Keywords: gymnastics

Id: r7X0wT8YcJw

Length: 121min 44sec (7304 seconds)

Published: Thu Jun 20 2013