2018 U.S. Gymnastics Championships - Women - Day 1 - Olympic Channel Broadcast

the star of the Rio games and the most celebrated name in this sport Simone biles is back in action tonight the four-time Olympic gold medalist stepped away for the better part of two years made it successful returned three weeks ago and now is about to start her charge toward a tip all around national championship [Music] we welcome you to the Team USA summer champion series presented by Xfinity tonight it's the 2018 u.s. gymnastics championships from Boston and a busy Friday night it is sports wise here in this city Fenway pull for the Red Sox at home hosting the Rays and we are just about 15 minutes from that story venue inside TD Garden notes Celtics no Bruins tonight all about gymnastics and the top names in the sport competing for national titles this week and all eyes no question on Simone biles as they all warm up here tonight may that return in Columbus where she was born three weeks ago and after becoming just a household name in Rio making a run now towards the Olympics in Tokyo less than two years away 12 the heavy along Terry Gannon alongside Tim Daggett Nastia Liukin who know what it's like to we're not only Olympic gold medals but also national championships how about this field tonight we've got not only the reigning Olympic all-around champ you've got the world champ you've got the national champ oh we're gonna start with Simone biles get your take on you've been able to watch her three weeks ago you saw her you've seen her this week in practice where is she in that return oh my gosh I mean it's unbelievable how good she is because she was phenomenal in Rio and I really wasn't sure she could get much better and she is not only is she able to do the skills that she was doing in Rio she has upgraded pretty much every single event performing skills that are so difficult that people in the world could just dream about doing she's doing them here in her competition best of all time getting better it's that's a scary thought right but not just better but a lot better I mean she does things at her floor exercise routine rivals anybody that has ever done gymnastics male/female she is unbelievably incredibly talented and she's driven as well she looks as focused as I've ever seen her get newspaper articles a couple today likening her to LeBron James Michael Jordan that's where she is in her sport right we get to watch her tonight though for a start to go for a fifth all around national championship but you've also got the world champion here surprise world champion last year Morgan Burke can she back that up unbelievable performance at the World Championships where it was a surprise but she delivered when she really needed to you know I don't really think Simone is touchable she is going to go out there and she is going to win another national title that being said Morgan wants to make that world championship T's again this year and the Olympic Games for the first time in a few years and Regan Smith don't forget about her because she was actually beat more in in the qualifying round and her scar from qualifying at the World Championships was higher than what Morgan achieved when she won her world championship gold medal she has a lot to prove she has been battling with injuries she got injured there hurt her right ankle and it is still a problem heavily taped at this point in time and she's got to find a way to deal with that it has been a pain and problem for her every day since Montreal it was in the warm-ups at the World Championships where she ended that took her out of that competition so she went in as the favorite after what she did at the national championships last year and and part of that return now is dealing with that injury but if you are Regan Smith if you are Morgan hurt everybody else here tonight there is one looming figure and it is Simone biles they talked at length a few weeks ago what it was like just to have her back compete against her what must it be like to have a figure in the sport right now like that and you're trying to compete against her daunting absolutely 100% daunting she is not just the greatest gymnast that's ever lived in my opinion but I believe I said this leading up to Rio that she was the most dominant female athlete any sport in the world she proved that once again in her first outing after nearly two years off and she's even better here today she told us a few weeks ago that she was kind of nervous coming back she didn't quite know what to expect as opposed to being in Rio and she was so well prepared now she comes to the national championships how was this event talk to her a few days before she left for Boston for the competition and that's exactly what she said she's obviously physically prepared she is better than she ever was better than she was at the Olympic Games but she did say you know I am a little bit worried mentally it's a two-day competition have to keep it together keep my mind tight make sure I'm focused two days in a row so here we go opening night at the national championships for the women we start with our set of Frazier the beam who is an 18 year old who just a few months ago retired she did she was going to UCLA that's where she is gonna compete there got a call from Tom Forrester the new high performance director for the women said we need you here and she decided to make a comeback you know I saw her at the US classic competition just a few weeks ago her sister was actually competing as well she was telling me that Tom had just called her and she was going back and forth couldn't decide what she wanted to do and at the end of the day she said you know I just don't want to think what if I don't want to have a regret I'm gonna go to UCLA because that is what I want to do that is what my future is but I also want to give this one last chance here we go our first test right here beautifully done now she is a longtime parkette gymnast Bill and Donna Straus John Holman she is competing here though for her team of the future UCLA coaches Chris Waller and Jordyn Wieber you know what's a gold medalist are on the floor with her here today she's got her first senior international assignment this year just the dismount you know the balance beam is never an easy event to start off your national championships the nerves are always a little bit higher when the beam is four inches wide and there you see who course Jordyn Wieber Chris Waller he will be coaching her for the next four years at UCLA who helped set another national championship yeah you never know I mean she wouldn't be here in my opinion if she didn't Harbor some you know thoughts about possibly going to the World Championships in getting back in the routine shape that she called it it's one thing [ __ ] about his last night to be in shape but then to be able to come here and compete feel like it's a it's two days of competition too which can be exhausting but both mentally and physically Jade carry the 18 year old competing on floor exercise not only was the bad champion for silver medalist at the Nationals last year went on a couple of silver medals at the world and definitely one foot out of bounds the other heel was very close a tenth of a point to one 300 out [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Wow [Applause] I would say the second most difficult routine being done in the world today on floor exercise and who is first that would be Simone biles that is one stocked upset so J carry with that opening floor exercise and you'll see these symbols on the telecast tonight and throughout the weekend green means 1.5 in terms of deductions for or less a very good yellow you start to get some taken off you're still okay and then if you're in red it's serious business yellow 13.1 on the balance beam for Mars that are Frazier Regan Smith now the 18 year old is just outside of Atlanta we talked about our success last year the reigning US all-around champion went to the World Championships and was injured and is still dealing with that ankle you know this event she struggled on at the classic a couple of weeks ago to continue right into that and now our release and another gigantic era you can't swing back and forth like that has to transition to low now [Applause] unfortunately Reagan but what's so strange was the mistakes that she had were not even on the most difficult skills it almost seems she was just so nervous trying to back up an outstanding effort last year at the national championships Sol as we continue near an opening night for the women in Austin [Music] Team USA summer champions series presented by Comcast on NBCSN is brought to you by Xfinity proud partner of Team USA Xfinity delivers the best in-home Wi-Fi experience for all your devices to continue in Boston and floor exercise score 14.1 for Jade Kerri you know at the classic a couple of weeks ago she was second best to Simone she had only a 13-9 there so already on her first event a little bit of improvement Regan Smith you see the red there 13.3 five really struggling uneven bars that's unfortunate she got a little bit off right in the beginning and then look to me like she completely lost her train of thought all right over to the balance beam and our first look at the reigning world all-around champ 17-year old Morgan heard what a personality she has with the glasses she tried to go to contact but the truck would get in her eyes so she loves wearing those as an example of what you can do and overcome things as well but big Harry Potter fan and got to know her because of that win at the World Championships last year and now also trying to follow up a big season you know what I love we talked to her a while ago and we asked her what do you want to be remembered for and it was one of the most unique answers I've ever heard she said the traditional things I want the quality I want my gymnastics and the look of it to be great but I really want if you're watching me for people to never be bored uh-huh I love that and you won't be and the lack of boredom starts right off the top super difficult backflip with a full twist great [Applause] [Music] actually looks very confident though sometimes if you hold back it the jitters really can run away with you a few weeks ago she had a great showing of the classic that on this event had a major mistake fell off the beam on this skill right here after the full turn no actually not there sorry [Music] she's not doing it yeah changed her routine up did a front flip at the classic double pike here in a very solid routine she can do more difficulty but that'll work told us she was about 75% of peak performance she didn't want a peak yet yeah and that's exactly what you should be at something like the national championships the world championships are still to come look at this backflip full twist done about as well as you can do and as we said she is capable of doing much more difficult starting value but a beautiful double Pike you see her chest up on landing a hot back but really great form in the air and on that landing so she is planning on doing some less difficult gymnastics throughout the competition she did a super hard floor routine and come in Columbus and she has watered that back a little bit trying to get the execution score to be competitive silver medalist on the balance beam at the World Championships to go along with that world all-around title it's her number in a moment but right now over the floor and the three-time world all-around champ to go along with her for Olympic gold medals Simone biles and this mount is out Regis show you a double layout to complete with [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] about couldn't see if it was one or two feet 110 [Music] but the fact that she actually went out on that last doubling pass which is extremely difficult two twists to flips a lot of people can't even do that as their first tumbling pass and she has so much more that it's just absolutely crazy to me how many more things in sports are more entertaining or more impressive than her on floor not much and especially this tumbling pass right here to him as you said a double layout two flips in the air to twist look how stretch open her body as a little bit of a pike battle but like no to my buddy in the world does it like that man or woman that is unbelievable no she told us the focus was one thing that was taking a while to come back in front of crowds people would call her name she turn around don't like you do know it's not one you're competing right get that number in a moment as well over to the uneven bars and Riley mckusker the 17-year old from New Jersey absolutely one of my favorite gymnasts the lines just stunning a little boy [Applause] to do us riki combination there she pulled that off [Applause] unorthodox dismount sometimes gives her struggles better though I'll tell you what she can do way better than that but I like seeing that more than her doing a great job on a perfectly done routine I like seeing that she can be a little bit and still make it she won that event last year at the national championships while injured in just gorgeous lines look at her her toe quite the extension everything about Riley that we will see little like separation there on that Pak Salto but immediately right back up to the high bar extremely difficult because she connects those three skills in a row and it wasn't perfect she wasn't exactly on as I said what we will see from her all weekend long is that beautiful form all the way down to the toe point to the fingers on the balance beam she kind of has a look a little bit like a person sitting to my left right now named Nastya we had a great effort and us classic few weeks ago had the lead going into the last rotations but oh yeah Simone biles was there kind of had a feeling that you so funny when we asked her about that she said I think Jerry you asked if that made her feel more pressure more she was it was actually so cool to hear my name in first place in Simone in second you look up at the leaderboard and you take a picture of that at least for the moment you lead Simone biles fourteen point four five what do you think well I'll tell you what she had six tenths off for going out of bounds so you add those six tenths it's over a 15 which is unheard of on floor exercise she's probably not that pleased with that score but it is so early in the season still world championships coming up but really Tokyo still we're getting heard looking at her number nastya for her effort on the balance beam so in green and that's that's our interpretation so we're giving people that just as a guide absolutely absolutely there's a there's a lot more to it obviously you know it depends on where your maximum starting score is but that execution was good enough to be in the green so that that's a positive score without question always agonizing the wait for your your score yes but I think what's even worse is waiting for the judges to be ready before you go the nerves like to build up when you just want to get on that apparatus this is kinda like great score 14.5 again a green score for Riley but you can't really do anything once you land you have to leave it up to those judges that's a whole half of a point off of what she did at the US classic though keep it here at bars tion Lisa Jones the 16 year old from Westerville Ohio is at a solid start to her season and we saw her again at the u.s. classic she came in fourth in the all-around but she won the all-american classic with that place what earlier in July trains with the same coach that Gabby Douglas had for the Olympic Games Christopher Muir Aldo looks to me like she's planning on trying to connect that skill into this at some point the thing I like about not just her on bars but everywhere she has a lightness about her it doesn't look struggled or labored our Instagram handle is she can fly and I'll tell you what she can eventually gonna go down to the University of Florida 2020 committed there you know if you watch last night you know gymnastics the men much different so many different teammates on collegiate teams last night together especially Oklahoma Sooners but a different case with the women's gymnastics absolutely you know in on the women's side you really peak so much earlier than the men do typically 15 16 17 18 as we're seeing women kind of stick around for a little bit longer but gonna get through your elite career and then you go off to college whereas for the men a lot of times you're competing at the Olympics while you're on a college team I know about Jordan child's a little bit earlier the seventeen-year-old from Vancouver Washington won the medal and this is where she is really good very difficult vault your team go two and a half twists small mouth on that landing and she will do two vaults and the hopes of making that in qualifying to the falton finest we called two different families so the entry onto the vault has to be completely different speaking of families a huge sports family got to be some pressure when your mom names you after Michael Jordan just a little bit she has a lot of Jordans so posit the efforts on fault for Jordan child as we continue here in Boston much more on this opening night for the women much more of Samoan biologists finding things underway [Music] [Music] welcome back to Boston more news this week on the sexual abuse scandal that has rocked USA Gymnastics on Thursday morning two more Olympic gold medalist Madison koushin and Kyla Ross announced publicly for the very first time that they too were victims of former national team dural team dr. Larry Nasser and they went on to criticize the lack of response they felt from the officials in the organization personally we both have not heard anything and it's been saddening to know that a lot of a lot of gymnast has have gone through this event and they have not reached out and seeing how we're doing as people not as just athletes but as individuals who grew up in the sport still to this day I haven't heard anything I even even asked after Larry Nassar resigned and was asked to leave I haven't heard anything from them I went to compete out World Championships in fall of 2015 and the Olympic Games in 2016 and still to the staff and heard any anything meanwhile as USA gymnastics tries to move forward and implement changes the national team program is in a state of transition Simone biles was asked about the current state of affairs after training on Wednesday I'm not so sure yet hopefully is going in the right direction but nobody who know told Carrie Sperry speech Carrie Perry of course the president of USA Gymnastics and that lack of communication has been the biggest criticism she has faced now Carrie Perry will be here this weekend we hope to have the chance to talk to her about some of those issues in the next couple of days stay with us there's lots more to come from Boston day one of the women's competition continues when we return you all rise for Pemberley warnings as one two Darby enters a new era new managers saint rivalries london to be blue and red chelsea arsenal tomorrow at 12:30 Eastern on NBC to make you watch [Music] all right so here's where we stand after the opening rotation Georgian tiles on vault with the lead right now Raleigh mckusker Simone biles who's never trailed after day 1 of a national championship it's very early yes it's very early and you got to remember that especially on vaulting it's the highest scoring event in women's gymnastics actually by quite a bit more had heard you see where she stands so just one rotation in at the moment but a couple of mistakes for Simone biles you know it's like those are the types of things that she just needs to really control her power out there and compete we have to remember this is only her second competition match after the real one began so those are the kind of mistakes that if she's gonna have a mistake room she has to play with to start value so extraordinarily hard it it is absolutely without question ok so file coming up in a bit as we take you over to beam and Regan Smith who well we talked about the ankle and what she has to come back from it was a serious injury the world championships torn ligaments and she said no way of doing surgery but here's a look at this for warm-ups there this was right before they were supposed to march out she actually tried on the runway and see if she could still continue but there was no way and she was the favorite heading it absolutely she was the national champion going in and not just the Nationals who make the favorite to win that all-around gold medal at the World Championships so it was very disappointing devastating for her and you know especially you got to remember in 2016 she was so close to the Olympic team she was the alternate still in pain three times a week she gets regular therapy but ice water immersion try needle therapy cupping I mean she gets that thing worked on consistently throughout the week everyday Tinsman spoke coached the 91 world all-around champ one of the icons of gymnastics in America without question Kim's a mescal [Music] spin around three times like this only did to getting a little conservative right there maybe it was planned but in training she had done three every time this is a big tumbling run right here she rebounds into the layout great one more big one right here that back with a full little under-rotated on that skill so just seems completely off starting on her first event the uneven bars had two major mistakes here just doesn't quite seem as confident and comfortable as we're normally used to seeing her especially on the balance beam this is her event yeah this is where she almost made the Olympic team in in 2016 because she was such a great worker on balance beam and so dependable oh wow and this that is it's a very big deal right there both hands down that is a fall it could not have felt good either and she hasn't looked like her old self but she hasn't looked like this either she's looked much better than then she's showing all right over the vault and don't have to tell you who that is third place after the opening rotation but long would it go here and she won't be after this right here let's guarantee it super difficult fall to 1/2 turn out to the port after not to the table and a lot after best she has ever done in a competition by far right there that's the highest value vault that we're going to see unbelievable [Music] Swain event lost for words like if they got in the park - oh my gosh she could add another full twist to that which has never been done by a woman so watch how tricky this is the half turn right there and then onto the table just jumps off that table look at the height and the smallest tiny pop that words going to be the highest score that has been registered absolutely in the world since the Rio Olympic Games without question so what makes this so so just amazing it's not only how difficult it is but how easily she performs these skills this bar right here the tumbling passes that she does on the floor she makes everything look so easy and not 15.6 the number for that and just for a little perspective if she had done that in Rio like that it would have been five tents higher because they've lowered the scores [Music] [Applause] new coach Laurent Landy was the seal so that's an adjustment as well coming back boy I think she's adjusted okay this is called an amen' R which is the most difficult vault that just a handful of people are doing in the world right now and once again just crushes that vaulting table and there's that patented Simone biles baby little hop forward it's only a tentacle point because it's less than a metre in length fire and 13.1 the number for Regan Smith disappointing on beam ona Shanah Tovah the seventeen-year-old from Evergreen Colorado ready to go uneven bar this is a jam-packed routine as well we saw some wild combinations from Riley mckusker we'll see the same type of work here watch this show the three major elements in a row down to the low and now right back up Oh actually had to do an intermediate skill in-between but still great I'm not even close on that dismount doesn't get her heels up over her head lacks a lot of rotation that's a full point whenever you have a fall like that on a landing parents are coaches they were elite gymnast in the Soviet Union sister also is a member of the u.s. national team competing in to the University of Michigan which is where she plans to end up as well and that's a disappointment for her because she actually contributes to the u.s. effort for a world championships down the road mostly on the uneven bars and that doesn't bode well for her so yonas parents coach her Jade Carey's dad Brian coaches her in fourth place after the first rotation [Music] she has two huge balls as well remember you do two vaults only to be relevant for the event finals at a world's or an Olympic Games the first of all you do is the score that's counted for the all-around [Music] so a lot she's capable of doing a much more difficult vault she had trouble in warm-ups and I didn't see her put this to her feet she was planning to do what's called the yamen are the same vault we saw a Simone do on her second falls here you do two twists right there she's supposed to do one more half turn it looked to me like it was right from the beginning she was only going for the double fall she definitely had plenty of height power in the air you know she's been battling a knee injury and she told me that the hardest thing about it is the run down the runway it's the most painful set she was about 85% healthy at this point and that's kind of where you want to be you know with your routines obviously you always want to be as healthy as possible but you don't want to peak at the national championships you still have so many weeks and months left of routine the body has to hold up both why and also it's mentally exhausting to be a hundred percent for so many months in a row have to do a different style vault you're doing to him and that's the same type of vault we saw from Simone on her first one she does it with one full twist less though so get that number in a moment over to floor and Morgan her already underway [Applause] [Music] [Music] you know what less difficulty than she did at the classic but it was the right decision that was wonderfully done and wonderfully performed so Morgan heard on floor Alyona shinik over by the way thirteen point four or five disappointment on bars as we continue here on opening night for the women in Boston [Music] so back with the score for Morgan hurt on floor 13 385 yeah I don't get that one low yeah and I agree that's I thought that would be certainly in the green guys we talked about her being a big Harry Potter fan JK Rowling tweeted congratulations after the world championships and then Morgan answered and JK also called her a real life hero in glasses and the love affair back and forth Joe died because she's wearing earrings yeah Harry Potter earrings now she is a real fan you see the lightning bolt right there she of course wears glasses herself and there are Harry's spectacles right there my talk continues back and forth all right over to be now and Riley McCusker Jersey Shore backyard paddleboards that's how close she is to the ocean and and was able to get some paddleboarding in the last couple of weeks since we last saw her at the u.s. classic as I said while she was on the uneven bars this event for Riley is just stunning every little movement is done with just grace and beauty very difficult triple turn and she's gonna do the same exact thing but a double you know this hasn't always been my favorite skill to watch but Riley does it so well very difficult combination three skills in a row coming up right here back handspring to two back layouts hi this is a great routine she called her meat at the classic the best elite meat she has ever had nice combination but that split leap was not quite if the judges are looking for a hundred and eighty degrees absolutely and that's very unusual for her dismount two back handsprings into a double back oh boy she's close that looked awfully close to the end of the beam she wanted to be taking off certainly farther down the beam yes can I be honest I hold my breath the entire time I mean I'm gripping my chair right you are and as as Tim you were saying this is that dismount so you you want to see where her feet are right here her hands and her feet not too bad but she just doesn't quite get that rotation look at how close that is oh detail actually ton yeah that that was that was potentially catastrophic and I'm I am certainly glad she she had the extra inch that she needed she's had problems with that dismount before all right we can all exhale now yeah Trinity Thomas the seventeen-year-old from York Pennsylvania who's not only committed to the University of Florida it's already down there taking classes in the dorms and not just that Terrace she'll have the famous Gator in her routine [Music] [Music] one leg out of bounds that's just a tenth of a point [Music] there you go [Music] [Music] well that was a great routine last tumbling pass and a second little under-rotated but when we talked to her this week she said you know I didn't quite get as many repetitions as I was hoping to get coming into this competition told her she couldn't wait to start going to football games over and over again it kind of works is you know there's no defense in gymnastics Morgan heard could not run out there and tackle her yes yeah I know it's a good point they turn 80 to take her go but if she tried rivals but teammates as well and all hoping to be teammates for the World Championships my Santa Frey shirt as she gets ready right now and we send it over for more from Andrea well Terry you know as we've been at this competition it's a little bit weird for some of us to see Jordyn Wieber here at Nationals not in a leotard she was a fixture of course at this event for so many years in the junior and senior level 2012 we all remember her success a member of the gold medal team in London well as you might imagine it's even weirder for her to be on the sidelines and not be in a leotard Jordan told me that as soon as she walked into the building here she immediately got butterflies she started worrying about her warm-ups getting her hair up and then once that passed the coaching nerves took over which could also be pretty intense but Jordan told me that she is absolutely embracing this new chapter of her life and she is surprised and delighted at how much she loves it even all that chalk again Terry and after 2012 she was the most overqualified volunteer assistant coach in gymnastics just because she wanted to be a part of that team and still is thirteen point three five the Trinity Thomas into 225 rings all right here is Zetas Frasier [Music] and you know what that was of great routine I don't think she is going to regret that she came back to the elite scene and is giving it one more chance five there the fact that you weren't planning on being here - all of a sudden you have natural juice - abstraction that's done already out of Westwood in Westwood taking classes and this of UCLA's numbers as we continue here TV Guardian Boston well what do you know Simone biles has taken the lead after the second rotation here in Boston Jade Kerry is second along with smiling the Husker that's jordan's childs and morgan pers as their for routine you guys thought maybe a little harshly judged particular rotation but it's vials on top as we head to the third rotation and we send it over to Andrea Joyce all right for the camera right Tom Forrester who's the new high performance team coordinator for the women's program and you're in your first national championships here you're coming off the most successful Olympics ever followed by two very very rocky years what's the biggest challenge for you in this new job well part of the challenges we have a lot of new athletes and only one returning Olympian Simone but she's great so that really helps so all the athletes that are coming up now buying for the next Olympics it's new to them too so this is this is a big pressure move for them and watching them handle it and trying to create an environment for them to calm down and focus on what they need to do is probably the biggest challenge you have an opportunity to put your stamp on this program you know we've heard some of the athletes already talking about a more open atmosphere in your mind what does the Tom Forrester era look like you want it to be what do you want the atmosphere to be because there's been so much talk about what it's been in the past and what it should be well I want the I want every athlete the program to feel valued it doesn't matter if you're the best on the national team or you're just trying to be on the national team so everybody has to feel equally valued that's a big part and then I want the athletes to feel that they can have their they can voice their concerns or complaints or whatever without fear of any retaliation and I don't know if they were ever retaliated before it but I've heard that they felt that way so I just want to make sure that the environment isn't like that so you have what some would call an embarrassment of riches you've got the reigning Olympic champion the reigning world champions the reigning National Champion what when you talk about other challenges what's the challenge there to bring that together as a cohesive team with all of the changes that have happened in the program well the biggest challenge has been the fact that we haven't had a training center to consistently bring the girls together so they can bond so that they can form their friendships and relationships push one another in a positive way so they've been a little fractured and only coming together at competitions like this and they're not used to that they're used to being together so that's really been the biggest challenge is trying to get them and then Simone is new right I mean her previous competitors or teammates they're not with her so she's got a form new relationships all right well good luck with all of that you got a lot on your plate thanks for joining us Terry lot on his plate and high-performance director of course is a fancy title if the leader of the women's team as they look ahead to the world championships and eventually Tokyo in less than two years with Simone biles leading them [Music] macton romaji can download the Team USA app for up-to-the-minute news and exclusive behind-the-scenes coverage after favorite athletes on their road to Tokyo visits Google Play Store and iTunes to download USA Today so on we go to the third rotation and check in with Morgan her who's just about ready on faulty fifth place after the second rotation where she wants to be again she doesn't have the highest level of difficulty as she had even just a few weeks ago so for her she really just wants to be as clean as possible that execution score is what she's really focusing on here today and she says her goal is never to win she can only control what she does and focusing on doing my best and that was close to it [Applause] very nice double twisting laid out your chenko just a small hop on the landing [Applause] night Simone biles uneven bars and we were there at the US classic just a few weeks ago this is what took place we're showing you this right here to prove that Simone biles she actually is human right there you got to watch her for a lot of time to see her make a mistake like that she just was a little bit under didn't have enough speed to make it over the top and I'll tell you what the first day I saw her in training she started off great and then I started missed that three maybe four times in a row but today in warm-ups picture-perfect oh great handstand and this is where that skill is toll on full turn no problem transition very good big skill new for does it crate in the dismount one of the few in the world double-double coach loves it crowd loves it if she had a weakness and she didn't but if she did it was the uneven bars all around the world they're gonna see that routine in there guys they're gonna go this is just not fair how how is it possible and here's that skill that she fell on a few weeks ago so didn't quite get the hands in but she was trying to play it safe really get over the bar instead of falling on the other side so I'll have a little bit of deduction for the angle but not bad this here's that dismount you'll see a lot of full twisting double x' and that's what she did the entire quad before Rio this one a lot more difficult one twist there's another one makes it exponentially more challenging but not for her just look how high she gets above the bar so you see her tap kick up just people do this skill this isn't one that you know no one can do but the way that she does it how high she gets in the air after an entire bar team where you're tired you're exhausted at the end of a bar team number four Morgan heard 14.4 fall I'm gonna keep it here Sheriff ninth after the second rotation for Trinity Tomas [Music] she'll show us a fault we haven't yet seen she'll do a Yurchenko laid out one and a half twist [Music] oh boy darn near perfect looked like she had that stick and then maybe got a little nervous pretty amazing what she did this past winter all she was just bored I guess not wanted to compete eventually came in second in the pennsylvania state championships it looked like so I asked her if it helped with her gymnastics where it made her more confused because in gymnastics we try to land on her feet like this all the time which that was almost a sex she just needed to trust herself and in diving of course you're going at first look she said you know we're so used to landing on our feet but it actually helped her with her awareness in the air twisting she said I normally get so lost when I twist she said still get a little lost about making the return then coming back to after you've been even 14 on balled for Trinity Thomas so you see the green right there and you see the maximum start score of sixteen point two so she won four gold medals in Rio had a fifth one if she hadn't made an uncharacteristic mistake on the balance beam now with that routine she is certainly good enough to make a world an Olympic final and that means she has potential to win every single type of medal at the Olympic Games or World Championships crazy hmm I've got another rotation to go here but that's the highest score on bar so far Fenny won himself I think if you told Simone that she had the potential to be a national champion on bars few years ago she would say no [Applause] when she came back she said that's what I kept thinking about and and having to train that - yeah she told me years ago she wanted to be just like a great American gymnast Alicia Sacramone who only did three events and then she started to get better and better and she thought I could just ignore the uneven bars but it wasn't meant to be and that's a very good thing so over to Jade Carey's who steps up about to do bars which she has not done very often as a matter of fact at that us classic she said as an elite gymnast basically the first time that I've done this and it was not competing in the all-around but you know what she's she actually has a lot of abilities she gets really nice flight she just has to control the handstands and the first major release skill she fell on that at the qualifying meet to see the classic back in Columbus right there no problem today watch this really cool transition from high to low I personally haven't seen her do bars until the classic and when I saw her training I was like she's pretty good on bars she's got a lot of potential right now it's not a difficult enough exercise [Music] [Applause] performance that she wants to do on this event she's not gonna score as high as obviously Simone or some of the other gymnasts but she just kind of wants to get through this event and great job to her so this is really neat very unusual not too many people do this skill she does a half turn to a handstand and watch this right here slows her swing down which she needs to do let's go flying half twist legs straddled and then together a whole lot going on very cool I think she has great potential I think she really needs to not sell herself short on this event and here's that dismount can't quite tell from this angle if she was close or not but full twisting double back so one less twist then we just saw from Simone biles and here's another look so what you want to see is yeah she's a pulls the bar a little bit doesn't quite hit her no ponytail there but that was good that is exactly what she wanted to do on this event put a check by it on to the next range high school and after the world championships when she returned having won silver medals on vault and floor they threw an assembly made the big announcement and asked her to do her floor on the ground it was so funny because we asked you do you think your teammates and your teachers understand exactly what how good you are at gymnastics she was I thought they did until they asked me to do a floor - you know the bathroom yeah yeah didn't quite work out she did not do it 12.55 uneven bars a little bit harsh but you know she some of the handstand positions were were not directly vertical and you know she obviously had some execution errors but I'm telling you she has she has the skills the qualities that you need she obviously needs to do a much more difficult routine as well they were looking for a hit here that's all they wanted they wanted start to finish no Falls and they got it over to Reilly McCusker who it's the first time in a few years that she is actually healthy here at the national championships had an arm injury a couple of seasons ago and then a hamstring that kept her out of the World Championships and there's her coach Maggie Haney who actually also coached Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez 2016 Olympic Games there she is right there she's got a Barbie doll she does that's pretty big ya know that's exciting I'm sure it's exciting for her to be able to be back here too at the national championships she said earlier today that this is what she loves gymnastics so passionate about it ever since she was a little girl [Music] and I think both of her heels landed hot mound once again that's three tenths of a point [Music] and that was a really good save right there [Music] a stunning choreography just absolutely beautiful not quite as good on the tumbling as we saw her do it even just a few weeks ago at that classic you know every position is to the map she's on toes and it's just exhausting to do it that way but she pulls it off agree with all that I do exactly what she said so we continue and as Riley McCusker will get that numbers when we come back to Boston hear all this setting up Sunday night TV garden [Music] big party in Philadelphia Thursday September 6th Eagles can raise their first Superbowl banner before taking on the Atlanta Falcons and new NFL season kicks off [Music] 4/6 only NBC Boston as we are here for the national championship 13.3 the number for Riley mckusker a little bit low but she did have a lot of deductions on those landings so that that deduction the two point one that is exactly where she wants to get as low of a deduction as possible because she doesn't necessarily have the highest level of difficulty especially on the floor exercise a lot of it was the Autobahn so the mandatory deductions speaks level of difficulty I mean the numbers just staggering for Simone biles highest art valleys on floor bars than we saw at the US classic and they were off the charts there I mean just keep getting higher and higher yeah you know I just want to do it but she jumps out of bounds and a double twisting double at the end upon floor and having that kind of power that is inhuman and you know when she came to Columbus she said she was better than she was and real and now she's even it's better insanely difficult and she performs it so long gets so much power just as she did on the second we're weakest event no more double twisty doubles homicide to finish [Applause] in competition if you're watching this are aware of it somehow around the world and you're an elite gymnast and you're gonna compete against her it I mean you are thinking what at this point I got no chance yeah and there's there's not a question there they are watching this around the world in China in Russia all over the world they're watching and they are in awe and they're they're very sad today well because if you're a fan you're used to watching her and seeing this I mean this is what you're accustomed to see however she stepped away for the better part of two years and she is just now making that return without - it makes it even more difficult because what we saw in Rio was absolutely no question about it but as she said she trained her entire life for that one moment then she steps away for a few years and comes back even better then she wasn't real so imagine what's going to happen between now and Tokyo the other countries don't want to know all right question Regan Smith is that ankle I know we keep talking about that but the fact is it has bothered her and and maybe increasingly throughout the evening absolutely I saw her walking around the floor exercise a little bit earlier and she was as you see her kicking that ankle out she was walking very gingerly I can remember those days when my feet hurt so bad and that looks exactly the way I used to walk and this event right here is the most challenging on that ankle her first tumbling pass is a double laid out somersault we just saw Riley McCusker do one and if she comes in low on the landing that is that will be very very painful I hope she can get through this here the reigning US Champion [Music] [Music] [Applause] well that was a very good routine of course out in the first tumbling pass but every single landing when your ankle hurts even just a little bit a short landing or normal landing that is just it's Streatley peeps if you think these young women aren't extremely tough you have no idea because I guarantee you those landings didn't hurt they were excruciating see her Ben like she's got a peg leg there because she doesn't want to crunch inside of there here's that first something passed as you said to him you do not want to land short on this past double layout it's really low oh that did not feel good out of bounds and this somehow she puts this around this is an Arabian double front kind of twist a little early gets a little crooked in the air but what a fighter and Simone biles watching Janna holding her breath for a moment two equal parts toughness and talent for regen that time here's that last tumbling pass a double pike chest was a little bit low on that landing but she got through and that's that's exactly what we were all hoping so over to Jordan Child's now and ready to go on beam cans burnback layout or her combination series she was supposed to keep that foot off the ground in transition right into that leap sequence right there not a huge deduction but you lose some bonus front-flip nicely done she had a similar routine at the classic but really struggled on her dismount double pike oh and that was the antithesis of struggle right there gorgeous [Applause] many fifth fist-pump at the end two said I only think about Tokyo three four times a day all right the number for Regan Smith and the red comes up there thirteen point one spots got through Simone biles will continue with the best in America here on this Friday night in Boston in a moment [Applause] [Music] tell me tonight like this at a track like this anything can happen don't miss the NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol tomorrow 6:30 Eastern on NBC one more rotation left and Simone biles no surprise there the overall leader and we get to watch her compete a little bit more on this Friday night here in Boston which is never a bad thing Terry Gannon back with Nastia Liukin and Tim Daggett so talked about what we have seen so far how about what we're about to see in this final rotation I mean she is leading the competition by so much that she could afford to fall a few times on the bench not that we really want to see that happen of course but that's just how good she is she just keeps going out there every single competition getting better and better and separating herself from the rest of the competition just by far she actually at the classic was trailing going into the last event in that last event what's the balance beam as you see she is winning by a mere two and a half plus points so she did angry beam at the classic and she doesn't need to be angry today but it was a phenomenal routine there in a couple weeks back and I'm sure it'll be spectacular she's just amazing so one more rotation left we'll see her on beam you want to mention here tonight sad day yesterday one of the legends in this sport Elena Chu shunova passed away and the gold medalist back in 1988 soul and one of the memorable all-around competition you're a contemporary you competed during meetings oh yeah and she was just phenomenal just such a talent and to hard-working kids who runner-up in 88 the great daniela fiat said that she had every quality that you could have she was powerful she was she was quick and she had flexibility to her tragic loss teammate of your father well tragically at the age of 49 complications of pneumonia Elena sue shunova [Music] back in Boston as we continue this opening night for the women competing at the national championships some vials see her on theme a little bit Andy new coach they seem pretty content and relaxed at the moment as they should be vault really like this gymnast you know she had a great competition was fourth at the classic a couple of weeks ago I said it earlier but gymnastics look easy she does hard stuff but it looks effortless and that is really the definition of beautiful gymnastics when you can pull that off good body position in the air a little bit of a like separation as she's coming down towards the ground for her landing but very clean a little high on the table here doesn't quite get as much jump off of it as she could but still plenty to finish that so the number fourteen point seven four chalets Jones still very young TV mentioned you know when you peek in your career and memin tuck in mid-teens you if not earlier absolutely and that that is kind of sometimes the frustrating part about gymnastics because you are so young and obviously you the more experience you have the more mature you become but fortunately it's a short live sport Tusker same vault that just softens pretty good pretty good also instead of being high on the table she was a little crunched on the table but an excellent ball [Music] teaching continues that was Ivan Chester the score good you know you see that 1.3 deduction on vaulting you know that's a lot it's one element that they're judging so we've seen it done you know seven tenths off today or so but it's it historically has been her weakest event so that was pretty good Regan Smith final rotation it's a treatment on that ankle get ready to go for Sunday night all of this remember setting up Sunday night when women are back in action on NBC we've seen the last few Ryland Husker did that double full show he's Jones she'll do the same one as well that was actually pretty good that is the best one that I have seen or do in either meet or training at both of these competitions [Music] yeah she does she in my opinion she's probably a very good actress because I guarantee you there's no she is right there just small little adjustments so little between you know doing something great you know really struggling that wasn't necessarily those mistakes weren't because she wasn't prepared they were totally maybe a lack of focus maybe something distracting huh I don't even know I've never seen her do something that wasn't even on a real skill mental airs you know absolutely speaking of bars that's why we take you now mine is that a Fraser ready her last event of the evening won a silver medal at the 2018 World Cup in Birmingham this year that was her senior international debut who said this decided she was going to retire from elite gymnastics at the committed UCLA was just gonna do collegiate but was called by Tom Forrester the high performance director and said you know we really need you to thought about it has done a really nice job here today that was her only competition of the year so far going to UCLA and they were the NCAA team champions this year really close battle who came down to the last routine where bang bang Lee scored a perfect 10 to clinch that title [Music] just way too far off [Music] it's Masek that was plotted on your fingertips so she gets really great height and really just a little bit too far just a little like millimeters little you gotta tell me what that emotion is that moment when your fingers discussed what's so interesting is it happens within a split of a second but it also feels like this very long moment of you falling from the bar all the way to the revelation in slow motion I remember it as rage all those things come in after [Applause] nights to Smout here.double laid out somersault great landing great finish you know she came in not really being as prepared as she wanted to be with one major mistake here early and even Mars that's pretty decent day of politicians still day to them [Music] the other there the other folks there Chris Waller also an Olympian himself the great gymnast was a UCLA gymnast as well and I'm sure you take that as an athlete and go yeah but it was fun because all encouraging words but but you really want to say it I know but of course respect your coaches nod your head it's just being yeah being respectful but she just doesn't even want to hear anything at that point in time maybe to be frank I mean who would write so to a number I had hoped but all all in all just to go back to what you were saying she didn't expect you to be here no just a few weeks ago when I saw her in Columbus she was still a little bit unsure she said I'm actually supposed to move to LA in three days and I'm still trying to figure out am I going to move there and continued training elite and try to compete at the national championships and that was just a few weeks ago well actually like two weeks ago she posted some stuff on Instagram of her signing her locker and the parkette facility where she has been training over the years saying goodbye to that chapter of her life on your social media stuff Jones check in on Frasier all right over to the feed now in Jade Kerri in sixth place after three rotations and you know that's okay because she's really not looking to try to place that high and me all around where she really excels vault floor and really hasn't been that bad on the balance beam as well yeah she had the fifth highest score on vault in the second highest score so far today on floor exercise and she did a very easy vault for her [Music] [Music] very difficult series back layout back layout to two feet three elements in a row that first night hands [Music] Wow this is rock solid for Jade absolutely you know what I like a lot about this routine is just the confidence in the calmness she doesn't seem to be nervous handling every move one skill at a time just the dismount left right here and that is probably the best beam routine I have ever seen from Jade Kari what a great way to finish out her competition today yeah I don't know if I would say that's ours we've seen the entire day / executions court will commit to that but she's helping the judges agree with you guys yeah 12.55 uneven bars for Mars had a Fraser with fall and now - grace McCallum we check in on her for the first time tonight only 15 years old from Minnesota and won the Pacific Rim all-around which is an event that some of the top names do go to it she didn't realize that she had won is just he was called up yeah yeah she she defeated her teammate Morgan hurt reigning world champion the skill combination very similar to how Simone starts her bar routine from the same gym as the great Maggie Nichols who has a World Championship gold medal 2015 narrowly missed big team for Rio full twisting double and it was good for her you know she she's got some way to go and you know certainly Sarah Jancy her coach knows exactly what she needs produces very very confident [Music] [Applause] obviously really thrilled with what has happened so far legalize I was just gonna say nuts on whoever will see the defend yeah winning that title at the Pacific Rim coming Terrace being able to just compete on the same floor as Simone biles so many of these athletes have said that it was just incredible to stop and watch her in the training dismount full twisting double back spots the ground just a step back she would lead a fourteen [Music] I know this is all relative because Simone biles has built the top five yeah she's not gonna get that I don't believe so [Music] closeby some of the handstand positions you know every time the judges are watching to see if they are exactly in that do you think about the number here thirteen point seven five four Jake Terry yeah I think it's a little low I think that didn't the work major visible errors and the exercise she's got some really tiny tiny little like quirks that the judges are really keying in on now two point seems like a little no needles Jimmy's right thirteen point nine so did not get the fourteen a little bit of change to move very solid showing from grace McAuliffe over to Morgan heard you know she's a great gymnast but the thing that she struggles with is consistency and so far today she's been tremendous no short on that handstand right there really nice combination told us she needs to improve her landings inside stalter full turn a little bit shy and it was a I'll tell you what though this this is an a-plus for her today in my opinion for routines for solid hits I don't know if they were going to give her that stick for that landing beginning of the weekend in Boston was she was trying to work on her landings see these in side in bar work is extremely difficult what you don't realize is by not putting your toes on the bar the amount of muscles that you have to have to do that skill it's a lot harder than it actually loves that last dance in a little bit low great dismount she is more engaging than her I mean she talks to everybody oh yeah who's around her and it Jordan child's now fifth place after third rotation bounced once again just one foot 110 [Music] definitely a big step out but then I believe the other foot crosses into the white area which would be 3/10 [Music] way she's bent over and now on that one under [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] the first two tumbling passes were grateful to so much power wasn't able to stay in bounds in the second two didn't quite have the endurance in the power that she needed to to get through this we're team a little bit better good start to the evening but finish perhaps Jordan child [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] trials weights Morgan heard 14.6 five bars pretty big number right there a great day for her great six at the US Championships last year before that thrilling win at the World Championships final and of the evening for Simone biles check this out Simone biles what a save triple wolf turn she believe it or not he's winning every event and certainly capable here this is a big huge test though front with a half [Applause] another challenge right here three skills in a row great she performs every single skill as if she's just on a line on the floor exercise miss fetch ease which such confidence great front pipe there that's new for her from Rio to do it with her legs straight and her dismount is killer hard two back handsprings into a full twisting double after day one in the leader on every single event Simone biles bikes and with these Athena I know it's difficult but she makes it look so easy and then is not even out of breath when she's done [Music] Oh one more day [Music] so watch this if you didn't have legs as strong as Simone vile and the coordination there's no way you're able to save that you're off the beam and here's that front flip with a half turn you see her spot the beam pretty much all the way around just so solid every single skill three skills in a row right here I thought she was a little off here but then perfect in the end and this dismount is so extremely difficult people do this on the floor exercise and she does it on the beam two back handsprings full twisting double back but it was a definitive performance like you said Nastya every single skill is definite down to a tee and aggressive as all get-out [Music] at some point appears to be performing not to be absolutely is she has she had the luxury of being able to do that chairs the record for the most us all-around titles for women and way [Music] over a two and a half point lead and my guess is she will extend them and like I said she's not gonna just with me all around she's gonna be number one on every single event so just a formality and to find out how large that lead is going into day 2 which would be Sunday and as we wait step away from back to Boston in a moment [Music] the women tonight the men tomorrow afternoon concluding here at these national championships a matulak waiting after night one win his fifth title as well 3:30 Eastern on with the channel at 4:30 Eastern on NBC so Sam going out so was Simone I think she's got a good shot at winning this one she's uh [ __ ] over three points as we send it over to Andrea well I guess this is really a welcome back Simone Terry I mean Simone it's like you never left but what were your emotions though being back out there for the first time at Nationals in two years I actually felt very confident I was really excited I felt really good going into today so you've made it look so easy you let in every single event but what has been the biggest challenge for you I think connecting the mind in the body I think that has been the hardest part because I know physically I'm capable but mentally and so I'm still working on it you told us the other day that you were a little bit worried in your first two day competition use what talked about possible burnout how you holding up so far so far so good I'm pretty proud of myself what are you most pleased with [Music] bars and law was really good all right well congratulations we'll look for you on Sunday Thank You Terry Andrea thanks so I guess that was the only question mark coming in bars because of what happening a few weeks ago no question marks anymore resounding performance and lead is to come back wrap things up in a moment here in boss the Team USA summer champions series presented by Comcast on NBCSN is brought to you by Xfinity about Partner of Team USA Xfinity delivers the best in home Wi-Fi experience for all your devices so this opening night for the women has and all of us Simone biles a reminder second night for the women Sunday 8 o'clock Eastern on NBC tomorrow afternoon the man finished their competition salmon fulvic leading after day one 24s fifth title 3:30 Eastern on Olympic channel and 4:30 BC until then to Tim Daggett and Andrea Joyce I'm Terry Gannon [Music]

Channel: USA Gymnastics

Views: 1,733,254

Keywords: USA, Gymnastics, Sports, National Team, Routine, Training, Gymnastics Tricks, USA Gymnastics, Gymnast, Gymnastics Tips, Athlete, Motivation, Lessons, Amazing, How to, Gold Medal, Professional, Qualifying

Id: OIJe8fQw7Wo

Length: 101min 6sec (6066 seconds)

Published: Sat Aug 18 2018