World All-Around Champion Jordyn Wieber Misses Finals
They say anything can happen in sports, but not many fans and viewers would have guessed the outcome of this morning’s women’s gymnastics qualification round.
Reigning world all-around champion Jordyn Wieber, and favorite to win a gold medal in the all around in London, did not qualify to compete in the all around in the finals, where she would get her chance at a medal. The IOC has a rule where only two all-arounders per country can qualify on, and Gabby Douglas and Aly Raisman narrowly beat out Wieber for those two spots. Gabby Douglas and Jordyn Wieber were thought to battle it out for all around gold, but with this upset, Aly Raisman will now get her chance to medal.
Wieber kept her emotions in check for a while after the results were announced, and then broke down in tears. She had a bit of an off day on beam, where she wobbled on her L-turn and switch side leap. She also most likely lost the connection points for her standing full into a back handspring.
The USA women, in general, had a phenomenal day. They started on vault where each of the four competitors– Raisman, Douglas, Wieber, and Maroney– competed the difficult Amanar (2.5 twisting yurchenko) vault. Raisman put up a 15.80, Douglas a 15.90, Wieber a 15.833, and Maroney a solid 15.9.
Keeping the momentum going on their weakest event, uneven bars, the US team started off with a clean, hit set from Kyla Ross. Ross’s foot hit the low bar on her Shaposhnikova-half, but that didn’t phase her. Aly Raisman’s form has been improving, and she put up a solid 14.16.
Wieber’s first sign of trouble came on this event, where she overly arched on her pirouette, and had to expend energy saving herself from falling. It was a great save, however, and Wieber nearly stuck her landing for a 14.833. Douglas, dubbed the “flying squirrel” because of this event, lived up to her name with huge release moves and a huge double layout dismount for a 15.333.
Balance beam, the event the tends to give teams the most trouble, was mostly solid for the US women. Kyla Ross performed a solid and calm routine to get the US women going, and put up a solid 15.075. Building off her momentum, Douglas stayed on with only a minor wobble after her flight series. She nailed the rest of the routine for a 15.266. Wieber, however, had some uncharacteristic wobbles on this event, but nothing that seemed too serious at the moment. She received a 14.7, a little lower than normal. Raisman began to catch Wieber after nailing her set, and put up a great 15.1.
Ending on floor, three of the four US women went out of bounds on at least one tumbling pass. There have been reports that the floor is extra bouncy, so the women will look to control their landings and take-offs during the finals. Ross put up a 13.733, going out of bounds on her double arabian, and Douglas has a very clean set beside going out of bounds on the same pass.
Wieber nearly stuck her double double, but went out of bounds on her 1.5 through to triple-twisting full into a stag jump. She put up a 14.66, somewhat lower than what she usually scores. Raisman was last, as floor is undoubtedly her best event. Wieber, I’m sure, knew she was in trouble at this point, but Raisman’s floor is too good and too powerful to count out. She stayed in bounds and received a 15.325, enough to pass Wieber for the second all around spot.
Wieber was visibly upset, and rightfully so. She is the defending world champion, and it is a shame that she will not get her chance to bring home an Olympic all-around gold. However, Raisman did a phenomenal job in qualification competition, and also deserves to compete for a medal. The IOC rule that only two gymnasts per country can move on to finals is creating a lot of commotion online and on social media sites, but you wonder if the same were to be said if Wieber and Douglas had made the finals instead of Raisman. Either way, the US women are well on their way to a team medal, and we look forward to what comes next!
