Juniors this Weekend - Review

Lizzy Leduc - I always loved this gymnasts character and clean form so I was interested to see what Valeri did with her. I had mixed feeling, her vault Yurchenko straight 1/1 was ok but it was at Nationals. Bars was not good with 2 falls on her overshoot and double layout dismount but she had some new skills and the routine was in a different order so the potential is there she just needs more competitions. Floor - I actually prefer her jungle book routine it used to make me smile, I don't mind her new music but I thought the choreography was boring. Her leaps were ok I wouldn't say better though, she had a nice double pike and back 1 1/2 into front layout 1/2 but I thought her back 2 1/2 was too low and not quite round. Beam - She had a lot of new skills: standing arabian (low landing), front tuck (low landing), Onodi+sheep jump but although her talent and skills are impressive on this event I don't see why she needs all those skills when she won't be senior until 2013. I think her execution suffered as she only scored 13.350 at her home meet (lower than Nationals with all those new skills). I still love her gymnastics though and hope she makes the National Team this year.


Madison Kocian - She is my favourite US Junior right now. Her bars have really improved but she took out her new piked jaeger from the Metroplex Challenge. My favourite is her floor routine and this weekend she added a back 2 1/2 into front layout and i thought her switch ring was better. I think her beam still needs work and time but her excellent form makes her amazing to watch.

Grace Mclaughlin - She won the Junior division of the WOGA Classic with 55.150 which would have won the Senior competition. On beam she added an arabian (v. low landing) Beam seemed a little shaky and there was definetely some missed splits in her leaps. Bars was much better scoring 14.30 with a nice high straddled jaeger and a good double front dismount and I actually think she can score higher than that later in the season. She is actually a Senior next year so I'm sure they will be hoping she makes the National Team this year so she can get some international experience.

Asuka Teramoto or Mina Sugimura (sorry I'm not sure which) - I really like this gymnast she has a rare mix of big skils and beautiful form, I had never seen her before so it was a nice suprise another talent from Japan. Her beam routine was really nice and included a double spin, free walkover to flick layout, split change+side somi and a front walkover mount.

Brittany Robertson - A mention to this New Zealand gymnast who showed some of the best leaps (switch ring+tour jete, tour jete 1/2) of the weekend, shame about the fall but well done to her for her leaps and presentation.