Region 5 is making their move into 2019. Check out some of the new skills being done from our gymnasts around the Region. If you want your upgrades to be included in future Making Your Move posts upload your video to your Instagram page (must be public or put up on gym IG) and tag us @region5gyminsider. #R5MakingMovesMonday
We start off today’s post with a cool old school release (that ain’t easy). Check out this Comaneci on bars (cast front flip) from Natalie Berrutti (IGI).
The chime came across the arena sound system signifying the end of the touch warm-up period for rotation one in Day 2 of the 2018 US Championships. Standing focused and ready, Lilly Lippeatt waited for the announcer to introduce her and the green light to go on. Below the huge American Flag, Lilly begins her beam routine with cheers of go Lilly in the background. She began tumbling down the beam ending in her straight body layout two feet. Solid throughout the routine including her favorite chimmy sideways on the beam scored two tenths better then night one.
Leading off again in rotation 2, Lilly continued to stay true to her goal of making the presentation count. Smiling and tumbling while bringing the audience onto the floor with her during her clapping section was a treat to watch. Her 12.5 was an improvement over her day 1 score.
video by:USA Gymnastics
After her Yurchenko full on vault she moved 1/2 way around the arena to bars where she struggled on her Ricna in day 1. Unfortunately she had the same outcome on day 2 taking her Ricna a bit long and stomach dropping to the mat. However she got back up and finished her routine on a solid note, better then day 1 in my opinion, and finished up her championships with a 11.15. The crowd got a treat in this final rotation however as the top two bar workers for juniors were swinging their way atop the awards podium. Midwest Gym Center’s Sunisa Lee, the class of the meet on bars, sent her huge Nabieva (layout Ray) into the sky before catching and sailing her beautiful Pak salto down to the low bar for 14.75. 2018 National All Around champion Leanne Wong from GAGE, who by the way made huge improvements on bars in one year, scored a 14.25 to which coach Al Fong was ecstatic and raised her hand up to wave to the appreciative crowd in the TD Garden.
The TD Garden crowd erupted when Simone Biles name was announced at introductions of the senior athletes and the energy and support from the crowd continued the whole meet. Our Region 5 ladies were riding a high coming into second day of competition from their performance on Friday in Day 1. Shania Adams started off her day on vault with a nice Yurchenko full. Over on floor, Shilese Jones had a long wait before she was able to salute and compete but she didn’t let it kill her energy launching another double double into the air landing standing straight up and down well just like Simone does. She had a little too much juice coming out of double Arabian and bounced forward. She maybe getting ready to punch a front out of it soon…. we shall see!!
In the second rotation, Shania once again looked very confident and aggressive on her bar set nailing her connections and handstands to finish 8th overall on the event. Shilese power was in over drive on vault as she took a big hop back on her Yurchenko double full for 14.35, a little more then three tenths lower then on night 1.
Video by: USA Gymnastics
Onto the third rotation and of course can’t talk about Shania on balance beam without mentioning her wolf squat turns, text book on what the turns should look like. The turns were so good even Tim Daggett commented on the live broadcast
[highlight]Wow that was great, really calm…. and if you only saw people like her do that you would think it was easy”[/highlight]
After impressing Tim on her mount she nailed her layout layout series and finished up strong with her best landed double full dismount combo of the week for a 13.3 good enough for 7th overall in the competition. While Shania was grabbing Tim’s attention, Shilese was nailing another routine this time on bars to the excitement of her coach Christian. Her combined total for both days of 27.55 landed her in a tie for 6th on the event. The highlight for me in this rotation was the tumbling clinic put on by Jade Carey and Simone Biles, the two best on floor hands down. Yes Simone has a higher start value and scored higher, Jade was my floor champion on night 2.
In the fourth rotation well Simone did another almost perfect Cheng for a 15.6 and vaulting, catapulting herself to the national championship by over 6 points. Back on earth finishing in 2nd was Morgan Hurd, 2017 World Champion, and third went to Riley McCusker, who actually had the second best all around score of night 2 with a 56.7. Shania finished up on floor and almost touch the rafters I think on her double pike which she way over did and bounce and flew out of bounds onto her butt which was a bummer ending to what was otherwise a great competition for her. Shilese headed over to beam where once again had solid routine nailing her standing Arabian and her front tuck cold. She took a small step on her double back dismount combo for a 13.2 and a final total of 109.85 good enough for 5th all around and place on the 2018 USA National Team.
video by: USA Gymnastics
Lots of great gymnastics this past week in Boston. Thats all for this Gymnas Tea party. Next up Pan American Championships and WORLDS!
The city of Boston is hosting its first major elite gymnastics competition since Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson battled for the Visa Championship back in 2008. Home to the Boston Celtics and Bruins, the TD Garden, welcomes the countries best elite gymnasts for the biggest domestic competition of the season, the USA Championships.
As usual, the juniors took to the competition podium first on day 1 in front of a modest crowd for a Friday afternoon. Leanne Wong of Gage and her pencil straight lines leads the competition followed closely by Sunisa Lee (beautiful bar set) in second and Kayla Di Cello rounds out the top 3. Cincinnati’s Lilly Lippeatt had a good competition for her despite missing her Ray on bars but got the crowd clapping along with her routine on her last event floor. As she mentioned in her interview after podium training, Lilly is dealing with an injury that is affecting her leaps and outer rotation. However she has made it a point to smile and sell her performances to the crowd.
[highlight]”Entertaining everyone and just seeing them happy and smiling made me so happy. I shined, smiled and was happy.”[/highlight]
After falling on bars in rotation 2, Lilly hit a solid beam routine and put together four strong tumbling passes including a full in pike and 1 1/2 through to double back for a 12.35 and successful finish to first day of competition at these championships.
video by: USA Gymnastics
Next up the seniors entered the arena fully sparkled and ready to have a Boston “Tea” D Garden party of their own. The opening hype video on the jumbotron was rocking the TD Garden, literally, as the risers in media row were shaking! The athletes moved to their first rotation and got the meet movin FLOSS dance style as championships MC John Macready instructed the audience to do the dance.
Though the focus in the arena was on the Olympic Champion Simone Biles, World Champion Morgan Hurd and 2017 Jesolo all around champion Riley McCuster, our Region 5 ladies definitely were ready to take part in the party. On beam, Shania Adams wolf turned her way to a solid beam set and a 13.55 as Shilese Jones began on bars and the NBC cameramen quickly taking notice of her handstand line and speed in which she swings for a 13.95.
The momentum continued into the second rotation where Shilese not only nailed her huge standing Arabian but was solid throughout taking only a small step on her two back handsprings to double back dismount for a 13.3. Shania opened her floor set with one of the best 2 1/2 front tucks she has done in competition. Though she stepped out on her double pike, her routine was very nicely performed for a 13.0. Oh and Simone got a 15.6 on an almost perfect Cheng.
video by: USA Gymnastics
The only way to describe the third rotation is simply…. nailed it. Shania rocked and by rocked I mean stuck a Yurchenko 1/1 cold for a 13.7. Meanwhile moving over to the middle of the arena and center stage, Shilese dropped out of the sky as she tumbled as high as the third red strip from the bottom on the huge American Flag in far side of the arena. After an easy double double, she met the floor like glue on her Double Arabian and finished the third rotation with a 13.35.
Shania on doing the Yurchenko Full
[highlight]”We made the decision during morning training just to be clean and not risk anything”[/highlight]
The fourth rotation was over very quickly for our Region 5 ladies as both were first up. As Shania saluted the judge to begin her bar set, Shilese was blasting a Yurchenko double full which I had to watch on the jumbotron with one eye. She scored a 14.7 which would be the third overall score on vault (this is from the first vault attempt from all athletes not including those who did two vaults). Shania was confident for the start as she did her toe full Maloney Pak salto combination with ease. She moved back up to the high bar with Maloney 1/2, popped her Jaeger way above the bar and dropped back to earth with a solid full out for a 13.7. Three routines that need mentioning in the final rotation where Simone’s 15.2 on beam, Morgan’s 14.65 on bars, and the beautiful beam work of Kara Eaker for a 14.2.
video by: USA Gymnastics
Simone leads the field by over 3 points after day 1 (60.1) but our Region 5 ladies are both very much in the mix for the national team with Shilese in 6th (55.3) and Shania in a tie for 9th (53.75). Looking forward to more exciting gymnastics in day 2 of these championships.
