2016 Women's Olympic TrialsJul 7, 2016 by Amanda Wijangco
Consistency: Where Amelia Hundley Fits in the Olympic Picture
Consistency: Where Amelia Hundley Fits in the Olympic Picture
With six years of elite experience as a national team member under her belt, Amelia Hundley of Cincinnati Gymnastics may be one of the most consistent compe
With six years of elite experience as a national team member under her belt, Amelia Hundley of Cincinnati Gymnastics may be one of the most consistent competitors at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials.
But her name isn’t garnering the same attention as the top Olympic contenders, like Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, Laurie Hernandez or Maggie Nichols.
She may not have gymnastics as difficult as Biles’, or the maturity and experience of Raisman, Douglas' big titles, Hernandez's performance and showmanship, or a World medal like Nichols, but she still fits into the Olympic picture.
But what Hundley does possess that is extremely valuable, especially to an Olympic team, is consistency.
Elite gymnasts and die-hard fans alike know consistency is something National Team coordinator Martha Karolyi always looks for.
When asked what the top criteria Karolyi looks for when picking an Olympic team, 2008 Olympic all-around champion Nastia Liukin told NBCOlympics.com just that.
“Being able to depend on these athletes, especially under pressure. I think that’s one of the most important things because when you get the Olympic games, obviously everybody is a great gymnast, but it’s the way that they perform under pressure,” Liukin said.
The Hamilton, Ohio, native hit eight for eight and had nearly identical scores on both days. Each routine received a solid score in the 14 range with no execution scores below 8.35.
Video via USA Gymnastics
Her double-twisting Yurchenko vault earned a 14.8 on days one and two. On bars and beam, her day one and two scores were just .05 apart. And her floor scores were just .15 apart. These steady performances gave her a solid sixth-place all-around finish to put her in good contention for at least an alternate spot on the Olympic team.
Similarly, in 2012, Sarah Finnegan finished sixth in the all-around at the Visa Championships and went on to produce the same all-around result at the Olympic Trials. Finnegan and Hundley are by no means the same gymnast, but Finnegan went on to be named an Olympic alternate to the Fierce Five, so sixth place isn’t a bad place to be.
In addition, she has competed in competitions that replicate the Olympic vibe: the 2015 Pan-American Games. While the Pan-Am Games certainly aren’t of the same magnitude of the Olympic Games, Hundley’s experience there gives her an advantage.
She knows what it’s like to compete in a big international competition. She knows what it’s like to train intensely for weeks beforehand. She knows what it’s like to compete in a team final and be counted on. She knows what it’s like to represent your country and have that weight on your back.
Video via USA Gymnastics
And Hundley did that well. At the Pan-Am Games in Toronto, she contributed to Team USA’s gold medal and won two medals of her own: bronze on bars and silver on floor.
If Hundley can replicate or improve her performances from Championships, she will show Karolyi and the selection committee she is a dependable athlete.
So while she doesn’t have the highest start values or the huge accomplishments, Hundley is a solid and consistent competitor with valuable international experience that will only help her pursue her Olympic dream and puts her in a good position to be an alternate.
After all, gymnastics can be an unpredictable sport, so consistency is a treasured asset, and it’s one Hundley has demonstrated.
Related:
The Gymnastics Kitchen with Betsy: Amelia Hundley 'Meals with Meels'
The Gymnastics Kitchen with Betsy: Big Changes for Amelia
But her name isn’t garnering the same attention as the top Olympic contenders, like Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, Laurie Hernandez or Maggie Nichols.
She may not have gymnastics as difficult as Biles’, or the maturity and experience of Raisman, Douglas' big titles, Hernandez's performance and showmanship, or a World medal like Nichols, but she still fits into the Olympic picture.
But what Hundley does possess that is extremely valuable, especially to an Olympic team, is consistency.
Elite gymnasts and die-hard fans alike know consistency is something National Team coordinator Martha Karolyi always looks for.
When asked what the top criteria Karolyi looks for when picking an Olympic team, 2008 Olympic all-around champion Nastia Liukin told NBCOlympics.com just that.
“Being able to depend on these athletes, especially under pressure. I think that’s one of the most important things because when you get the Olympic games, obviously everybody is a great gymnast, but it’s the way that they perform under pressure,” Liukin said.
The Olympics is a pressure like no other. You know it’s not like a world championships or a national championship, so I think consistency is pretty key.Two weeks ago at the P&G Championships in St. Louis, Hundley showed Karolyi and the selection committee exactly what she’s looking for.
The Hamilton, Ohio, native hit eight for eight and had nearly identical scores on both days. Each routine received a solid score in the 14 range with no execution scores below 8.35.
Video via USA Gymnastics
Her double-twisting Yurchenko vault earned a 14.8 on days one and two. On bars and beam, her day one and two scores were just .05 apart. And her floor scores were just .15 apart. These steady performances gave her a solid sixth-place all-around finish to put her in good contention for at least an alternate spot on the Olympic team.
Similarly, in 2012, Sarah Finnegan finished sixth in the all-around at the Visa Championships and went on to produce the same all-around result at the Olympic Trials. Finnegan and Hundley are by no means the same gymnast, but Finnegan went on to be named an Olympic alternate to the Fierce Five, so sixth place isn’t a bad place to be.
In addition, she has competed in competitions that replicate the Olympic vibe: the 2015 Pan-American Games. While the Pan-Am Games certainly aren’t of the same magnitude of the Olympic Games, Hundley’s experience there gives her an advantage.
She knows what it’s like to compete in a big international competition. She knows what it’s like to train intensely for weeks beforehand. She knows what it’s like to compete in a team final and be counted on. She knows what it’s like to represent your country and have that weight on your back.
Video via USA Gymnastics
And Hundley did that well. At the Pan-Am Games in Toronto, she contributed to Team USA’s gold medal and won two medals of her own: bronze on bars and silver on floor.
If Hundley can replicate or improve her performances from Championships, she will show Karolyi and the selection committee she is a dependable athlete.
So while she doesn’t have the highest start values or the huge accomplishments, Hundley is a solid and consistent competitor with valuable international experience that will only help her pursue her Olympic dream and puts her in a good position to be an alternate.
After all, gymnastics can be an unpredictable sport, so consistency is a treasured asset, and it’s one Hundley has demonstrated.
Related:
The Gymnastics Kitchen with Betsy: Amelia Hundley 'Meals with Meels'
The Gymnastics Kitchen with Betsy: Big Changes for Amelia