2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic GamesAug 9, 2016 by Justine Kelly
Rio 2016 Women's Team Final Preview: How the Teams Compare
Rio 2016 Women's Team Final Preview: How the Teams Compare
Sunday was full of Olympic gymnastics, with five subdivisions competing for spots in the team final, all-around final, and event finals. One of the most exc
Sunday was full of Olympic gymnastics, with five subdivisions competing for spots in the team final, all-around final, and event finals. One of the most exciting races was for the team final, where the top eight teams from qualifications move forward.
Today, the teams competing in this final will be the United States, China, Russia, Great Britain, Brazil, Germany, Japan, and the Netherlands.
The United States performed exceptionally in qualification by setting themselves far ahead of the rest of the field with a 185.238--nearly 10 points ahead of the second place qualifier, China. Interestingly, the remaining seven teams finished very close together, with just 3.35 points separating No. 2 China and No. 8 The Netherlands. The team final competition will be close, and many teams are looking to fix some mistakes made in the qualification round.
To examine each team's strengths and weaknesses, we looked at difficulty and execution on each event from qualifications, and broke it down by country below. Keep in mind, these numbers are based on all four competitors from qualifications without dropping the low score, which should provide an idea of the team overall and help correct for any competitors who made uncharacteristic mistakes and would be used in the final.
Vault - USA at the Top
Top Average Difficulty (all 4 competitors)
On difficulty and execution, USA was at the top of the pack in the qualification round. On vault, the highest difficulty came from Simone Biles and Aly Raisman, who both performed the Amanar, which is worth 6.3. Biles also came out on top for execution on this event--she scored a huge 9.7 in qualification. Russia is right behind them in difficulty--thanks to Maria Paseka and her Cheng vault, worth 6.4--but not top-three in execution. Their best vaulter by execution was Aliya Mustafina, who performs a double twisting Yurchenko, worth 5.8. Brazil ranks third in difficulty and second in execution. Rebeca Andrade performs a beautiful Amanar, the toughest vault of the bunch, and also scored the highest execution for her team at 9.266.
Top Average Difficulty (all 4 competitors)
The only event the U.S. did not have the highest average difficulty on was uneven bars. While they did come out on top execution-wise (Gabby Douglas had the highest at 9.266), Russia presented the highest average difficulty. All four of their competitors performed routines well into the 6.0-plus range, with Mustafina's 6.8 D-score on top.
Following her was Daria Spiridonova with a 6.7*, Seda Tutkhalyan with a 6.5, and Angelina Melnikova with a 6.4. Team Russia has always been incredible on bars, and they lived up to their reputation on Sunday. Not only did they perform with extraordinary difficulty, but they all performed their routines very well. They finished just behind the USA in average execution, and Mustafina did the best for her team with a 9.033. Despite suffering falls on multiple other events during qualifications, Russia's scores on bars were so good that they lifted them through to finals.
China also has high difficulty on bars. Fan Yilin and Shang Chunsong hit tough routines in qualification, and performed with 6.9 and 6.7 D-scores, respectively. Although they didn't suffer any falls, the judges were tough on them in execution. Following China is Germany, who are spectacular on bars--both Elisabeth Seitz and Sophie Scheder performed routines with 6.6 D-scores, plus Kim Bui, who performed with a 6.3 D-score. Similar to Russia, Germany will be looking to make up the most ground on this event.
*Note: Spiridonova was credited with a 6.7, but she replaced her usual Komova II with a Maloney and should have been given a 6.5.
Top Average Difficulty (all 4 competitors)
Beam presented problems for almost all teams on Sunday, and we saw lots of unfortunate falls.
But the USA did not experience this problem, and ended up with both the highest average difficulty and the highest average execution. Biles performed with the highest D-score, a 6.7. Laurie Hernandez scored the highest execution at 8.966, followed by Biles at 8.933.
China only put up three competitors on beam, and while they all hit their routines, their wobbles cost them in execution. Normally, Fan is one of their best competitors, and hit a 6.4 D-score on Sunday, but only scored a 8.466 in execution. Great Britain, which also has good difficulty, suffered falls from Becky Downie and Claudia Fragapane.
In execution, Brazil and the Netherlands finished just behind the U.S. Both teams have one very strong beam worker: Flavia Saraiva for Brazil, and Sanne Wevers for the Netherlands, who each competed with a 6.3 D-score. Saraiva had the highest execution score out of both teams at 8.833.
Top Average Difficulty (all 4 competitors)
Once again, Team USA comes out on top for difficulty and execution during qualifications. Their two best floor competitors, Biles and Raisman, have the highest D-scores at 6.8 and 6.6, respectively. On execution, Biles did best with an 8.933, followed by Hernandez with an 8.8.
Japan follows the U.S. in the No. 2 spot thanks to their huge tumbling, especially from Sae Miyakawa. She had some issues in qualifications, but normally scores much higher, and will look to improve in the team final. Mai Murakami also has a high D-score, and competed with a 6.2 on Sunday.
Lastly, Great Britain is capable of putting up impressive floor routines from Fragapane, Amy Tinkler and Ellie Downie. The latter fell during in her routine during qualifications, which caused her to leave the floor and not finish. At European Championships, she competed with a 6.1 D-score in the floor final, so their overall D-score average should be higher.
Behind the USA, Germany and the Netherlands were best in execution. Neither team has particularly high difficulty on the event, but they perform exceptionally well. Pauline Schafer was Germany's best competitor on Sunday with an 8.6 E-score and 5.7 difficulty in her routine. Eythora Thorsdottir fell on a tumbling pass in qualifications, but is normally one of the best competitors for the Dutch with a much higher D-score of 6.0.
What do you think of these numbers? Do you think the judging was accurate overall? Let us know what you think!
Today, the teams competing in this final will be the United States, China, Russia, Great Britain, Brazil, Germany, Japan, and the Netherlands.
The United States performed exceptionally in qualification by setting themselves far ahead of the rest of the field with a 185.238--nearly 10 points ahead of the second place qualifier, China. Interestingly, the remaining seven teams finished very close together, with just 3.35 points separating No. 2 China and No. 8 The Netherlands. The team final competition will be close, and many teams are looking to fix some mistakes made in the qualification round.
To examine each team's strengths and weaknesses, we looked at difficulty and execution on each event from qualifications, and broke it down by country below. Keep in mind, these numbers are based on all four competitors from qualifications without dropping the low score, which should provide an idea of the team overall and help correct for any competitors who made uncharacteristic mistakes and would be used in the final.
Vault - USA at the Top
Top Average Difficulty (all 4 competitors)
- USA: 6.05
- Russia: 5.95
- Brazil: 5.925
- USA: 9.483
- Brazil: 9.058
- Germany: 9.02475
On difficulty and execution, USA was at the top of the pack in the qualification round. On vault, the highest difficulty came from Simone Biles and Aly Raisman, who both performed the Amanar, which is worth 6.3. Biles also came out on top for execution on this event--she scored a huge 9.7 in qualification. Russia is right behind them in difficulty--thanks to Maria Paseka and her Cheng vault, worth 6.4--but not top-three in execution. Their best vaulter by execution was Aliya Mustafina, who performs a double twisting Yurchenko, worth 5.8. Brazil ranks third in difficulty and second in execution. Rebeca Andrade performs a beautiful Amanar, the toughest vault of the bunch, and also scored the highest execution for her team at 9.266.
Bars - Russia's Game
Top Average Difficulty (all 4 competitors)
- Russia: 6.6
- China: 6.375
- Germany: 6.35
- USA: 9.01625
- Russia: 8.83225
- The Netherlands: 8.7935
The only event the U.S. did not have the highest average difficulty on was uneven bars. While they did come out on top execution-wise (Gabby Douglas had the highest at 9.266), Russia presented the highest average difficulty. All four of their competitors performed routines well into the 6.0-plus range, with Mustafina's 6.8 D-score on top.
Following her was Daria Spiridonova with a 6.7*, Seda Tutkhalyan with a 6.5, and Angelina Melnikova with a 6.4. Team Russia has always been incredible on bars, and they lived up to their reputation on Sunday. Not only did they perform with extraordinary difficulty, but they all performed their routines very well. They finished just behind the USA in average execution, and Mustafina did the best for her team with a 9.033. Despite suffering falls on multiple other events during qualifications, Russia's scores on bars were so good that they lifted them through to finals.
China also has high difficulty on bars. Fan Yilin and Shang Chunsong hit tough routines in qualification, and performed with 6.9 and 6.7 D-scores, respectively. Although they didn't suffer any falls, the judges were tough on them in execution. Following China is Germany, who are spectacular on bars--both Elisabeth Seitz and Sophie Scheder performed routines with 6.6 D-scores, plus Kim Bui, who performed with a 6.3 D-score. Similar to Russia, Germany will be looking to make up the most ground on this event.
*Note: Spiridonova was credited with a 6.7, but she replaced her usual Komova II with a Maloney and should have been given a 6.5.
Beam - Falls Hamper Execution Scores
Top Average Difficulty (all 4 competitors)
- USA: 6.425
- China: 6.267
- Great Britain: 6.1
- USA: 8.74125
- Brazil: 8.49975
- The Netherlands: 8.483
Beam presented problems for almost all teams on Sunday, and we saw lots of unfortunate falls.
But the USA did not experience this problem, and ended up with both the highest average difficulty and the highest average execution. Biles performed with the highest D-score, a 6.7. Laurie Hernandez scored the highest execution at 8.966, followed by Biles at 8.933.
China only put up three competitors on beam, and while they all hit their routines, their wobbles cost them in execution. Normally, Fan is one of their best competitors, and hit a 6.4 D-score on Sunday, but only scored a 8.466 in execution. Great Britain, which also has good difficulty, suffered falls from Becky Downie and Claudia Fragapane.
In execution, Brazil and the Netherlands finished just behind the U.S. Both teams have one very strong beam worker: Flavia Saraiva for Brazil, and Sanne Wevers for the Netherlands, who each competed with a 6.3 D-score. Saraiva had the highest execution score out of both teams at 8.833.
Floor - More Falls Prove Costly for Some
Top Average Difficulty (all 4 competitors)
- USA: 6.375
- Japan: 5.975
- Great Britain: 5.85
- USA: 8.6935
- Germany: 8.3245
- The Netherlands: 8.22475
Once again, Team USA comes out on top for difficulty and execution during qualifications. Their two best floor competitors, Biles and Raisman, have the highest D-scores at 6.8 and 6.6, respectively. On execution, Biles did best with an 8.933, followed by Hernandez with an 8.8.
Japan follows the U.S. in the No. 2 spot thanks to their huge tumbling, especially from Sae Miyakawa. She had some issues in qualifications, but normally scores much higher, and will look to improve in the team final. Mai Murakami also has a high D-score, and competed with a 6.2 on Sunday.
Lastly, Great Britain is capable of putting up impressive floor routines from Fragapane, Amy Tinkler and Ellie Downie. The latter fell during in her routine during qualifications, which caused her to leave the floor and not finish. At European Championships, she competed with a 6.1 D-score in the floor final, so their overall D-score average should be higher.
Behind the USA, Germany and the Netherlands were best in execution. Neither team has particularly high difficulty on the event, but they perform exceptionally well. Pauline Schafer was Germany's best competitor on Sunday with an 8.6 E-score and 5.7 difficulty in her routine. Eythora Thorsdottir fell on a tumbling pass in qualifications, but is normally one of the best competitors for the Dutch with a much higher D-score of 6.0.
What do you think of these numbers? Do you think the judging was accurate overall? Let us know what you think!