Pictured: Brenna Dowell

The U.S. will be choosing two senior international teams after the 2014 P&G Championships. The Senior Pan American Championships team will be chosen directly from P&Gs and there will likely be six on the team. The gymnasts who will be invited to the Worlds selection training camp will be chosen from P&Gs as well and this year there will be six on the Worlds team.

 

Kyla Ross and Simone Biles seem like locks for the Worlds team right now but the rest of the spots are still up for grabs. Below are some of the gymnasts who will feel the pressure at Championships to perform and prove they deserve a spot on these teams.

 

Brenna Dowell

 

Brenna Dowell could be a strong contributor to a Worlds team and it would be great redemption for her after last year’s Worlds where she was moved from competitor to alternate just the day before the competition. Brenna had a great start to her 2014 year when she placed second all-around at the American Cup. Her performance included a beautiful Amanar with an impressive 9.3 execution score. She was limited to only competing bars at the U.S. Classic and after a couple mistakes she only scored an 11.2. Last year she placed third all-around at P&G Championships behind Simone and Kyla. If she can get healthy again and repeat that performance, she’d have a great shot at the Worlds team. 

 

 

Peyton Ernst

 

After Peyton’s breakout season last year, she had a great start in 2014. She placed second at the Jesolo Trophy with a 57.65 all-around. She was an alternate for the Pac Rims team but got called up last minute after Simone withdrew. She competed vault, bars, and beam and put up great routines especially considering her last minute addition. After the competition, she found out she had competed on a fractured foot and took time off to heal. 

 

Peyton was absent from the U.S. Classic because of another minor injury but we are hoping to see her in all-around at Championships. If she does compete all-around at the Championships, it is important that she proves she is consistent and is healthy again. She has already proven to be a great competitor internationally, which is important to consider in choosing a Worlds team.

 

Pictured: Rachel Gowey

Rachel Gowey

 

Rachel has been referred to as the breakout gymnast of the year. She began the 2014 season being named to the Senior National team then leaving directly to compete at the 2014 Jesolo Trophy. She was not chosen to be one of the gymnasts on the USA team but she ended up doing well and placing fifth all-around with a 56.75. She then became the buzz around the gymnastics community after a video from a national team training camp showed a few of her upgrades. At the U.S. Classic, she competed a new triple twist beam dismount, three and a half twist floor pass, and Amanar on vault.

 

If Rachel wants to make the Worlds team, she needs to hit at Championships. She needs to show that she got her nerves out at Championships and that she has worked on refining her routines. Rachel has always has the world class artistic look but if she hits these skills, especially her Amanar, it will prove that she has the difficulty as well and can be a world contender.


Pictured: Ashton Locklear

Ashton Locklear

Ashton Locklear was not on many people's radars until the U.S. Classic. While she qualified for the U.S. Classic and Championships last year, she didn't compete due to injury. She made a big splash at this year's classic where she placed first on bars with an impressive 15.7 on bars with a 6.6 difficulty score. She only competed bars and beam and scored a 14.55 on beam for fourth place. 

If Ashton wants to make an international team, she needs to prove she can repeat her performance from Classics. While she had the highest start value on bars on the U.S. team, it is unlikely that she will be chosen for Worlds due to her inexperience at the international level. 

 

 

Mykayla Skinner

 

Mykayla Skinner is definitely in the running for a Worlds team, but she needs to prove it at the P&G Championships. She clearly has the skills and difficulty, but her execution and consistency are what is holding her back. She seemed to be gaining momentum and on the rise but had a rough performance at the U.S. Classic. While her coach Lisa Spini stated they aren’t looking to be in peak condition for the Classic, her performance did not help her case for the Worlds team. She did not include her full difficulty on floor and also had a fall on her last pass. On vault, she did not perform her Amanar, instead opting for a solid double twisting Yurchenko. 

 

Mykayla has the ability to receive a 6.8 start value on floor, potentially the highest in the world. However, she will need to prove she has the endurance and consistency to hit this routine. She also has two incredibly strong vaults, but she needs to prove she has the form and consistency to execute them well. The Championships will be an important meet for Mykayla to prove she deserves a spot on the Worlds team.


Related:
Full P&G Championships Roster
Juniors to Watch for at the P&G Championships
Beyond the Routine with Mykayla Skinner