Pictured: Simone Biles

The senior women's 2014 P&G Championships kicked off on Thursday, August 21, 2014, with some high-flying gymnastics. Although injuries slimmed the field down to just 13 women, the level of gymnastics was high and consistent overall.  

 

Madison Desch started the competition on bars, while Mykayla Skinner led the field on beam. Skinner performed her signature back handspring tucked full series, standing pike, and double tuck dismount with a slight hop. She had some wobbles but hit her routine for a score of 14.35.  Desch scored 14.05 with a clean bar routine.

Brenna Dowell amazed us on bars, her only event of the competition. She earned 15.40 on her 6.7 D score routine that included a unique Tweddle to straddle back half, piked tkachev, shaposh half, and double layout dismount. Madison Kocian was next on bars, performing a solid routine with beautiful stalder work and a full twisting double tuck dismount. She earned 15.25.


Pictured: Brenna Dowell

Kyla Ross impressed on beam with her trademark consistency despite a couple of early balance checks. She hit a gorgeous front aerial to sheep jump and was solid on her back handspring layout stepout and switch ring leap, earning 15.20. Maggie Nichols was up next on bars. She completed a good routine despite some trouble on her pac salto, and finished with a nice double layout, for 14.45. Simone Biles completed the beam rotation, hitting a gorgeous routine that featured solid, hit combinations and a stuck full twisting double back dismount. She earned a large roar from the crowd and a score of 15.60.

The last competitor of the first rotation was Ashton Locklear, who impressed at the 2014 Secret U.S. Classic by winning bars with her 6.6 D score routine. She swung beautifully, with unique combinations and inbar skills. She stuck her full twisting double tuck dismount to loud applause and a 15.80.

 

At the conclusion of the first rotation, Locklear led the field, followed by Biles, Dowell, Kocian, Ross, and Nichols.  

 

Kocian started the second rotation on beam, with her trademark execution and grace. Though she was a little low on her double pike, she scored 14.70 with a 5.9 D score. Alyssa Baumann was next on beam, performing a solid routine that earned a 15.15.


Pictured: Alyssa Baumann

Ross was next on floor. Unfortunately, she fell on her first pass, a whip to double Arabian that she debuted at the Secret U.S. Classic in July 2014. She impressed with her elegance and grace for the remainder of the routine, however, and finished strong with a stuck double tuck. She scored 13.75.

Simone Biles' highly anticipated floor routine was incredible once again. She opened with a double double with just a tiny hop. She carried her infectious energy into her second pass, performing her signature tumbling pass, a double layout half out, which is named after her. Her third pass was a beautiful, stuck double layout. She finished with a sky-high full in, and the crowd erupted. She scored a huge 15.65.

Ashton Locklear was next on beam, her second and final event. She hit her side aerial layout stepout with a wobble, and performed a solid routine that showcased her long lines. She finished with a double tuck with a step, for 14.50.

Next on floor was another highly anticipated routine for Skinner. She opened with a laid out double double, with some form breaks and stepped out of bounds. Her second pass, a tucked double double, was more solid.  She switched the order of her third and fourth passes, finishing with a one and a half twist to a two and a half twist. She earned 14.90.   

After the second rotation, Simone Biles took over the lead, followed by Locklear, Kocian, Skinner, and Baumann.  

 

Ross started off the third rotation with a clean, nearly stuck double twisting Yurchenko. She earned 15.05. Starting the third rotation on floor was Baumann. Her precise execution and strong tumbling, including a double layout, earned her 14.45. Nichols was performed well on on floor and earned a 14.55.

Biles vaulted a clean Amanar with a slight hop on the landing, followed by a stuck Yurchenko half on, half off.  She scored 15.90 on her first vault with a massive 9.6 execution score despite a small hop. Skinner peformed her first vault, a Cheng, essentially on one arm, scoring 15.35.  Her second vault was a double twisting Yurchenko with a step back.

 

After the third rotation, Biles retained her lead, followed by Skinner and Ross. Baumann and Nichols were tied for fourth.  

Pictured: Mykayla Skinner

The fourth rotation began with Baumann on vault. She scored 14.80 for a powerful double twisting Yurchenko with a hop back. Ross finished night one of her competition on bars. Coming back from a fall on floor, Ross performed a clean bar routine, but had trouble on her double layout dismount. Her knees buckled and one knee touched the ground. She scored 13.95.

Biles finished her evening on bars as well. She sung a clean routine, with a nice Tkachev and nearly stuck full twisting double back. She scored 14.55 to remain in the top spot, with 61.80, one tenth higher than her score at the Secret U.S. Classic.

 

At the conclusion of the competition, Biles remained the leader by a large margin. Nichols took second with a total score of 58.650, and Baumann took third with 58.40. Biles yet again dominated the night and, similar to the Junior competiton, there were unexpected mistakes. 


Pictured: Maggie Nichols, credit: Christy Ann Linder

Full Results: