USA Annihilates Competition In Day 1 Of Qualifications

Oct 5, 2014 by Kati Breazeal

The United States' women dominated the World stage today and now hold a commanding lead over the countries who have previsouly competed. Their high levels of difficulty per event, precise execution, and controlled landings have propelled the team above their competition, putting them in a position to potentially grasp the gold medal in finals.

Beam

MyKayla Skinner takes the lead off position for Team USA on the balance beam. She doesn’t waste any time getting her routine started, and hits her first big series- back handspring to back tuck full. Skinner looks sharp in each movement as she proceeds through the routine- switch half leap, back tuck, small wobble upon landing. Seems to have a few minor form breaks throughout the set, but nothing major. Double back dismount with a small hop on the landing, and Skinner puts up a solid start to the event with a 13.533.

Madison Kocian begins with a very nice standing arabian, high level of difficulty. Her switch ring leap exceeds the minimum requirement of 180 degrees, beautiful display of her flexibility. Small wobble on her back handspring layout step out series. Ends the set with a clean roundoff double pike, scoring a 13.900.

Alyssa Baumann also started her routine with standing arabian- big wobble and fights with everything she has to remain on the beam. Switch ring leap had a small wobble upon landing, right into her back handspring layout step out series, stuck cold! Baumann is really attacking the rest of this routine with tenacity. Roundoff 2.5 twist dismount, and a big hop forward to finish. Scored a 14.066.

Simone Biles set to take on the fourth position on this event. Beginning with her signature, double wolf turn, beautifully executed. Sissone to pike jump combination, front aerial to split jump, right into a back handspring layout step out layout step out series. Biles put up a rock solid routine for Team USA, and has a ‘no fear’ presence as she performs her routine. Two back handsprings into a full-in dismount and she’s hit! 15.133.

Kyla Ross to anchor Team USA on the balance beam. Front tuck to wolf jump combination was beautifully done. Ross has an elegant style of choreography that shows off her flexibility and graceful movements between skills. Front aerial to sheep jump, back handspring layout step out series, not a single flicker of movement upon landing. Looking incredibly confident going into her dismount, a double back with one small step and she concludes the first event for the US! Scored a 14.391.

Team USA finishes their first event with a total score of 57.490.

Floor

Kocian leads the US women on their second event. First pass- tucked full in, with a little too much power causing her to take a big hop back on the landing. Great double pike second pass, showed a lot of control on the landing. Beautiful combination third pass- backwards 1.5 twist into a front full. Double back last pass that had great height and a small step on the landing. Scored a 13.633 with a 5.4 level of difficulty.

Alyssa Baumann in the second spot on floor. Huge double layout first pass! Only a slight hop forward on the landing, gets a gasp of approval from the crowd. Triple twist with great execution in the air- legs stayed glued together and a small hop on the landing. Baumann has a graceful style of dance and really sells her performance on the floor. Big double pike to conclude the set with a 14.000, with a 5.70 level of difficulty.

Kyla Ross begins her routine with a double arabian into a stag leap, flawless. Backwards 1.5 twist into a front full is done to perfection. Ross is a performer who really shows her passion for the sport through her dance, and gives a beautiful display of artistry throughout the routine. Double back to finish the routine. 13.800 from a 5.4 level of difficulty.

Skinner with an absolutely massive first pass- laid out double double! Turns right around and nails a tucked double double second pass! Skinner gets incredible height on each of her passes, even her execution in the air looks to be improved from previous competitions. Finishes the routine with a 1.5 through to 2.5 twists, small hop on the landing. With a 6.4 level of difficulty, Skinner earns a 14.700 to take first place on the event, so far.

Biles as the anchor for this floor rotation. Starts with a huge tucked double double, with virtually no time in between before her second pass- double layout with a half twist on the end. Very controlled landings in each of the passes. For her third pass, Biles executes a nearly perfect double layout! Looking very strong through this routine with nice amplitude on her leap and jump combinations. Scored a 15.366 from a huge 6.5 level of difficulty. She takes the current lead on the floor.

Vault

Kocian begins the event with a very clean Yurchenko full. Decent sized hop on the landing, to earn a 14.133.

Baumann with a nearly flawless Yurchenko double twist! Great execution in the twist, with a small hop upon landing. 5.80 level of difficulty, to earn a 15.033.

Ross performs a double twisting Yurchenko with great amplitude off the horse, immaculate form in the air, and lands in the middle of the mat. Great vault for Ross. 15.100.

Skinner will compete two vaults. First vault- a great Cheng with nice height off the horse, but she took a big hop backwards on the landing. 15.666. Second vault- Yurchenko double full. Clean the entire way through the vault, just took another hop backwards on the landing. 15.033. An average score of 15.349 for both vaults.

Biles will also perform two vaults. First vault- HUGE Amanar! Incredible height and execution in the air, with a hop forward on the blind landing. 15.800. Second vault- Yurchenko half on, layout half off. Takes a small hop on the landing. 15.100. She averaged a 15.450, which means she is the current leader on the event, Skinner in second.

Bars

Skinner is definitely a power-swinger on bars, really attacks the event for the duration of the routine. Big Shaposh half to the high bar, high Tkatchev and a full out dismount with a small hop to conclude Skinner’s bar rotation, and first session of qualifications. 13.900, with a 5.70 level of difficulty.

Biles with the first, uncharacteristic mistake on the event for Team USA. Her toe-full was short and while she attempted to save it, she put her foot on the bar, swung down, and re-started the combination. Biles managed to have a strong remainder of the routine, and finished with a 13.30.

Ross delivers with a nearly perfect bar set! Incredible rhythm throughout the routine, handstands and pirouetting skills were flawlessly executed- Maloney to Pak, Maloney half, toe blind into a beautiful Jaeger! Double layout dismount, stuck! 14.650 for conclude her competition.

Kocian with a big Shaposh to Pak to Stalder Shaposh half- incredible combination. She doesn’t quite get her feet through on her stoop, and will have a break in her routine, although she fights through it and continues on. Kocian is a natural bar swinger and finishes the routine with a stuck tucked full in dismount. 14.300.

Ashton Locklear makes her World Championship debut as the anchor on bars. Huge combination to begin the routine- Inside Stalder full to Komova to Pak to Maloney to bail to toe up, wow! Great rhythm and execution throughout the routine. Tucked full out dismount, and she nails it! 15.233 for Locklear, who ranks first on the event.

After the conclusion of Subdivision 5, Team USA has taken a dominant lead and shown they will be the team to beat in finals.

The current standings are as follows:
1. USA - 235.038
2. Russia - 228.135
3. Netherlands - 214.662
4. Belgium - 214.469
5. Canada - 214.102

Teams that have yet to compete:
China - Sub. 8
Japan - Sub. 9
Great Britain - Sub. 10
Romania - Sub. 10

Related Article:
Results: Women's Qualifications Day 1

See Team USA's routines here:
2014 World Championships- Qualifications- USA- Vault
2014 World Championships- Qualifications- USA- Bars
2014 World Championships- Qualifications- USA- Beam
2014 World Championships- Qualifications- USA- Floor