From left: Larisa Iordache (ROU), Simone Biles (USA), Aliya Mustafina (RUS).
 

Simone Biles dominated the 2014 World Championships, winning a phenomenal total of four gold medals including an unsurprising gold on the floor exercise. Larisa Iordache from Romania stepped up her performance and took silver on floor and bronze went to Aliya Mustafina from Russia, disappointing USA’s Mykayla Skinner and pushing her just 0.033 off the podium.
 

Now, there has been debate about Mustafina’s performance and whether this was worthy of the bronze medal, ahead of Skinner who delivered a hit skill packed difficulty routine. 
 

Mustafina without a doubt, performed a great routine. She even upgraded her first pass in order to increase her contention for a medal on this event. However, Skinner also hit a huge routine that included four strong passes - a double double laid out, double double tuck, full-in tuck, and 1.5 walk out into 2.5 twist, compared to Mustafina who only performed three - two whips into a double arabian, 2.5 punch full twisting front, and double tuck. There was also the difference in starting value, Mustafina with a 6.2 and Skinner with a 6.5 difficulty level. 

 

It was one of the best routines we have seen Skinner perform with much improved form and landings, something fans have criticized a lot since Skinner's elite debut. Mustafina performed fewer passes, but included three very nice turns - two triple and one double, and stunning leaps. This may potentially have made up for her less clean landings than Skinner who showed more difficult tumbling with only small hops on landings, but fewer leaps. Also depending on personal preference, Mustafina has been favored to have a more fluid, beautiful, and routine selling choreography than Skinner who is seen as a less artistic gymnast. 

 

Take a look at their routines to compare for yourself below.
 

 

 

This isn’t the first time Mustafina has sneaked her way up onto the podium. Other debates have risen with similar situations such as her performance in 2012 Olympics when she won the bronze medal in the all-around ahead USA’s Aly Raisman and in the floor finals ahead Vanessa Ferrari from Italy. Also, in 2013 she won a gold on beam ahead of Kyla Ross that was also questionable. 

 

Despite her fourth place finish, Skinner should not be heavily disappointed. She won gold with the team and a bronze on the vault and impressed many at her first ever World Championships at the age of seventeen. She should be exceptionally proud of her performance knowing that she has competed and presented herself as a top contender alongside the best in the world. Let’s hope that this can fuel her to get back in the gym and continue improving heading into another great year and the 2016 Olympics in Rio. 

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