Gymmin' Miel!

I am so excited to see how things play out at today's American Cup! Competition is set to get underway at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts very soon and I cannot even pick a gymnast who I feel has the edge... I am hoping for an exciting and close tussle! Competition is set to get started very shortly, and we'll be starting with just the Men for the first two rotations, with the Women starting on Vault in the third rotation. Poor Danell, balked on a tumbling pass, think he is sick. And after one rotation, Jake Dalton leads over Kristian Thomas and Hiroki Ishikawa. Huge commendations for Danell.... competing whilst ill and not scratching.... that's super determination. After two events, Thomas leads over Ishikawa and Oleg Verniaiev. Jacob Dalton top scored on the Floor Exercise, Still Rings (tied with Marcel Nguyen), Vault and Horizontal Bar to win the 2013 American Cup title. Ukraine's Oleg Verniaiev and German Marcel Nguyen finished second and third in the All Around respectively. Verniaiev had the high score on the Pommel Horse, with Nguyen tops on the Parallel Bars.

And yay!!! Enter the Women! Simone Biles of the United States had the highest score of the day for her Amanar on Vault and also high scored on the Uneven Bars, in order to take the lead at the halfway point. She suffered a fall on the Balance Beam and was unable to come back to take the lead. Katelyn Ohashi wowed the crowd with her high scoring Beam routine and had a solid showing on the Floor Exercise to take out the 2013 American Cup title over Biles and Canadian Victoria Moors. Moors also scored the top mark on the Floor Exercise.
 

WOMEN'S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS:

MEN'S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS:

Can Charity Jones of Dynamo Gymnastics defend the title she won last year? Or what about three time participants Alex McMurtry and Ashleigh Gnat, could they pose a challenge? Seven other gymnasts have participated previously in the Nastia Liukin Cup, could they be successful in 2013? Brandy Johnson's Aja-Monet Sims and Cincinnati's Brianna Brown, scored the highest All Around score to qualify to the NLC. Sims also scored the highest mark on the Balance Beam, whilst Ashleigh Gnat (ACE, FL) scored a perfect 10.0 on the Vault on the way to qualifying. Ashton Locklear (Everest) and Kiera Brown (World Class) both scored the top marks on the Uneven Bars and  Rachel Daum (Stars Houston) was successful on the Floor Exercise, on their way to qualifying to tonight. Could they impact on tonight's competition?

Juniors are in pink leotard with black swirls, whilst the Seniors are in Black leotard with pink swirls. After the first rotation, Kaytianna McMillan and Ashleigh Gnat are tied for first with Alexis Mattern in third. At the halfway point, McMillan leads over Rachel Daum and Mackenzie Brannan. And with one rotation to go, Kari Lee leads over Mackenzie Brannan and Aja-Monet Sims. Brianna Brown and Alma Kuc only competed two events each in the competition. And it's Alex McMurtry who takes the title over Aja-Monet Sims and Samantha Partyka.

 

 

 

2012 British Junior All Around Champion, Gabrielle Jupp has joined the American Cup Line Up. One WAG place is yet to be filled, but will go to a second gymnast from the United States of America. This is set to be Gabrielle's first International outing as a Senior. At the 2012 Junior European Championships, Jupp finished fifth in the All Around with a score of 54.698 and also ended up with a bronze medal on the Floor Exercise, after scoring a 13.900. She is an exciting gymnast and I wish her all the best. (Gabby's Floor Routine from the 2012 Euros Final, courtesy of Youtube user UKGymVideos)

The 2013 American Cup will take place on the 2nd of March at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. The first All Around World Cup event for 2013 boasts an exciting line up even though one Female gymnast is yet to be added to the draw. Also the Women's Artistic representative from Canada and Men's representative from Japan are yet to be announced. Elizabeth Price and Kyla Ross will be the home country favorites however definitely do not count out any of the other Women who have been named to the field! The Men's field is very strong but I think Marcel Nguyen of Germany and Americans Jacob Dalton and Danell Leyva are standouts. Personally, I am looking forward to seeing Colombian stalwart Jorge Hugo Giraldo Lopez competing!

UPDATED 24/1: Elizabeth Price is out due to a strained hip muscle and as such a second female Anerican WAG Gymnast will be named after the February National Training Camp. Romanian Larisa Iordache has also withdrawn with her replacement still to be named. Japan's Koko Tsurumi has been added to the field. Whilst the unknown gymnasts from Japan (MAG) and Canada (WAG) have been announced as being Hiroki Ishikawa and Victoria Moors.

 

DRAWING OF LOTS:

WOMEN:

MEN: