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USA Gymnastics Women's Olympic Trials Live Blog Day 2

This is it...

The moment of truth...

In a couple of short hours, USA Gymnastics will name the 2016 Rio Olympic Team. There are so many questions. Will it be the five athletes that Marta named three weeks ago? Simone, Aly, Gabby, Laurie and Madison? Will Gabby recover from her beam disaster on night one to be the Gabby we all know and love? Most importantly, who will be named the alternates? Will the #Mashton debate will be settled once and for all?

Quick recap from night one - Simone is currently leading the pack and is well on her way to getting the lone guaranteed Olympic Team spot.  Coming up on her heels, one Miss Laurie Hernandez. Someone forgot to tell her that she's competing for her place in a team that is akin to getting into an Ivy League university (Although, if we must get specific, more students get into, let's say Stanford than athletes make this team). Laurie is as cool as a cucumber and saunters about the arena as if to say "NBD, just another competition."

Gabby Douglas's relationship with the beam hit a new low on Friday after she fell on an L turn, giving her a measly 13.7. Hopefully, she pulls out some angry beam tonight and just fucking nails it. Aly Raisman is also as cool as a cucumber. This isn't her first dog and pony show, she knows how it goes. While Madison Kocian hit all four of her events, including her signature event, bars. Ashton Locklear also had a painful break-up with the beam after falling on her acro series, but - the #Mashton debate still rages on.

To get answers to all your burning questions refresh this page every few minutes for all the action from San Jose.

Let the games begin...
What surprises await us tonight?

While I was waiting, I got bored and created some gymnastics memes, specifically for tonight.



Aaand as per usual, we start with Al, Nastia and Tim dissecting Gabby's beam meltdown. Way to rub salt in the wounds, guys.

Oh man, are we back to doing fluff pieces again? This is awesome!

Rotation One

Simone Biles FX - I forgot I was actually watching the meet. Seriously, I was mesmerized by Simone and her endless abilities. Ended with a double back. Went out of bounds on her first pass. 15.550 (6.8 SV)

Aly Raisman VT - amanar - lands lock kneed and out of bounds, step out. 15.2 (6.3 SV)

MyKayla Skinner VT - After a clip of her dancing in front of everyone else, she vaults. First Vault - Cheng - pretty solid. The best I've ever seen her do it, and she came close to sticking the landing. Hugs from everybody! 15.450 (6.4 SV)

Laurie Hernandez FX -  DLO, some leg seps in air, hop on landing,  double arabian + stag leap, a little flat, tour jete,  Hairography,  fro lay + fro 1/1 + front tuck OOB.  1/1 turn,  double back,  sw 1/2 + tour jete 1/2 14.7 (6.1 SV)

Haha, Aly needs a nap and waterproof mascara.

Gabby Douglas VT -  DTY,  very clean, nearly stuck. Not a lot of distance, but it's good and she's happy, so all is well with the Gabster. 15.00 (5.8 SV)

Checking on the live scoring, Madison Kocian got a solid 14.00 for what I am assuming is her FTY. That's solid. Those usually score in the high 13 range.

Christian Gallardo - representing the redheads!

Maggie Nichols FX -  double double, step back,  full in, clean landing,  sw ring + tour jete + sw 1/1,  pike full in, good landing, tour jete 1/2 + sw, wolf turn 2/1,  fro aerial,  double back, clean landing, lands with her feet staggered, but it was a very good clean NCAA double back. 14.750 (6.2 SV)

Ragan Smith FX -  DLO, big hop back,  1 1/2 + rudi, sw ring + tour jete,  double arabian + stag jump,  sw 1/2, wolf turn 2/1,   double pike, chest a bit down, but no foot movement on the landing. The crowd likes her routine. Damn you Trautwig for beating me to that point. 14.7 - 0.2  higher than night one.

Moving on to rotation two -

Standings

1. Simone Biles 77.400
2. Laurie Hernandez 75.550
3. Aly Raisman 75.150
4. MyKayla Skinner 74.900
5. Gabby Douglas 73.55
6. Ragan Smith

Aly Raisman UB glide KCHS toe on 1/1 + maloney + tkatchev + jaeger, close, toe on + bail toe 1/1 late, stalder shoot to HB + giant 1/2 + double front. 14.3 (6.0 SV)

Laurie Hernandez VT - DTY, close to the horse, small step on landing. 15.150 (5.8)

Gabby Douglas UB - jump KCHS,  in bar 1/1 + pike tkatchev + pak + in bar 1/2+ endo  1/1+ stalder + chow 1/2, DLO good landing. 15.250

Can we have more shots of Arielle, Gabs' sister? Her resting bitch face is perfection!

At least Al ACKNOWLEDGED Brenna, Christina, Emily, Rachel and Amelia. Le sigh.

Maggie Nichols VT - DTY - helicopter leggy on the second twist, stuck the landing.15.1 (5.8 SV)

Simone Biles VT - First vault - Amanar, small hop, HUGE height. She's got frickin' Superman air. 16.200 (6.3)

Fuck, the #Maston debate as perpetuated by Al, Tim and Nastia. My eyes are rolled to the back of my head.

Madison Kocian UB - glide KCHS, in bar 1/1 + komova + pak + chow 1/2,  in bar 1/2 + jaeger,  stalder + stalder 1/1 + full in, solid landing. That landing was her printing that airline ticket to Rio. BOOM, mic drop. 15.9 (6.7 SV)

Standings:
1. Simone Biles 93.6
2. Laurie Hernandez 90.700
3. Aly 89.459
4. MyKayla Skinner 89.3

On to the third rotation

Laurie Hernandez UB - glide KCHS,  stalder 1/1 + chow + downie + ricna + pak + endo, full in dismount. 14.750 (6.1 SV)

MyKayla Skinner BB -  jump spl mt,  BHS + tucked 1/1 (small wobble) aerial + spl jump,  sw + sw 1/2 + back tuck, sw 1/2 was under rotated, L turn 1/1 + 1/1 turn,  spl + wolf,  full in dismount, chest down, step forward. 14.5

Gabby Douglas BB - sq through mount,  front pike + spl jump,  BHS + LOSO, beautiful, tucked 1/1, off the beam again.  sw + sw 1/2,  fro tuck + wolf jump,  L turn 1/1,  sw ring,  fro aerial + spl + wolf jump,  BHS + BHS + double pike, small bounce in place. 14.1 (6.3 SV) - so it's not a disaster... I think she'll still be on the team...

Maggie Nichols UB -  glide KCHS, toe on 1/1 + maloney + pak + van leuewen, toe on + toe 1/2 + pike jaeger, toe 1/2 + DLO. 14.6

Ashton Locklear UB -  glide KCHS,  in bar 1/1 + komova + pak + van lewen +  stalder shoot to HB = pike jaeger, full in, stuck. 15.700  (6.5 SV)

Madison Kocian BB -  side split mount, arabian, falls,  it's fucking contagious,  sw ring,  BHS + LOSO, solid,  fro aerial + sheep jump,  side aerial, sissone + split jump, 1/1 turn,  sw double pike. 13.85 (5.9 SV)

Just saw Madison's dad on the feed, holding a giant Madison head cut out. I had a premonition of nxt years NCAAS.

Simone Biles UB - glide KCHS, weiler 1/2 + maloney + toe 1/1 + tkatchev + pike tkatcehv + pak, stalder shoot to HB, full in dismount, stuck. 14.9 (6.1 SV)

Aly BB - fro pike + wolf jump, BHS +  2ft lay, sw back pike, sissone,  side aerial,  sw 1/2, nice,  front tuck + spl jump,  L turn 1/1, round off + patterson, small hop. Solid routine. 3 down 1 to go for Aly!

Standings
1. Simone Biles 108.500
2. Laurie Hernandez 105.450
3. Aly Raisman 104.700
4. MyKayla Skinner 103.8
5, Gabby Douglas 102.900
6. Maggie Nichols 102.700
7. Ragan Smith 102.450
7 T. Brenna Dowell 102.450
9 Madison Kocian 102.350
10. Amelia Hundley 102.250
11. Rachel Gowey 100.800
12. Emily Schild 97.800
13. Christina Desiderio 97.500
14. Ashton Locklear 44.650

On to the fourth and FINAL rotation... who will deliver under this pressure?!



Gabby Douglas FX - double L turn, double arabian + stag jump, full in + back tuck,  memmel turn, falls out,  sw ring + tour jete,  tour jete 1/2,  double pike, she's smiling now,  double back. She's all smiles now! It's all over!  She's a repeat Olympian. She's done it! 14.55 (5.9 SV)
Two night total 117.450, night two AA 58.900

Tim "It's pretty fun to make your second Olympic team."

Nastia "I wouldn't know what that feels like."

Bitter much?

Maggie Nichols BB -  sq through MT, wolf turn 3/1 + wolf turn 2/1, fro aerial + sissone, side somi,  front tuck,  sw ring,  BHS + LOSO, solid,  round off + double pike, step back but good chest position. Lots of hugs.  OMG, I'm going to cry! 14.9 (5.9 SV)

Ragan Smith BB - side straddle MT,  3/1 wolf turn, sw + sheep, BHS + 2 ft layout, great form,  tucked 1/1, solid,  front tuck + sissone,  fro aerial + pike jump,  sheep jump,  BHS + BHS + double pike, small hop, good chest position. Hugs from Bela and Kim. Three generations of gymnastics legends. 15.3 (6.2 SV) 117.750 2 day total, day 2 AA total

Ashton BB wolf turn 1/1,  BHS + LOSO + LOSO,  front tuck + sissone,  L turn 1/1 + 1/1 turn, very nice, side somi, wobble, saves it,  side aerial, arm swing, Spl _ spl , w + sw 1/2,  round off + double back.  small hop. 14.3 (5.6 SV)

Madison Kocian FX -  double arabian + stag jump,  1 1/2 + 2 1/2,  2/1 wolf turn,  tour jete 1/1,  double back, small steps out,  sw ring,  tour jete 1/2,  double pike, steps out. Solid finish to her Olympic trials. GAHHH! It's GETTING SO CLOSE TO THE TEAM ANNOUNCMENT! HOW WILL I HANDLE IT!!???? 14.7, 117.450 2 day total 59.05, day 2 AA

Simone Biles BB -  squat through mt,  wolf turn 3/1,  spl + pike jump, barani, falls, holy shit, I've never seen her fall for like, 3 years, BHS + LOSO+ LOSO,  front tuck, wobble,  sw + sw 1/2 + back pike,  fro aerial + wolf jump,  bhs + bhs + full in, hop back. 14.750 (6.7 SV) 123.250 2 day total, 61.400 2nd day AA

Aly Raisman FX -   1 1/2 step out +  double arabian + front layout - OOB, sw 1/1,  2/1 L turn,  dos santos + stag leap,  DLO, beautiful,  sw + sw 1/2 + tour jete 1/1, double pike. Huge roar from the crowd.  15.05  (6.4 SV) 119.750, 2 day total. AA day two 59.8

Tim: "And that girl is going back to the Olympics!"

MyKayla Skinner FX -  tour jete 1/2,  Moors, OOB,  double double,  jump L 1/1,  wolf turn 2/1,  side aerial,  full in,  1 1/2 + 2 1/2.

Laurie Hernandez BB -  side straddle MT,  front pike,  fro aerial + sissone + spl jump,  BHS + LOSO+ LOSO, solid,  sheep jump,  front tuck + wolf jump,  side aerial,  sw + sw 1/2,  sw ring, 1/1 turn,  round off + double pike SHE HITS! SHE'S GOING TO RIO!!!! OMG! 15.7  2 day total 121.150, 60.200 day two AA.

"don't cry you're going to ruin your make-up!" No truer words were ever spoken.

More tears!!! Everyone is hugging and crying.

Final scores:

Now, we wait for the selection committee to make their decision.

They had a close up of Simone and her eyelashes are GORGEOUS. I'm so jealous!

2:56 to go...

1:46...

It's now!! AHHHHHH!

Okay, I want to head the team announcement now...

HURRY UP SELECTION COMMITTEE! ENOUGH WITH THE UN-NECESSARY ANTICIPATION!!

OH GOD, THE MOMENT IS HERE!

HURRY THE FUCK UP MARTHA!

OMG! What is with the un-necessary dragging it out for no reason?

I love me some Epke Zonderland and his floppy surfer boy hair, but I WANT TO KNOW WHO MADE IT!!!!

30 minutes later and FINALLY an announcement....

Okay here we go!

Simone Biles
Gabby Douglas
Laurie Hernandez
Madison Kocian
Aly Raisman

Alternates
MyKayla Skinner
Ragan Smith
Ashton Locklear

OMG how AMAZING was that? I'm so stoked that the ladies have TWO returning Olympians for the first time since Amy Chow and Dominique Dawes in 2000.

I'm so proud of these girls. Little Laurie Hernandez made the team! This is a moment THREE years in the making!

That was amazing! Oh my goodness!

Well, I will certainly be back to cover all the Olympic action. I will do my best to post any additional updates before then.

Until Rio, good night and good luck!

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