Routines to Watch: Team USA & The International Exchange

Team USA just finished a set of meets in Jesolo, Italy, a friendly meet in Germany against a German and Romanian team, and Peyton Ernst continued on to the Tokyo Cup where she placed 2nd.

The athlete that most impressed me was Maggie Nichols. Maggie's a first year senior out of Twin City Twisters in Minnesota. She placed 6th at Jesolo with a 55.850 after a very rough time on the balance beam. On bars, Nichols hits every handstand and does a nice Ray (toe-on straddled Tkatchev). However, her Pak and Shaposhnikova 1/2 needs some work. On floor, Nichols gets nice height on all of her tumbling passes - double layout, piked full-in, 2.5 twist (some leg issues) and double tuck. VT - 5.8/15.000; UB - 5.7/14; FX - 5.7/14.4


Simone Biles took titles like no one else was competing. Most impressively, she stuck her Amanar (below). Biles showed her second vault which is a round off backhandspring 1/2 on, 1/2 off - watch here.




Peyton Ernst also impressed on this international exchange. She fell on beam and finished in 2nd place at the Tokyo Cup. This was a great experience for Ernst competing on a podium against Olympians including Asuka Teramoto and Ellie Black. She is praised for her amazing flexibility, her mount on beam, and high double pike dismount off beam. Ernst has verbally committed to the University of Florida. FX - 5.6/13.9; BB - 6.2/14.3


Other Notables:
Kyla Ross was her typical steady self. As the team captain, she placed 2nd at Jesolo. Ross is sticking with the DTY and the same floor routine as she adjusts to the her new height - she has grown around 3 inches since London. Brenna Dowell debuted a new floor routine and earned 3rd place at Jesolo. Lexie Priessman had a rough meet which may be attributed to the injury that kept her out of the running for one of the two American Cup spots. Amelia Hundley and Bailie Key were the only 2 juniors present. Hundley, like CGA teammate Priessman, had a rough meet and seems to be the tallest of the US team and still needs to adjust to the height. Key debuted a new floor routine with clips of Coach Kim Zmeskal's old floor music. She also took many titles in the Jesolo Junior meet. Key received the same 58.00 in the AA as Simone Biles and Peyton Ernst at the GER-ROU-USA Friendly meet where Kyla placed 1st and Key placed 1st amongst the juniors.

Funny Video
Team USA gets frightened on the podium (via @CordeliaMP). The video includes recaps of Kyla's BB and Simone Biles' FX but head over to 2:25. gifset by kcmvh