Reflections on the Secret Classic
The Secret Classic, formerly the CoverGirl Classic, was held today in Chicago. Here is 5RC’s analysis of some of the competitors:
- Nastia’s back! In her first competition in 3 years, the 2008 Olympic all-around champion looked fabulous on the beam, the only event she contested. She missed a couple connections, but no one has the lines and flow of Nastia. She’ll add uneven bars to her Nationals repertoire (she’s reigning Olympic silver medalist on bars).
- Aly Raisman had a great competition, attacking all of her events with her trademark power. She won the all-around, as well as floor and beam (in a tie with Jordan Weiber), threw a huge Amanar on vault, and placed 6th on her weakest event, uneven bars, with a less-difficult but clean routine. This blogger think she’s a shoe-in for the Olympic team.
- Jordyn Weiber only contested beam and bars, and only hit one of those. her beam routine was first-rate, trying with Raisman for the gold and reminding everyone why she is the reigning world all-around champ! Her bars routine… well… She has some time to clean that up before Nationals and trials, so we aren’t worried… Plus, she’s great at the two events she didn’t contest here, floor and vault, so we also think she’s a shoe-in for the Olympic team.
- Gabby Douglas hit an Olympic-medal-worthy bars routine to win the bars competition. She did had a very large balance check on beam, had a 3rd place effort on floor, and didn’t contest vault, but she is capable of an Amanar, and lets be honest, she should make the Olympic team on her bars strength alone!
- McKayla Maroney showed us why she is the world champion on vault. Her Amanar was IMMENSE, and she’s upgraded her second vault from worlds. her 16.100 score was by far the highest of the competition, and that ability should carry her to the Olympic team. She also contested beam, but had a number of balance checks.
