The second meet took place in Milan. Speaking of some news, Sofia Busato returned to competition more than a year after her knee injury, Martina Maggio has started full training again and Alice D’Amato is waiting for the doctor’s approval to start training again.
The Juniors
Asia D’Amato was the best gymnast of the day despite a fall on floor (54.65). She had a great DTY (14.75) and added a fabulous layout mount on beam, where she was very clean (layout mount, side somi, bhs+loso, front aerial, switch split+ Sissonne, full pirouette, Y turn, high double pike dismount, 5.0-13.40). On floor she had some steps on the landings and fell on the double tuck, but her main problem there is the lack of entertainment while performing the routine (Memmel, double Arabian with a couple of steps back, Popa, Full-in, double tuck, split 1/1,double twist, 5.1-12.20)
Bars were clean despite some form issues and legs separations (Ricna+ Pak, Maloney+ tkachev, Church, L-grip 1/1 to double front, 5.8-14.30).** **
Giorgia Villa was second with a 54.60 score and a fall on beam. She vaulted a good DTY (14.65), hit her full new bar routine with just some little form issues for a massive score (Ricna+Pak+Maloney+ stalder ½+ Ezhova+ Chow+ bail, toe-on 1/2, L-grip 1/1, full-in, 6.0- 14.50).
On beam, she hit her new layout-stepout mount but fell on a full pirouette after a pretty good routine (loso mount, bhs+loso, L turn+full turn, split leap, aerial cartwheel, double turn, switch split+full pirouette, split jump+Sissonne, double twist dismount, 4.8-12.05). Floor was well interpreted but a little downgraded (Memmel, full-in, front double twist, switch split+switch split ½, triple twist, incomplete double L turn double tuck, 4.9-13.40).** **
Elisa Iorio hit a clean but downgraded routine on bars (Ricna+Pak, Chow+ stalder ½+ Ezhova, Van Leeuwen, Endo+ L-grip 1/1 + double front, 5.8- 14.40). Elisa vaulted a messy FTY (13.75) and added a new mount on beam too, a layout-stepout mount where she sadly fell (Loso mount, aerial cartwheel, switch split+ Sissonne, Bhs+loso, front aerial, 1 ½ Y turn with a big balance check, side full pirouette with a big break, double pike dismount, 5.2-12.15). Floor was decent, but again with many form issues and non great landings (full-in, Memmel, double front twist with a big step, switch split ring+ split leap 1/1, Johnson ½, under-rotated triple twist, double pike, 5.0-12.65).
Little Angela Andreoli, a 2006 baby, competed for the first ever on a big stage. She hit a very nice and clean bars routine ( inbar, inbar ½, piked Jaeger, bail, stalder shoot, full turn, toe-on+ stalder, double pike dismount, 5.0-13.55). Let’s keep an eye on her for the future, she’s gonna be very good.
The Seniors** **
Elisa Meneghini competed the AA after deciding to sit Jesolo. Elisa was supposed to compete there with the Italian A team, but she refused to go, and National Team Cordinator Enrico Casella told the press he was very angry at the situation because there wasn’t a valid explanation for her decision and was upset because she let the team down. Elisa had just won the gold medal on floor at the Doha world cup and looked pretty fit, so people are still wondering about the real reason of her choice.
Anyway, Elisa performed some downgraded routines with mistakes here and there. She hit an FTY (13.85), had a rough bars routine with a big form break just before the Tkachev (Tkachev, bail, stalder shoot, toe-on ½, straddle Jaeger, short handstand, toe-on, very short toe 1/1, double Arabian**, 4.2-12.15**). On beam she went for the full routine, but fell on layout 1/1 and almost fell on the beam touching requirement (switch split mount, round off+layout 1/1, full turn, side somi, front aerial+split jump+bhs, switch split+straddle jump+bhs+bhs, Johnson, aerial cartwheel, high double pike dismount, **5.7- 12.20**). Floor was good and she tried to add a double L turn to improve her D score, which was short ( full-in, double Arabian, split leap 1/1, double tuck, double L turn, switch split ring+ Johnson ½, double pike, **4.9-13.10**).
Carlotta Ferlito has reedemd herself after the bad performance in Jesolo. She hit beam with a huge save after the aerial cartwheel (front aerial+split jump, bhs+loso, split jump 1/1, switch split+split ring jump, full turn, split leap+aerial cartwheel, switch split ring, double twist dismount, 5.2-13.05). Floor was good too despite a foot oob after her second pass and some messy legs on the twists ( Gogean, full-in with a couple of steps back, 2 ½ twist+front tuck oob, double attitude turn, switch split 1/1, Memmel, double pike, ring leap+ split leap, 5.3-13.30).
Desireè Carofiglio vaulted a messy Yurchenko 1 ½ with a step over the line (13.25), had a very rough bars routine with 2 falls on the same skill, the Maloney (Ricna, Pak, Maloney, bail, stalder+toe-on, double front, 5.2- 11.65), but hit her worst event, beam, pretty well. She also hit a great floor routine, where she earned the best score of the day and where she again stuck her first two passes (front layout+double front, Dowell, switch split 1/1, Popa, switch ring+split leap 1/1, back 1 /2 twist+front pike, split ring, 5.3-13.90).** **
Martina Basile vaulted her Yurchenko 1 ½ (14.00), hit both bars (Tkachev, bail, toe-on+toe-on 1/1, stalder, double pike dismount**, 4.4- 12.75**) and beam despite some wobbles (bhs mount, bhs+bhs+layout, switch split+split leap+split jump, front aerial, aerial cartwheel, switch side, double pike dismount, **5.4-13.415**). She also upgraded floor even if she had some landing mistakes and also went oob (double layout, double arabian, 2 ½ twist+ front layout, double pike, **5.2-12.65**). Looking at the not so great performances from the other seniors, Martina is coming strong for a spot in the main team and looks very good.** **
Lara Mori had a rough day**.** She fell on floor performing the front layout after the 2 ½ twist and went oob with both feet on her third pass (full-in, switch ring+switch split 1/1, Memmel+illusion, 2 ½ twist+ front layout, triple twist, split leap 1/1, double pike, 5.3-11.90). She also fell on the layout stepout series on beam (bhs mount, bhs+loso+loso, side somi, side split jump, switch split ½, split jump+wolf jump, aerial cartwheel, switch ring leap, triple twist, 5.2-12.10). She vaulted an FTY (13.55) and looked a little rushed on bars with some short handstands **(5.1-13.25**).
Noemi Linari competed on beam, where she added a new front tuck mount but where she fell on a layout (switch split+straddle jump, double turn, L turn+full turn, round off+layout, side pirouette 1/1, wolf jump+Sissonne, 2 /2 twist, 4.6-11.45) and on floor (whip+2 ½ twist+front tuck, back 1 ½ twist+front layout 1/1, switch split+ split leap 1/1, double attitude turn, double tuck with a stumble in the landing, switch leap 1/1, double pike with the 2 big steps back and a foot oob, 5.1-12.75).
Giada Grisetti had some major mistakes as always. She hit her DTY on vault (14.10) but fell on bars (5.4-12.50), beam (5.2-11.15) and floor (4.8-11.65), showing she’s not reliable.
What’s going well:** **
- Carlotta Ferlito is quickly coming back strong after just a few months of training. Even if Casella wants her to focus on beam and floor, she said she’ll start training vault and maybe, if they’re needed, bars too so she will be able to compete in the AA. Considering the lack of competitiveness among the seniors, this is a breath of fresh air.
- Juniors are trying to improve on they’re worst apparatus, beam, and the mount upgrades look good, even if I don’t think those will solve the beam problem.
- Giorgia Villa and Asia D’Amato are looking stronger than ever and beat the seniors by a big margin despite a fall each. Asia is more consistent, while Giorgia has more original skills and better presentation. I’m very curious to find out who will be sent at the Youth Olympic Games this year.
What’s not going too well:
- After the Jesolo drama we’re not sure about Meneghini, who was supposed to be one of the rocks of this year. Casella won’t forgive her behavior soon and without her, the team has quite a few inconsistent gymnasts with low difficulty, like Linari, Grisetti and Carofiglio. Also, this year’s team will be the weakest ever on bars, since all the gymnasts but Grisetti and Mori have difficulty in the high 4s.
Article: Giuly Holzer
Picture by: Nadia Boyce