Simone Biles won the 2018 US Classic with a massive all around score of 58.700. This was the highest all around score posted by any gymnast since the current Code of Points was implemented. It was not a perfect competition for Simone who declared at the press conference that she was much more nervous than she would have expected. All eyes were on her, expecting nothing less than world records, so it is no wonder that it was a nerve-wreaking experience. She started on floor with an OOB on an otherwise massive Moors, followed by front 1 1/2 to full in, Biles to stag and double-double. She landed the double double to finish with her chest way up. Her score was 14.75 (6.6 difficulty). On vault she did a superb Cheng vault for a 15.400 to secure her lead. Bars did not go as smoothly, a fall on a turn meant that her score would remain in the low 13s (13.35/6.1). She finished off with angry beam work with only a couple of teeny wobbles but fantastic difficulty for a 15.2/6.3.
Riley McCusker pulled an impressive all around performance with a massive total score of 57.5. She is has such a different style compared to the rest of the pack and it’s a joy to see she remains a real contender for the US team despite all her injuries. She had a good double twisting Yurchenko vault for a 14.35. This was followed by some superb bars work (Ricna to Pak to Chow with pointed toes!) for a 15.0 / 6.0. She had a secure beam routine with only a couple of minor adjustments but she showed great extension and good rhythm, for an E score of 8.75, second only to Simone (14.55/5.8). She finished on floor with a good routine in which she introduced a double layout (hop forward). Her other passes were double pike, front 1 1/2 to punch front and double back tuck for a score of 13.6/ 5.3.
Morgan Hurd finished third with 56.350. She was pleased with her overall performance, despite a fall on a punch front on beam. This looked like a fluke coming at the end of an otherwise great routine with an amazing standing full, flick- loso, aerial walkover connected to two artistic jumps. Morgan dismounted with a huge double pike (a safe downgrade from the full in) for a 13.4/5.5. On floor she debuted the Moors on the first pass (which looked a bit piked). I will miss her double-double but she has to do what she has to do for those extra tenths. She had one of the best dance performances of the night for a 13.85/5.8. On vault she hit a good DTY (a bit over-rotated, hop back) – 14.4. She finished with a fantastic bars routine (tiny hop on full in dismount) for a 14.7 / 6.1.
Shilese Jones finished 4th with a total of 54.900. Her top performances came on vault (DTY – 14.550) and bars (13.850/5.3).
Alyona Shchennikova had a total of 53.900 and was 5th. She was amazing on bars with a score of 14.9 /6.2 and the second score of the day on this event.
Audrey Davis was 6th with a 53.730; her top performances came on vault (14.200/5.5) and bars (14.0/5.6).
Sloane Blakely was 7th with a total score of 53.300. She had an awesome beam routine, a must-watch, with a beautiful front tumbling series (14.4/5.8).
Jordan Chiles finished 8th with a 53.250 after a disappointing performance with a fall on bars and a very tentative beam routine (she took a few steps on the dismount). Her floor tumbling was great (1 1/2 to double Arabian, double layout, full in, double pike) but was heavily penalized for her artistic elements – 13.1/5.5. She did two vaults (DTY and Tsuk full).
Another gymnasts that presented two vaults was Worlds silver medalist Jade Carey (DTY and Lopez). Carey was 10th all around with a 52.650. She fell on bars (11.300/4.1) and struggled on beam (12.8/5.5 – which I thought it was a bit lenient compared to the judging we’ve seen last year). On floor she had a good routine for a 13.9/6.1
The Texas Dreams squad did not have a great day: Ragan Smith fell on bars on a Ricna (13.3/5.8) and was a bit flat on the DTY (14.00) but had a good beam routine nailing the standing full that gave her troubles in training (14.500 /6.0). Emma Malabuyo fell on beam (12.650/ 6.1) but had a good vault (DTY for 14.300). Deanne Soza only scored a 51.150 all around and this means that she did not manage to acquire the necessary score to qualify for Nationals.
It was one of the best US Classics in years and it was fantastic to see Simone back with deserved scores in the 15s. If the National team was named tomorrow I would be outraged if the following 4 would not be chosen next to Simone: McCusker, Hurd, Smith, Carey.
VT: Biles, Carey, Hurd, (McCusker)
UB: McCusker, Hurd, Biles (Smith)
BB: Biles, McCusker, Smith (Hurd)
FX: Biles, Carey, Hurd (Smith)
Of course, Worlds is still months away and gymnasts like Jordan Chiles, Kara Eaker and a little Emma Malabuyo will probably have a lot to say in the selection process.
A playlist of all the routines via USA Gymnastics:
Here are the complete results:
1 Simone Biles (World Champions) 58.700 Final: 15.400 13.350 15.200 14.750 (VT, UB, BB, FX) Diff: 6.000 6.100 6.300 6.600 Exec: 9.400 7.250 8.900 8.350 ND: __.___ __.___ __.___ -0.200
2 Riley McCusker (MG Elite) 57.500 Final: 14.350 15.000 14.550 13.600 (VT, UB, BB, FX) Diff: 5.400 6.000 5.800 5.300 Exec: 8.950 9.000 8.750 8.300
3 Morgan Hurd (First State) 56.350 Final: 14.400 14.700 13.400 13.850 (VT, UB, BB, FX) Diff: 5.400 6.100 5.500 5.800 Exec: 9.000 8.600 7.900 8.050
4 Shilese Jones (Future Gymnastics) 54.900 Final: 14.550 13.850 13.200 13.300 Diff: 5.400 5.300 5.300 5.300 Exec: 9.150 8.550 7.900 8.000
5 Alyona Shchennikova (5280 Gymnastics) 53.900 Final: 13.900 14.900 13.400 11.700 Diff: 5.400 6.200 5.500 5.000 Exec: 8.500 8.700 8.000 6.700 ND: __.___ __.___ -0.100 __.___
6 Audrey Davis (WOGA) 53.750 Final: 14.200 14.000 13.400 12.150 Diff: 5.500 5.600 5.500 5.100 Exec: 8.700 8.400 7.900 7.050 ND: __.___ __.___ __.___ __.___
7 Sloane Blakely (WOGA) 53.300 Final: 13.500 12.700 14.400 12.700 Diff: 4.400 3.900 5.800 5.000 Exec: 9.100 8.800 8.600 7.700
8 Jordan Chiles (Naydenov Gymnastics) 53.250 Final: 14.500 13.400 12.250 13.100 Diff: 5.400 5.600 5.200 5.500 Exec: 9.100 7.800 7.050 7.600
9 Luisa Blanco (WOGA) Final: 13.250 13.250 13.550 12.700 52.750 Diff: 4.400 4.900 5.200 4.900 Exec: 8.850 8.350 8.350 7.800
10 Jade Carey (Arizona Sunrays) 52.650 Final: 14.650 11.300 12.800 13.900 Diff: 5.400 4.100 5.500 6.100 Exec: 9.250 7.200 7.300 7.900 ND: __.___ __.___ __.___ -0.100
11 Grace McCallum (Twin City Twisters) 52.050 Final: 13.500 12.500 13.000 13.050 Diff: 5.400 5.600 5.500 5.500 Exec: 8.100 6.900 7.500 7.550
12 Madelyn Williams (San Mateo) 51.500 Final: 13.300 13.900 11.900 12.400 Diff: 4.400 5.700 4.800 4.600 Exec: 8.900 8.200 7.100 7.800
13 Shania Adams (Buckeye Gymnastics) 51.400 Final: 12.150 13.750 12.450 13.050 Diff: 4.800 5.100 5.200 5.400 Exec: 7.350 8.650 7.250 7.850 ND: __.___ __.___ __.___ -0.200
14 Deanne Soza (Texas Dreams) 51.150 Final: 13.300 13.400 11.600 12.850 Diff: 4.400 5.200 5.200 5.200 Exec: 8.900 8.200 6.400 7.650
15 Madeleine Johnston (Hills) 51.000 Final: 13.550 12.950 11.950 12.550 Diff: 4.800 5.200 5.000 5.000 Exec: 8.750 7.750 6.950 7.550
16 Kara Eaker (GAGE) 50.300 Final: 11.300 12.950 13.650 12.400 Diff: 4.200 5.300 6.200 5.100 Exec: 7.200 7.650 7.450 7.300 ND: -0.100 __.___ __.___ __.___
17 Olivia Hollingsworth (World Champions) 49.450 Final: 13.250 11.950 12.100 12.150 Diff: 4.400 5.000 5.300 4.800 Exec: 8.850 6.950 6.800 7.450 ND: __.___ __.___ __.___ -0.100
18 Stephanie Berger (Brestyan’s Gym) 48.850 Final: 13.050 12.600 12.300 10.900 Diff: 4.400 4.400 5.100 4.600 Exec: 8.650 8.200 7.200 6.600 ND: __.___ __.___ __.___ -0.300
19 Isabel Mabanta (Denton Gym Acad) 46.150 Final: 13.250 9.100 11.900 11.900 Diff: 4.400 3.000 5.200 4.100 Exec: 8.850 6.100 6.700 7.800
20 Ragan Smith (Texas Dreams) 41.800 (VT, UB, BB) Final: 14.000 13.300 14.500 0.000 Diff: 5.400 5.800 6.000 0.000 Exec: 8.600 7.500 8.500 0.000
21 Jaylene Gilstrap (Metroplex Gymnastics) 39.750 (VT, BB, FX) Final: 13.550 __.___ 13.250 12.950 Diff: 4.800 __.___ 5.100 4.800 Exec: 8.750 __.___ 8.150 8.150
22 Emma Malabuyo (Texas Dreams) 26.950 (VT, BB) Final: 14.300 0.000 12.650 0.000 Diff: 5.400 0.000 6.100 0.000 Exec: 8.900 0.000 6.550 0.000
23 Olivia Dunne (ENA Paramus) 12.850 (UB) Diff: __.___ 5.200 __.___ __.___ Exec: __.___ 7.650 __.___ __.___ ND: __.___ __.___ __.___ __.___ Final: __.___ 12.850 __.___ __.___ 12.850
Article: Bea Gheorghisor
Photo Cover: US Gymnastics