2012 Olympic floor exercise gold medalist Aly Raisman took a big step towards a second Olympic selection with a first place finish at the Secret US Classic in Hartford.
Raisman scored an impressive 59.250 overall to seal the title, though only 14 of the 23 gymnasts in the field competed in the all-around. While Raisman finished first, Rachel Gowey placed second with a 58.300 and WOGA's Alyssa Baumann came in third with an impressive 58.000.
Raisman wins all-around title
Raisman opened up on her weakest event, the uneven bars, struggling to find her footing as she fell on a connection from the low bar to the high bar early on in her routine. As champions often do, Raisman got back up and nailed the rest of her routine, performing a near stick on the dismount to earn a disappointing 13.050. The captain of the 2012 Olympic squad then went to the balance beam, putting up a brilliant routine to score a 15.000, showcasing the rare combination of power and artistry Raisman brings to the event.
The Massachusets native then traveled to the floor exercise, the event Raisman took the gold medal on at the 2012 London Olympics, putting together a beautiful routine to score a 15.500 and win the floor exercise title. The 22-year-old finished on vault, performing a huge vault called an amanar to score a 15.700 punctuated by a stuck landing, good enough to earn her the vault title as well.
Raisman on her meet and chances for Rio
When asked about her disappointing fall on bars, Raisman said, "It’s always really crazy when you’re trying to think positive and then one second you feel good, and the next you’re off the bar. If I make the Olympic team, it’s not for bars, so I have to come back strong on the other three," added the 2012 Olympian.
"I think everyone is nervous," she said before the meet. "You have to prove yourself every time. There's only five girls that get on that [Olympic] team."
"Every single night before I go to sleep, I have butterflies in my stomach, it’s like I can’t turn it off," said Raisman on her mindset ahead of the Olympic Trials process. "We are all kind of freaking out."
Simone Biles showcases more brilliance, impresses on bars and beam
Three-time world all-around champion Simone Biles and 2012 Olympic all-around gold medalist Gabby Douglas both decided to get their Olympics preparations off to an easy start, opting to do only bars and beam. Biles began her night on the uneven bars, posting an impressive 15.100 even on her worst event. The undisputed best gymnast in the world then traveled to balance beam, receiving a 15.650, good enough to take the balance beam title after winning the all-around here the past two years.
When asked about only performing on two of the four events, Biles said, "The peaking time is at the Olympics, so we have to start peaking now to get to like the top of the peak. Right now, we're not at 100 percent, so we'll just wait. So at [nationals] we'll be at 100 and just keep it there from there on out and just work on little details," added this year's Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships winner.
Gabby Douglas solid on bars and beam
For Douglas, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist began her night on the uneven bars, posting an impressive 15.650 to take third on one of her best events. This year's AT&T American Cup champion and Jesolo Trophy winner then went to the balance beam, where she struggled, nearly falling at one point, eventually receiving a 14.550, far from the best Douglas can put up on that event.
For Douglas, the 2012 gold medalist said, "Mentally, I feel so much better than before 2012," she said. "I'm so grateful. Because when you're feeling so much more confident, everything is so much easier."
Ashton Locklear breaks out as Olympic hopeful
2014 World Championship team member Ashton Locklear showcased her incredible talent on the uneven bars and on the balance beam as well. Locklear began on bars, an event she won the national title on in 2014, putting up a brilliant routine with some incredible high flying, finished with a stuck landing to receive the highest score of the entire meet, a 15.850. The 18-year-old North Carolina native then went to balance beam, hitting her routine there for a 14.750 to finish off an impressive night and fully assert herself into the conversation for the 2016 Olympic team.
Also with good meets were 2014 world championship team member MyKayla Skinner who put up impressive scores on vault with a 15.400, bars with a 13.500, and beam with a 14.500 and 2016 Pacific Rim team gold medalist Ragan Smith who received solid scores on bars and beam with a 14.900 and a 14.650 respectively.
What's next on the Road to Rio?
After this competition, the final qualifier for nationals, the top women's gymnasts will travel to St. Louis for the P&G Women's Gymnastics Championships and then to San Jose for the US Olympic Trials, where the 2016 Rio Olympic team will be announced.