Jordyn Wieber won her first World Championship AA title, adding to her team gold from earlier this week despite problems on UB and a step out on FX. Russia's Viktoria Komova finished just 0.033 behind. Florida commit Aly Raisman was 4th after a major break on UB. UCLA signee Christine "Peng Peng" Lee was 19th while DU grad Jessica Lopez placed 24th.
Link: Results
Caroline Morant, L10 at Legacy in Illinois, has announced her commitment to William and Mary via Twitter. Last season she finished 5th AA at her state meet and went on to win regionals (1st AA; 1st V). She placed 37th AA at JOs.
Taylor Penzien, L10 at Olympia Gymnastics Academy in Michigan, has accepted a scholarship to SEMO. Last season Penzien won the Christmas Classic (1st AA; 1st UB) and the Motown Madness (1st AA; 1st BB/FX). She finished 2nd AA (1st fx) at her state meet, 9th AA at regionals and 10th AA at the NIT.
China won yet another Men's World Championships, winning by roughly two points over Japan after the later suffered two falls on their final event, HB. The US team, featuring four current or former OU Sooners, placed 3rd, just .01 points behind 2nd place Japan, with three hit sets on HB. Earlier in the competition, the US counted a fall on VT from Jonathan Horton and a shakey routine on Rings from John Orozco. They finished just 5th on those two events, after winning FX as a team and placing 2nd on the remaining events.
Link: Results
Megan Bastuba has committed to the Air Force Academy for 2012-2013, according to a site submission. She's a L10 at Olympia Gymnastics. At the 2011 Region V L10 Regionals, she placed 12th AA. In 2010, as a Level 9, she placed 4th AA and 3rd on FX at the Level 9 Eastern Nationals.
Link: YouTube.com Video
Bianca Jordaan, a sr. high performance (elite) gymnast from Oakville in Ontario, Canada, has committed to Eastern Michigan. She graduates in 2013. At the 2011 Canadian Championships, she placed 9th AA, 1st on VT, 3rd on BB and 5th on FX. As a junior in 2010, she placed 6th AA, 2nd on VT, and 1st on FX.
Link: YouTube.com Channel and Other Video
The young US squad, which includes Florida commit Aly Raisman and former UCLA star Anna Li (alternate), powered to the world title, routing the field by over four points. Russia finished well behind in 2nd, and China held off Romania for third.
Link: Results
Rebecca McRobbie has announced via Twitter that she has committed to Michigan. McRobbie is a level 10 at WOGA. Last season she finished 3rd AA at her state and regional meets and won her regional vault title. She went on to place 10th AA at JOs.
The 2nd day of Men's Qualifications was held and several NCAAer (past and present) competed. The OU powered US men's team is in 2nd place, behind Japan and ahead of China (in 3rd). Olympic host Great Britain failed to earn an automatic spot at next year's Olympic Games.
Here are the NCAA-related athlete's results:
FX: Steve Legendre (former OU) qualified to the final. Current Sooner Jake Dalton is the first alternate.
PH: OU's Alex Naddour is the first alternate
R: Former OU star Jonathan Horton qualified fifth.
HB: Horton is the first alternate to the final.
Link: IG Recap and FIG Results Page
Angela Stein, L10 at Atlanta North Stars Gymnastics, will join the Wisconsin-LaCrosse team for the 2012-13 season. In 2011 she finished 7th AA at her state meet and 20th AA at regionals.
Emily Novotny, L10 at Technique Gymnastics in California, has agreed to walk on at Denver for the 2012-13 season. In 2010, she finished 7th AA at the NorCal meet and 14th AA at regionals.
The OU laden USA Men's team is in 2nd place after the first day of qualifications at the world championships. The USA squad contains former and current Oklahoma team members Jonathan Horton, Steven Legendre, Jake Dalton and Alex Naddour. They are in 2nd after the first day of competition. Others with NCAA links also competed: Tommy Ramos (ex PSU)
Here are some NCAA-related individual placement highlights:
AA: Horton is in fifth, behind US teammates Danell Leyva (3rd) and John Orozco (2nd)
FX: Legendre is 4th, Dalton is 7th
PH: Naddour is 5th
R: Horton is 4th, Ramos is 15th
V: Dalton is in 8th in the two vault qualification standings
PB: Horton was 12th
HB: Horton was 7th
Link: Results
The Women's qualifying sessions of the World Championships have concluded and the US women hit 20 for 20 to advance to the final as the lead qualifier. Several future and present NCAAers were in action in the 2nd day.
In terms of the qualifiers, Florida commit Aly Raisman is the fourth qualifier in the AA and the top qualifier on FX. She also advanced in the BB. Michigan commit Austin Sheppard, competing for Hungary, is the third alternate on VT.
Former DU great Jessica Lopez qualified to the AA final in 18th place, while UCLA signee Christine "Peng Peng" Lee qualified in 20th.
Link: Results
OU tops the Toester.com GymInfo Men's Preseason Coaches' Poll, edging out Illinois in 2nd place. Illinois, however, received more first place votes. Michigan received two first place votes, and Stanford three.
Several NCAAers, past, present and future, competed at the World Championships. The injury-beset USA team competes on Saturday (Tokyo time). The Women's Preliminaries Day 1 competition are now complete (through Session 5), and here's an NCAA recap:
DU's Jessica Lopez (Venezuela) is in fifth AA and looks to advance to the AA final, with solid scores on UB (3rd) and FX (6th).
UCLA signee Peng Peng Lee (Canada) is in sixth after problems on BB. Her best finish was on UB (5th).
Stanford's Kristina Vaculik (Canada) was 12th, with her best event on BB.
Iowa grad Houry Gebeshian was 59th for Armenia; she competed watered down sets. WVU commit Jaida Lawrence (Jamaica) placed 77th.