New Kids on the Block: USA

USA's deep field of talent is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Katelyn Ohashi (reminds me of Hollie Vise)

 Katelyn is from WOGA, the gym that churned out Carly Patterson, Nastia Liukin and Rebecca Bross. She is most known for her spectacular and incredibly difficult beam but also has strong bars and is a good all-arounder. She underperformed at US Nationals and looks to be showing signs of peaking too soon and burning out. However, it's far too early to really question her longevity in the top echelons of the sport. I predict she will be able to come back strong for worlds, but maybe not Rio itself. She turns senior in 2013.

This beam was given a 7.0 start value, the highest this quad. She appears to have chucked the dismount in favour of a double pike which obviously will affect the difficulty, but she could always get it back.

Really good flight and form. It was given a 6.2 difficulty at Nationals.

Given a 5.9. Not brilliant, and she crosses her feet on twisting but lots of potential here.


Lexie Priessman (reminds me of Jordyn Wieber)

Lexie Priessman is a workhorse style power gymnast. Vault and floor are where she shines, with an amanar, double double and full twisting double tuck under her belt. The 2012 US Nationals Junior Champion is okay on bars and beam with a good few form issues on both, but with effort they won't be able to hold her back. She missed out on age elegibility for London by about 20 days.

Strong amanar, 15.7 was the score here.

Bad choreography, but very powerful tumbling, she makes it look effortless.

Needs work, but with more difficulty and better form she could be pretty good. She will benefit from the anti-pirouette sting the new code will bring.


Bailie Key

Bailie will bring glorious elegance, form and fantastic leaps into all of our lives. She stands out on beam, but her form means she isn't lacking elsewhere. It looks like they're keeping it safe with not overloading her with difficulty, which she certainly will need more of on the senior stage. But she has plenty of time, as she will not turn senior until 2015- which is kinda the perfect time.

Cute enough to get away with this music. Lovely.

Fabulous DTY.

Those. Leaps.


Madison (Maddie) Desch  (reminds me of Sarah Finnegan and Courtney McCool)

Maddie trains at GAGE and has the excellent presentation, style and elegance as standard. Her floor is exquisite, great clean tumbling and excellently choreographed. Another who is being conserved, bars are beautiful with fantastic lines but incredibly weak difficulty. Beam so far is dissapointing as she has form issues there. Vault is a very decent DTY. Maddie with high difficulty and a clean beam is a massive threat. She turns senior in 2013.

First and last pass...drool.

Great lines and form.

Not too shabby!


Simone Biles (reminds me of Elizabeth 'Ebee' Price and Terin Humphrey)

 
Simone is a real powerhouse, who surprised everyone with the explosive amanar and floor routine she showed this year. Her amanar is one of the best this quad. Beam and bars are not as strong for her, though not bad enough to really be called weak points. Another who will turn senior in 2013.

Wow! A candidate for the TTY in the future.

Fabulous tumbling.


Laurie Hernandez

Laurie is a child of the new millenium! She just turned 12 recently and will be turning senior in 2016. Already showing huge talent and originality on beam and floor, where she is a delight to watch. Her dance ability and commanding beam work made her the suprise fan favourite this year. Interesting fact: Laurie was a level 4 in 2008, and an elite qualifier in 2010- 7 levels in 2 years, wow.

Too many buttshelves, but such command and potential here.

Some repetitive choreography but WOW. Fabulous.



Other USA juniors to watch: Polina Schennikova, Amelia Hundley, Peyton Ernst, Veronica (Nica) Hults
Next up: Russia's upcoming stars