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| Thursday, August 17, 2006 |  |
Johnson grabs lead
By splitleap @ 9:56 PM :: 2827 Views ::
0 Comments :: Gymnastics News, Splitleap Article |  |
Does Shawn Johnson have any weaknesses? After the first day of competition at the 2006 U.S. National Championships, the answer is no. The 14-year-old Iowan had the highest scores on three events.
Beginning on one of her strongest events, vault, Johnson’s double-twisting Yurchenko gave her the early lead. She was solid on uneven bars, dismounting with a laid out full-in for a 15.15. Johnson tumbled on balance beam (bhs, bhs, layout; full-in dismount), but the artistry was lacking. Her beam work received a 15.8 (6.6 difficulty, 9.2 execution), the highest score of any event. Johnson ended the competition with five tumbling passes on floor (double double; full-in; side pass of ro double full; fhs, full, full; double pike).
Bianca Flohr and Samantha Peszek stayed close behind Johnson throughout the competition. Flohr (Cinncinati Gymnastics Academy) began the day on balance beam, where she showed a good variety of skills, including a back handspring to tucked full, a switch side leap and a side somi (wobble). She dismounted with a roundoff, double pike and scored a 15.3.
On floor, Flohr performed energetically, opening with a piked full-in. Her fun choreography inspired the crowd and the judges, who awarded her a 15.15. After the second rotation, Flohr was tied with Johnson for the lead. She lost some ground on vault, however, where she performed a Yurchenko 1 ½. Flohr’s bar routine included a clear hip Tkatchev and double layout dismount, scoring a 15.8.
Second to Johnson at the U.S. Classic in July, Samantha Peszek (DeVeau’s) swung a clean bar routine (Geinger; full-in dismount) to score a 15.2 in the first rotation. She chucked a standing full on beam, as well as a 1 ½ turn and round off double pike dismount. Peszek threw a double double with good form and height, but took a step forward. She continued to tumble a 2 ½ to front full (fall); laid out front full; double Arabian; and double pike (bounced forward on landing). The errors dropped her score to a 14.35. Peszek ended the evening on a good note, vaulting a high double-twisting Yurchenko that earned her a 15.2.
Thirteen-year-old standout Ivana Hong (GAGE) placed fourth on the first day with a unique floor routine that included a triple twist dismount. Hong’s highest score of the day came on balance beam (bhs, layout step out; bhs, bhs, double pike).
Pre-competition favorite Shantessa Pama never had a chance to establish herself on the leader board. She fell on her one-and-a-half-twisting Yurchenko in the first rotation and struggled throughout the competition. Pama’s beautiful bar routine was marred by a pause before her inverted giants and clipped her heel on a Jaeger thrown out of the inverts. She also swung German giants and dismounted with a hecht on the high bar to back tuck. Her routine was given a 6.2 difficulty score, but the mistakes left her with a 7.95 execution score (14.15 overall). Wobbles on balance beam and a fall on floor put her in 16th place.
After the first day of competition, the results are as follows:
1. Shawn Johnson 61.700
2. Bianca Flohr 61.05
3. Samantha Peszek 59.65
4. Ivana Hong 58.450
5. Rebecca Bross 58.250
6. Sarah DeMeo 57.950
7. Corrie Lothrop 57.850
8. Catherine Nguyen 57.500
9. Jordyn Wieber 57.500
10. Rheagan Courville 57.150
11. Samantha Shapiro 56.850
12. Cassie Whitcomb 56.750
13. Rachel Updike 56.600
14. Kytra Hunter 56.500
15. Amy Borsellino 56.200
16. Shantessa Pama 56.150
17. Christa Tanella 56.050
18. Olivia Courtney 55.950
19. Katelyn Mohr 55.750
20. Petra Matthies 55.450
21. Kimberly Jacob 54.950
22. Randi Lau 54.800
23. Madison Turchin 54.600
24. Shelby Salmon 53.900
25. Rachel York 53.750
26. Hannah Toussaint 53.250
26. Sarie Morrison 53.250
28. Erica Smith 52.400
29. Michelle Shealy 52.250
30. Ashley Stott 52.200
31. Taylor Schick 51.350
32. Bridget Sloan 45.150
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