Beam Dreams

USA Women’s Team Roster Breakdown Based on Podium Training

The official team roster has still not been released for the US women’s team. However, podium training provided some insight into the final line-up. Generally, the order of competition in podiums translates to the first five to compete being the ones that will go in qualifications, with third – fifth being those that would compete in team finals. The sixth to go is the member of the team who will…

Simone Biles Flies High Above the Rest at the 2015 P&G National Championships

Simone Biles once again put her name in the history books, earning her third consecutive national title, with a two-day combined score of 124.1 and a out of this world 63 all-around score on the second day. The race for second and third was tight and changed throughout the night, but Maggie Nichols who shone from start to finish, managed to claim the silver with a  119.15. Aly Raisman managed to…

MG Elite Battles it Out for Junior Gold at the the 2015 P&G National Championships

Laurie Hernandez of MG Elite finally took her own junior national title, defeating defending national champion and teammate Jazmyn Foberg by one tenth. She scored a two day-total of 117.50 for the gold. Foberg put up an incredible fight, with her strongest all-around showing yet, scoring a 117.40. Ragan Smith of Texas Dreams wowed the crowd on floor and beam, taking bronze with a 116.45. The…

Amelia Hundley Withdraws from Nationals

Amelia Hundley came into Nationals off of a successful outing at the Pan American Games. After a decent night on day one, it has been reported that she is withdrawing from competition with a slight meniscus tear. Updates will be added if more information comes out. Earlier, Hundley did an interview with Athletes in Action, where she talked about how her faith and family helped her work through…

A Night Full of Surprises- Day One Recap and video roundup of P&G National Championships

The first night of competition for the P&G National Championships was quite a roller coaster, reminiscent of the 2011 National Championships. Three of the top five girls had falls, including a number of falls from girls that were so unexpected, everyone’s jaw dropped. Probably the only two things that went as expected were Simone Biles leading at the end of the night and Maggie Nichols having a…

Preview of P&G Championships – Seniors. What They Have to Prove.

In history past, the National Championships outcome determined many things, including a place on the national and world teams. However, these days it is just an important stepping stone. Ok, maybe a boulder that gets you halfway across the river sized stepping stone, but still, just a step. For today’s gymnast, the selection for a spot on the national and world stage is a journey rather than a…

Gabby Douglas at the 2015 Secret U.S. Classic. Photo by Christy LinderThe 2015 P&G Gymnastics Championships bring an incredible amount of excitement, as the depth of the women’s field continues to grow. Among the women currently competing are eight world championship medalists and three Olympic medalists. Between them, they have won 21 World and Olympic medals, the World team titles in 2011 and…

Secret U.S. Classics Seniors Recap and Results. What a fantastic night of competition!

The energy in the Sears Centre Arena was electric for the 2015 Secret U.S. Classic. Simone Biles of World Champions wowed the crowd the whole night through to win the gold with a 62.4. Gabby Douglas of Buckeye Gymnastics came out strong in her first US meet since 2012 for silver, earning a 60.50. Nichols showed she was out to make a name for herself with her new amanar, and gorgeous, consistent…

Secret US Classics Junior Results and Recap. What a great meet!

The arena was ablaze with sparkling leotards as the juniors took the stage at the Secret US Classics. After an exciting competition, Lauren Hernandez of MG Elite topped the podium with a 58.45. Ragan Smith of Texas Dreams won the silver with a 57.70, while reigning national junior champion Jazzy Foberg of MG Elite followed behind her for the bronze with a 57.40. Hernandez led the entire meet,…

Secret Surprises, A Look At Senior Podium Training, Upgrades and Interviews

In many ways, the Secret US Classics can be one of the most exciting meets of the year. It is the time when we see impressive upgrades, gymnast debuts and begin to really get an idea of the overall picture for the US women’s team. It is also a meet where anything can happen, as the girls routines are not yet polished and perfected. This year boasts an extra level of excitement with the return of…

Felicia Hano at the 2014 Secret Classics. Image from youtube. Felicia Hano, training partner with Kyla Ross at Gym-Max Gymnastics in Costa Mesa, CA, injured herself today during podium training for the 2015 Secret US Classics. Though no official update has been given, the most recent update of the start list for tomorrow’s competition no longer has Hano on it. The rotation was wrapping up and…

Tomorrow starts the final run up to the national championships with the Secret US Classics. Nine World and Olympic champions will take the stage as they fine tune their performances in preparation for the national championships and make the case for why they should be on the 2015 World Championship team. Headlining the competition is two-time World all-around champion Simone Biles of World…

After three subdivisions of competition have been completed, the US women easily claim the team title for the fourth straight time at the Pan American Games. Scoring a 173.8, USA’s talented team won the gold by over seven points. Canada and Brazil both put in valiant efforts, with Canada edging out Brazil for the silver with a 166.5 to Brazil’s 165.4 for the bronze. The US men also won gold,…

US Women Shine in Pan Ams Day One

Team USA for the Pan American Games at podium training. Photo by Grace Chaui via USA Gymnastics. The first round of competition for the 2015 American Games started today in Toronto. The women began their Pan Am journey with the team finals and all-around and event finals qualifications in the first subdivision. They will have to wait through two more subdivisions for the results. Madison Desch of…

Lauren Mitchell at the Commonwealth Games in 2014. Photo via WAIS. Lauren Mitchell, the first Australian female gymnast to win a gold medal at the World Championships, was back on the Road to Rio. After dealing with a shoulder injury following the London Olympics, Mitchell went back and forth on continuing on as an elite level gymnast. In 2014, she decided to return to training and just see what…

Andreea Raducan at the 2000 Sydney Olympics The world of gymnastics is familiar with gymnasts not winning medals due to rules that can feel unfair. Perhaps one of the most heartbreaking situations was at the 2000 Olympics. Andreea Raducan failed a drug test after taking cold medicine provided by her doctor, and was subsequently stripped of her all-around gold medal. It was clear at the time that…