Sam Mikulak:
“I think everyone wants to have the meet of their life, but in the long scheme of things it’s not this competition that really matters. This is a test event, you could say, for world championships. We’ve got 10 weeks until worlds and whoever is going to be named on their specified events, it’s going to be very competitive.”
Nancy Armour:
If the U.S. men want to do more than talk about winning an Olympic or world title, they should take a page out of Martha Karolyi’s playbook.
The world championships, just the competition that determines which teams go to next summer’s Rio Olympics, are still 10 weeks away. Yet the Americans went ahead and named their men’s team following Sunday’s splatfest at the U.S. gymnastics championships, with Sam Mikulak and Donnell Whittenburg earning automatic spots based on their results and Danell Leyva, Alex Naddour, Paul Ruggeri and Brandon Wynn chosen by a selection committee. …
“I feel every confident about the way we’re doing it,” men’s national team coordinator Kevin Mazeika said. “Having 10 weeks is a good thing to allow us to really solidify our lineups and function as a team. Then, when we get to Glasgow, we can hit the ground running.” …
Men’s gymnastics team could learn Olympic lesson from Martha Karolyi
I certainly don’t like the Karolyi system. Leaving selection to the very last minute puts too much pressure, too long on the girls. It will again be criticized the next time the American team has a last minute injury at one of the selection camps.
The USA is the top nation in the world for many reasons. Karolyi camps are only one.
I trust Kevin Mazeika and his coaching staff to do the right things over the next 10 weeks. Recall the 2008 Olympics when it was the men who had all the last minute injuries. Alternates were ready to step in.
Like the women, the American men have a lot of depth. Chris Brooks was 3rd AA yet is only an alternate. I’m sure many team lineups projected by the computer software they use resulted in similar final team scores.
I was surprised @jake_dalton wasn’t named some kind of alternate. I’d certainly want him at the final preparation camp(s).
