It’s time for the 89th edition of You Asked, The Gymternet Answered! We apologize if we haven’t gotten to your question yet, but we try to answer in the order in which they were received (unless they are super relevant and need to be answered in a timely manner). Something you want to know? Ask us anonymously by going through the contact form at the bottom of the page.

Will Maggie Nichols’ injury be a big setback for her chances at making it to the Olympics? Do you think she had a secure spot before her injury?

I think prior to her injury, she was a front runner even if she wasn’t necessarily “secure” (to be entirely honest, I think the only one who is secure is Simone Biles). A meniscus injury isn’t the worst thing that could’ve happened, but the surgery in addition to the rehab period that took her out of the gym until two weeks ago could really hurt her. The fact that she won’t be ready in time for Classics means she’ll only have two meets to show she fits the team, and that can be tough for even the very best. The timing is just so tight, whether she can get back all of her difficulty on the two events that make her most competitive – vault and floor – could be really tough. That said, she came back from injury incredibly well between 2014 and 2015 (though with a much greater window of time) and she’s so incredibly consistent, I could see her with a routine that might be a bit weak in terms of difficulty going over someone with a stronger set but who is more of a risk in competition. Whether Maggie goes or not will depend on (a) how much she’s able to get back from her program, and (b) the overall depth in the U.S. field and whether she could legitimately take the place of one of the other gymnasts considered as an option.

I just saw Daniele Hypolito’s roundoff + loso beam mount. Is it possible for getting deductions on elements before actually touching the beam? Also, say she feels off on her roundoff…can she restart the mount?

Yes it’s possible to get deductions before you touch the beam. Since a mount is a skill counted into the composition of the routine, incorrect form or a fall would count the same way they would if they were done on beam. If you fall on a mount, you can do it again, but most wouldn’t…generally you just climb back up on the beam and continue the way you’d do if you fell on any other skill. I’ve seen a few mount falls before and no one tried to re-mount, they just climbed back on and went on with the routine.

What’s the difference between a Seitz and a van Leeuwen on bars?

A Seitz is a toe-on shaposh with a full twist whereas a van Leeuwen is a toe-on shaposh with a half twist.

Do you think Aliya Mustafina can win an all-around medal in Rio?

We’ll see. Considering that she hasn’t done the all-around in a year, it’s not going to be easy, but you never know. I think two Americans will definitely be on the podium, and then her big competition will really only be Angelina Melnikova and Shang Chunsong, with a few others who could get in there as long shots (like Ellie Downie, for example) and then Larisa Iordache if she ends up being ready in time, though it’s not looking super likely. If Aliya comes back as one of Russia’s top two all-arounders, then yes, she should be somewhere around the top five, but I can’t say for sure if she’d make it to the podium. She has a shot but it’s not going to be a given.

I think the two-per-country rule is generally good because it gives opportunities to other countries, but in a situation like Jordyn Wieber’s, it doesn’t seem right that she’d be kept from competing. Do you think a rule that was similar but allowed someone in the top four (or five or whatever) to compete should be implemented?

Yeah, for sure. The two-per-country rule actually doesn’t even lead to that much diversity…the girls who benefited from the four who got shut out for two-per-country  in 2012 were from Australia, Japan, France, and Poland. Given that three of those four had full teams at the Games, you can’t really say that much diversity was brought to the all-around final. Poland is one of the countries the rule was meant to help, but those other three definitely were not who the FIG should have in mind for diversity. The only way to truly add in a greater number of lesser-known countries would be to expand to a 36+ person final or to do one-per-country, where a final with 24 all-arounders would see gymnasts from 24 different countries. Both of these have problems inherent as well, but the two-per-country rule in a 24 person final literally does nothing to help diversity.

But since two-per-country is how things are done, I definitely think if a gymnast places in the top five and has a clear shot at making the podium, she should be allowed to compete in the final no matter how many from her country have already qualified. Like, in 2012 Yao Jinnan also missed out because of two-per-country, but she placed 22nd all-around with a 54.798 and definitely didn’t have a shot at medaling, nor did the others who missed out because of this rule (Anastasia Grishina and Jenny Pinches). The all-around field in qualifications had five gymnasts at 59.9+ (including Jordyn) and then the entire rest of the field was 57.998 or lower, so there was a two point gap between “the best” and “the rest” and I think everyone who was in that “best” group should’ve been in the final to make the podium fight more exciting. As it worked out, there were four competitors there for three podium spots, which is kind of boring for an Olympic final, so the two-per-country rule not only does nothing for diversity, but it also takes away from what could be a much more thrilling final. I think allowing a top finisher to keep her spot is a fair compromise.

Is Maddie Desch done with elite?

Yes, she just announced her retirement. She has been dealing with multiple back injuries over the past year that have really limited what she can do in the gym, so she made the decision to focus on preparing for NCAA gymnastics. We can’t wait to cheer her on at Bama!

How does Hopes work? How do girls get chosen for Hopes and TOPs?

You don’t really get “chosen” but there’s a qualification process in the way there is for other levels. Hopes gymnasts have to be between 10 and 13 and they compete under a slightly modified elite code of points. They need to qualify to the Hopes Classic by getting a compulsory score and an optional score at an earlier qualifying event (Buckeye, WOGA, AOGC, and/or Auburn this year, but this changes every year based on who applies to host). For this year, those in the 10-11 age group needed a 32.0 compulsory and a 47.0 optional while those in the 12-13 age group needed a 33.0 compulsory and 49.0 optional. From the Hopes Classic, the top 18 in both age groups who have earned the optionals scores at the Classic move on to the Hopes Championships.

TOPs is for gymnasts across several levels aged 7-10. They are evaluated by physical abilities rather than by routines or skill level, including rope climbs, press handstands, leg lifts, handstands, and flexibility/hold tests. Evaluations take place at the state or regional level, and from there, those who are the strongest are invited to participate in the national TOP testing, and then the best from that group are invited to the national TOP training camp.

Neither TOPs nor Hopes is a requirement for an athlete to compete at the elite level. Some coaches opt not to do either, some do TOPs but then attempt to qualify directly to elite rather than go through Hopes, etc. TOPs gets you in the door a little early and gives you national attention, and Hopes is more for gymnasts who want to do elite but who might not yet be at that level by age 10-13, so it gives them a chance to test the waters. A gymnast that age can go straight to junior elite if she has the scores and feels confident enough.

Since 1996, only four teams have reached the podium at the Olympics. Do you think we can expect any surprises this year?

I think the USA, China, and Russia are going in as the three strongest teams, and of these three, I think the USA and China are pretty much guaranteed to make the podium. Russia should be there if they hit…I really think last year was a mega fluke (especially after how much they rocked qualifications), and they were also within a point of getting bronze even with counting four falls. They should also have a better team this year, especially if Aliya Mustafina is back in action and competing at a strong level. But if they have another fluke team finals day, then obviously it puts them at risk of missing out again, in which case my favorites for sneaking in are Great Britain and Brazil.

What do you think of UCLA having nine incoming freshmen, four of whom are walk-ons? Do you think it’s a detriment especially with not having enough staff and time to practice?

I don’t think so…UCLA generally has large incoming classes and they always manage. There are several teams with over 20 girls on the roster, and usually these teams have the coaching staff to back it up, as does UCLA. If anything, it gives UCLA multiple options for each event, which is always good, and once they get more into the competitive season, the focus can be on those who are consistently in each event’s lineup so it’s not like they’re ignoring the top contenders. They make it work.

Has Christina Desiderio competed anywhere in 2016? Has she been at camps?

She hasn’t competed yet this season aside from at the ranch, and she has been at most of the camps. She was at the selection camp for Jesolo but didn’t make the team. She qualified for nationals at the ranch, however, and will compete both in St. Louis as well as in Hartford for the Secret U.S. Classic.

Now that Dipa Karmakar has made it to the Olympics, what are the chances that she’ll medal on vault?

I mean, anything’s possible. I think if Simone Biles, Maria Paseka, and Hong Un Jong are all at their best, no one can beat them, honestly…even those with the Produnovas (Dipa and Oksana Chusovitina). To really contend with these three, Dipa would have to really work on a better landing and even then, I don’t think it would be enough. If she adds a full point to her execution score to get a 9.1, she’d still only average somewhere around a 15.3-15.4. Simone, meanwhile, will be somewhere around 15.7-15.8, whereas the other two will be somewhere in the 15.5-15.7 zone. It’s not impossible, and someone at the top could always fall or make a large mistake, but even with a much better landing, a medal is not going to be a guarantee for Dipa. The way she’s currently hitting, she’d realistically be somewhere around 4th, 5th, or 6th in the final (which is still a huge deal given that she’s India’s first to ever compete at the Olympics!).

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Article by Lauren Hopkins