2012 Olympic Team Trials

What to Watch: Women's Final

What to Watch: Women's Final

What to Watch: Women's Final

Jun 30, 2012 by Danny Sierra
What to Watch: Women's Final
The long wait for fans and gymnasts alike comes to an end on Sunday, with the conclusion of the women's U.S. Olympic Trials and the announcement of the team headed to London.  NBC will broadcast the competition LIVE at 9 p.m. EST and here's our guide of WHO to watch and WHY.

1. Balance Beam
It seemed that everyone who touched the beam on Friday gave away at least one or two wobbles, with several stars performing below their potential on the event.  Jordyn Wieber, Aly Raisman, Alicia Sacramone, Kyla Ross, Gabby Douglas, Nastia Liukin and others all felt the pressure on this unforgiving apparatus, allowing newcomer Sarah Finnegan to run away with the event.  



Sunday will be the last chance for the gymnasts to show the selection committee that they have the mental fortitude to excel on balance beam.  Who will rise to the occasion?

2. Nastia's Response

While 2008 Olympic All-Around Champion Nastia Liukin may have ended her 2012 Olympic chances with a disastrous bars performance on night one, all eyes will be on her Sunday to see how she responds.  

Will she prove that she can put together two strong bars and beam sets?  Will she throw a double front 1/2 dismount, even though she didn't come close to landing it Friday?  It's no surprise that the gymnastics of Nastia Liukin keeps us captivated until the end.

 

3. Elizabeth Price and Sarah Finnegan

As first-year seniors, these two gymnasts came into the biggest meets of their lives as unknowns, and have performed admirably, keeping their London hopes alive going into the final night of the Olympic Trials.

Finnegan walked away from night one as the beam winner, but stumbled on floor exercise.  Can even the performance of her life sway the selection committee, who values consistency over all?

Price's Amanar vault was second only to McKayla Maroney's on Friday (by only .05!), and she was one of few gymnasts to hit all four routines, while Maroney faltered.  Can she steal a spot?  Will her ability to step in on any event give her the edge?

Win or lose, it's always fun to watch the underdogs.

4. Sacramone's Last Stand

2008 Olympian Alicia Sacramone has handled her comeback from injury with humor and grace, and her performances on Sunday could possibly be the last we see from her.  

Sacramone made a splash on Friday, competing in a U.S. team leotard from the Beijing Olympics, and fans can expect to see the same fire and personality from Alicia in the final.



Her Rudi vault is improved from earlier in the season (15.7 on night one) and she showed an aggressive beam set (front pike mount immediate back tuck).  Can Sacramone challenge the new guard and win a second Olympics?

5. Anna Li's Thrilling Bars Set

NBC didn't broadcast her night one routine, but that didn't stop Anna Li from swinging to the highest bars score of the night: a 15.5 that tied her with Kyla Ross.  

While Anna may finish out of the Olympic picture, her routine is equal parts innovative and thrilling, including a Rybalko-Jaeger-Pak combination, a Maloney 1/2, a full-twisting Tkatchev and a full-twisting double layout dismount.  

With three solid, high-scoring bar routines so far at Visa Championships and Trials, Anna Li is a dark horse who should not be ignored.

The women's final will be broadcast LIVE on NBC Sunday at 9 p.m. EST.  For more information on the schedule click HERE.

For interviews and videos of the men's and women's competitors, click HERE.

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