2017 P&G Gymnastics Championships

Analysis: Top Execution Scores From JR & SR Women At 2017 P&G Championships

Analysis: Top Execution Scores From JR & SR Women At 2017 P&G Championships

The 2017 P&G Championships showcased the best gymnastics in the country at the moment and provided gymnasts with a chance to win a spot on the National Team.

Aug 27, 2017 by Justine Kelly
Analysis: Top Execution Scores From JR & SR Women At 2017 P&G Championships
The 2017 P&G Championships showcased the best gymnastics in the country at the moment and provided gymnasts with a chance to earn a spot on the national team. For seniors, the competition was also an opportunity to demonstrate how they can contribute to the USA's Worlds team, which will be selected following a selection camp. For juniors, it was a chance to show what the potential they have for future international competitions.

While high difficulty is always an important factor, having great execution is just as important, and we saw some incredible form at this year's competition from both the juniors and seniors. The attention to detail was there, which made for beautiful gymnastics. We took a look at the highest execution scores from both juniors and seniors from both days of competition.

COMPLETE JUNIOR E-SCORE RANKINGS
COMPLETE SENIOR E-SCORE RANKINGS

Below, we highlight the top five on each event. 

HIGHEST EXEUCTION ON VAULT


1. Jordan Chiles (senior) - 9.35

Jordan Chiles tops our list for the Amanar vault that she competed on Day 1 of the competition. Not only was her execution high at 9.35, but she also was one of two gymnasts to compete such a difficult vault, with a 5.8 D-score. Chiles received a 15.15 for the vault.

2. Leanne Wong (junior) - 9.30

Leanne Wong places second for the Yurchenko double she competed on Day 2 of the competition. Wong got great height on the vault, kept her legs locked together and toes pointed throughout, and nearly stuck the landing. Wong did well on Day 1 as well, scoring a 9.15 in execution, and she came away with the highest combined score on vault for the juniors. Check out her vault from Day 2:

Video via USA Gymnastics

3T. Elena Arenas (senior) - 9.20

Elena Arenas also competed a Yurchenko double and got huge height off the table, causing her to take a large step back on the landing. Still, her form was excellent throughout and the height really set her apart from others competing the same vault. She received a 9.20 E-score both the first and second days of competition.

3T. Maile O'Keefe (junior) - 9.20

Tied for third is Maile O'Keefe, who competed a Yurchenko double as well and received a 9.20 E-score on Day 2 of the competition. O'Keefe did well on the first day of competition, too, receiving a 9.10 E-score, and had the second highest combined score for the juniors on vault.

5. Margzetta Frazier (senior) - 9.15

Margzetta Frazier performed a Yurchenko double and scored a 9.15 E-score on the second day of competition. She had a slight pike down on her landing, but only a small hop and good form in the air.

Notable Mentions:

6T. Emily Gaskins (senior) - 9.10
6T. Jade Carey (senior) - 9.10
6T. Shania Adams (senior) - 9.10
6T. Kara Eaker (junior) - 9.10
6T. Olivia Dunne (junior) - 9.10
6T. Selena Harris (junior) - 9.10

HIGHEST EXECUTION ON BARS


1. Ashton Locklear (senior) - 8.90

Unsurprisingly, Ashton Locklear tops the rankings for highest E-score on bars, on both days of competition. She placed second on the podium on this event and had her best night on Day 2 when she put up a 8.90. Locklear is currently competing with a 5.5 D-score and is looking to upgrade with inbar stalders soon.

2T. Luisa Blanco (senior) - 8.70

Luisa Blanco is second on our list for execution on bars, although she competed with very low difficulty, including just a layout dismount due to a knee injury she is working through. Still, she is natural bar swinger and had excellent form throughout.

2T. Emma Malabuyo (junior) - 8.70

Emma Malabuyo is tied for second on execution on bars; she notched an 8.70 on Day 1 of competition. Malabuyo has lovely stalder work throughout her routine and is skilled at hitting all her handstands. She did well on the second day of competition, too, hitting an 8.45 E-score. She captured the silver medal on the event for the juniors.

4. Jordan Chiles (senior) - 8.60

Although many people may think bars is one of Jordan Chiles' weaker events, she put up a very impressive showing this weekend and was one of the top performers. She notched an 8.6 E-score on Day 2 of competition and an 8.55 on Day 1, both routines competed with a 5.4 D-score. There is a stereotype that powerful gymnasts aren't as strong on bars, but Chiles is clearly a great swinger and moves through each skill effortlessly, without having to muscle anything.

5. Trinity Thomas (senior) - 8.55

Trinity Thomas put up one of the more difficult bar routines at P&Gs with a 5.8 D-score. On the second day of competition, she hit an 8.55 E-score as well. Thomas has great height on her release moves and pays attention to little details such as pointed toes throughout her routine. Her double layout dismount is the highlight -- check out her routine below where she sticks the landing:

Video via USA Gymnastics

Notable Mentions:

6. Kara Eaker (junior) - 8.50
7T. Riley McCusker (senior) - 8.45
7T. Sienna Robinson (junior) - 8.45
9T. Elena Arenas (senior) - 8.40
9T. Maile O'Keefe (junior) - 8.40

HIGHEST EXECUTION ON BEAM


1. Kara Eaker (junior) - 9.25

The highest execution on beam over both days went to junior Kara Eaker, who is also competing one of the highest difficulty routines with a 5.9 D-score. Eaker showed excellent control and confidence throughout her near-perfect routine. She did well on Day 1 of competition, notching an 8.95 E-score, but improved even further on Day 2 when she hit a 9.25. Eaker's performance on both days won her the junior national championship title on beam. Check out her incredible routine below:

Video via USA Gymnastics

2. Leanne Wong (junior) - 9.05

Wong makes our list again, this time for beam. Although she does not have one of the more difficult routines -- she hit a 9.05 E-score with a 4.9 D-score routine -- her beam work is very polished and provides a great foundation to uprgrade going forward.

3. Riley McCusker (senior) - 9.00

On the second day of competition, Riley McCusker achieved a 9.00 E-score. She did not have any noticeable wobbles in her entire routine, with the major deduction being taken on the step on her dismount landing. McCusker competed with a 5.5 D-score.

4. Ragan Smith (senior) - 8.95

In addition to being crowned the national all-around champion, Ragan Smith also won the national title on beam after a spectacular performance on both days. On Day 2, she hit a 6.1 D-score and scored an impressive 8.95 in execution, despite having one of her feet slip on her standing full.

5. Luisa Blanco (senior) - 8.90

Blanco makes the rankings again with her performance on beam, where she scored an 8.90 E-score. Blanco had a 5.4 D-score and was very solid and confident in her routine, especially on the second day of competition. It will be interesting to see how she improves next year, especially once her injury fully heals.

Notable Mentions:

6T. Ragan Smith (senior) - 8.60
6T. Maile O'Keefe (junior) - 8.60
6T. JaFree Scott (junior) - 8.60
9T. Morgan Hurd (senior) - 8.50
9T. Ashton Locklear (senior) - 8.50
9T. Annie Beard (junior) - 8.50

HIGHEST EXECUTION ON FLOOR


1. Maile O'Keefe (junior) - 8.85

O'Keefe finished just behind Malabuyo in the floor rankings, but she had the highest E-score out of both days from both juniors and seniors, scoring an 8.85 on Day 2. What makes O'Keefe unique on floor is her ability to hit full split in her leaps and control her landings on both tumbling and dance. Check out her routine from Day 2 below:

Video via USA Gymnastics

2T. Emma Malabuyo (junior) - 8.75

Second on the list is Malabuyo, the junior national floor champion. Malabuyo has an energetic floor routine, with impressive tumbling but also creative choreography -- she's a fantastic performer. Like O'Keefe, she has very controlled landings and will often either stick her tumbling passes or have just a small hop.

2T. Leanne Wong (junior) - 8.75

Tied for is fellow junior Wong, who hit an 8.75 D-score on Day 1 of competition and also took the silver medal on floor for the juniors. This is the third event in which Wong had one of the top five execution scores out of both juniors and seniors. She has a similar style on all of her events, sticking to the basics of keeping her toes pointed and legs together on every skill. Her floor routine is not the most difficult -- she competed with a 5.1 D-score -- but we hope to see great things as she upgrades in future.

4T. Riley McCusker (senior) - 8.70

The only senior on our list for floor is McCusker, who had a great routine on Day 1 and hit an 8.70 E-score. All of McCusker's moves are very precise, and she puts a lot of thought into every detail, right down to hand placement. McCusker competes a lower difficulty routine than some of her teammates at a 5.2 D-score, but her execution makes up for this and still places her as one of the top floor workers for the U.S.

4T. Kara Eaker (junior) - 8.70

Eaker placed fourth on floor, achieving an 8.55 E-score on Day 1 and an improved 8.7 E-score on Day 2. Her difficulty level is fairly low at 5.0, and she'll be looking to upgrade her tumbling in particular for next year.

Notable Mentions:

6T. Ragan Smith (senior) - 8.60
6T. Jade Carey (senior) - 8.60
8. Emily Gaskins (senior) - 8.55
9T. Jordan Chiles (senior) - 8.50
9T. Trinity Thomas (senior) - 8.50


Related:
The Winning Women: 1st-Place Routines From The 2017 P&G Championships