World Championships Women's Team Finals Lineups

Anne From Gymnastike on October 10, 2011, 6:21am | More Posts

The first medals of the 2011 World Gymnastics Championships will be handed out tomorrow in the women's team final. Here's a look at the lineups just released from each of the 8 teams, in the order which they advanced to the final.

Team USA (starting on vault)
Vault: Alexandra Raisman, Jordyn Wieber, McKayla Maroney
Uneven Bars: Sabrina Vega, Jordyn Wieber, Gabrielle Douglas
Balance Beam: Sabrina Vega, Alexandra Raisman, Jordyn Wieber
Floor: McKayla Maroney, Jordyn Wieber, Alexandra Raisman

Team Russia (starting on vault)
Vault: Ksenia Afaneseva, Victoria Komova, Tatiana Nabieva
Uneven Bars: Anna Dementyeva, Victoria Komova, Tatiana Nabieva
Balance Beam: Yulia Ishina, Victoria Komova, Anna Dementyeva
Floor: Yulia Belokobylskaya, Victoria Komova, Ksenia Afanaseva

Team China (starting on bars)
Vault: Jiang Yuyuan, Huang Qiushuang, Yao Jinnan
Uneven Bars: Yao Jinnan, Huang Qiushuang, Tan Sixin
Balance Beam: Yao Jinnan, Tan Sixin, Sui Lu
Floor: Tan Sixin, Yao Jinnan, Sui Lu

Team Romania (starting on bars)
Vault: Diana Chelaru, Raluca Haidu, Catalina Ponor
Uneven Bars: Raluca Haidu, Amelia Racea, Ana Porgras
Balance Beam: Amelia Racea, Catalina Ponor, Ana Porgras
Floor: Diana Chelaru, Diana Bulimar, Catalina Ponor

Team Japan (starting on beam)
Vault: Yuko Shintake, Asuka Teramoto, Rie Tanaka
Uneven Bars: Rie Tanaka, Asuka Teramoto, Koko Tsurumi
Balance Beam: Asuka Teramoto, Yu Minobe, Koko Tsurumi
Floor: Kyoko Oshima, Rie Tanaka, Koko Tsurumi

Team Australia (starting on beam)
Vault: Ashleigh Brennan, Emily Little, Lauren Mitchell
Uneven Bars: Georgia Rose Brown, Lauren Mitchell, Larissa Miller
Balance Beam: Ashleigh Brennan, Mary Ann Monckton, Lauren Mitchell
Floor: Larissa Miller, Ashleigh Brennan, Lauren Mitchell

Team Germany (starting on floor)
Vault: Nadine Jarosch, Elizabeth Seitz, Oksana Chusovitina
Uneven Bars: Kim Bui, Lisa Katharina Hill, Elisabeth Seitz
Balance Beam: Nadine Jarosch, Oksana Chusovitina, Elizabeth Seitz
Floor: Kim Bui, Elisabeth Seitz, Nadine Jarosch

Team Great Britain (starting on floor)
Vault: Danusia Francis, Hannah Whelan, Imogen Cairns
Uneven Bars:
Balance Beam: Jennifer Pinches, Danusa Francis, Hannah Whelan
Floor: Imogen Cairns, Hannah Whelan, Beth Tweddle

The biggest surprise of these lineups is that 2008 Olympic and 2009 World uneven bars Champion He Kexin will not compete for China on uneven bars. He fell during the qualifying rounds, missing the individual event finals, so her time here in Tokyo is done. I attended the Chinese training session just a few moments ago and during the bars rotation, He was struggling on her jaeger mix grip combination and looked to be in pain from a leg/groin injury.

Judging by these lineups, who do you think has the best shot at a medal?

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Updated on May 15, 2012, 9:53am

Categories: world championships, tokyo 2011

22 comments

Anonymous Coward 7 months ago

im so glad russia is back! they are still not perfect and incosistant but i would rather watch their gymnastics over USA any day. they are true gymnasts displaying elegance, strength, power and flexibility unlike the US who rips up the big tricks super well but with no grabbing style with the exception of nastia. i also hope romania can bring it in 2012, i like this team and they all have individual an style and attitudes. i just hope they can gain enough experience betwwen now and 2012 and be consistant when it counts as i believe they have got the goods! i hope in 2012 we will see 1st russia and 2nd romania, however USA always seems to be to strong...anyway good luck to all the teams!

k 7 months ago

Wish that Ann Li was on the bars line up instead of Sabrina Vega. And I actually prefer Sabrina's floor routine over Mckayla's, but I know hers has a higher start value. I am also not a fan of Aly's floor routine, she has great tumbling but the music and lack of fluidity bother me. She does pull in the high numbers though, so she deserves to be there. As for beam I would like to see Gabby instead of Sabrina in the line up, but Sabrina seems more consistent. So excited to see Victoria Komova though! And good luck team USA!

XHD 7 months ago

They say that He Kexin is injured... so why not take her out and replace her with Wu? she'll probably do better than Tan Sixin... and why put Jiang Yuyuan just on vault?

China... I was just a huge fan during the 2008 olympics, but now... you're starting to lose me...

Felicia 7 months ago

Curaj Romania! Sper sa luam o medalie....and good luck to the other teams! :)

Anonymous Coward 7 months ago

I would have put Vega up on floor in Maroney's place on floor and replaced Vega on bars with Anna Li if possible... but the US has depth and will undoubtedly rise to the challenge... although an unexpected error or two will likely occur...

Anonymous Coward 7 months ago

@ Nick...that was such a great comment about US practicing for the Olympics with a 5 girl lineup. I hadn't even thought about that, but this will provide them with some experience and confidence the other countries may be lacking. Great input!

CZ 7 months ago

Are they kidding me-- Tan Sixin for 3 events? Why not Wu Liufang instead! Ugh with stupid decisions about lineups like these China does not deserve to medal.

SofaGymnast 7 months ago

Really hope the GB girls put a bad qualifying (and even worse for men's) behind them and perform to their capabilities. 5th is in reach if they do. Fingers crossed they have a fully-fit Downie, Hibbert, Francis, for London - would be gutted for them if injuries ruined their home-show.

SofaGymnast 7 months ago

Irene 7 months ago

I am sure that the Romanian girls will do their best, but there's no question that at the Olympic Games they will shine, as usual!

Anonymous Coward 7 months ago

I think USA team and Russia are good, but Romania are to.. I expect a big final here, but a bigger one in London..when Sandra Izbasa and Larisa Iordache will be there..

Devi 7 months ago

Very surprised that Gabby's only doing bars. Thought we'd see more of her, especially given her performance in the qualifying round.

xGymCouture 7 months ago

WHY ARE THEY PUTTING SABRINA ON BEAM INSTEAD OF GABBY?! Gabby was more solid in Prelims and does she not have a harder routine? I'm really nervous about the line ups for team finals (apart from vault)

Anonymous 7 months ago

The USA lineup was what I expected it to be though I'm nervous about McKayla on floor. Her difficulty is only a tad higher than Sabrina's and she's just not consistent on her second and third passes in competition. Let's hope she hits cause when she's on she'e exquisite.

Alice 7 months ago

let's see the how it will be the hierarchy on the Olympic Games in London.. It is possible that Romania to perfom much better as Izbasa will be there..

Nick 7 months ago

As much as it stinks that Alicia is hurt, because she would have made the USA even stronger, I'm glad to see that they can still put up a solid three gymnasts on each event while only using a team of five talented women. In London, the USA will already be used to the "five gymnast a team" rule while countries like china and russia are gonna have to figure out how to make five girls work the same as six.

Anonymous Coward 7 months ago

i'll be surprised to see He on the Olympic team next year, especially with a 5 gymnast team. A one event specialist just isn't worth it with such a small roster. Nastia Liukin just smiled a big smile but she better get her beam (and possibly floor) back.

alice 7 months ago

I agree with CAM. but I hope, instead Russia, Romania. USA is definately the strongest team.

Cam 7 months ago

The USA Line-up is exactly as I would have picked it. I think the USA has the best shot at gold, but it will be a close contest with Russia. I expect both teams will push each other, especially since they are rotating together.

That gives us USA and Russia. The battle will most definitely be for the Bronze.
China will be hurting for a strong start, being without their strongest bar worker to start off the meet, but they are incredibly strong on the beam, so if any attempt at being a medal contender is to be made, it will have to start slow and steady on the bars, then come roaring to life on the beam, sustained by floor, and closed out by a consistent vault rotation.
Romania is definitely strongest on Beam and Floor, especially with the return of Catalina Ponor and Ana Porgras in the beam anchor position. Bars will likely be their undoing as they lack the polish and difficulty of the other teams there. Further, their vaults are rather messy across their line-up and that could keep them from finishing on the podium.
Japan is full of surprises. Rie Tanaka and Koko Tsurumi will post high scores on bars if all goes according to plan, and Japan's beam isn't terrible either. Landings on floor do leave something to be desired, and last I knew, Tsurumi was only vaulting a Yurchenko 1/1, which won't help Japan's cause, even if performed cleanly.
Australia did well by getting into the team final in fifth place, but I am not sure if that is a sustainable result for the girls from down under. Their strongest bar score will certainly come from Larissa Miller, while Lauren Mitchell will likely bring in the team's higest scores on beam and floor. Australia has never been the strongest vaulting nation, so like Japan, it could be what keeps them int he bottom half.
Germany WILL get at least one big score on both Vault and Bars from Chuso and Elisabeth Seitz, respectively. Kim Bui can put up a decent bars score if she hits, and Chuso is generally solid on the beam and can help out there. The likelihood of Germany getting a team medal, though, is rather slim, in my opinion, as the other gymnasts up in the final (Jarosch and Hill) lack experience and may fold slightly under World Championship pressure.
Great Britain is a sentimental favorite of mine. They always have been. All three of their vaulters perform respectable Yurchenko 1.5s, though Imogen Cairns has a knack for sticking when it counts. Bars is without a solid line-up, but I can see both Beth Tweddle and Beckie Downie making the line-up. They both had some minor issues in qualifications, but they should make the line-up regardless of that, as their routines are difficult and score well when hit. The third Brit for the bars line-up is likely to be Hannah Whelan, but we'll have to wait and see. Beam has never been Britain's flavor of the week. They do manage to get by, but they will have to up their difficulty, execution, and consistency if they are going to vie for a medal in London. Putting Imogen, Hannah and Beth up on floor is the best line-up they could ask for. Imogen's routine has been solid since 2008 (same routine) and her tumbling is Grade A. Hannah has a funky routine that is fun to watch and is great when hit. Beth has improved her choreography and presentation, but what she has going for her is her great difficulty.
I predict the final standings to be:
1. USA
2. Russia
3. Romania
4. China
5. Japan
6. Germany
7. Great Britain
8. Australia

Anonymous Coward 7 months ago

GO ROMANIA! You have nothing to lose! Do your best!!!!!!!

Anonymous Coward 7 months ago

Wow now that He is out of the bar line up, this will be interesting. If USA hits everything then they have a great chance to take gold!!!! Lets go team USA!!!