First Look: Nationals Podium Training

USA Gymnastics posted the first videos from podium training this evening. We're seeing the first of Elizabeth Price, whom I've definitely been looking forward to seeing, McKayla's bars and Kyla working on her artistry.



The Return of Jedi Price: Ebee is training a double twisting Yurchenko, and it looks like she never got injured. She has so much height and power, it's just beautiful, kind of like a supernova.

Kyla Ross on beam and floor. Kyla is looking extremely confident and she is carrying herself with much more self-assuredness. It's not that she wasn't self assured before, it's just that now, she's been on the Olympic team, she's been a leader on the team when only a year ago, she was the baby. Kyla has been working with choreographer, Nicole Langevin on her artistry in her floor. (Read The Couch Gymnasts article). She's showing precision and feeling in her movement instead of just waving her arms in a corner and playing flamingo for a minute and thirty seconds.





Lexie Priessman is doing her Amanar. She only did a DTY at Classics. Her Amanar looks beautiful. She has excellent execution, probably a product of Mary Lee Tracy harping on her execution for ten years.



Brenna Dowell is training the Tweddle on the podium! Eeep! That made me completely geek out, especially on the heels of Beth's recent retirement announcement. I want to hug Brenna for bringing some Tweddle on this side of the Atlantic. I really want her to make the worlds just so she can do that routine. I think I will start a petition...



Speaking of bars, McKayla Maroney was spotted training on the uneven bars. She's upgraded her skills from the last time we saw her work bars, which was probably at the Trials last year. She does a very nice Maloney half and she's training Weiler kips on the high bar. Shades of Jordyn Weiber. We'll have to see what she does tomorrow.



Simone Biles is back and with the spring in her step back. Simone had been suffering from allergies at the Classics and just did not have a good day. She's looking healthy again. She's seen training her full twisting double dismount off bars and working on her power tumbling on floor.