Congratulations to the Gymnastics World Champions – Team USA

What do you get when you put the best gymnasts in the World in a competition and make team finals a three routines up, three routines count format? You get a pressure cooker! And when you are Team USA and you have lost two of your veteran competitors to injury (Alicia Sacramone and Anna Li), the heat feels like it has been turned up even more. But the combination of World Championship veteran Alexandra Raisman, USA Gymnastics’ new “it girl” Jordyn Wieber, the stunningly impressive McKayla Maroney, Sabrina Vega who is coached by former Karolyi star and Nadia teammate Teodora Ungureanu-Cepoi, and new to the scene Gabby Douglas, was a combination that could not be beat. Twelve for twelve! Yes, not one miss in team finals for this relatively young but talented US squad. Check out this highlight video from team finals on YouTube:

And then today Jordyn Wieber took the All Around Gold edging out Russia’s Victoria Komova in the final event. Wieber seemed a little surprised at the outcome and I half wonder if she wasn’t just hoping for second place as we head into the final stretch before the Olympics next summer. Obviously the more major meets she wins, which she seems to be doing with ease this year – having already won the 2011 VISA American Cup and being crowned the 2011 US National Champion, the more pressure will be on Jordyn to win at the 2012 Olympics. Here’s hoping she can stay healthy and not let the media attention get to her! Teammate Ali Raisman took 4th – a great accomplishment in itself.

So, what kind of chance do you now think comeback kids Nastia Liukin, Alicia Sacramone, Shawn Johnson and Chellsie Memmel have of making next year’s Olympic squad? Not only do they have these five girls to contend with, Rebecca Bross will hopefully be healthy, Kyla Ross and other current junior National Team members will move up to the senior ranks, and they are going to have to be AMAZING.

Women’s All-Around Final Results
1. Jordyn Wieber – USA – 59.382
2. Victoria Komova – RUS – 59.349
3. Yao Jinnan – CHN – 58.598
4. Alexandra Raisman – USA – 57.558
5. Huang Qiushuang – CHN – 57.432
6. Ana Porgras – ROU – 57.299
7. Kseniia Afanaseva – RUS – 56.732
8. Lauren Mitchell – AUS – 56.699