Of course college rules are different and easier. They don’t call Elite gymnastics “elite” for nothing. The point is that there are skills that are no longer done because they contribute no points to the difficulty level. They look cool, but they’re not comparable to the skills that Nastia does.
I think what would help some of these posters understand that the US has Elite level Bars dynamos is film footage. And then to compare the same girls floor routines to the older girls. 14 is the age when I noticed the junior elites hit puberty. And they had to work that much harder to maintain their skill levels. Or they began to think about NOT going to the Olympics vs. working for a college scholarship. The young ladies who continue training at the Elite level are some real tough cookies! (not that the other gals aren’t. they keep training, but you can visibly see the stress relief when they quit worrying about pleasing the powers that be in the US gymnastics hierarchy.)
Oops. I meant to say Junior Elite level Bars dynamos.
“14 is the age when I noticed the junior elites hit puberty. And they had to work that much harder to maintain their skill levels. Or they began to think about NOT going to the Olympics vs. working for a college scholarship. The young ladies who continue training at the Elite level are some real tough cookies! (not that the other gals aren’t. they keep training, but you can visibly see the stress relief when they quit worrying about pleasing the powers that be in the US gymnastics hierarchy.)”
Oh definitely!
They can begin to lead a more normal life.
They don’t have to keep testing and re-testing a gazillion times just to retain their “elite” ranking.
And what have these olympics - so far - taught anyone that is borderline?
This pushes them towards the college scholarship.