Olympic Trials hoopla : Marta is still in charge. Riley McCusker given special treatment. UNFAIR

Trials News: [Gymnastics Now on twitter] Videos and news [Skinner wanted to go the specialist route. Was told no by Tom] [BBS] [Last days of training before trials for Skinner] [Podium highlights by gymnastea]

I was going to stay off the computer for few days before the 2021 US Olympic trials started. A sort of, calm before the inevitable storm that always, tremendously and utterly unaccountably, shows up when something real is on the line. I lasted less than 24 hours.

Riley McCusker will only be competing bars and beam at trials. It’s bad enough she was allowed to petition to Trials after competing one event at Nationals. She is now basically being given a free pass at a chance to the biggest title in the sport while others are sitting at home because they actually tried to earn their way. The right way.

Most likely, Riley will have to hit bars and beam at Trials to be considered for this team but this reeks of the games Marta played in 2004 so she could find a way to put Annia Hatch on the Olympic team. (She kept her out of Nationals on purpose because she knew there was a chance she might not even make Trials on her own. She was that bad at 3 of the 4 events) The acrid stench hits even closer to home with the way Marta tried to put Nastia on the Olympic team in 2012. She went to Classics, stayed on beam and was promised a spot on the Olympic team if she hit bars at Trials.

Morgan Hurd, a bars event finals qualifier and a two time medalist in the All Around at Worlds had surgery but went to Classics and Nationals and tried to qualify the right way but wasn’t allowed to. Doesn’t seem fair that she is at home for doing things the right way while a barely taped ankle is a written excuse for Marta part 2 to place a walking injury on an Olympic team without earning it. And let’s be real, It’s obvious that Tom wants her on this team and will do anything to make sure it happens.

Riley went to Worlds in 2018. Finished 13th in qualifying on bars and 26th on beam. (Was 14th on Floor and had the 18th best Vault score) Her only World appearance.