Olympic Year Opinion: Grace McCallum is the new Aly Raisman

With better form. (Sorry Aly, you know it’s true) She’s training a Cheng and an Amanar which makes her a threat for a Vault medal (Both these vaults look better to me than Jade Carey and Mykayla Skinner) and while she was back and forth in 2019 on bars and beam she has steady start values and an extra year to work on her consistency (yeah, so did everyone else) but Grace has nice toe point, nice lines and decent form. IMO, If the judges judge her the same way they have over the last few years she is as much of a lock for this team as people think Sunisa Lee is. Grace is usually pretty consistent and would be able to fit in on any event if needed.

In 2019, Grace was third at the US Classic (Only two tenths behind the golden child, Riley who can do NO wrong while competing with United states judges) she finished 9th on day one at Nationals but on day two moved all the way up to medal in the All Around (3rd place) While others faulted, Grace continued to rise into medal position… At worlds Grace was a fall and a tenth plus away from making the All Around as our second gymnast (Suni also fell off beam and received a ridiculous 13.400 which was way too high with the issues she had) Grace also was a tenth in start value from knocking Simone out of the UB spot . Without the fall off beam in prelims, Grace also would have made the beam finals over Kara Eaker (I’m really not helping my, Grace is consistent opinion above much here.lol) The point is if Grace goes back to 2018 Grace, she will be in the mix and she has added start value in her routines (as does everyone else) there is no reason people should be counting her out. None of the US gymnasts vying for a spot on this Olympic team have been consistent.

In the long run, 2019 was way too long ago to use as a sign for picking this team but it does prove Grace is a fighter. One that gymnastics fans in general counted out years ago. She might not be flashy and have the big start value that makes her stand out on a single event (though with these vaults she’s a Simone Biles existence away from potentially being the Olympic gold medalist on Vault…. (Imagine a thought cloud above this thought saying, hmmmmm. Interesting.. Interesting) but she is very much in the discussion and you people aren’t giving her the same benefit of the doubt you have given every other gymnast in this quad.

Grace reminds me of Aly because leading up to 2012 and somewhat 2016, A lot of people insisted she had no chance to make this team. Grace’s name is rarely if ever mentioned in people’s predictions list. All I’m saying (for about the 3rd time in this very disorganized blog) is DON’T COUNT OUT GRACE.

Grace McCallum’s most difficult skills video by Artistic Gymnastics on youtube.

Oh and if you need any MORE proof, Andy Memmel is the real star of this comeback. Comment is right at the start:)