Casey Jo Magee Balance Beam 2011 WOGA Elite Qualifier

 

 

Casey Jo Magee Balance Beam Training June 2011

 

 

Casey Jo is a 22-year-old graduate of The University of Arkansas who decided to pursue elite gymnastics after finishing her collegiate gymnastics career.  She’s currently training at Capital Gymnastics in Austin, Texas, and has competed in the WOGA Elite Qualifier this February (video shown above) and recently at the American Classic qualifier at the Karolyi Ranch, where she won beam with an impressive 14.6 (5.8, 8.8).  She’ll be competing at the Covergirl Classic in Chicago later this month and has also already qualified for the Visa U.S. Championships in Chicago next month on at least three events – vault, beam, and floor.

 

This has got to be one of the coolest beam routines in the entire world…both of them.  The tucked “Garrison” mount (roundoff back with a full twist onto the beam) is an F skill and has only been done by a handful of gymnasts.  And Magee’s turning skills are out of this world; she has without a doubt one of the best triple turns ever done on beam, and her combo in the second routine of double turn immediate full turn is one of the most stylish turning sequences in the world today (Aliya Mustafina was doing a similar sequence in training at the American Cup this year but didn’t complete it in the actual competition).  Even beyond these unique skills, she has some fantastic additional skills (roundoff layout, side aerial, side somi, tour jete connection, and gainer double full dismount off one leg) that make this routine truly world class.  She’s also done a 2 ½ twist dismount in training from the same entry, just as Svetlana Khorkina competed in 2004.

 

Although I don’t foresee Casey being a factor on any other event, cool gymnastics is cool gymnastics.  This routine is a must-see and should be an intriguing addition to the field at the U.S. Championships in just a few weeks.