Jessica Lopez Bars 2011 World Championships Qualifications

 

 

D-Score: 6.1

E-Score: 7.866

Final Score: 13.966

Bars Ranking: 24th

 

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I’d be willing to bet that Jessica, her coach, and many of her fans expected this routine would likely make the event finals the second her feet hit the ground on that solid double front dismount.  The routine had just about everything you could ask for…spectacular release skills – four to be exact – including an extremely difficult and innovative Tcatchev to Gienger going in the opposite direction, as well as some great inverted giant work (but not an excessive amount), beautiful handstands and form, and a nice clean dismount.  Wouldn’t it feel entirely right to give this routine a good old fashioned 9.7?  Where the judges found over two full points in deductions is completely inexplicable.

 

No offense to Aly Raisman, who is a fantastic gymnast, but the fact that this routine actually scored higher than Lopez’s is somewhat laughable:

 

Aly Raisman Bars 2011 World Championships Qualifications

 

 

D-Score: 5.8

E-Score: 8.2

Final Score: 14.0

Bars Ranking: 22nd

 

Although this was a strong routine for Aly on her weakest event, I’d say Lopez’s routine is about a full point better overall. Yet Lopez actually ended up scoring LOWER…and at the world championships no less.

 

That’s gymnastics judging in 2011, unfortunately.  Isn’t it time we stop this madness?