Surprise: Chris Brooks. The former Oklahoma standout was good in the NCAA and appears even better now. Most people expected Jonathan Horton to walk away with the Winter Cup title if he stayed on pommel horse and high bar. Horton did those things, but still trails Brooks by more close to two points. Brooks has his own problems with pommel horse, but that he still came out as the overall best competitor here says a lot.
No surprise: Danell Leyva near the top. The 18-year-old from Florida continues to be one of the most promising young gymnasts on the floor. His third place is probably not quite satisfying to him, but he's so young that each competition is still a learning experience.
Surprise: Sasha's struggles. In his first competition back since fracturing his back last year, 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Sasha Artemev struggled on pommel horse and threw low difficulty skills on floor exercise and high bar. Artemev of course has been known to struggle on pommel horse even when in the best of shape, but he really has no reason to try his most difficult tricks at Winter Cup. The season is so young, and Artemev already has a reputation of being one of the most artistic (if not consistent) gymnasts in the U.S. He likely needs more time to rehab his injuries and get back into competitive shape, so he's not vying to go to international meets this spring. If he's healthy, he should reappear stronger in August at the U.S. Championships.
Surprise: Orozco's originality. 2009 Junior U.S. champion John Orozco looks less like a supertalented kid and more like a seasoned competitor with every meet he competes in. He's grown sleeker on floor, adding an Arabian double pike second pass and refining his full-in. Unlike other competitors, who begin their routines in the corners, Orozco starts at the edge of the floor but in the middle of the mat. Very interesting. He'd be higher in the standings if he hadn't had a flukey missed grip thing early in his high bar routine.
No surprise: Cuban charisma. Youtube sensation Charlie Tamayo looks incredible. Rick at Gymnastics Coaching describes Tamayo as being "not in top form," but it would be scary good to see what the former Cuban competitor could do if he were really in shape. Tamayo already looks like he's walking into most of his tumbling. He threw an easy 1.5 twist to a rather cowboyed double front and followed up with a double twisting double that almost hit the ceiling. Yes, maybe the U.S. isn't as desperate for guys who can vault and tumble as they are for people who can swing pommel horse. But it is clear that if Tamayo can get cleared to compete for the United States he would not only help the U.S. team but be a contender for individual medals on his own.
Surprise: Horton decent on pommels, sluggish elsewhere. Sure, he caught his layout Kovacs and Kolman on high bar, but Horton took a couple obvious form deductions early in the routine. On floor he opened with a double twisting double back and undercooked a 2.5 twist to Barani. My guess is that Horton, who normally does the double double as a second pass, is still trying to figure out a good opening run for himself (it wasn't the 1.5 to immediate double front that he bombed at the World Championships). But hey, it's February. Perhaps it's a bit much to expect Horton -- or anyone else -- in Olympic shape right now.
Surprise: Jacob Bateman. The USOTC trainee cracked the top five after night one and has made himself a name to watch. Good for him!
Follow Gymnastics Examiner Blythe Lawrence on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GymExaminer.
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