AT&T American Cup Preview

USA gymnastics kicks off the Olympic year in Madison Square Garden at the 2012 AT&T American Cup. The event is mandated as a World Cup event by the International Gymnastics Federation.

Some of USA’s top gymnasts are featured, giving fans and gymnastics addicts a taste of the London Olympic Games. In the international field are gymnasts from Australia, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Romania and Ukraine.

The field for the 2012 AT&T American Cup:

• Men
  USA: Danell Leyva
  USA: John Orozco
  Canada: Jackson Payne
  Germany: Marcel Nguyen
  Great Britain: Daniel Purvis
  Japan: Ryuzo Sejima
  Ukraine: Oleg Verniaiev
  Ukraine: Mykola Kuksenkov

Levya and Orozco are a duo to look out for from the USA. Levya is the current U.S. all-around champion and won the title on the parallel bars at the World Championships. Orozco took third in the all-around at Visa Championships and fifth at the World Championships. Great Britain’s Purvis, a threat on the all-around, took fourth in the event at the 2011 Worlds. All of the competitors are talented all-arounders and this meet will show a true preview of what the field looks like for London.

• Women
  USA: Alexandra Raisman
  USA: Jordyn Wieber
  Australia: Georgia Simpson
  Canada: Victoria Moors
  Germany: Lisa Hill
  Great Britain: Rebecca Tunney
  Romania: Diana Chelaru
  Romania: Larisa Iordache

Wieber is the crowd favorite for the women’s all-around title as the reigning U.S., World and AT&T American Cup all-around champion. I think it will take a lot to stop Wieber during her hot streak although teammate Raisman seems to be right on her heels. Hill and Chelaru competed in the 2011 World Championships while Tunney, Iordache, Simpson and Moors have international experience. I believe the competition will be between Raisman and Wieber. They are the only gymnasts who have participated in the American cup before and seem ready to go.