Rounding Off: Grace McCallum says “I thought my Olympic dreams were gone”

Earlier this year, Grace McCallum thought it was over. Her dreams of competing at this month’s Olympic Games in Tokyo were put in serious jeopardy after a fall off the balance beam in January.

“I thought my Olympic dreams were gone because the recovery was going to be so long,” McCallum said during a press availability a day after being named to the U.S. women’s Olympic gymnastics team. “

The injury occurred while training her acrobatic series on the beam, McCallum says.

“I went a little crooked, but still went [for it],” she explained. “I went to put my hand out to catch the beam, and it landed sideways. At first, I thought I just jammed all my fingers, but then I couldn’t move my hand.”

McCallum returned to competition in late May, finishing fourth in the all-around. Last week at the U.S. Olympic trials, she pushed aside a difficult competition at the U.S. nationals to finish fourth and make the Tokyo 2020 Games in 2021.

“I was kind of in shock,” McCallum said of the moment she heard her named called as part of the squad. “I turned to Jade and asked her because I just couldn’t believe it.”

Dutch team named, China’s incoming

Vera van Pol, Eythora Thorsdottir, Lieke Wevers, and Sanne Wevers will represent the Netherlands at Tokyo 2020. Elze Geurts and Naomi Visser are the alternates for the team. It's a team of veterans with Thorsdottir, and Lieke, and Sanne Wevers all headed to their second Games. Sanne Wevers is the reigning Olympic balance beam champion.

China is also expected to name their team in the coming days, with their final internal trial scheduled for Friday, 2 July.

Li Shija, a member of the 2019 world team, has withdrawn from contention after suffering a recent injury. Li was ninth all-around at those Worlds.

Clemson University adds women's gymnastics, Biles supports

There was big NCAA women's gymnastics news recently with Clemson University announcing that they would add a team, with competition beginning in the 2023-24 season.

The announcement got a big boost with five-time Olympic medallist Simone Biles retweeting the announcement and saying, OHHH 👀👀👀🧡🧡💜💜@CLcecile - you guys need help?? I know some people!!!!!"

That prompted a response from Biles' coach Cecile Landi, a 1996 Olympian for France, featuring a gif of singer Christina Aguilera tapping her chin, as if pondering something, and speculation about the superstar coach's future.

From the vault…

This week, we’re once again going back to Atlanta 1996. Watch Team China compete during the women’s team optional round on the floor exercise. The team was led by Ji Liya’s 9.825 in the rotation and finished fourth overall in the team event.