2008 vs. 2012: Alicia Sacramone vs. Aly Raisman

This is the comparison that everyone has been making since the moment Aly stepped onto the senior stage. Both girls are from the same gym, so that's obviously is where the similarities start. They both have a lot of the same strengths and are solid, mature, competitors.

Although Aly and Alicia do different vaults, they have very similar styles. Aly recently upgraded to a pretty nice Amanar, but before this she was performing her DTY amazingly cleanly and accurately.  Alicia, of course, also competes individually on vault, so she has two. One of the them is a DTY and it is also very neat, high, and accurate.
(Alicia's DTY starts around 1:55)

Bars is by far the weakest event for these girls. Alicia stopped training bars and now only focuses on her three best events, and many people think that Aly should do the same. Personally, I love seeing Aly compete in the all around, so I wouldn't want her to stop training bars. She's fairly consistent on the event (though obviously not as dependable as she is on the other three), and I think that if we needed her in qualifications she could be counted on. Even with her HUGE mistake on bars in the 2011 Worlds AA, she still finished 4th, which says a lot about how strong her other events are.

Aly and Alicia look very similar on beam. They're each very sure of every movement they make. Although their movements are fluid, they aren't super pretty or dance-like; they both have a much more athletic style. I especially love Aly's Patterson dismount and Alicia's front tuck mount that she continues to hit after her famous fall at the Olympics. 

I think the biggest difference between these two gymnasts is their styles on floor. Alicia is a good dancer, while Aly is a bit awkward. Aly is one of the best tumblers in the world, and while Alicia is a good tumbler, she's not as good as Aly. I think both of their routines are extremely entertaining and fun to watch. I absolutely LOVE Alicia's floor music, even though there are so many people in level 10 and NCAA who also use it. Even though Aly and Alicia differ on floor, I love both of their routines.

One of the biggest things people have commented on regarding these two girls is their leadership.  Alicia was the leader of the 2007 World Championship team and the 2008 Olympic team. After her comeback, she again led the team at 2010 Worlds. Even though she tore her Achilles during training before 2011 Worlds, she's explained that she gave the team a pep talk before team finals. This is where Aly's leadership comes in. When Alicia left Tokyo to get surgery, Aly was left as the only member of the team who had any World Championship experience. She stepped up immediately as the leader of the team.  Many say that she learned these qualities from working with Alicia in her gym. One of my favorite moments of worlds was when Aly talked to Jordyn and McKayla before floor:

(I know it's not great quality and it's hard to hear, but unfortunately, I couldn't find a better video)

I really like both of these gymnasts and I admire their dependability and athleticism. I'm rooting for both of them to make the Olympic team this year!

Let me know what you think and let me know any other comparisons you'd like me to make!