Sarah M. I hope you are not thinking my post was a put down of Sasha. What I was exlcaiming that to me, the teenboppers have less fear than the older girls (or boys) have. They have nothing to lose, not even the loss of mother's love. Sasha fitted into that mode for several years. But she's over 20 and has yet to put down 2 clean routines. It's been 6 years not counting the year off for injury. Still she puts down 1 brilliantly every international competition. She's overdue now for the win and I believe the coming season may be a bit more tougher than last year, in particular. Sasha has two Ladies (I should say girls) that if they hit, they will out technical her, and we know how judges enjoy little girls flaunting their technical (think Tara in Nagano)
One can not use Shizuka as a contra argument because there were no top ranked teenyboppers in the mix except Emily, unless you think she was all that important for gold.
We do not know if Mao and Yu na will maintain their youthful exhuberance nor how Kimmie will come back for a repeat. It'll be a verrrrry interrrrresting season comin up, and if Sasha skates, she will be in the top mix. JMO.
Joe