Simone Biles
Gymnastics fans are in for a massive treat at the U.S. Classic this weekend in Hartford, where the three most recent Olympic all-around champions – Gabby Douglas (London 2012), Simone Biles (Rio 2016), and Sunisa Lee (Tokyo 2020) – will headline a field of 50 senior athletes that also includes Olympic and world medalists Skye Blakely, Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Kayla DiCello, Shilese Jones, Joscelyn Roberson, Leanne Wong, and Lexi Zeiss.
The U.S. Classic acts as the final chance to earn a spot at the U.S. national championships, but with nearly all of the athletes we’ll see here already qualified, this year’s competition will be more of a practice round for the more important meets in the lead-up to the Olympic Games, with both nationals and trials coming up over the next month.
With this in mind, I’d expect many of the top competitors to show up not fully prepared, but ready to tackle some of the routines they’re hoping will make them contenders for the team next month, but I also wouldn’t be surprised to see a few of them show up looking to make a statement with their readiness and ability to stun this early on. This tactic doesn’t always work, as we sometimes see the U.S. Classic winners not even make the major international teams they’re after, but the Olympic year is always a little different, and I think we’ll be in for a few big all-around treats this year as well.
My expectations will remain on the low side, however, as the U.S. Classic is typically where we also see the most uncharacteristic mistakes as athletes are often shaking off the dust and trying to fight through early season nerves while also sometimes attempting new skills that don’t always go as planned. But again, while this competition could work in favor for some of the athletes on the bubble of potentially being named to the Olympic team, a weak performance here will not count anyone out.
For the few who do need to qualify to nationals, senior gymnasts must earn a 51.000 all-around score, a 39.000 three-event score, or a 26.400 two-event score, while juniors must earn a 49.500 all-around score.
The U.S. Classic and the associated Hopes Championships will be held at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut, beginning on May 17 with with the Hopes Championships and the junior women’s competition, and concluding on May 18 with two sessions of senior competition. Complete streaming details are available thanks to USA Gymnastics, and a full list of competitors is below.
| SENIOR WOMEN | |
| Simone Biles Skye Blakely Ly Bui Jade Carey Dulcy Caylor Jordan Chiles Chloe Cho Norah Christian Nicole Desmond Kayla DiCello Amelia Disidore Gabby Douglas Tatum Drusch Reese Esponda Addison Fatta Kieryn Finnell Jayla Hang Cambry Haynes Jazmyn Jimenez* Madray Johnson Shilese Jones Katelyn Jong Sunisa Lee Myli Lew Kaliya Lincoln |
Eveylynn Lowe Nola Matthews Konnor McClain Tayor McMahon* Annalisa Milton Malea Milton Zoey Molomo Marissa Neal Jazlene Pickens* Brooke Pierson Hezly Rivera Joscelyn Roberson Simone Rose Lacie Saltzmann* Audrey Snyder* Izzy Stassi* Ashlee Sullivan Tiana Sumanasekera Trinity Thomas Brynn Torry Sabrina Visconti* CaMarah Williams Leanne Wong Kelise Woolford* Lexi Zeiss |
*Not yet qualified to nationals
| JUNIOR WOMEN | |
| Harlow Buddendeck* Charleigh Bullock Lavi Crain Ally Damelio Celia Frith-Carvalho* Sadie Goldberg* Greta Krob* Jaysha McClendon |
Caroline Moreau Claire Pease Lila Richardson* Alessia Rosa* Kylie Smith Maliha Tressel Tyler Turner Trinity Wood* |
* Not yet qualified to nationals
| HOPES 13-14 | |
| Iyla Adkins Ashley Andrews Elisabeth Antone Tiraia Ballard Brooke Bazan Addison Blosser Lyla Brewer Emmy Cunningham Eva Doherty Mavie Fitzgerald Alessandra Gaines |
Blake Green Leah Higgis Isla Lazzari Anslee McCauley Annabel Melnyk Amia Pugh-Banks Quinlyn Rollins Simone Seed Ansley Stevens Sage Stiggers Finley Young |
| HOPES 11-12 | |
| Giana Carroll Laynie Cotton Alden Dante Elsie Flores Gillian Haddad Avery Haines |
Charlotte Henk Hadassah Kahlig Sapphire Martin Amariah Moore Jazzy Saravia Mattie Mae Young |
Article by Lauren Hopkins
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By: Lauren
Title: Three Olympic All-Around Champions Headline U.S. Classic Field
Sourced From: thegymter.net/2024/05/17/three-olympic-all-around-champions-headline-u-s-classic-field/
Published Date: Fri, 17 May 2024 08:53:53 +0000
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