Marching into this weekend’s 2024 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championship, only two of the field of 40 senior elite women gymnasts will automatically qualify to the Olympic Trials on June 27-30. In addition to the top two finishers, at least 10 others get an invite from USA Gymnastics. Read on for predictions for those 12 spots.
Gabby Douglas is out of Paris Games
The field of potential athletes to advance to the Olympic Trials was reduced by one earlier this week when 2012 Olympic All-Around Champion Gabby Douglas withdrew, citing an ankle injury. She was launching a comeback you don’t see often in the sport of gymnastics – or any sport for that matter – after competing for the first time in eight years at the American Classic in April and then again at Core Classic in May. She withdrew from the Core Classic after a disappointing start on bars.
Douglas talked to ESPN after her announcement this week: “I proved to myself and to the sport that my skills remain at the elite level. My plan is to continue to train for the LA 2028 Olympics.”
Top 12 to watch at U.S. Gymnastics Championships
#1. Simone Biles. No surprises here: Biles is a lock, and this should be her 9th U.S. Championship title if she grabs the win on Sunday night. She’s got the execution, the experience and the difficulty that has proven virtually impossible to beat.
#2 Shilese Jones. Jones wowed the crowds at the Core Classic with a first-place finish on bars, tie for second on floor and second all-around. She’ll be vying for a second-place finish again to clinch her spot in the Olympic Trials.
#3 Jade Carey. After leaping straight from NCAA competition (Oregon State) back into elite, Carey has made a splash by winning the American Classic and then placing first on vault and fourth at the Core Classic despite a fall. She’s eyeing down her second straight Olympic Games.
#4 Suni Lee. The 2020 Olympic Gold medalist’s petition to compete all-around was cleared (she’s in remission after battling kidney disease) so expect to see Lee compete in all four events this weekend after clinching the beam title at the Core Classic.
#5 Jordan Chiles. The 2020 Olympian grabbed third in the all-around at the Core Classic. She’ll want another impressive performance as she seeks her second Olympic pursuit.
#6 Skye Blakely. Despite a fall at the Core Classic, Blakely finished in the top 5. By hitting 4 for 4 this weekend, she’ll prove to be a strong contender in the all-around.
#7 Kayla DiCello. DiCello, who is taking a year off from the University of Florida, won the U.S. Gymnastics Winter Cup all-around in February and tied for 10th at the Core Classic.
#8 Leanne Wong. Like Carey, Wong is an NCAA gymnast who opted to compete for her collegiate team (University of Florida) this year and then quickly jumped back into elite training to finish 7th at the Core Classic.
#9 Joscelyn Roberson. The high school senior finished 4th on vault in this year’s Core Classic after winning vault in last year’s competition along with a tie for second on floor and third on beam and all-around.
#10 Tiana Sumanasekera. The high schooler showed an impressive performance at the Core Classic to place 4th on floor and 6th all-around, and she tied for 8th at last year’s Xfinity U.S. Championships.
#11 Kaliya Lincoln. The LSU commit showed her strength on floor amongst a lot of great names at the Core Classic, placing second to tie with Jones.
#12 Trinity Thomas. After dominating in the NCAAs while competing for the University of Florida, Thomas returned to elite gymnastics and placed third on bars at the Core Classic.
How to watch this weekend?
- Senior Women Day 1: Friday, May 31, 7-9 p.m. on Peacock
- Senior Women Day 2: Sunday, June 2, 6-8 p.m. on NBC/Peacock
What’s next?
- Olympic Trials: June 27-30 in Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 2024 Paris Olympic Games: July 26 – August 11 in Paris, France
