The 2018 Pan American Gymnastics Championships start Friday in Lima (PER) as essentially a qualifier for the 2019 Pan American Games, also to be held in Lima. The top eight teams in both the men’s and women’s competitions will qualify full teams for the 2019 PAG.
This is the 12th edition of the event, being held in Lima for the second straight year. Originated in 1989, it’s now held for all events quadrennially and for each apparatus in other years which do not conflict with the Pan American Games.
The U.S. has not paid too much attention to this event since 2014, the last time it was a Pan American Games qualifier. USA Gymnastics is sending essentially its “B” team to this event (references are to finishes at the 2018 USA Gymnastics Championships in Boston):
Men:
∙ Cameron Bock (7th: all-Around)
∙ Spencer Goodell (3rd: Junior All-Around)
∙ Riley Loos (2nd: Junior All-Around)
∙ Kanji Oyama (10th: All-Around)
∙ Genki Suzuki (9: All-Around)
Women:
∙ Jade Carey (6th: All-Around)
∙ Kara Eaker (7th: All-Around)
∙ Shilese Jones (5th: All-Around)
∙ Grace McCallum (4th: All-Around)
∙ Trinity Thomas (8th: All-Around)
In 2014, the U.S. men won the team title and three other medals in the individual apparatus finals. The U.S. women dominated the event, winning the team title, the All-Around (Mykayla Skinner) and three of the four apparatus finals, with Skinner taking the Vault and Floor, and Ashton Locklear in Uneven Bars.
Look for results here.
