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≡ USA GYMNASTICS NATIONALS ≡
At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the U.S. women dominated the team competition and won the gold by almost six points over Italy. But that team is no more as American artistic gymnasts get ready for the USA Gymnastics National Championships in New Orleans, Louisiana, starting on Thursday.
Between Paris and New Orleans, youth is ascending:
● Simone Biles (28 now): not entered
● Jade Carey (25): not entered
● Jordan Chiles (24): not entered
● Suni Lee (22): not entered
● Hezly Rivera (alternate; now 17): entered
Of the 24 women entered in the senior division, there are some familiar names who have been World Championships or Olympic team members, besides Rivera:
● Skye Blakely (20): Two-time Worlds Team gold medalist
● Jayla Hang (17): 2025 Pan American All-Around gold medalist
● Joscelyn Roberson (19): 2023 Worlds Team gold medalist
● Ashlee Sullivan (18): 2025 U.S. Winter Cup All-Around gold medalist
● Leanne Wong (21): Two-time Worlds Team gold medalist
● Alicia Zhou (17): 2025 American Classic All-Around gold medalist
Then there is 16-year-old Claire Pease from Honolulu, Hawaii, who won the 2024 U.S. Junior All-Around and won the U.S. Classic All-Around in her first try at the senior level, and Simone Rose, 17, who was second at the Classic, with both finishing ahead of Roberson.
This is the future of the U.S. women’s team, although some of the Paris 2024 stars may decide to return ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. The year after an Olympic Games is a good one for rest and recovery. But the new faces will be anxious to claim their places on the road to the 2025 World Championships in Jakarta (INA).
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The men’s situation is quite different. The breakthrough 2024 team, which won an Olympic team bronze, was the first to medal at the Games since Beijing in 2008:
● Asher Hong: entered
● Paul Juda: not entered
● Brody Malone: entered
● Stephen Nedoroscik: entered
● Fred Richard: entered
So, four of the Paris fab five are returning and will be formidable contestants in multiple events:
● Hong (21): 2023 U.S. All-Around gold; 2022 U.S. Vault gold
● Malone (25): 2022 Worlds Horizontal Bar gold; 2021-22-24 U.S. All-Around gold; 2021 U.S. Vault gold; 2022 U.S. Floor and Horizontal Bar golds; 2024 U.S. Horizontal Bar gold
● Nedoroscik (26): 2021 Worlds Pommel Horse gold; 2021-22-23-24 U.S. Pommel Horse fold
● Richard (21): 2023 Worlds All-Around bronze; 2024 U.S. All-Around silver; 2023 U.S. Horizontal Bar gold; 2024 U.S. Floor gold
The enormous, 54-man senior field also includes stars who did not make it to Paris, but are undaunted, such as Rings specialist Alex Diab, a three-time national champion and five-time U.S. champion Donnell Whittenburg, now 30, who has won on Vault (2014, 2024) and Rings (2016, 2022-23).
The U.S. won one individual men’s gymnastics medal in Paris, with Nedoroscik taking a bronze on the Pommel Horse and has won at least one medal in three straight Worlds, in 2021-22-23.
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The Nationals, which also include junior competitions, will be contested over four days:
● 7 August: Men/Day 1 (Peacock: 8 p.m. Eastern)
● 8 August: Women/Day 1 (Peacock: 7:45 p.m. Eastern)
● 9 August: Men/Day 2: (CNBC: 6:45 p.m. Eastern)
● 10 August: Women/Day 2: (NBC: 7 p.m. Eastern)
NBC just wrapped up an extension with USA Gymnastics for its broadcast rights to 2032.
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