5 Gymnasts to Watch in the U.S. Championships

The U.S. Championships take place this weekend in New Orleans. This event, the most important domestic meet of the season, will determine the U.S. National Team and lead to the selection for the team heading to Worlds.

Here are five gymnasts to watch in this year’s Championships.

Claire Pease

First-year senior Claire Pease is a star on the rise, coming off an all-around and vault win at the U.S. Classic. As a junior in the U.S. Championships last year, Pease won gold in the all-around, uneven bars, and balance beam, and placed fourth on the floor exercise. Pease has domestic and international competition experience this year, having competed at the Winter Cup and Classic in the U.S., and representing the U.S. at the Antalya World Cup and City of Jesolo Trophy. Through these four meets, her scores have been building, and with fine tuning and finishing touches coming to her routines for Championships, Pease will be in a good position to pick up where she left off at the U.S. Classic.

Simone Rose

Simone Rose won silver in the all around and on the uneven bars at the U.S. Classic. She’s competed in five meets this year, three domestic and two international, and has had growth in all of her scores. Her best finish and highest score this year came with her gold medal winning 14.250 bar routine at the City of Jesolo Trophy, and having a high international score is always a positive sign. Rose had a strong performance on every event at the U.S. Classic and will look to replicate the strength and control that she displayed at the competition, and build upon her scores for Championships. If there’s one thing we know about a gymnast named Simone, it’s that she is going to shine on the competition floor.

Joscelyn Roberson

Joscelyn Roberson is continuing her elite career while rising as an NCAA star with the Arkansas Razorbacks. Roberson won bronze in the all-around in her elite return at the U.S. Classic, and is picking up where she left off. Roberson’s all-around score (53.250) and all of her event scores (save beam which was separated by only a tenth) were all higher at this year’s Classic than last year (52.500). Between the U.S. Championships and Olympic Trials last year, both of which had two days of competition, Roberson saw consistency and growth in her scores. Roberson’s bars have improved since competing in the NCAA, her beam is as solid as ever, and she still has room for upgrading on vault and floor. Keep your eye out for the Razorback.

Hezly Rivera

Olympian Hezly Rivera is ready to replicate the success she had at last year’s Olympic Trials. Rivera had an off night at U.S. Classic, but still secured the silver medal on the floor exercise with her highest score on the event this year. Her best results this year came in international competition at the Pan American Championships, where she won bronze on the balance beam (13.000) and in the all-around (52.667). Her 54.766 in the team final, though, was her highest all-around score of the year and put her right around where she was scoring at the U.S Championships last year. It’s only up from Classic, and Rivera can bounce back to top positions on beam, floor, and in the all-around. 

Skye Blakely

Skye Blakely is making her return to elite! Blakely was a favorite to make the Olympic team last year, but her journey was cut short due to an achilles rupture at the Olympic Trials. Now, after a season of competing at the University of Florida, where she was a regular contributor and high-scorer on bars, Blakely is ready to return to the elite stage. She will only be competing on bars and beam, but they are events she has found success on, can safely compete, and has been working on upgrading. No matter the scores she puts up in her first elite competition this year, Blakely returning to the elite stage is extremely exciting.

Tune in to the Xfinity U.S. Championships this weekend!