Current:Home > FinanceWho will make the US gymnastics team for 2024 Paris Olympics? Where Suni Lee, others stand -Wealth Legacy Solutions
Who will make the US gymnastics team for 2024 Paris Olympics? Where Suni Lee, others stand
SignalHub View
Date:2025-03-11 01:35:53
FORT WORTH, Texas — Simone Biles is a gimme for the Paris Olympics. Because, duh. Did you watch her at the U.S. championships? Or any other competition since she returned last year?
The question is who joins the four-time gold medalist on the squad for Paris. And that answer is now both clearer in some ways and murkier in others than it was a few days ago.
Suni Lee and Skye Blakely improved their prospects with their performances at nationals last weekend. But now there are concerns about the health of Shilese Jones, who was considered almost as much of a lock as Biles until she withdrew from nationals to protect her injured shoulder.
“There's been a little bit of progress,” Jones told NBC on Sunday night. “I woke up and I was like, 'It's feeling a little bit better than this whole week.' It's been a little bit stiff, but some progression today."
Subscribe to USA TODAY's newsletter:Chasing Gold: Your guide to the 2024 Paris Olympics
The Olympic trials for gymastics are June 27-30, so it’s not time to panic just yet. In the meantime, here’s a look at the contenders:
Stock rising
Suni Lee
Lee competed the all-around for the first time since last spring, when a kidney ailment forced her to cut her final season at Auburn short. If not for a fluke error on vault on the second night — she stubbed her toe on the runway and had to cut her Yurchenko double to a 1½ — Lee would have finished third.
Lee was fabulous on balance beam, with her 14.9 on Sunday the highest score on the event of the entire meet. She missed being third on uneven bars by a mere 0.050 points despite her routine not having its full difficulty.
“Beam and bars are the one thing I need to — not prove myself on, but that’s where I’m going to be the most useful to the team. So I’m glad I could (do) both those (well),” Lee said. “I just have to go back into the gym and work on my consistency, get my bar routine with full difficulty and keep staying consistent on beam.”
Skye Blakely
She put together two solid and consistent nights that included the first 15 of her career, for her upgraded Cheng vault. She was second to Biles in the all-around both nights, and she was top three on vault, bars and beam.
Though she was a member of the last two world championship teams, Blakely played a supporting role. Her performance at nationals showed her — and she hopes the selection committee — that she’s ready to be a main contributor in Paris.
“Coming off this meet, I know what I’m capable of now, so that will put even more confidence in myself,” she said. “I see myself in training, so I know what I can do. But to be able to finally put it out there on the floor and show everybody and myself, it really means a lot to me.”
Jordan Chiles
The Tokyo Olympian is making steady improvement, but it was her silver medal on uneven bars that really stood out. Remember that the format for team finals is three gymnasts on each event and all three scores count, and Chiles would give the U.S. women insurance on bars and vault.
Hezly Rivera
The U.S. junior champion last year made quite an impression in her first nationals as a senior, finishing fourth on balance beam and fifth on uneven bars.
Work in Progress
Jade Carey
She has the big vaults, but she needs to score better on floor exercise, where she’s the reigning Olympic champion. That's not a complete surprise, given the quick turnaround between Carey's NCAA and elite seasons.
Kayla DiCello
High-scoring potential is one thing, but consistency is another. After a fall on uneven bars and a rough performance on balance beam, DiCello needs to show at trials that she can deliver under pressure.
TBD
Shilese Jones
If she's healthy, she’s on the team. These next three weeks will be big.
Kaliya Lincoln
Lincoln withdrew from nationals midway through the first night with an injury but petitioned into Olympic trials. Could add a big score on floor exercise.
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
veryGood! (8)
Related
- Selena Gomez's "Weird Uncles" Steve Martin and Martin Short React to Her Engagement
- Tim Scott secures spot in third GOP debate following campaign strategy overhaul
- Toyota recalls nearly 1.9M RAV4s to fix batteries that can move during hard turns and cause a fire
- Uruguay’s foreign minister resigns following leak of audios related to a passport scandal
- Biden administration makes final diplomatic push for stability across a turbulent Mideast
- Donald Trump Jr. is testifying at the Trump fraud trial in New York. Here's what to know.
- The reviews are in for Consumer Report's new privacy app and they are .... mixed
- When Kim Kardashian's nipple bra dropped, some people laughed. Breast cancer patients rejoiced.
- Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
- Crowds gather near state funeral home as China’s former Premier Li Keqiang is being put to rest
Ranking
- Rams vs. 49ers highlights: LA wins rainy defensive struggle in key divisional game
- A stabbing attack that killed 1 woman and wounded 2 men appears to be random, California police say
- The White House is working on a strategy to combat Islamophobia. Many Muslim Americans are skeptical
- Dexter Wade's mom seeks federal probe after he's killed by Mississippi police car, buried without her knowing
- Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
- Starbucks holiday menu returns: New cups and coffees like peppermint mocha back this week
- Kenya is raising passenger fares on a Chinese-built train as it struggles to repay record debts
- Don't tip your delivery driver? You're going to wait longer on that order, warns DoorDash
Recommendation
A White House order claims to end 'censorship.' What does that mean?
Israel criticizes South American countries after they cut diplomatic ties and recall ambassadors
Mormon church sued again over how it uses tithing contributions from members
Céline Dion Enjoys Rare Public Outing With Her Sons Amid Health Battle
Have Dry, Sensitive Skin? You Need To Add These Gentle Skincare Products to Your Routine
Walmart to reopen over 100 remodeled stores: What will be different for shoppers
Former Memphis officer charged in Tyre Nichols death to change plea in federal court
Lung cancer screening guidelines updated by American Cancer Society to include more people