Current:Home > FinanceWho will make the US gymnastics team for 2024 Paris Olympics? Where Suni Lee, others stand -Aspire Money Growth
Who will make the US gymnastics team for 2024 Paris Olympics? Where Suni Lee, others stand
View
Date:2025-04-12 02:22:39
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! (12)
Related
- See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
- Prosecutors charge 5 men accused of impersonating Philadelphia police officers in 2006 to kidnap and kill a man
- One natural gas transport plan killed in New Jersey as another forges ahead
- Why Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt Relinquished Her Title
- Who's hosting 'Saturday Night Live' tonight? Musical guest, how to watch Dec. 14 episode
- Gen V Reveals Plan for Chance Perdomo’s Character After His Sudden Death
- Kristin Cavallari’s Boyfriend Mark Estes Meets Her Former Laguna Beach Costars
- Powerball winning numbers for May 4: Jackpot rises to $203 million
- Can Bill Belichick turn North Carolina into a winner? At 72, he's chasing one last high
- Billie Eilish, Zendaya, Kylie Jenner and More Stars' First Met Gala Appearances Are a Blast From the Past
Ranking
- Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
- Where to watch and stream 'The Roast of Tom Brady' if you missed it live
- Kentucky's backside workers care for million-dollar horses on the racing circuit. This clinic takes care of them.
- Commercial jet maker Airbus is staying humble even as Boeing flounders. There’s a reason for that
- Chuck Scarborough signs off: Hoda Kotb, Al Roker tribute legendary New York anchor
- Boy Scout volunteer sentenced to 22 years for hiding cameras in bathrooms in Missouri
- What is the 2024 Met Gala theme? Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion, explained
- Snag This $50 Way Day Doorbuster Deal on a Customer-Loved Bookcase
Recommendation
Elon Musk's skyrocketing net worth: He's the first person with over $400 billion
Man confesses to killing hospitalized wife because he couldn’t afford to care for her, police say
Man points gun at Pennsylvania pastor during church, police later find body at man's home
Kourtney Kardashian Shares Postpartum Struggles After Return to Work
Selena Gomez engaged to Benny Blanco after 1 year together: 'Forever begins now'
PWHL’s strong first season coincides with a growing appetite for women’s sports
When is daylight saving time? Here's what it means and when to 'fall back' in 2024
Turkey halts all trade with Israel as war with Hamas in Gaza claims more civilian lives