Olympic Games Paris 2024

Jade Carey wins all-around, Suni Lee impresses at 2024 American Classic

By Scott Bregman
3 min|
 Sunisa Lee and Jade Carey of Team United States fist bump

Picture by 2021 Getty Images

Never count out an Olympic champion.

Tokyo 2020 Olympic gymnastics champions Jade Carey and Suni Lee showed their prowess Saturday (27 April) at the American Classic in Katy, Texas, with Carey making her case by claiming the all-around win while Lee posted the highest score of the competition, a 14.300, to win the balance beam title.

Carey totalled a 55.000 in the all-around for the top spot. Myli Lew was second (53.900), followed by Marissa Neal's 53.050.

"Overall, I feel really good about today. I think it was a good competition back for me, just doing some easier, watered down routines, but nice to be back and just not have to worry about qualifying to [U.S.] championships anymore," Carey said afterward.

Three-time Olympic gold medallist Gabby Douglas made her return to the sport after nearly eight years away. She finished in 11th place.

For both Carey and Lee, it's the re-igniting of a dream of returning to the Games.

A year ago, Carey's chances looked in jeopardy as she finished a surprising 15th in the all-around at the U.S. championships, admitting that getting routines together had been a struggle.

Determined, the Tokyo floor exericse gold medallist took the disappointment of the 2023 season and learned from it, adjusting her training and competition plans for her collegiate season with Oregon State University to allow her to focus on Paris 2024.

It's been a tight turnaround for Carey, who competed nine days ago at the NCAAs.

"It was a little bit challenging but I've done a lot more elite stuff this year throughout the college season, so it wasn't too bad," said Carey. "It was a little nervewracking only having three practices after NCAAs before here, but at the end of day, I knew they were a little bit easier routines so I should be OK."

Carey recorded individual event scores of a 14.200, vault; 13.400, uneven bars; 13.650, balance beam; and 13.750, floor exercise. She was the highest scorer on vault and floor and second on beam.

Beam propells Lee to U.S. championships qualifying score

Lee, who competed earlier this year at the Winter Cup, has been working her way back to form - and health - after dealing with a kidney-related health issue for more than a year.

“Healthwise, I’m doing really good right now,” she told Olympics.com at the Team USA Media Summit on 15 April in New York City. “I’m in remission, so I’m feeling really good, and taking my time in the gym has been feeling amazing. All of my skills are coming back and I’m just working on consistency.”

Saturday, Lee, the reigning Olympic all-around champion, was smooth and stylish on her opening balance beam routine. Lee earned a 14.300 for the effort. She vaulted a full-twisting Yurchenko in the third rotation, earning a 13.250.

Her two-event score, 27.550, is good enough to qualify her to May's U.S. championships on two events with the possibility to petition to compete on all four apparatus.

The U.S. Classic, set for 17-18 May in Hartford, Connecticut, is next up for Lee, Carey and all the stars of the U.S. gymnastics team. The event will be the final opportunity to qualify to the U.S. nationals.

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