Konnor McClain leads USA women to DTB Pokal Team Challenge win

The United States' women took a comfortable triumph in the DTB Pokal Team Challenge in Stuttgart, Germany on Saturday (19 March).

With nine teams in the competition, and only four pieces of artistic gymnastics apparatus, Team USA had a bye in the first rotation before starting on vault.

Italy's three-time gold medallist from the 2018 Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games, Giorgia Villa, came off the balance beam and only scored 12.666. But Tokyo 2020 Olympian Martina Maggio improved the team's position with a solid 13.500.

On other apparatus, the pick of the early performances were Denelle Pedrick of Canada with a 13.166 on floor, Alba Petisco of Spain with a 13.433 on uneven bars, and Germany's Karina Schoenmaier with 13.166 on vault.

Then came the Americans who all performed double twisting Yurchenkos with eMjae Frazier scoring 14.133, Skye Blakely 14.266 and Konnor McClain the best of the lot with 14.400. But they all had just one vault ruling them out of Sunday's apparatus final.

On uneven bars, Sanna Veerman of the Netherlands scored 14.333 - her difficulty quotient of 6.5 was over half a point higher than anyone else on the day - with USA moving to that apparatus next.

Things did not go entirely to plan with Frazier managing 13.333 and Blakely just 12.000, before McClain lifted the team with a 13.933 and Nola Matthews went even better with a 14.033.

Italy did well on floor with Angela Andreoli leading the way with 13.500 as Maggio and Veronica Mandriota both scored 13.300.

The Americans all but assured themselves of victory on the beam with Ashlee Sullivan scoring 13.600, Frazier 13.000 and McClain's best-of-the-day 13.766.

Blakely's struggles continued as she scored just 6.800 for execution in her 12.900.

Sullivan scored 13.533 to go top of the scoresheets on floor, but Blakely would have gone in front but for stepping out of the square with both feet on her second jumping pass. That meant a 0.3 deduction in her score of 13.366.

McClain was again excellent and, despite a step-out at the end which cost her 0.1, she posted a 13.566 to finish on top in three apparatus on the day.

Frazier looked on course for a big score but fell forward at the end of her last jumping sequence as she registered 12.366 which the U.S. were able to drop as they totalled 164.929 for the win.

Italy, boosted by Villa's 14.433 on uneven bars - which eclipsed Veerman's score as the best of the day - finished second (163.598) with Australia, led by Emily Whitehead, taking third (153.297).

McClain - whose all-around score of 55.665 was the best of the year so far - will be hoping to carry her form into her three individual apparatus finals on Sunday although Villa and Veerman look set to duel for the uneven bars title.

Results from women's event at DTB Pokal Stuttgart Team Challenge 2022:

1. United States 164,929

2. Italy 163.598

3. Australia 153.297

4. Canada 151.694

5. Netherlands 150.063

6. Spain 148.362

7. Germany 145.229

8. Norway 138.430