U.S. women's world trials wrap up outside Houston
The gymnasts performed on two select events in their bid to join Shilese Jones in Liverpool; team announcement expected later Saturday.
Artistic Gymnastics
Competition to decide Team USA for the 2022 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships concluded on Saturday (22 October) at the U.S. women's World Selection Event in Katy, Texas.
On Friday, Shilese Jones booked her spot in the team for Liverpool, England next week by winning the all-around.
USA Gymnastics will name the remaining five athletes later on Saturday. The six-woman team, then, leaves for England on Sunday and the reserve athlete will be identified 24 hours prior to their qualifying competition.
Coming into the second day of competition, it seemed hard to imagine team scenarios that didn't include Tokyo 2020 Olympic team silver medallist Jordan Chiles and Olympic floor champion Jade Carey, who finished second and third, respectively, in the all-around competition at the trials.
That leaves three spots left for the selection committee (Dan Baker, Alicia Sacramone and Jessie DeZiel) to decide.
Two particularly impressive performances on Saturday came from 2021 world all-around silver medallist Leanne Wong and 17-year-old Skye Blakely, who finished fourth and fifth in the all-around, respectively, here.
In the first day of competition, Wong struggled on the balance beam, grabbing the beam on her opening switch leap to wolf jump full turn sequence.
But Saturday, Wong was flawless. Executing every element in the interior of her routine, minus a switch ring where she had the smallest of hops, with ease and precision. Her 13.750 on what most consider to be the U.S.'s weakest event will almost certainly be enough to send her back to the worlds. She also posted a 14.100 on the uneven bars.
Blakely looks on track to make her first worlds appearance after two top three finishes Saturday. She earned a 14.200 on the bars and a massive 14.550 on the beam, an event where she had suffered a fall a Friday. According to thegymter.net blog, Blakely's beam score is 10th best this season.
The battle for the final spot, likely the replacement athlete, will come down to Lexi Zeiss and Addison Fatta. Their scores on the final day of competition were as follows: Fatta, 13.700, floor; 12.750, beam; Zeiss, 13.400, beam; 13.700, bars.