NEW ORLEANS – Olympic gold medalist Hezly Rivera (WOGA) is as soon as once more rising to the event – this time in pursuit of her first senior nationwide title on the 2025 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships.
Rivera hit 4-for-4 on day considered one of senior ladies’s competitors at Smoothie King Middle, redeeming herself lower than a month after a disastrous displaying on the U.S. Traditional, the place she fell a number of instances.
“I do know I’ve been working so laborious, and I simply let it go,” Rivera mentioned of shifting previous a tough meet. “Clearly, I nonetheless get nervous a little bit bit, however I really feel like I took a lot strain off myself in the present day.”
The 17-year-old, who was the youngest member of Workforce USA only a yr in the past, flipped the change Friday, when she began on beam. There she hit a 6.4 D-score set (after an inquiry that bumped her up three-tenths) to earn a 14.350 – 0.450 forward of teammate and U.S. Traditional champion Claire Pease. She continued her string of fresh hits from there – 14.000 on flooring (tied for second), 13.800 for the most effective double-twisting Yurchenkos of her profession, and a 13.450 to shut on bars to whole a 55.600 – two-tenths forward of Joscelyn Roberson (Arkansas) in second (55.400).
Roberson had a profitable night time herself. Rotating in Olympic order, Roberson and coach Chris Brooks determined throughout warmups that she would simply compete the double-twisting Yurchenko (13.800), axing the troublesome Cheng to prioritize successful flooring routine and “save [her] ankles.” In rotation two, Roberson hit bars, her weakest occasion, with a caught full-twisting double format, incomes a 13.650 to tie for the lead on that occasion – “That’s really loopy. Wow, that’s insane!” Moreover a pair small errors, Roberson was strong on beam, incomes a 13.800, after which she closed the night time on flooring, the place she earned a 14.150 to guide the occasion after including the full-twisting double format as her third cross and bringing her D-score to a whopping 6.5.
Rounding out the highest three was Leanne Wong (Florida) with a 55.100. After opting to only do bars and beam on the Traditional, Wong introduced a brand new flooring routine (13.800) and two vaults (13.675 common) to The Large Straightforward. It was a clear night time for the bow CEO, and it confirmed as she beat Rivera and Roberson in total execution.
The opposite key storyline on day one was Skye Blakely’s return to elite a yr after rupturing her Achilles in coaching at Olympic Trials. A yr on from that devastating harm, Blakely competed bars (13.250) and beam (13.450) in her elite return as she paces herself for the quad. Each occasions appeared impeccable in coaching, however she mentioned nerves and adrenaline led to some errors – a lack of rhythm on her Van Leeuwen on bars induced her to should re-kip, and a locate her entrance handspring to entrance tuck on beam resulted in her placing her hand on the equipment. Nonetheless, she mentioned she’s feeling nice, particularly after not competing beam in a yr (she competed bars for Florida throughout NCAA season within the spring).
“I really feel like I did [these elite skills] with ease, and I really feel like I’ve the readiness, the endurance, the standard, I really feel like all the things I want is there, and simply on this day alone, of competing, I haven’t felt this good, even in apply,” Blakely mentioned. “So for me to undergo these routines and really feel prefer it was mild and enjoyable and tremendous able to doing it simply makes me actually blissful realizing that it’s all coming collectively. And I imply, in fact, the errors I made aren’t huge ones. They’re small ones I can simply repair, and actually hope to repair on Sunday.”
Anticipated to be a contender after making an announcement at Traditional, Pease completed day one in fifteenth after falls on bars and flooring.
Successful the squad showdown was Workforce Beignet (previously Workforce London), consisting of Wong, Rivera, Pease, Blakely, and Nola Matthews (Airborne).
Competitors will conclude Sunday – scores are weighed equally throughout each days. From there, athletes will probably be chosen for the World Workforce Choice Occasion on the finish of September that can decide the four-woman Worlds staff.
See our rotation-by-rotation recap of day one beneath. Full outcomes from day one right here.
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Operating Leaderboard
All-Round:
- Hezly Rivera (WOGA) – 55.600
- Joscelyn Roberson (Arkansas) – 55.400
- Leanne Wong (Florida) – 55.100
Equipment Leaders:
- Vault: Leanne Wong (Florida) = 13.475 common
- Bars: TIE Alicia Zhou (Love), Joscelyn Roberson (Arkansas) – 13.650
- Beam: Hezly Rivera (WOGA) – 14.350
- Ground: Joscelyn Roberson (Arkansas) – 14.150
Senior Girls – Rotation 4
🕐 8:53 PM CT — Hezly Rivera hits 4/4 to take day one lead
Clear hip half to toe 1/1, approach over on that. Stalder Shap to stalder straddle Tkatchev. Pak. Maloney to straddle Tkatchev. Full-twisting double again. That can give her the day one lead. 13.450 for a 55.600 – two-tenths forward of Roberson.
🕐 8:47 PM CT — Skye Blakely working her approach again on bars
Stalder. Toe-on piked Tkatchev. Stalder piked Tkatchev to Pak… Van Leeuwen is wonky and he or she loses her swing. Re-kips. Toe half. Double entrance half is caught. 13.150.
🕐 8:45 PM CT — Joscelyn Roberson brings down the home on flooring
Laid-out double-double, gentle knees, however only a small hop ahead. Punch entrance full by means of to full-twisting double again, one foot out of bounds. Full-twisting double format, small step. Triple wolf flip. Double format, hop again. Crowd loves it! 14.150 for a 55.400 night time one whole.
🕐 8:40 PM CT — Jayla hits beam, Claire falls on bars
- Jayla hasn’t had a fantastic day, with falls on flooring and bars, however this may be her redemption second. Aspect aerial to separate soar to straddle soar to format stepout, small stability examine. Again handspring tuck full, one other small examine however such nice problem. Change leap to modify aspect 1/4. Double pike, very clear, small step.
- Claire struggled by means of her bars set with some questionable moments earlier than not having the ability to get the rotations on her double entrance half and placing her hand down.
🕐 8:36 PM CT — Leanne Wong hits bars, Dulcy Caylor sharp on vault
- Leanne Wong bars… Clear hip half to straddle Jaeger. Toe 1/1 to Bhardwaj. Maloney to Pak. Van Leeuwen. Double format, bit deep within the knees. Fights for the stick, however she has to take a step. Nice displaying for Leanne in the present day. 13.550. 55.100 all-around.
- Dulcy Caylor earned a 14.000 for her clear double-twisting Yurchenko, only a small hop.
Senior Girls – Rotation 3
🕐 8:22 PM CT — Tiana Sumanasekera wows with opening cross, falls on third
Double format to separate soar, sky-high with a clear touchdown and the gang loves it. Double again, small hop again. Double wolf flip. 1.5 to entrance full, appears to overlook the punch and slips and falls. Double pike, principally caught. 12.400.
🕐 8:18 PM CT — Reese Esponda reveals problem, creativity on flooring
Tucked double-double, an excessive amount of energy, absolutely out of bounds. Double format, hop again. Barani to double again, hop. Double pike, smallest hop ahead. 13.250.
🕐 8:16 PM CT — Joscelyn Roberson practically unshakeable on beam
Standing full, strong. Change leap to modify half to again tuck, only a small adjustment. Aspect aerial to format stepout to format stepout. Full flip, bends a bit on the waist. Onodi to straddle soar to pike soar, nice. Double pike, single step ahead. 13.800.
🕐 8:14 PM CT — Ashlee Sullivan highly effective on flooring for 14.000
Tucked double-double, nice energy, giant step again. Double format, managed step again a la NCAA. 1.5 by means of to double again.
🕐 8:12 PM CT — Across the rotation
- Dulcy Caylor practically hits her whip full by means of to double again to entrance tuck cross, however she falls to her knees on the final minute. Hit it in coaching, so possibly day two. 12.350.
- Jayla Dangle falls on bars. 12.150.
- Claire Pease reveals a double-twisting Yurchenko (13.300) and Lopez (12.850). Each appear to be a little bit of a battle to get round, however she finagles them. 13.075 common.
🕐 8:07 PM CT — Leanne Wong reveals two vaults
Leanne Wong goes 14.000 on vault for her double-twisting Yurchenko – 9.000 E-score. Follows with a robust Lopez and huge hop and step again. 12.950. Common = 13.675 (with 0.2 in bonus).
🕐 8:04 PM CT — Hezly Rivera as soon as once more rising to the event
Rivera reveals one of many cleanest vaults we’ve ever seen her do, only a small hop on her double-twisting Yurchenko for a 13.800 – 0.3 impartial deduction for touchdown over the road.
Senior Girls – Rotation 2
🕐 7:56 PM CT — Tiana Sumanasekera shines on beam for 13.800
Candle mount. Again handspring again handspring to two-footed format, wonderful. Entrance aerial to straddle soar to Sissone, wonderful. Change leap to modify half to again swing down – leaps didn’t look 180. Change ring, small bobble. Aspect aerial. Full flip. Double pike, low chest however only a single step.
🕐 7:47 PM CT — Sullivan on beam, Pease on flooring, Roberson on bars
- U.S. Traditional beam champion Sullivan fights for her standing Arabian on beam after which sticks her double pike dismount. 13.650.
- Claire Pease falls on her opening tucked double-double on flooring, simply didn’t have the rotations. 12.050.
- Joscelyn Roberson UB = 13.650
🕐 7:45 PM CT — Simone Rose earns 13.500 for Yurchenko 1.5
🕐 7:44 PM CT — Leanne Wong debuts new-look flooring routine
New flooring routine for Leanne with a distinct sound – not her typical classical, displaying extra of her enjoyable aspect. Tucked double-double, caught – bringing NCAA touchdown to elite. Half to entrance full. Double pike, additionally practically caught. She is doing the all-around right here vs. simply bars and beam at Traditional. 13.800.
🕐 7:41 PM CT — Jayla Dangle wonderful on DTY
Jayla Dangle reveals a clear double-twisting Yurchenko on vault, only a small hop. You’ll be able to inform she might get to an Amanar with how briskly she rotates. 14.050.
🕐 7:40 PM CT — Hezly Rivera continues redemptive displaying on flooring
Full-twisting double format, step again however appears to maintain it in bounds. Double format, hop again. Double wolf flip. Punch entrance by means of to double again, little bit of an uncontrolled rebound. 2.5, little bit of a step out, however good. She’s trying way more assured and higher conditioned than at Traditional. 14.000.
🕐 7:35 PM CT — Ally Damelio falls on Seitz on bars for 11.850
Senior Girls – Rotation 1
🕐 7:27 PM CT — Claire Pease rock strong in opening beam set
Candle mount. Double wolf flip. Change leap to separate soar to Onodi, wonderful. Again handspring to format stepout to format stepout. Entrance aerial to straddle soar to again handspring, small bobble. Aspect aerial. Change half, doesn’t ever get that place absolutely. 2.5 twist and a big step to the aspect.
🕐 7:23 PM CT — Leanne Wong clear on beam, sticks dismounts
Change leap mount. Aspect aerial, clear. Change leap to modify half to straddle soar – undecided she hit 180 on all/any of these. Change ring. Again handspring to format stepout. Double wolf flip. Entrance aerial to separate soar to again handspring. Aspect somi. Tuck gainer full, caught chilly! 13.750.
🕐 7:20 PM CT — Jayla Dangle falls on double pike
Dangle didn’t do all-around at Traditional, however she has the routines to win right here… Double wolf flip. 2.5 to entrance format, someway she lands it. The punch was off and he or she virtually slips, however stays on her match. Whip full to double again. Double pike, doesn’t have the pace on her rotations and under-rotates it, falling to her knees. 12.200.
🕐 7:17 PM CT — Hezly Rivera with a redeeming beam set after the U.S. Traditional
Double wolf flip. Aspect aerial to separate soar to straddle soar. Again handspring to two-footed format, small bubble. Change half to again swing down. Entrance aerial to ring soar. Change ring and a small bobble. Double pike, low chest and a single step again. Appeared precarious, however she made it work. 14.050. After inquiry, raised three-tenths to 14.350.
🕐 7:15 PM CT — Skye Blakely earns 13.450 in elite return on beam
Blakely’s first elite routine since getting injured at Trials. Triple wolf flip, clear. Standing full, crushes it. Entrance handspring entrance tuck and stumbles a bit, hand on beam. Change leap, pause earlier than the change half and a bobble after. Entrance aerial to separate soar to pike soar. Aspect aerial. Double again, single step. She appeared unshakeable in coaching, in order that was probably some comprehensible nerves. However what an accomplishment to get again out right here, displaying that problem. She’s acquired a routine beneath her belt. Anticipating her to point out a variety of enchancment on day two.
🕐 7:10 PM CT — Rating replace: Nola Matthews goes 12.850 on beam
🕐 7:10 PM CT — Izzy Stassi follows rose with
Tucked double-double, small hop. Full-in, small hop. 1.5 to entrance full, lands wonky and legs appeared to virtually buckle, however she performs it off. Whip format to double again, under-rotated and a hop ahead. 12.300.
🕐 7:07 PM CT — Rating replace: Tiana Sumanasekera goes 12.950 on bars
🕐 7:06 PM CT — Simone Rose opens flooring with a clear set
2.5 to tuck full to separate soar, good. 1.5 to entrance full. Double again. Very sturdy begin for Simone. 13.500.
🕐 7:03 PM CT — Joscelyn Roberson opts for simply DTY
Roberson talked about the Cheng, however opts for only one vault, and it’s a double-twisting Yurchenko with a hop again for a 13.800. Tender knees.
🕐 7:01 PM CT — Getting began in NOLA
Contact warmup taking place now!
Junior Girls – Day 1 Recap
Caroline Moreau (Texas Desires) leads after day considered one of junior ladies’s competitors with a 53.700 – half some extent forward of Charleigh Bullock (Capital) with a 53.200. Isabella Anzola (WOGA) is third with a 51.900.
After day one, Amia Pugh-Banks (World Class) leads vault with a 13.700 common, Bullock earned a 14.000 to high the sphere on bars, Anzola was tops on beam with a 13.600, and Moreau continued her string of main flooring routines with a 13.550, highlighted by a caught double format and full-in.
It was unclear whether or not Winter Cup and U.S. Traditional winner Lavi Crain would throw her hat into the ring for the all-around title in New Orleans with such a fast turnaround to the Junior Pan American Video games subsequent week. She in the end scratched vault and flooring and won’t attempt to go 3-for-3 on main U.S. home titles.
The Squad Showdown winner was Workforce London, together with Moreau, Kylie Smith (Cincinnati), Addalye VanGrinsven (Pacific Reign), Addy Fulcher (Georgia Elite), Sydney Williams (Metroplex), Elaina Sliney (Cincinnati), and Espy Chang (Pacific Reign).
