Live Blog: Podium Training | USA Gymnastics Olympic Trials

Wed. June 26 @ 5:10 p.m.

What’s the solution to losing Blakely, who would’ve definitely contributed on vault, bars, and beam for this team? Keeping in mind Shilese Jones is still dealing with the shoulder injury, which is a concern?

The solution may just be two Olympians that have previously been on the outside looking in.

Jordan Chiles is solid on bars in case Jones can’t go for any reason. She’s consistent and can fill in anywhere else. Jade Carey just threw an Amanar and already has a Cheng. She can contribute on vault and floor and would contend for a medal in a vault final (obviously is the reigning Olympic floor champion).

Wed. June 26 @ 4:58 p.m.

Leanne Wong doing piked double Arabian for her third pass on floor. Sat it during the run through. Tries it again, hits beautifully with a small hop forward.

Wed. June 26 @ 4:53 p.m.

Kaliya Lincoln looked great on floor. Tons of power throughout. Big Moors that seemingly could add a second twist.

Wed. June 26 @ 4:48 p.m.

Haven’t even gotten close to processing that potentially serious Blakely injury, but Jade Carey just did an Amanar!?

Suni Lee FX: This is Suni’s new routine that she’s been working on but wasn’t previously quite ready yet. Full-twisting double layout, smallest of hops. 1.5 to front full. Double back, smallest of hops. She looks excellent on floor.

Wed. June 26 @ 4:45 p.m.

If this injury to Blakely is as serious as it initially looks, this changes the makeup of the Olympic team. Before that, her, Simone, Shilese, and Suni have been looked at like the likely top four with the fifth spot still up for grabs. Take her away and the U.S. loses one of its best bars and beam workers and someone who was looking at contending in a vault final.

Wed. June 26 @ 4:40 p.m.

Skye Blakely was just taken off the field of play in a wheelchair. Crying, hands over her face. Was tumbling on floor.

Wed. June 26 @ 4:33 p.m.

Last rotation coming up: vault and floor.

Wed. June 26 @ 4:28 p.m.

Suni Lee BB: Layout mount. Front aerial to split jump to back handspring. Triple wolf turn. Weirdestttt fall ever after the wolf turn where she was doing nothing and just… came off and was laughing hard. Switch leap to switch half to ring jump. Side aerial to layout stepout, big balance check, and she doesn’t do the second before coming off. Switch ring. Piked Gainer dismount.

Wed. June 26 @ 4:24 p.m.

Jordan Chiles has returned to the podium and will try the run through again it seems… Full-twisting double layout, STUCK this time. Front full through to half-in, half-out, one foot out of bounds. Triple wolf turn. Double layout, bit short and a hop forward.

Wed. June 26 @ 4:21 p.m.

Simone Biles FX: Triple-double (Biles II), small hop. Front full through to double-double, small hop. Double wolf turn. Double layout half to stag (Biles I), perfect. Double layout, small hop. Just gets better and better.

Jade Carey FX: Full-twisting double layout. Double layout. Tucked double-double, hop to the side. Seemed to trip on her last pass and just does a cartwheel out of the front tuck – laughing after, no worries it seems.

Wed. June 26 @ 4:16 p.m.

Skye Blakely BB: Triple wolf turn. Standing full, solid. Front handspring to front tuck, excellent. Switch leap to switch half to back tuck, stuck. Front aerial to split jump. Side aerial. Double back, big step forward.

Wed. June 26 @ 4:11 p.m.

Jordan Chiles started her floor run through with an under-rotated full-twisting double layout, fell forward and then cut the music and didn’t continue. Looked like she was talking to trainers and is currently stretching out her ankles. Maybe just stung them a bit.

Wed. June 26 @ 4:00 p.m.

Moving on to beam and floor.

Wed. June 26 @ 3:56 p.m.

Shilese Jones has been struggling in both trainings today on the stalder 1/1 to toe 1/1 combo in her bars set.

Wed. June 26 @ 3:49 p.m.

Skye Blakely UB: Stalder 1/2 to piked Jaeger. Stalder piked Tkatchev to Pak. Toe 1/1 to Van Leeuwen. Toe 1/2. Stuck double front half.

Wed. June 26 @ 3:48 p.m.

Biles hits the mount series on beam. Triple wolf turn, smooth. Front aerial to split jump to straddle, stumbles a bit on the last. Series is perfect every time it seems, has it on lock. Easy full-twisting double back dismount.

Suni smoothly hitting her set once again with a stuck full-twisting double back.

Wed. June 26 @ 3:44 p.m.

Beautiful two-footed layout series from Tiana on beam just now. Double pike with the tiniest step – stunning.

Leanne Wong UB: Clear hip 1/2 to straddle Jaeger. Toe 1/1 to Bhardwaj. Maloney to Pak. Van Leeuwen. Stuck double layout.

Wed. June 26 @ 3:42 p.m.

Blakely looking fabulous on bars – stuck double front half dismount.

Joscelyn Roberson BB: Small leg up on her standing full. Switch leap to switch half to back tuck – excellent, albeit the half is a bit low still. Side aerial to layout stepout to layout stepout – little leg up that she seems to turn into a baby arabesque. Onodi to straddle jump to pike jump. Double pike, small step.

Wed. June 26 @ 3:31 p.m.

Some videos from women’s podium training this morning:

• Suni on bars
• Bars dismounts
• Skye beam mount
• Shilese on beam and bars

Wed. June 26 @ 3:28 p.m.

Rotation two coming up. Vault group moves to bars. Bars group moves to beam since the women wanted to rotate in Olympic order this week.

Wed. June 26 @ 3:25 p.m.

🚨CEO CHENG ALERT🚨 Leanne Wong bringing the upgrades to trials. A bit tucked on the first attempt. Some steps back, bit low in the chest on subsequent attempts (she did a few). But it’s a Cheng.

Wed. June 26 @ 3:18 p.m.

As expected, Biles does the double-double on her next full run through, because she’ll literally do so many of these bars sets without seemingly blinking.

Skye Blakely’s Cheng looks exceptional. Step back. Pair that with her easy double-twisting Yurchenko from earlier – really becoming a force on vault.

Wed. June 26 @ 3:16 p.m.

Suni Lee goes for the double-twisting Yurchenko on vault, a bit under-rotated but working it nonetheless… she follows with a much better, just a small hop.

Kaliya Lincoln follows with a powerful DTY – just a step back.

Wed. June 26 @ 3:11 p.m.

Simone Biles UB: Clear hip 1/2 to Maloney to giant 1/1 to piked Tkatchev to Pak salto. Van Leeuwen. Toe 1/1 to full-twisting double back, just a small step forward. She seems to like to warm up the double-double later after running through her full set.

Jade Carey UB: Maloney to inbar Gienger. Ezhova. Van Leeuwen. Giant 1/1. Full-twisting double back, stuck.

Jordan Chiles UB: Van Leeuwen. Blind change to piked Jaeger. Toe 1/1 to piked Tkatchev to Pak. Maloney to inbar Gienger. Stuck cold full-twisting double back.

Wed. June 26 @ 3:08 p.m.

Rotation 1 happening now.

Shilese Jones with a beautiful double-twisting Yurchenko, just a small step back. Kayla DiCello follows with a similar DTY.

Wed. June 26 @ 2:55 p.m.

This definitely seems to be formal podium training. The two groups are getting ready to go on vault and bars. So we should get a good look at all of the athletes on each event over the next couple of hours.

Wed. June 26 @ 2:36 p.m.

Second women’s podium training of the day getting ready to happen. They’re open stretching now. This definitely seems more organized than earlier, so we may see them go on all four vs. bars and beam this morning.

Wed. June 26 @ 12:31 p.m.

A look at the women’s leos for trials from GK:

Wed. June 26 @ 12:08 p.m.

Brody Malone was getting bad shin splints from his knee brace so is ditching it on vault after getting approval from his trainer.

Wed. June 26 @ 11:57 a.m.

Fred Richard takeaways… including his prediction for the men’s team:

• “I’m still stuck on the fifth person – I really, really do not know. Based on the scoring scenarios of champs, it looked like it was Brody [Malone], me, Khoi [Young], and Yul [Moldauer]. And the last spot is between, I would say, between four people. I really don’t know who it is, whether it’s Stephen Nedoroscik, Paul Juda, Donnell [Whittenburg], or Asher [Hong]. And they’re all amazing gymnasts, so it’ll be really interesting… And anybody could drop out, so we all still have to do our best… And I like walking away with the dubs.”
• He’s not really doing the math, coaches have just told him the scenarios.
• When asked to give his Mount Rushmore of gymnastics, he chose Simone, Kohei Uchimura, Nastia, and… himself – cheeky as always.
• Liukin is going good on high bar – he plans to do it Day 2, and that will be a similar approach if he makes the Paris squad – play it safe and then add it when needed.
• On how the major changes in college athletics, with schools paying athletes, etc., is going to impact men’s NCAA: “I’ve talked to a lot of people on this, and the theory behind it – I’m giving theories, I’m not saying I know anything… The theory is that the bigger schools like University of Michigan – the bigger schools that have bigger resources – will probably be able to keep those programs alive and maybe even separate basketball and football as like a whole different athletics program than the other sports and be very against cutting them. But other schools that are smaller, still trying to get a national championship team to compete with the University of Michigan, they’re gonna have to cut some other teams to get the funding and to recruit, you know, the number one football recruits. So I really think… we may not be in the best situation. But let’s hope we have enough people like me and everybody here fighting for our sport to keep it growing. Not just keep it alive, but keep it growing.”
• On the other men’s teams that have already been named for Paris: He knows China and Japan are gunning for the top spot (thinks China has the edge) and both teams have their weaknesses covered. “At the end of the day, it’s going to come down to three up, three count. Mistakes can be made and just… who’s the dogs and what team is really the dogs. I think it’s the U.S. – we’ll see where we land.”

Wed. June 26 @ 11:52 a.m.

More takeaways from our talk with Khoi yesterday:

• On what it would mean for him to make the Olympic Team: “It’d mean everything. It would mean satiating that desire that I’ve had as a little boy to make an Olympic team and be amongst the people that I admire so much. So it would mean everything.”
• On what an Olympic team medal would mean for the U.S. (it would be the men’s first since 2008): “I think it would inspire more young kids to get into the sport. I think it would bring a lot more eyes to men’s gymnastics and a lot more people talking about us. So, I mean, we definitely want to be on that podium just to inspire the younger generation – at least me personally.”
• On what he thinks he needs to do to make this team beyond hitting 6-for-6: “I mean, obviously, I have my two big events – vault and horse – which are paramount for this team. But, at the end of the day, I am an all-arounder, so I think showing up on p-bars, high bar, floor – those are all events that I can contribute. This team is no pushover, so I think I have to show up on every event I can to really solidify my spot.”
• Khoi has been watching past trials on YouTube for inspiration and also humbling to see them doing skills that he’s doing now that are much harder than they seem.
• The D-score bonus initiative that the men implemented this quad pushed him to add the Busnari – a tricky skill for him but the boost it gives him is “100% worth it.” Also the Randi on vault. “Having that D-score bonus really was that extra push I need to keep training [the Randi].”
• On sizing up the other countries at Worlds last year: “In retrospect, in hindsight looking back, I think we were definitely in there. I mean, China and Japan definitely didn’t have their A-list teams, but looking at where we are now, neither did we.”

Wed. June 26 @ 11:39 a.m.

Jordan Chiles key takeaways:

• On if Olympic Trials is more intense than the Olympics: “I would say 100%. Olympic trials for any sport is the hardest thing that you’ll ever do in life because, you know, the finishing product is obviously the Olympics, and once you make it, at the end of the day you’re like, ahh – it’s relaxing. So it definitely is one of the hardest meets of the year. And as an Olympian, I still can say that for sure.”
• On how she keeps her stress levels low with dancing and having fun: “Welllll, it took me a while to get to this point of keeping my stress levels low. I’ve been in this era for a very long time. I’ve been here for almost the longest I would say and knowing each and every time is different, but I would have to say college definitely helped with that. You know, understanding that the sport is fun. This sport has the ability to be enjoyed in a different way. And for me dancing and singing and doing everything that I’m doing, getting the crowd hyped, is something that relaxes me because I feel like if the crowds involved then you’re at ease a little more, so that’s kind of where the [low] stress level came. But also knowing that I’m just here to have fun. I have nothing else to say, give, do. I’m just being the best Jordan that I can be, and at the end of the day, my titles [and] my accolades won’t be stripped from me. So I know that if I put my all and effort into what I’m trying to do now, then I’ll just enjoy the rest of the ride.”
• Chiles says being consistent and having a good Day 1 are the most important things right now, because “Day 2 is a little… I say it’s a little easier.”
• On her coach, Cecile, heading to Georgia after Paris: “Cecile, this is a bittersweet moment knowing that this could be her last domestic meet, but I’m very happy that she got the opportunity to go to Georgia and live a life that’s a new chapter for her. She gets to explore, she gets to expand, and I think knowing that we’re supporting her and we’re by her side is gonna be the biggest thing.”

Wed. June 26 @ 11:29 a.m.

Cecile Landi (Simone Biles’ coach):

• On Biles potentially being better now than ever: “I think we always knew she could be better. She’s the most talented athlete I’ve ever worked with. And so we just knew if she could get her mental game, as well as her physical game, then she would be close to unstoppable.”
• On what it’s like having her in the gym for the younger athletes at World Champions Centre (there are five total WCC athletes at trials): “She’s the key to WCC’s success right now. I think she’s showed everybody hard work. A lot of people are surprised how hard she works on a daily basis, no matter how talented she is. She gets the numbers done. She’s here, she works. She is respectful, and she’s also helping the girls because she’s been through a lot, so when they struggle, you know, I can try to help, but I’m just Cecile, so it’s better when it comes from Simone and even Jordan. Those two have been really, really impactful on the team and a lot of people. So what’s the secret? It’s not Laurent and I. It’s really the girls.”
• On Simone getting her confidence back: “I think even at Worlds… I mean she was confident, but I don’t think it was where she is this year.”
• On it being kind of an end of an era at WCC with her moving on to Georgia after the Olympics and Biles’ future after Paris up in the air: “I don’t want to think about it, but I don’t think I can do any better than the group I have. So I think it’s a good time for me to move on… It’s not just some of the talents. You see them. They’re good kids – all together, cheering for each other, wanting the best. And I think this is where I can’t top that. So I’m hoping I can bring this to college and have the same with Georgia, but I think I can’t ask for a better end of the story at WCC.”

Wed. June 26 @ 11:10 a.m.

Sarah Korngold (Shilese Jones’ coach):

• Sarah said Shilese rested for another week after nationals and they’ve been slowly building back up to routines. Doing full routines but they “don’t have as many repetitions” as maybe they would like.
• “We’re kind of in the position where we would have been prepared for classics right now versus where we would have been for championships. So hopefully she’s proven enough to the selection committee that she does build fitness quickly, she does get in routine shape fairly fast, and we have more time. Hopefully she does enough here to show that she’s ready to go in Paris.”
• Her body is feeling good. The time she took off after withdrawing from trials was needed and did help. Sarah said she’s not really dealing with any pain right now.
• If you’re not up to date on the Jones injury, it’s a small tear in her labrum from two years ago that flares up occasionally and just happened to do so right before championships.
• On her and Shilese’s relationships from when they started working together after the last Games to now: “When she first came, obviously she had a really big change in her life and a lot of trauma. And so she was very quiet and not very communicative at the beginning. And very like, ‘What do want me to do now what’s next? What’s this?’ And now she’s definitely more communicative, way more open. It’s way more collaborative. It’s very much now, ‘Okay, I would like to do this. What are your thoughts on that?’ And so it’s just way more open and more of a team, whereas in the beginning she didn’t really know me, I didn’t really know her. We had to figure it out.”
• On Shilese’s evolution as a gymnast since Tokyo: “I think it’s just her perspective changed and her WHY changed and that has nothing to do with coming to our gym, I believe. I think, you know, when her dad passed it gave her like a big reality check. Like, I’m doing this for me, and so she gets it. She’s there. She knows why she’s doing it. She knows what it takes to do it because she’s done it before. I think the evolution is her, the change is her, and her growth and maturity as a person and what she’s gone through in life.
• On what Shilese needs from her as a mature gymnast with plenty of experience: “She can do gymnastics. She knows how to do gymnastics. She’s an excellent coach. She’s got a great eye, so she can watch her videos and she can see what’s wrong and she can see what she needs to change and she feels it really well within her body. And so that’s not really what she needs from me. Once in a while, you know, a different perspective or like, ‘Oh, I see this or that.’ But she can do that herself and so she just needs someone to give her all the information she needs to make the best choices for herself with routine selection or rules or whatever, and someone to support her with whatever she needs. And so I really just try to be that role for her inside the gym or outside the gym. Whatever she needs, I try to be that person for her.”

Wed. June 26 @ 10:58 a.m.

Jordan Chiles said “we have podium tonight” so thinking athletes may be going on all four events this evening and have been slowly building/getting used to the equipment the past few practices.

Wed. June 26 @ 10:54 a.m.

Just finished with women’s interviews. We talked with Jordan Chiles, Cecile Land, and Sarah Korngold. Will share the highlights.

Wed. June 26 @ 9:59 a.m.

Rotation 3 notes:

• Jones was reportedly struggling in earlier training sessions, specifically on bars. Seems to be ok here. Did the laid-out Jaeger and is working through her set seemingly fine.
• Skye Blakely looks outstanding on beam as well — just in awe watching at the precision and extension.
• Just bars and beam this training. No vault, working dance on floor.

Wed. June 26 @ 9:30 a.m.

Rotation 2 notes:

• Suni and Skye are floating on bars. They’ve had a couple misses, but they look outstanding.
• Suni connecting much of the first half of her routine and the second half besides the dismount. Nabieva looks gorg.
• Kayla is also clean — important since she’s really up for that fifth spot.
• Beam was solid for WCC. Simone looked excellent. Chiles was solid despite a few balance checks, same with Roberson, who’s standing full was immaculate.

Wed. June 26 @ 9:18 a.m.

Rotation 1 notes:

• Beam squad (Shilese, Leanne, Jade, Hezly) looked solid in their run through. Most didn’t do dismounts — believe Hezly was the only one.
• WCC was on bars. There was some struggle from all the athletes hitting handstands and just little things, but there’s a lot of training happening and another this evening. Simone did her toe1/1 double-double before leaving the podium last.

Wed. June 26 @ 8:49 a.m.

Khoi Young has been dealing with an injury to his left leg. Not 100% if it’s the quad/knee/calf, but it was taped and wrapped yesterday. Khoi said it was definitely bothering him after championships earlier this month. He did a lot of rehab and the tape he was wearing at least during podium training is precautionary. He said he’s “feeling a lot better than [he] did at champs.”

Wed. June 26 @ 8:43 a.m.

While we wait for women’s podium training to really get started, we’ll share some notes from men’s interviews yesterday.

Wed. June 26 @ 8:26 a.m.

Women’s podium training will be getting started here shortly. Athletes are here and getting ready for open stretch.

Tue. June 25 @ 5:00 p.m.

Asher Hong won the battle of the Ri Se Gwang vaults today between him and Donnell Whittenburg. Hong had good height and power, just his typical large step off the meet, while Whittenburg struggled on his. They’re rotating together so will be interesting to see both competed back-to-back and compare.

Tue. June 25 @ 4:10 p.m.

Stuck laid-out double-double from Donnell Whittenburg a bit ago on rings.

Tue. June 25 @ 4:06 p.m.

Phillips also on floor, so looks like he will try to go on all four of his events despite the thumb injury.

Tue. June 25 @ 4:01 p.m.

Stunning and stuck Kas 1.5 from Paul Juda on vault.

Tue. June 25 @ 3:46 p.m.

Curran Phillips (thumb injury, petitioned to nationals) trained vault and parallel bars, but we’re not seeing him on high bar… scratch that, he just got on the podium after a long while wrapping/chalking/etc.

Tue. June 25 @ 3:40 p.m.

Here’s a (blurry) first look at one of the leos for the women.

Tue. June 25 @ 3:08 p.m.

Brody Malone has ditched the leg brace, at least on vault, and seems to be just fine without right now.

Tue. June 25 @ 2:30 p.m.

Welcome to our live blog of podium training at the 2024 USA Gymnastics Olympic Trials! We’ll have news, notes, and quotes from training inside Target Center for the next two days (Tuesday and Wednesday). We’ll also share some videos and other updates on social media, so be sure to follow us across channels.