2024 American Classic recap: Gabby Douglas, Sunisa Lee qualify to championships as Jade Carey routs field
KATY, Texas – It might not have been perfect, but Gabby Douglas’ first meet back in nearly eight years showed plenty of bright spots.
To start her bid for a third Olympic Games, the 2012 Olympic all-around champion scored a 50.650 to finish 11th in the all-around (out of 19) and earned the necessary three-event score to qualify to the U.S. championships May 30-June 2 thanks to a 14.000 on vault and 13.350 on beam.
She’ll have one last chance to earn the all-around qualifying score of a 51.000 at the Core Hydration Classic May 18. Otherwise, she can petition to do all four events since she’s attended a national team camp this USAG “season” (November camp).
Bars and floor were the pain points Saturday afternoon, with the three-time Olympic gold medalist putting her hand down on her opening pass on floor – a front full through to double back – and following with a big out of bounds on her full-in, scoring an 11.450. She had two falls on bars – first on her Jaeger and then she went over on a cast handstand – to score an 11.850.
“8 years later,” Douglas said on Instagram. “Well guys… It wasn’t my best showing this weekend but was so happy and grateful to be back out there on the floor doing what I love again. With anything there are always kinks to work out, get better, and improve. I’ve never been more excited to get back into the gym and work even harder. Forver grateful for all of your love and support. It means the world. I love you guys, and I’ll see you in Hartford.
“Hard days are the best because that’s when champions are made.”
Here’s the composition of Douglas’ routines at the American Classic:
- Vault: Double-twisting Yurchenko
- Uneven bars: Lin, Ling, piked Jaeger, stalder 1/1, Downie, Pak, Chow 1/2, double layout
- Balance beam: Switch to switch half to ring jump, back handspring to layout step-out, punch front, switch ring, front aerial to split jump to straddle jump, double pike
- Floor exercise: Front full through to double back, Memmel turn, full-in, double pike
Winning the competition just a week after an excellent showing for Oregon State at the NCAA championships was Jade Carey, who scored a 55.000 – 1.1 points ahead of second place finisher Myli Lew (San Mateo), who scored a 53.900. GAGE’s Marissa Neal was third with a 53.050.
Carey had a more limited role with the Beavers this year than in previous seasons, but whatever the game plan was, it seems to be working as she easily qualified to championships. She looked solid with room for improvement – a good thing with two months still to go until the Olympic team is named.
The reigning Olympic champion on floor, Carey won that event (13.750) and vault (14.200). She was second on beam (13.650) and fifth on bars (13.400).
Lew won bars with a 13.950, and reigning Olympic all-around champion Sunisa Lee won beam with a 14.300 – a number that can easily be improved upon.
Lee also competed vault, executing a clean full-twisting Yurchenko for a 13.250. Combined, those marks easily got her the two-event score necessary to qualify to nationals. Lee is in a similar boat to Douglas in the fact that she can still qualify in the all-around at the Core Classic. Otherwise, she could also petition.
World gold medalist Joscelyn Roberson also made a limited return to competition after an injury at worlds last fall. She competed bars (12.650) and beam (12.450). Roberson had mistakes on both events, including a fall on her Onodi on beam, but overall looked strong as she tries to get back to full strength.
Next up for the U.S. women is the Core Hydration Classic in Hartford, Connecticut, from May 17-18. It’s a stacked field, with Simone Biles and Shilese Jones set to make their season debuts.
Keep reading for a play-by-play recap of the 2024 American Classic.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 3:22 p.m.
Jade Carey wins the American Classic with a 55.000 and easily qualifies to nationals, just a week after competing at the NCAA championships!
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 3:20 p.m.
Gabby Douglas is going to nationals – on at least three events!
She qualifies after putting up a 14.000 on vault, 13.350 on beam, and 11.850 on bars. She finishes her first elite competition back since the 2016 Rio Olympics with a 50.650.
If she gets a 51 in the all-around at the Core Hydration Classic, she’ll qualify on all four.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 3:16 p.m.
Douglas full balance beam routine: Switch to switch half to ring jump. Back handspring to layout step-out, little bit of a check. Punch front. Switch ring. Front aerial to split jump to straddle jump. Double pike, low chest.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 3:16 p.m.
Jade did a full-twisting double layout, full-in, punch front through to double pike, and a double back on floor. 13.750.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 3:14 p.m.
Gabby has a balance check on her backhand spring, layout step out and her chest was pretty low on her double pike dismount. Gorgeous form in her jumps and leaps. 13.350.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 3:00 p.m.
Joscelyn has a solid standing full to open her beam routine. She looks a little timid on her leaps but her series is beautiful. She was off the beam on her Onodi. Very strong double pike dismount. 12.450
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 3:00 p.m.
Suni’s day is done. She’s got the two-event qualifying score and can try to get the all-around score (51) at Core Hydration Classic.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 2:59 p.m.
Gabby Douglas needs a 13.700 on beam to qualify to championships today. If she doesn’t get it, she has one last chance at the Core Hydration Classic (formerly U.S. Classic) in mid-May. This is what she needs to get the all-around number. If she gets a 12.4, she’ll have the two-event qualifying score. Then she can try to get the all-around number at Classic pt. 2.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 2:55 p.m.
Jade needs a 51 in the all-around to qualify to championships. Should easily get that with just floor left.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 2:53 p.m.
Jade on beam had a forward roll mount. Front aerial. Back handspring layout step-out to layout step-out, leg up balance check. Switch side. Switch leap to switch half to straddle jump is good, might have been a little low on the last jump. Side aerial. Double pike. 13.650.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 2:49 p.m.
Gabby didn’t catch her Jaeger and then went over on a cast handstand. Looks like the routine was: Lin, Ling, piked Jaeger, stalder 1/1, Downie, Pak, Chow 1/2, double layout. Earns a low 11.850.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 2:49 p.m.
Gabby is off the bar twice. Missing her release on high bar first, then off on low bar.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 2:47 p.m.
Gienger (leg separation) from Roberson in her return on bars. Some pretty big form break on the low bar. Full-twisting double lay dismount. Little deep in the knees but looked good! 12.650.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 2:37 p.m.
Suni has a beautiful full twisting Yurchenko full. Little bounce on the landing. Earns her a 13.250.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 2:24 p.m.
Looks like Suni will compete vault after scratching floor.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 2:24 p.m.
Jade nails her bars. Great releases, form looked good and a stuck landing! She earns a 13.400 pushing her into first for the all-around.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 2:17 p.m.
Notable score update: Myli Lew went 13.950 on bars – currently sits in first on that event.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 2:14 p.m.
Start list originally had Suni doing all-around, but scores are now zeroed for her on floor. Looks like she scratched that, but we may still see bars. Her previous plan was vault and beam today.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 2:10 p.m.
Gabby with a HUGE Yurchenko double full. Hop on the landing, but a great first vault back. Earns her a 14.000 which is a BIG improvement from her floor performance.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 2:05 p.m.
Overall Suni’s landings and confidence on beam looked way better than they did in warm ups. It earns her 14.300.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 2:00 p.m.
Suni has a beautiful triple wolf turn, bobble on her side aerial, layout step out, lay out step out, pretty decent bobble on her ring leap and ended with a pretty basic layout dismount on beam.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 1:38 p.m.
Jade Carey has a gorgeous Yurchenko double on vault with a bit of a hop on the landing. 14.200.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 1:38 p.m.
Gabby touches on her front full through to double back, big out of bounds on her full-in landing, BIG step on her double pike landing, double L turn was gorgeous but under rotated. 11.450.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 1:36 p.m.
This is what we saw Gabby warm up on beam:
Switch leap to switch half
Ring jump
Full turn
Back handspring to layout step-out
Punch front
Switch ring
Front aerial to split jump to straddle jump
Double pike dismount
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 1:27 p.m.
Suni Lee is currently warming up on beam, looks like she’s having some pretty wobbly landings. Her side aerial, step out, step out series look beautiful. However, she did have a huge bobble on the landing.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 1:24 p.m.
Joscelyn Roberson was warming up on beam with strong skills and gorgeous jumps.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 1:20 p.m.
Gabby Douglas looking solid as ever during warm ups. She warmed up a full-in and front full to double back on floor.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 1:19 p.m.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 1:15 p.m.
Sat. Apr. 27 @ 12:45 p.m.
Welcome to our live blog of the senior women’s competition at the 2024 American Classic! We are live inside Stars Gymnastic Sports Center Katy, where competition will begin at 1:45 p.m. CT. See the top of the page for how to watch, a link to live scores, and our meet preview.
