Skye Blakely leads field at 2021 American Classic

WOGA first-year senior Skye Blakely is one step closer to a potential Olympic team push after leading the field at the 2021 American Classic, which took place behind closed doors at The Gymnastics Company in Indianapolis from April 23-24.

One of the U.S. seniors in contention for the Olympic team after the Tokyo Games were postponed last year, Blakely earned a 55.350 in the all-around to edge runner-up and Florida commit Leanne Wong (GAGE) and her 54.450 for the all-around title. Karis German (World Champions) took third with a 53.250.

Eight gymnasts surpassed the 52.000-point qualifying score necessary to earn a berth to the 2021 U.S. Gymnastics Championships slated for June 3-6 in Fort Worth, Texas: Blakely, Kara Eaker (GAGE), Addison Fatta (Prestige), Kaylen Morgan (Everest), Elle Mueller (TCT), Faith Torrez (Legacy Elite), and Wong.

Individually, Wong took the top spot on vault with a 14.400. Sunisa Lee (Midwest) continued to impress on bars (15.200) and beam (14.550), taking the titles on both apparatuses. Karis German earned the top score of the event on floor (13.450).

Chio wins 2021 American Classic junior title by a landslide

Kailin Chio (Gymcats) finished more than two points ahead of runner-up Ella Murphy in the junior portion of the 2021 American Classic, earning a 53.650 all-around total and earning the top scores on both vault (14.250) and bars (13.250).

Murphy (WOGA) took the silver with a 51.500, and her WOGA teammate Madray Johnson rounded out the podium with a 51.350.

Six junior gymnasts met the all-around qualifying score of 51.000 to qualify for June’s U.S. Championships: Chio, Johnson, Avery King (WOGA), Murphy, Azaraya Ra-Akbar (World Class), and Gabriella Van Frayen (Gym X-Treme).

Katelyn Jong (Metroplex) earned the high score on balance beam with a 13.600, and Tiana Sumanasekera led the field on floor with a 13.150.

2021 Hopes Classic champions display all-around dominance in wins

Claire Pease (WOGA) and Myli Lew (San Mateo) won 9 out of 10 possible titles at the 2021 Hopes Classic ahead of the American Classic on Friday, April 23 in Indianapolis.

Pease, who won the 11-12 year-old division with a 51.450, swept the entire division, taking the top scores on vault (13.450), bars (12.750), beam (12.950), and floor (12.300).

Lew’s 52.050 all-around win in the 13-14 year-old division was highlighted by wins on bars (13.150), beam (13.200), and floor (13.100).

Precision’s Carsyn Coleman notched the top score on vault for the 13-14 year olds with a 13.850.

Based on their all-around scores, nine gymnasts in the 11-12 year-old division qualified to compete at next month’s GK Hopes Championships, which will be held May 21 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis ahead of the GK U.S. Classic on May 22: Charleigh Bullock (Capital), Allyn Damelio (San Mateo), Addy Fulcher (First in Flight), Sadie Goldberg (Buckeye), Quinn Harris (Cincinnati), Pease, Mia Puig (International), Tyler Turner (Airborne), and Camie Westerman (Hill’s).

An additional 17 gymnasts from the 13-14 year-old division will also advance to next month’s Hopes Championships: Hailey Avellar (Ascend), Dulcy Caylor (Texas Dreams), Payton Chandler (Metroplex), Coleman, Nicole Desmond (First State), Anabelle Dewey (E.T.C.), Kieryn Finnell (Rochester), Emerson Fisk (Golden City), Jayla Hang (Ascend), Kaitlynd Kastl (Metroplex), Lew, Jolyn Sicat (Sokol Elite), Audrey Snyder (First State), Sydney Snyder (First State), Anna Tava (USGDC), Brynn Torry (World Class), and Carly Weinberg (Buckeye).

2021 American & Hopes Classic results

2021 American Classic: Senior results, Junior results | 2021 Hopes Classic: 11-12 results, 13-14 results

You can watch routines from the weekend at FloGymnastics.com.