Women’s world team selection camp: who’s competing, how to watch and more
Ten of the best gymnasts in the United States will participate in women’s world team selection camp from October 20-23 in Katy, Texas, with competitions on Friday and Saturday deciding who will be named to the five-person team next week’s world championships in Liverpool, England.
The field is highlighted by Olympians Jade Carey (Oregon State) and Jordan Chiles (World Champions Centre), as well as Olympic team alternate Leanne Wong (GAGE) and U.S. all-around silver medalist Shilese Jones (Ascend).
U.S. all-around champion Konnor McClain (WOGA) withdrew earlier this month due to a back injury; Katelyn Jong (Metroplex) withdrew this week due to an ankle injury sustained in practice last week.
The full field is listed below in alphabetical order:
- Skye Blakely, Frisco, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics
- Jade Carey, Phoenix, Ariz./Oregon State University
- Jordan Chiles, Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre
- Amelia Disidore, Overland Park, Kan./Great American Gymnastics Express
- Addison Fatta, Wrightsville, Pa./Prestige Gymnastics
- Shilese Jones, Auburn, Wash./Ascend Gymnastics Center
- Nola Matthews, Gilroy, Calif./Airborne Gymnastics Training Center
- Marissa Neal, Blue Springs, Mo./Great American Gymnastics Express
- Leanne Wong, Overland Park, Kan./University of Florida/Great American Gymnastics Express
- Lexi Zeiss, Omaha, Neb./Twin City Twisters
Fans can stream Friday and Saturday’s competitions on FlipNow at 7 p.m. ET and 5:50 p.m. ET, respectively. Live scoring will be available here. GymNow will be live-blogging both days of competition.
Gymnasts will rotate in two groups on Friday, with Group A starting on vault and Group B starting on floor.
Group A: Jones, Blakely, Matthews, Chiles, Fatta
Group B: Carey, Disidore, Neal, Zeiss, Wong
On Saturday, athletes will show up to two “supplementary events” that will be determined following a conference with the Athlete Selection Committee.
The top-scoring all-around gymnasts from Friday’s competition will earn an automatic berth to the team. The remaining five gymnasts (including traveling alternate) will be named by selection committee after competition concludes on Saturday evening. The final U.S. lineup will be announced no later than 24 hours prior to the start of qualifications on Saturday, October 29.
Team prediction
Unlike with U.S. men’s world team, selection for the U.S. women is a little more clear cut, barring unexpected injuries or circumstances.
Olympians Carey and Chiles are proven leaders, strong competitors, and seemingly more consistent than ever. Jones is an excellent all-arounder while also providing pivotal points on her specialty event: the uneven bars. Wong is also strong in the all-around, to be expected from the reigning world silver medalist, and her floor, in particular, should continue to score well with the international judges.
The fifth team spot is a little more murky but is expected to go to Skye Blakely (WOGA), who has been on the rise in recent years and is notably strong on beam. Nola Matthews (Airborne) and Lexi Zeiss (TCT) could also contend for the spot or be named the traveling alternate.
Although this decision is made a little more challenging by McClain and Jong’s withdrawals, the team for Liverpool is still pretty straightforward: Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Shilese Jones, Leanne Wong, Skye Blakely, and (likely the hardest decision of them all) Matthews or Zeiss in the alternate spot.
