Two tied at the top
The US Gymnastics Championships are in full swing in Phoenix. After the opening day of the women’s competition, Skye Blakely and Claire Pease share the lead in the all-around standings. Both Americans sit on 55.6 points.
Blakely, 21, is a Florida graduate. Pease is only 17 and comes from Honolulu. Right behind them, 16-year-old Charleigh Bullock holds 55.4. Reigning champion Hezly Rivera follows on 55.0, ahead of Jade Carey (54.4) and Reese Esponda (54.1).
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Blakely’s road back
Blakely’s story has a few twists. She was part of the US teams that won world titles in 2022 and 2023, then watched Paris 2024 from the sidelines. An Achilles rupture in qualifying stopped her cold. She came back last year and shared the uneven bars title with Rivera.
On Friday she said she was proud of the way she performed. Rivera, 18 and the 2024 Olympic team champion, took a fall on bars. Then she answered with the best beam score of the day, 14.3.
A tight finale on Sunday
The margins are tiny. Bullock posted the best bars score at 14.25, a fraction ahead of Pease and Blakely, both handed 14.2. On beam, Pease and Blakely came second and third, behind Rivera.
Nothing is settled. The women wrap up on Sunday. Blakely has the experience, Pease has the raw talent, Rivera has the nerve. A title like this often turns on a single wobble.
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