Weekly Preview April 26: Cairo World Cup (MAG/WAG); Portimão International Tournament (RG); Women’s National Team/Pan American Championships Team Selection Camp (WAG)
U.S. artistic and rhythmic gymnasts are in action internationally, while the Women’s National Team is in Katy, Texas, this weekend for a team selection event.
Cairo World Cup (MAG/WAG)
Reigning U.S. still rings champion Donnell Whittenburg (Baltimore, Md./ Salto Gymnastics Center) kicks off his 2023 season with the Cairo Apparatus World Cup April 27-30 in Egypt. He will take on floor exercise, still rings and horizontal bar and will be joined by 2023 Winter Cup floor exercise and vault gold medalist Kameron Nelson (Evans, Ga./Ohio State Univ), who will also complete on floor and on vault, and 2023 Winter Cup pommel horse title winner Ian Skirkey (Pepperell, Mass./University of Illinois), who will compete on the apparatus in Egypt. 2023 Winter Cup vault champion Joscelyn Roberson (Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre) will represent the U.S. in women’s all-around competition.
The event begins at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 27 with men’s floor, pommel horse and rings, and women’s vault and uneven bars qualifications. At 9 a.m. ET on Friday is men’s vault, parallel bars and high bar, and women’s balance beam and floor. Saturday’s finals start at 8 a.m. ET and will feature men’s floor, pommel horse and rings, and women’s vault and bars. Men’s vault, parallel bars, and high bar, and women’s beam and floor finals are slated for Sunday, April 30 at 8 a.m. ET. Only two gymnasts per country may compete on any given apparatus, with the top eight gymnasts advancing to finals.
More information, including live scoring, is available on the competition website.
Portimão International Tournament (RG)
The U.S. will send seven junior and senior rhythmic athletes to compete in the 30th Portimão International Tournament April 30-May 2 in Portugal.
Following top-10 showings in Sofia, Bulgaria, Yana Golovan (Las Vegas, Nev./Nevada Rhythmic Academy) and Sophia Volkov (Glenview, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center) will be joined by Jaelyn Chin (Aventura, Fla./Bessonova’s School) and Sarah Mariotti (San Diego, Calif./Pacific Stars Rhythmic Academy) in the senior division.
Also finishing top 10 in Bulgaria, Rin Keys (Porter Ranch, Calif./Burlo Gymnastics) will represent the juniors in Portugal in all-around competition. Megan Chu (San Diego, Calif./Pacific Stars Rhythmic Academy) will compete in the event alongside Ksenia Potoski (Brooklyn, N.Y./Isadora by Match Point) as a Junior Team. Chu will take on hoop and ball, while Potoski will compete clubs and ribbon.
The tournament begins Sunday, April 30 with junior individual hoop and ball qualifications at 5:30 a.m. ET followed by the seniors at 10:20 a.m. ET. Junior clubs and ribbon qualifications lead Monday’s schedule at 5:30 a.m. ET, with seniors taking the floor at 10:20 a.m. ET. All finals will take place on Tuesday, May 2 and are set to begin at 5:30 a.m. ET.
Women’s National Team/Pan American Championships Team Selection Camp (WAG)
Over 25 junior and senior gymnasts are in Katy, Texas April 28-May 1 for a women’s National Team camp where the Senior Pan American Championships team will be determined. Selection competition is set for Thursday and Friday, and the team will be announced at the camp’s conclusion Sunday, April 30. Five seniors and one traveling replacement athlete will be named. Complete selection procedures for the Senior Pan American Championships team are available here.
Camp participants are listed alphabetically below.
Skye Blakely — Frisco, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics
Jade Carey — Phoenix, Ariz./Oregon State University
Dulcy Caylor — Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre
Addison Fatta — Wrightsville, Pa./Prestige Gymnastics
Kieryn Finnell — Pittsford, N.Y./RGA
Jayla Hang — Bellevue, Wash./Pacific Reign Gymnastics
Gabrielle Hardie — Sioux Falls, S.D./Twin City Twisters
Katelyn Jong — Allen, Texas/Metroplex Gymnastics
Madray Johnson — Dallas, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics
Shilese Jones — Auburn, Wash./Ascend Gymnastics Center
Kaliya Lincoln — Frisco, Texas/ WOGA Gymnastics
Nola Matthews — Gilroy, Calif./Airborne Gymnastics Training Center
Konnor McClain — Las Vegas, Nev./Pacific Reign Gymnastics
Zoe Miller — Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre
Zoey Molomo — Frisco, Texas/Metroplex Gymnastics
Elle Mueller — Ham Lake, Minn./Twin City Twisters
Claire Pease — Sunnyvale, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics
Hezly Rivera — Oradell, N.J./WOGA Gymnastics
Simone Rose — Sammamish, Wash./Pacific Reign Gymnastics
Katelyn Rosen — Boerne, Texas/Twin City Twisters
Izzy Stassi — North Royalton, Ohio/Buckeye Gymnastics
Ashlee Sullivan — Richardson, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics
Tiana Sumanasekera — Pleasanton, Calif./World Champions Centre
Leanne Wong — Overland Park, Kan./University of Florida Gymnastics
Lexi Zeiss — Omaha, Neb./Twin City Twisters
Source: usagym.org