This year’s Nastia Liukin Cup Series will be comprised of 20 meets, each of which will qualify one senior gymnast (aged 16 or older) and one junior (15 or younger) to the 14th Nastia Liukin Cup in Louisville, Kentucky on Feb. 24.
This week’s meet was the Sand Dollar/Whitlow Invitational.
Sand Dollar/Whitlow Invitational
Two-time NLC medalist Avery Neff, who’s CGN’s top recruit in the class of 2024, qualified to her third consecutive cup. Third time may very well be the charm for Neff, who will hope to be crowned champion this time around. The Utah commit had a solid day, nailing a difficult bar set, including her full-twisting double layout dismount, and posting a career high on beam.
Jordyn Johnson, in the class of 2026, notched the junior qualification in only her second year as a level 10 athlete. She put together a solid meet, showing off good landings all around and glimpses of excellent form on bars and beam, where she dismounted with a difficult double tuck.
Nina Ballou narrowly missed out on qualifying twice in a row, after posting an identical score, a big 38.825, both weeks.
Denver signee Madison Ulrich posted a big 9.900 on bars, while Simone Brown, one of last year’s NLC junior qualifiers, showed off a beautiful Yurchenko 1.5 on vault.
Winner (senior division): Avery Neff
Winner (junior division): Jordyn Johnson
Avery Neff
Scores: VT: 9.925 | UB: 9.725 | BB: 9.750 | FX: 9.625 | AA: 39.025
- Club: Olympus Gymnastics
- College: Utah
- High School Graduation Year: 2024
- CGN Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Notable Results: two-time NLC medalist; 2021 national all around champion
- Previous NLC Appearances: 2021 (junior, second place); 2022 (senior, third place)
Jordyn Johnson
VT: 9.475 | UB: 9.275 | BB: 9.550 | FX: 9.425 | AA: 37.725
- Club: Metroplex Gymnastics
- High School Graduation Year: 2026
- Notable Results: 2022 Texa state all around champion
- Previous NLC Appearances: N/A
READ THIS NEXT: Nastia Liukin Cup Series: Week 2
Article by Talitha Ilacqua
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