Last year’s Pan American championships star from the United States was Kayla DiCello, who lit up the arena in Rio De Janeiro before her impressive freshman season at Florida. Her recent announcement that she would defer her sophomore season in order to make a run at Paris 2024 continues the exciting trend that we’ve been seeing in recent years, perhaps aided by the introduction of NIL; an NCAA commitment doesn’t have to mean the end of an elite career.
The United States took first place in the team competition with a dominant performance for a score of 163.700 in the three up, three count format. Mexico took the silver with 154.689, and Canada scored 150.998 for the bronze.
There were seven countries whose teams included gymnasts with a connection to an NCAA team and 17 athletes with pasts, presents, or futures in college gymnastics. Take a look at each country to see how these gymnasts did.
Note: Full scores have not yet been released, so some numbers may be missing below.
United States
Unfortunately, future LSU Tiger (class of 2023, four-star recruit) Zoe Miller sustained a concussion in training and did not compete. This gave us the opportunity to see traveling alternate Madray Johnson. The team came away with nine medals from the two days of competition.
Tiana Sumanasekera (’25 Uncommitted)
AA: 53.900, VT: 13.933, UB: 12.633, BB: 13.767, FX: 13.567
In her senior debut she put on an impressive performance, capturing the all-around title, balance beam gold, and floor silver. Sumanasekera will be at the top of many college head coaches’ lists on June 15 when first contact for her recruiting class opens.
Joscelyn Roberson (’24 Arkansas, four-star recruit)
AA: N/A, VT: 13.583 (silver), UB: N/A, BB: 13.267 (silver), FX: 14.100 (gold)
Roberson was able to capitalize on the success she’s been having at international meets this season, winning the floor gold with 14.100 and taking home silvers on vault and beam. Her all-around potential certainly suggests that she will be a name to watch in the all-around at Arkansas.
Nola Matthews (‘25 Uncommitted)
AA: 52.267, VT: 12.900, UB: 14.000 (gold), BB: 12.700, FX: 12.667
The second year senior continues to prove that she can hit under pressure. Coming in fourth in the all around with 52.267, she could be a real asset for any college team looking for a reliable all-arounder. Her impressive 14.000 bars score, clinching the gold medal, will certainly make her an attractive prospect for a team like Cal who are graduating key bar routines in the next two seasons.
Addison Fatta (’23 Oklahoma 4-star recruit)
VT: 13.100, UB: 13.667 (silver)
Fatta’s beautiful bar routine will certainly contend for a slot in a strong Oklahoma lineup. Her routine in Medellí featured her great form with her legs locked together throughout and only a small hop on the double layout dismount. Head coach KJ Kindler will be glad to have Fatta as a vault option, too, as her Yurchenko double has very few built-in deductions.
Madray Johnson (‘26 Uncommitted)
UB: 13.133, BB: 12.833
It’s always difficult to have to fill in for an injured teammate, but Johnson’s senior international debut was a success. With a sky high double tuck off bars, she impressed with her strong performance. Her Onodi on beam will make her an immediate fan favorite for whichever team she chooses to compete for in college.
Canada
Amy Jorgensen (‘24 three-star recruit, uncommitted) was initially listed on the team with Jenna Lalonde as the traveling alternate, but she did not compete.
Sydney Turner (’24 Iowa four-star recruit; deferred from ’23)
AA: 50.168, UB: 13.167, FX: 12.7678th AA 50.168
Turner produced a solid competition and her eight-place all-around finish should give Iowa good options on all four events once she makes it to Iowa City. Look to see her make an immediate impact on bars when she arrives.
Cassie Lee (’23 three-star recruit, uncommitted)
5th BB: 13.133
It’s uncertain whether Lee is looking to do college gymnastics, but her beam performance would make her a steal for any programs that may be interested in her.
Evandra Zlobec (’25 uncommitted)
UB: 12.667, FX: 12.967
Zlobec’s routines weren’t shown on the stream, so we can’t comment on her performance. However, her scores suggest that she will definitely be on the radar of college coaches once June 15 arrives.
Jenna Lalonde (’24 Nebraska four-star recruit)
AA: 49.766, BB: 12.533
Nebraska will be delighted to have such a solid all-arounder committed for the 2024 season. Canada brought a really solid beam team to these championships, and it will be interesting to see where Lalonde slots in on Nebraska’s large roster.
Aurélie Tran (’24 uncommitted)
AA: 52.867, UB: 13.567, BB: 13.167, FX: 13.033
Fresh from winning the senior all-around title at the Canadian championships in May, Tran is a new addition to our database and will be evaluated for a rating this year. If she wants to pursue a college career in the U.S., she won’t struggle to get recruited by a top team. Her gymnastics is graceful, athletic, and packed full of difficulty.
Haiti
Lynnzee Brown (Denver Alumna)
AA: 48.100, VT: 13.067, UB: 11.633, BB: 11.767, FX: 11.633
Beloved of the gymternet Brown, following her sixth year in the NCAA, announced that she would be returning to elite competition for Haiti. Her score of 48.100 in the all-around was enough to qualify her to this year’s world championships and give her a shot of qualifying to the Paris Olympics. The highlight for Brown was certainly her stuck Yurchenko one and a half for a 13.067.
Trinidad and Tobago
Annalise Newman-Achee (’23 California, five-star recruit)
AA: 45.166, VT: 12.733, UB: 10.533, BB: 11.800, FX: 10.100
Newman-Achee is the only five-star recruit competing at these championships, but unfortunately only her vault and bars were televised. Her bars included a stunning piked jaeger but she fell on a handstand and again on her dismount. The Yurchenko full she showed was beautiful in the air, and if she can clean up the landing, she’ll score very well for the Golden Bears in the NCAA.
Barbados
Anya Pilgrim (’23 Florida four-star)
AA: 46.533, BB: 11.033, FX: 11.667
Pilgrim only recently had her nationality switch approved, but with a 46.533 in the all-around, we can call it a successful debut for Barbados. Only her floor routine was shown on the stream, but in her set she had really precise leaps and solid landings that looked college ready. Expect her to immediately challenge for a spot in the floor lineup for Florida.
Olivia Kelly (’24 Missouri four-star)
AA: 49.468, UB: 11.867, BB: 12.267, FX: 12.467
The staff at Missouri will have been delighted watching this performance from Kelly. A strong showing across all four events placed her top 10 in the all-around. She may not be at college until the 2025 season, but fans should already be looking forward to seeing her in black and gold.
Jamaica
Kiara Richmon (Fisk)
AA: 42.866, VT: 11.100, UB: 10.233, BB: 10.400, FX: 11.133
The rising sophomore from the first ever HBCU gymnastics program hit a solid bar routine, similar to what we see her do in college. Richmon competed bars in all 10 regular season outings for Fisk and at the USAG national championships. It would be amazing to see more international recruits competing at either of the HBCU teams.
El Salvador
Paola Ruano Barahona (Alaska)
AA: 41.967, VT: 11.367, UB: 8.600, BB: 11.467, FX: 10.533
The rising sophomore had a rough meet on bars and ended with a 41.957 in the all-around. She had a season high of 9.825 on beam for Alaska in her freshman year, and she has a bright future ahead of her competing for the Seawolves and El Salvador.
Puerto Rico
Sydney Barros (’24 UCLA, four-star recruit)
AA: 50.234, UB: 12.900, FX: 12.467
Barros announced that she would defer to try for the 2024 Olympic Games and has cleared the first hurdle by finishing eighth all-around with an impressive 50.234, earning her a spot at worlds. UCLA really could have used her vault for the 2024 season, and her floor routine has UCLA written all over it. Expect her to be a big contributor to the floor party when she eventually arrives in Westwood.
READ THIS NEXT: DiCello Joins Other Current College Gymnasts, Defers to Pursue Paris 2024
Article by Katie Couldrey
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