The 2024 U.S. Classic took place May 17 to 18 at the XL Centre in Hartford, Connecticut. Behind Simone Biles (59.500) and Shilese Jones (57.650), a number of past, current, and future NCAA gymnasts left their mark on the field and continued their bid for the U.S. Olympic team. Take a look at the top scorers below.
All Around
Jordan Chiles
- Score: 55.450
- College: UCLA
- Status: rising junior
Chiles decided to forego her junior year of college and to return to World Champions Centre to train for her second Olympic Games. This was her first competition of the year and the decision to interrupt her college career seems to have paid off. She started with a strong set on beam and went on to impress on the other events, including with a 14.300 on bars. Consistency will be key for her Olympic bid.
Jade Carey
- Score: 54.400
- College: Oregon State
- Status: rising senior
The Oregon State senior started her night on floor, the event that crowned her Olympic champion in Tokyo. Her difficulty is still not back where it was three years ago, but her opening full-twisting double layout looked easy—a sign of more difficulty to come. On vault, her Cheng and Yurchenko double twist were solid and gave her an edge over the rest of the field. Despite a fall on bars, she finished her night strong on beam.
Skye Blakely
- Score: 54.350
- College: Florida
- Status: class of 2024
- Current Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Florida’s incoming freshman started her night with a fall on bars but went on to compete three solid sets on beam, floor, and vault. While we’re accustomed to seeing great things from her on beam and vault, floor was the event that showed the most improvement. Her final landing was still a bit erratic, but her first two for the more difficult passes were exceptional.
Tiana Sumanasekera
- Score: 53.900
- College: UCLA
- Status: class of 2025
- Current Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sumanasekera led off the competition on beam with a solid set and had an overall solid competition, capped off by a 13.900 on floor for a routine that included her new full-twisting double layout. She also delighted with a 13.150 on bars, an event she has struggled with. As she told CGN last year, scoring over 13 points on bars is a big achievement and a sign that she can be an all-around contender.
Leanne Wong
- Score: 53.450
- College: Florida
- Status: rising senior
The Florida senior had an uncharacteristic fall on beam, but the rest of her night was almost flawless. She showed off her beautiful lines on vault and bars and delighted fans with a piked double Arabian on floor, a skill she competed in college last season.
Dulcy Caylor
- Score: 53.000
- College: N/A
- Status: class of 2026
- Current Rating: N/A
Caylor, in the class of 2026, may not be a household name yet, but she had some of the most beautiful lines of the competition. She impressed especially on vault, where she performed a solid Yurchenko double twist, and on bars, where her long and straight lines stood out.
Marissa Neal
- Score: 52.950
- College: Auburn
- Status: class of 2024
- Current Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Auburn’s incoming freshman was the only gymnast to finish in the top 10 who competed in the afternoon session. She had a solid competition and took the lead in the final rotation thanks to a strong 13.550 on bars.
Kaliya Lincoln
- Score: 52.700
- College: LSU
- Status: class of 2024
- Current Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The LSU incoming freshman started off her night on bars, an event she’s traditionally had trouble with, with a 13.100. Similarly to Sumanasekera, scoring over 13 points on the event is a big achievement. She shined especially on floor, where she showed off both a double-twisting double layout and a full-twisting double layout. The hit routine was enough for a tie for second place (14.000).
Vault
Biles posted the highest score of the competition, a 15.600, for her Yurchenko double pike. The event, though, was won by Carey, who competed two vaults for an average of 14.225.
Jade Carey
Score: 14.300
Carey competed a Cheng as her first vault. Her form was not perfect, but her landing was secure and her height and amplitude should give her the confidence to work on the details.
Jordan Chiles
Score: 14.100
Chiles’s Yurchenko double twist was a beauty—tight body in the air, legs glued together, plenty of height and distance from the table, and enough time to spot the landing.
Skye Blakely
Score: 14.050
It’s so nice to see that Blakely has really mastered her Yurchenko double twist. Her form is clean in the air and her amplitude is exceptional.
Uneven Bars
The top-two finishers were Jones (15.250) and Biles (14.550).
Jordan Chiles
Score: 14.300
Chiles has always been a strong bar worker, but her composure seems to have benefited a great deal from her two years at UCLA. Her routine was packed with difficult combinations, and her execution was excellent.
Trinity Thomas
- Score: 14.300
- College: Florida
- Status: alumna
Thomas showcased some beautiful lines on bars and a stuck double layout dismount to tie with Chiles for third place. She’s also a gymnast whose precision and attention to detail were greatly enhanced by five years at Florida. The Gator coaches looked delighted with her performance.
Katelyn Jong
- Score: 14.050
- College: Auburn
- Status: class of 2024
- Current Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Auburn’s incoming freshman showed off her beautifully straight lines and her full-out dismount on her pet event. Her 5.9 D score will likely keep her out of contention for an Olympic spot, but her finesse on bars is always a joy to watch.
Balance Beam
Biles won silver on beam with a 14.500 and Jones was fourth with a 14.050.
Sunisa Lee
- Score: 14.600
- College: Auburn
- Status: alumna
The 2020 Olympic all-around champion showcased a fantastic set in the final rotation, which included a layout step-out mount and a side aerial + layout step-out + layout step-out triple series. She even has a dismount now—a tucked Gainer full. Lee didn’t compete on bars, her pet event, but her floor routine is back to the level it was in Tokyo. She’s one bar routine away from bidding for an Olympic spot.
Konnor McClain
- Score: 14.200
- College: LSU
- Status: rising sophomore
It’s heartbreaking to talk about McClain’s beam routine because minutes after delivering the gorgeous set, she injured her Achilles while warming up on floor. Her routine, nevertheless, was nothing short of spectacular. She showed off a standing full and her two banck handsprings to layout to two feet series, and her exceptional extension on her leaps and toe-point.
Jayla Hang
- Score: 13.900
- College: N/A
- Status: class of 2026
- Current Rating: N/A
Hang, in the class of 2026, competed in the afternoon session and started off with some trouble on bars. She recovered her composure on beam, though, and delivered one of her best routines. She showed off a back handspring step-out to tucked full and a stuck double tuck dismount.
Floor Exercise
Biles won the event with a 14.800, followed by Jones with a 14.000.
Kaliya Lincoln
Score: 14.000
With a double-twisting double layout and a full-twisting double layout, Lincoln proved once again that a new floor queen will soon arrive in Baton Rouge. She can still clean up her form in the air, but her height is exceptional.
Tiana Sumanasekera
Score: 13.900
Since arriving at WCC, Sumanasekera has turned into a powerful floor worker. Her full-twisting double layout seems to be making a huge difference.
Jade Carey
Score: 13.800
The Olympic champion showcased a full-twisting double layout, a double layout, and a front layout to full-in. Her fourth tumbling pass is a double tuck and may need to be upgraded if she wants to have the chance to defend her title in Paris.
READ THIS NEXT: Olympic and NCAA Stars Headline Core Hydration Classic
Article by Talitha Ilacqua
