A Look Back! 2023 Winter Cup – Lexi Zeiss Takes the Title in Louisville

Lexi Zeiss Takes the Title in Louisville

• Results
• Photo Gallery

Lexi Zeiss, 2023 Winter Cup Champion has a nice ring to it!

In a meet that saw a lot of early-season nerves and the debut of 16 new Seniors on the national stage, with a steady rise up through the rankings, 2022 World Team alternate Zeiss stayed confident throughout, trusted her training and focused on what she came here to do – solid, consistent gymnastics and enjoy every moment out on the floor with her TCT teammates and coaches. Throughout the meet, the camaraderie between Zeiss and her teammates Elle Mueller and Katelyn Rosen was palpable. They had the NCAA-esque sideline cheers for each other down to a tee and supported each other at every turn.

Zeiss, who won silver in the All-Around at the 2022 Pan American Championships, started her meet with a 13.1 on beam and earned a 13.150 on floor, 13.450 on vault, and 13.500 on bars. Her All-Around score of 53.200 placed her first ahead of Ashlee Sullivan (52.750) and Nola Matthews (52.600). All three will be looking ahead to international assignments and building momentum as the season progresses.

Individually, 2022 World Championships beam finalist Skye Blakely posted the highest score of the afternoon on the event with a 13.400 (Blakely only competed bars and beam here), while her WOGA teammate Kaliya Lincoln topped the floor exercise standings with a 13.600.

Zoe Miller, who was leading the All-Around heading into the final event, took the bars title with a 13.900. Joscelyn Roberson, who told us after podium training she’s so grateful to have such a fun and supportive group of women to train with at WCC, led the way on vault with a combined 13.750 (14.000; 13.500).

Roberson, sixth overall, had a rough outing on bars but her floor was also something special and included a double twisting double layout. Her smile after the event as she received a high five from coach Laurent Landi was one of our favorite moments for sure.

In addition we saw moments of brilliance on beam from Tiana Sumanasekera (bars and beam only here) and Charlotte Booth on bars – two of the biggest cheers of the afternoon – and Mueller on floor where she’s truly become a performer.

With World team teammates Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Shilese Jones and Leanne Wong, 2022 U.S. Senior All-Around Champion Konnor McClain, and 2022 Jr. All-Around Champion Madray Johnson all sitting this one out,  the “comeback” buzz rising (Suni, Simone, Gabby) and the NCAA athletes returning to the Elite field this summer, the storylines could look markedly different by August for U.S. Classic and U.S. Championships.

For now though, we congratulate Lexi Zeiss, who Inside Gymnastics fans voted “Gymnast You Think Will Be a Breakout Star in 2023” in our Reader’s Choice poll, and all of the women who took the floor early in the season and who are no doubt, looking to be part of the conversation as the road to Paris heats up.

See our full feature with Lexi Zeiss here!

Photos by Lloyd Smith for Inside Gymnastics 

Subscribe to Inside Gymnastics for 3 Years and receive our Feb 2023 issue autographed by Ellie Black for FREE!