USA Gymnastics confirms international assignments

Following verification on Tuesday, April 2 during National Team Camp April 1-4, USA Gymnastics has named the following athletes for the Pacific Rim Championships (April 21-28 in Cali, Colombia) and the City of Jesolo Trophy ( April 20-21 in Jesolo, Italy).

The following Women's Artistic Gymnasts have received April International Assignments ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/eeoMdRvGjE

— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) April 3, 2024

Jayla Hang, Madray Johnson and Trinity Thomas have been named to the Senior National Team. Jaysha McClendon has been added to the Junior National Team.

Athletes attending the camp met at least one of the following criteria:

• Current Junior and Senior National Team members
• Senior athletes who placed in the top 12 in the all-around at 2024 Winter Cup and achieved the U.S. Championships qualification score
• Junior athletes who placed in the top six in the all-around at 2024 Winter Cup and achieved the U.S. Championships qualification score
• 2020 Olympic Medalists

Notably, not all athletes participating in camp chose to be verified for international assignments including top contenders Simone Biles, Shilese Jones, Joscelyn Roberson and Jordan Chiles. Gabby Douglas and Suni Lee were not in attendance. Keep scrolling for more on Lee’s status published Monday on InsideGym.com

Camp attendees
Simone Biles — Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre
Skye Blakely — Frisco, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics
Ly Bui — Swisher, Iowa/Great American Gymnastics Express
Dulcy Caylor — Spring , Texas/World Champions Centre
Jordan Chiles — Vancouver, Wash./World Champions Centre
Norah Christian — Bremerton, Wash./Cascade Elite West
Lavi Crain — Blue Springs, Mo./Great American Gymnastics Express
Kayla DiCello — Boyds, Md./Hill’s Gymnastics
Reese Esponda — Missoula, Mont./Roots Gymnastics
Addison Fatta — Wrightsville, Pa./Prestige Gymnastics
Kieryn Finnell — Pittsford, N.Y./RGA
Addy Fulcher — Gastonia, N.C./Bull City Gymnastics
Jayla Hang — Bellevue, Wash./Pacific Reign Gymnastics
Gabrielle Hardie — Sioux Falls, S.D./Twin City Twisters
Madray Johnson — Dallas, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics
Shilese Jones — Auburn, Wash./Ascend Gymnastics Center
Katelyn Jong — Allen, Texas/Metroplex Gymnastics
Kaliya Lincoln — Frisco, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics
Eveylynn Lowe — Blue Springs, Mo./Great American Gymnastics Express
Nola Matthews — Gilroy, Calif./Airborne Gymnastics Training Center
Jaysha McClendon — Scottsdale, Ariz./Rebound Gymnastics West
Caroline Moreau — Keller, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics
Marissa Neal — Blue Springs, Mo./Great American Gymnastics Express
Claire Pease — Sunnyvale, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics
Hezly Rivera — Oradell, N.J./WOGA Gymnastics
Joscelyn Roberson — Texarkana, Texas/World Champions Centre
Simone Rose — Sammamish, Wash./Pacific Reign Gymnastics
Izzy Stassi — Delaware, Ohio/Performance Gymnastics Academy
Tiana Sumanasekera — Pleasanton, Calif./World Champions Centre
Trinity Thomas — York, Pa./University of Florida Gymnastics
Tyler Turner — San Jose, Calif./Airborne Gymnastics Training Center
Alicia Zhou — San Antonio, Texas/Love Gymnastics

Olympic Champ Suni Lee is aiming for a return to competition at April’s American Classic, slated for April 25-28 in Katy, Texas. Lee’s coach Jess Graba told Inside Gymnastics they’re targeting that competition, but “the main plan being to be ready to go around U.S. Classic” which will take place May 17-18 in Hartford, Connecticut.

Many were surprised that Lee was not on USA Gymnastics’ roster of athletes attending this week’s National Team Training Camp. As a Tokyo medalist, Lee met one of the selection criteria to be able to participate there, but Graba told us Lee is focusing on training right now, “and trying to put some upgraded routines together for the next couple meets.”

Both the American Classic (April 25-28 in Katy, TX) and the U.S. Classic are qualifiers for the 2024 U.S. Championships. A minimum of twelve athletes will advance from that event to the U.S. Trials in June. At the conclusion of the Olympic Trials, five athletes will be named to represent the USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Lee, the defending Olympic Champ, had been hopeful for an international assignment this year prior to the Games. In late February, she competed uneven bars and balance beam at Winter Cup, where she showed a brand new element on uneven bars (full twisting layout Jaeger). “The whole reason we’re doing Winter Cup is so that we can go to [the Baku World Cup competition] and get the skill named because Suni really wants to get that out of the way,” Graba told Scott Bregman of Olympics.com prior to that event. “Get it out of the way, so it’s not a question mark going into the spring.”

At Winter Cup, Lee hit the skill perfectly in training multiple times, but fell on it in competition. She was ultimately not named to the Baku team by USA Gymnastics.

Beautiful full twisting Jaeger from Suni!!! #WinterCup pic.twitter.com/h3XM2CGX9U

— Inside Gymnastics (@InsideGym) February 23, 2024

April’s National Team Camp (April 1-4) presents opportunities for athletes to be named to teams for two upcoming international assignments, Pacific Rim Championships and the Jesolo Trophy. With Lee choosing to focus on upgrading and perfecting routines instead, that means if she were to qualify to the Olympic Games, that would be her first international competition this Quad. After the Tokyo Olympics, Lee enrolled at Auburn University. She announced that she planned to complete her sophomore year of competition and then return to Elite to train for Paris. But the tail end of her second season was cut short when she began suffering from a kidney illness. Sidelined from competition and training for a long stretch, Lee worked with doctors and coaches on a treatment plan and training regimen to get back to competition. She’s made continual progress after what she described as a very difficult journey.

“I’m in remission right now, so I’ve just been getting it under control and starting to work up into routines and getting ready for the season,” she told Olympics.com just before Winter Cup. “I’ve been back in the gym every single day, eight hours a day, and it’s been going pretty well.”

In addition to her brand-new skill that she performed in training at Winter Cup, she also showcased that signature elegant style and attention to detail that helped earn the title of Olympic Champion. Based on what we saw in training at Winter Cup, Lee looks like a true contender for the 2024 team, where she could particularly contribute on bars and beam. Lee is one of three Olympic All-Around Champs vying for a spot on the team, with 2012 Champ Gabby Douglas and 2016 Champ Simone Biles also training for Paris 2024.

Mark your calendars for the competitions on the road to Paris and fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be an exciting journey as an incredibly deep pool of U.S. athletes challenge for a spot on what could be perhaps the most competitive team in history to make.

Photo credits: Ricardo Bufolin and Lloyd Smith for Inside Gymnastics

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