The Winter Cup is an event that helped to jumpstart breakout years for U.S. Gymnasts. It airs live Saturday at 1:05 p.m. ET on NBC and NBCSports.com/live. Peacock also available.
Skye Blakely, a member of last year’s world championship-winning team, and Lexi Zeiss, an alternate for that team, headline the senior women’s field in Louisville.
The Winter Cup determines which gymnasts will be invited to compete internationally in spring and winter.
Many are preparing for the U.S. Championships, August. They also bid to be part of the five-woman world championships team in September and October.
Blakely, 17, and Zeiss (then 16), were the youngest U.S.-based gymnasts to compete at worlds. The rest of the women’s team included Olympians Jade Carey Jordan ChilesThe last two silver medalists in the world all-around were also included. Leanne Wong Shilese Jones.
Nationals in August may also feature a U.S. all around champion Konnor McClain Recovering from injury, Olympic all-around gold medalist Suni Lee Perhaps, a return to elite competition for perhaps the first time since Tokyo Games.
Blakely and Zeiss can be inspired to win Winter Cup by the events of the February meet in the past two years.
Chiles won 2021 the Winter Cup. It was her first step to becoming an Olympic medalist, despite having never competed in a world championship.
McClain won her first senior all-around title at Winter Cup in 2022. Six months later, she won the all-around national title.
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