2025 US Classic

The 2025 season and road to worlds has officially begun with the U.S. Classic in Chicago! Let's take a look at the results of the competition and how the USA gymnasts are looking at who to watch for a potential World's opportunity.

Vault is the highest scoring/strongest event for USA Gymnastics, which is typical compared to past competitions, with a median of 13.30 - meaning half the gymnasts scored below this and half the gymnasts scored higher than this. The average score for vault is 13.34. Beam is the weakest scoring event with a median of 12.475 and an average of 12.27. The bars and floor averages was 12.79 and 12.74 respectively. All averages are comparable to last year's US Classic averages (within 0.2 from last year's averages) except for balance beam being more than 0.2 lower. This is likely due to many gymnasts having falls on this apparatus because it is early in the olympic cycle and consistency is tough during this period as gymnasts are adding upgrades to their routines.

All-Around

Average Score : 51.04

Highest Score : 54.60 from Claire Pease

Lowest Score : 46.85

The top two all-arounders Claire Pease (1st AA), 2024 Junior National Champion and new senior gymnast as of this season, and Simone Rose (2nd) are establishing themselves as above the rest with >54 all-around scores - 54.60 and 54.20 respectively (Figure 2 above). Veteran and Olympic Alternate Joscelyn Roberson came in 3rd with a 53.25.  Then there were many gymnasts within the 52 all-around score placing 4th-9th including Brooke Pierson, Reese Esponda, Ashlee Sullivan, Ally Damelio, Alicia Zhou, and Harlow Buddendeck. Damelio and Buddendeck are both first year seniors along with Pease and already attempting to establish themselves on that Senior National Team depending on how U.S. Championships go for these gymnasts. Unfortunately 2024 Olympic Team Member Hezly Rivera did not have her best competition with a major error on her bar dismount and was not within the top 10 gymnasts. Leanne Wong, 2024 Olympic alternate, did attend this competition but did not compete vault or floor so was not in the running for All-Around medals.

Vault

Average: 13.34

Highest: 14.05 from Claire Pease

Lowest: 12.4

The Vault scores above are calculated based on the gymnasts first vault from the competition. In order to medal at the olympics gymnasts need to perform two vaults each from a different family within the rules. The only gymnast to perform two vaults at this competition was Claire Pease. Her first vault scoring the highest out of any competitor at a 14.05 with a double twisting Yurchenko and her 2nd vault a 12.70 for an average vault score of 13.575. Other gymnasts attempting to compete a double twisting Yurchenko, a staple vault for Olympic and World Team athletes for USA, with a 5.0 difficulty score are Caylor (2nd), Roberson (5th), Esponda (6th), Rivera (11th), Rosa (15th).

Uneven Bars

Average: 12.72

Highest: 14.05 from Myli Lew

Lowest: 10.75

For uneven bars the only gymnast to break above 14 was Myli Lew with a 14.05. She has a 5.8 difficulty score and a 8.25 execution score, the second highest execution score on this event. The 3rd place and all-around winner Pease has the highest difficulty score on bars for this competition at a 6.0, so if she cleans up that routine she could potentially outscore Lew, but at this competition Pease is still .35 tenths behind Lew. 2nd place Simone Rose had a phenomenal full twisting double layout dismount, but had a slight struggle in her first initial cast to handstand and many leg separations throughout the routine putting her behind Lew. The gymnast with the highest execution score on bars with a 8.3 is 4th place Alicia Zhou. Her difficulty score is currently a 5.4, so if she could add more difficulty her form overall is definitely there.

Balance Beam

Average: 12.27

Highest: 13.55 from Ashlee Sullivan

Lowest: 10.25

Balance beam was definitely not the smoothest event for most gymnasts for US Classic, but this isn't a surprise since it is early in the Olympic cycle and many are not comfortable with their upgrades yet or haven't gained their confidence with many numbers since it is also early in the elite season. Sullivan was the winner for beam with a 13.55 (5.6 difficulty score and 7.95 execution score). Sullivan competes an Onodi, along with Ally Damelio which we do not see too often anymore which is exciting. Only two gymnasts scored an 8.0 execution, Leanne Wong (5th Tie) and Pease (3rd). Wong had a difficulty score was a 5.3 which is a bit lower difficulty than the rest of the gymnasts above her on this event. The rest of the gymnasts had an execution score within the 7s, 6s, or even 5s. 7 gymnasts scored below a 7.0. 9 gymnasts, almost 1/3 of the competitors for this event, fell on beam at this competition. The highest difficulty score was a 6.1 from 4th place Roberson with her remarkable standing back tuck with a full twist. Jayla Hang, 5th place, also competes a back handspring step out connected to a full twisting back tuck.

Floor Exercise

Average: 12.74

Highest: 13.95 from Reese Esponda

Lowest: 11.45

Reese Esponda was the floor exercise winner with a 13.95. Esponda had the highest difficulty score with a 5.9 with her double twisting double tuck and 3.5 wolf turn. Esponda had the third highest execution score of 8.05 behind the execution score winner and 3rd place athlete Gabrielle Hardie with an 8.35 (5.3D) and 2nd place Rivera with an execution score of 8.15. Rivera had a difficulty score only 0.1 shy of Esponda's at 5.8, but Rivera had an out of bounds deduction which subtracted an additional 0.1 from her overall score putting her behind Esponda.

Who will go to Worlds?

The top five for all events are as follows:

The gymnasts names that appear 3x or more in the top 5 are Pease (All Events), Rose (Vault, Bars, All-Around), Roberson (Vault, Beam, All-Around). The gymnasts that appear in the top 5 2x are Caylor (Vault, Bars), Sullivan (Vault, Beam), and Esponda (Floor, All-Around).

The 2025 Worlds will not include a team since it is the year after the Olympics so it will be focused on individual athletes and maximizing individual medals. Only four gymnasts will make it to Worlds for each country. From US Classics, taking the top athlete from each event would be Claire Pease for vault and all-around, Myli Lew for Uneven Bars, Ashlee Sullivan for balance beam, and Reese Esponda for floor; however, I doubt it will be that simple after US Championships adds another data point. Especially since many of those gymnasts do not appear in the top 5 for other events. I do think Pease and Esponda look like strong contenders. Rose would be a good choice because of her ability to score well on multiple events including all-around. Roberson would be a likely candidate if she adds her 2nd vault back at US Championships as she is strong on beam, floor, and all-around as well as having international, World, and Olympic alternate experience to add to the dynamic with many younger athletes with less experience. Rivera would also be a solid choice if she gets more consistency in her top events. Gymnasts that have been selected for international competitions this year already include Caylor, Drusch, Hang, Hardie, Matthews, Rivera, Rose, Sullivan, Sumanasekera (who did not compete at US Classics).

Who do you think will be representing U.S.A. at the World Competition and why?