Blakely Ties for Lead at U.S. Gymnastics Championships in All-Around Return

Skye Blakely has returned to the all-around competition at the elite level, tying for the top spot after the first day of the U.S. Gymnastics Championships. Competing in Phoenix, Blakely finished the opening round with a total score of 55.6 points, matching Claire Pease, the 2024 junior champion. The pair holds a narrow 0.20-point advantage over Charleigh Bullock.

The competition serves as a key qualifier for the world championships team selection camp, scheduled for Sept. 29 through Oct. 1. The top two finishers following Sunday’s final round are guaranteed spots at the camp, with at least 10 other gymnasts also receiving invitations.

Defending national champion and Paris gold medalist Hezly Rivera sits 0.60 points behind the leaders in fourth place. Rivera, who made the Olympic team after injuries to Blakely and Shilese Jones, suffered a fall on the uneven bars during her routine. However, she recovered to post the highest score of the night on floor exercise with a 14.3. Two-time Olympic gold medalist Jade Carey currently ranks fifth.

Blakely’s performance marked a significant milestone following an Achilles injury suffered at the Olympic trials that sidelined her for the Paris Games. After limiting her elite appearances to bars and beam since the injury, she displayed a strong vault and beam on Friday. Her floor routine included a stumble on the final pass, but her uneven bars performance drew strong reactions from her coaching staff.

Pease secured her position at the top of the leaderboard with the second-highest scores on both uneven bars and balance beam. Meanwhile, Bullock held a lead entering the final rotation but struggled to maintain pace on floor exercise, finishing the day in third.

Events from the championships are being broadcast across Comcast Corporation platforms, including Peacock and NBCSN. Comcast shares were trading at $25.36 on Friday, reflecting a market capitalization of approximately $87.15 billion.

What to watch

• The final day of competition takes place on Sunday, with combined scores determining the national champions and world championships qualifiers.
• The selection camp for the world championships team will be held Sept. 29-Oct. 1.

Source: original release