The 2022 U.S Gymnastics Championships took place on August 18-21 in Tampa, Florida. Just about 150 athletes competed in the two-day event. These athletes were divided into their corresponding divisions: men’s and women’s junior and senior divisions.
The order of Women’s Gymnastics events is Vault, Uneven Bars, Balance Beam, and Floor Exercise.
At just 17 years of age, Konnor McClain was named the All-Around National Champion after achieving a final score of 112.75 on Sunday night. She was accompanied on the podium by silver medalist Shilese Jones (112.0) and Bronze medalist Jordan Chiles (111.9).
“It’s very cool that three black women stood at the podium because they made history in U.S gymnastics,” said Juliette DiMartini, a competitive gymnast of 10 years at Gold Medal Gymnastics Center in Huntington. “Ever since Gabby Douglas went to the Olympics, more and more black gymnasts have started to become part of gymnastics life.”
McClain was the 2019 U.S Junior All-Around silver medalist. She is recovering from a recent concussion and stress fractures in both her knees, but hopes to recover in time for the World Championships.
“It’s so unreal,” McClain told NBC on Sunday night. “I’m still in shock a little bit.”
McClain suddenly lost her father and grandmother, who died one week later, to COVID-19 last winter.
“I wish I could talk to my dad right now,” McClain told NBC Olympics. A patch with her father’s initials was visible on her leotard when competing on Friday and Sunday.
McClain was originally supposed to compete in the Tokyo Games, but after a truly arduous season, she felt like “the most garbage gymnast ever,” worked extremely hard, which landed her a national title– rightfully deserved.
For the past year, McClain has been training at the Dallas-based World Gymnastics Academy, owned by Valeri Liukin, father of Nastia Liukin, 2008 Olympic champion.
McClain verbally committed to Louisiana State University for the Class of 2023, where she will continue her gymnastics career in the NCAA. But she plans on deferring for a year in order to prepare for the 2024 Olympics.
Jordan Chiles, 21, and Jadey Carey, 22, both competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Team USA and finished third and fifth, respectively, at Nationals. These ladies became the first U.S. Olympic female gymnasts to return to the elite competition after competing in the NCAA season.
“Seeing that two Olympians were outshined by [Konnor] who’s never been to the Olympics wasn’t surprising because they already went to the Olympics and know what needs to be expected,” DiMartini said. “Also, age comes with it. Since they are a little older than Konnor, their skill level was not as difficult compared to hers.”
“There wasn’t really any stress level,” Chiles told NBC. “But the ramp up for this was definitely I think the hardest thing I could have ever done because I did have an injury [micro tears in a shoulder labrum and bicep] and that injury kind of held me back.”
McClain, Chiles and Carey are all eyeing the 2024 Olympics. Sunisa Lee, 2020 Olympic All-Around Gold Medalist, also plans to return to the elite competition next year.
Before these ladies can even think about the Olympics, world championships are a priority. The 5-woman team will be finalized after the selection camp in October.
