Twelve senior U.S. women artistic gymnasts opened a two-day selection event in Crossville, Tennessee, on September 30, 2026, competing for five roster spots at the upcoming World Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The trials determine automatic qualifiers based on combined scores before a selection committee fills the remaining berths.
The Selection Formula and Automatic Berths in Tennessee
Competition at FlipFest Gymnastics Camp runs across two days of competition on September 30 and October 1 to establish the five-woman squad for the global meet in Rotterdam, Netherlands, scheduled for October 17–25. Two automatic berths are awarded to the gymnasts who finish first and second across two combined scores: 40 per cent from August’s U.S. Championships in Phoenix and 60 per cent from the opening day of the selection competition in Tennessee. Championships. The top two women in the all-around combining scores from the Xfinity U.S. Championships all-around.
Following the conclusion of Wednesday’s all-around competition, Claire Pease and Charleigh Bullock secured the top two spots in the selection standings to auto-qualify for the world team. Pease led the field on the opening day with an all-around score of 56.700, backed by a 14.525 average on vault and a 13.950 on floor exercise.
Committee Discretion and Remaining Roster Spots
Once the automatic berths are decided, the final three team members, alongside a traveling alternate and a non-traveling alternate, are chosen by a selection committee comprising 1992 Olympic team bronze medallist Betty Okino, Tom Forster, and Jessie DeZiel. The committee evaluates performances on select events during Thursday’s competition to round out the five-woman roster. There will also be one traveling alternate and one non-traveling alternate named.
Twelve athletes entered the selection camp following the withdrawals of Leanne Wong, Jayla Hang, and Izzy Stassi. Blakely is aiming for her fourth trip to the global meet after a 2024 injury kept her out of the Paris Olympic contention.
Jade Carey Eyes Rotterdam Through Vault Upgrades
Two-time Olympic gold medallist Jade Carey returned to elite competition this season following the Paris Games and is contending for a roster spot alongside veterans and rising seniors. After finishing fifth all-around in Phoenix, Carey planned strategic upgrades for the selection trials.
Contenders and Standout Event Leaders on Day One
The field in Crossville features a mix of established international competitors and first-year seniors pursuing their initial world team berths. Reese Esponda, the 2026 U.S. floor champion and U.S. Hezly Rivera, the 2024 Olympic gold medallist and two-time U.S. all-around champion, entered the camp with an advantage from her national title but finished the first day of selection with a 53.500 all-around score.
| Gymnast | Day 1 All-Around Score | Notable Event Leaderboard Position |
|---|---|---|
| Claire Pease | 56.700 | Vault (14.525 average), Floor (13.950) |
| Skye Blakely | 56.500 | Bars (14.550), Beam (14.250) |
| Charleigh Bullock | 55.650 | Third in all-around standings |
| Reese Esponda | 55.350 | Fourth in all-around standings |
| Dulcy Caylor | 53.750 | Fifth in all-around standings |
The second day of competition on Thursday features select routines before USA Gymnastics announces the remaining team members and travel alternates.
