“I don’t think I’m cut out…” Ashlee Sullivan’s mind was brimming with doubts as she entered her first international competition since 2023, the Winter Cup 2025. Till last month, she wasn’t in the best of spaces. But if you saw the Metroplex gymnast clinch a 53.550 all-around Winter Cup win in Louisville today, you’d not believe anything that’s about to come. Or the fact that she was actually struggling till days ago…

The Winter Cup 2023 was Ashlee Sullivan’s last appearance in this elite gymnastics competition. Today, as an 18-year-old, she not only dared to come back to this stage but also improved her previous rankings. She upgraded her 2023 all-around silver for a Winter Cup gold today. Not just that, she even shared the floor exercise silver with Jayla Hang, with both at 13.050m and similarly, the balance beam bronze with Zoe Molomo at 13.550. But had you told her this would be her fate a month ago, she may not have believed it! Engulfed in self-doubt, Sullivan was considering a dropout!

Yes! You read that right! As per Gymnastics Now’s February 22 X post, just last month (January 2025), Ashlee Sullivan was contemplating a possible dropout from the elite stage to Level 10 and not competing at this Winter Cup edition. Wondering what that means? Well, in gymnastics, an elite gymnast dropping to Level 10 implies that they are descending from the highest level of elite competition back to the highest level at the junior level. And since Sullivan was considering this backtracking, it was clear: she wasn’t her most confident self!

So what made Ashlee Sullivan change her mind and show up for the Winter Cup 2025 today? Well, it was her coach! Gymnastics Now also reported that it was Sullivan’s coach who encouraged her to compete, “Why don’t you just go out there and try, you know? Just go out there and see where it falls. I believe in you; I think you can do this.” Well, that turned true today. Apparently, Sullivan had even changed her gym from WOGA to Metroplex in 2023.

And now, after she became the star of the evening at the Winter Cup, Ashlee Sullivan is considering making 2025 her year. Yes, she said she has two possible paths ahead of her now. See her season through to the World Championships coming up in October or wrap up her elite season at the U.S. Championships in August and head home. She’s fine with either. But before taking that long view, here’s a recap of her gravity-defying stunts on the mats today.

Ashlee Sullivan’s Winter Cup wonder!

Gym fans, we’ll just flash the scores, you be the judge of Ashlee Sullivan’s consistency. A 13.400 on the vault, a 13.350 on bars, a 13.550 on the beam, and another 13.050 on the floor. She clearly had one of the most balanced outings at the largely criticized Winter Cup this year. And wait till you hear that this wasn’t while compromising on the difficulty.

Ashlee Sullivan’s beam routine was fair complex, including a standing Arabian! Yes, she had to struggle to hold that pose, but the way she ended things with a clean double pike and a single step, the routine won her her individual highest score for the night. Perhaps, she could have been a little better on the uneven bars and the floor, the two events where she didn’t medal in the individual apparatuses.

Ashlee Sullivan’s bars routine had some evident form issues like separated legs, flexed feet, etc. Only if these were worked on, she could have gone home with more metallic glory around her neck! But, one thing is sure. Sullivan is no longer doubtful. Her performance today exhibited confidence through and through! What do you think? Let us know below!