Furious Gymnastics Community Slams 2024 Xfinity U.S. Championships Overpacked Schedule as “Awful”

The gymnastics community is in an uproar over the 2024 Xfinity U.S. Championships, with many slamming the event’s over-packed schedule. The Xfinity Championships are amongst the premier events in the sport in the United States. This year’s competition is intense, with it being an Olympic year, as gymnasts nationwide compete for a spot on the team.

Held annually, this event features everyone, from seasoned veterans to rising stars. At over 8 events this year, watch for Olympians Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, and Suni Lee competing against each other post-Core Hydration Classics in Hartford. The gymnastics community is eagerly holding their breath in anticipation after the schedule gets released. 

Athletes call for changes amidst intense four-day competition

r/Gymnastics on Reddit announced the qualifiers for the 2024 Xfinity US Gymnastics Championships following the Core Hydration Classics. The event is set to take place from 30th May to 2nd June in Fort Worth, Texas. It consists of 8 separate events, including Junior and Senior men’s and women’s events. This is a step towards making the top 5 team that will represent the USA in the Paris Games. The senior women’s competition is highly anticipated, with Simone Biles and 2016 Olympic champion Gabby Douglas set to compete head-to-head.

It will be especially thrilling considering Douglas bowed out of the CHC as she struggled on the mat. As Douglas lamented, “I had a tough start, but I’m not giving up. This is my chance to show the world I still have what it takes.” Whereas Simone Biles won the all-around title. The Junior women’s competition is also going to be one to watch as young talents like Isabella Anzola, Harlow Buddendeck and Charleigh Bullock are all vying for the coveted title. Anzola said, “This is my moment to prove myself. I’ve been working hard, and I’m ready to leave it all on the floor.” In the men’s events, the senior competition will see titans Javier Alfonso, Fuzzy Benas and Asher Hong clash. 

As Benas stated, “The competition is fierce, but I’m confident in my abilities. I’m going to leave it all out there and give the crowd a show they’ll never forget.” The schedule is jampacked for four days and fans and followers of the gymnastics community are eagerly waiting for their favorite athlete to take to the mat though they are concerned about the health fallouts from the packed schedule. 

Gymnastics fans raise eyebrows at busy schedule

Intense competition is to be expected when the 2024 Xfinity U.S. Championships is considered. Some fans are concerned about the impact of the demanding schedule on physical and mental health at this year’s Xfinity Championships. People seemed to be bewildered by the packed routines across the four days.

One fan suggested that considering the current setup, it seems necessary to move 10-15 seniors to the junior session. Alternatively, implementing rotations for both juniors and seniors could be effective and said, “I think they need to move 10-15 seniors to the junior session. They could even have all juniors in rotations and all seniors in rotations but there is no way 11 people per event is doable. Also, as awful as it sounds, it should be those least likely to make trials to keep things as fair/even as possible for those looking for a spot at trials.”

With so much excitement and speculation buzzing around, many fans are eager to know about the potential updates and changes. So the next fan commented asking this, “Is it possible for changes in the future, or is this set in stone?” Expressing a mix of surprise and concern over the competition’s setup, a fan remarked, “So unless they do sessions, they’re gonna have 10-11 girls on each event both nights. Jesus.” This raises concerns about managing a crowded field and the competition’s organization.

Some community members also questioned the criteria to participate in the 2024 Xfinity games. They seemed to want a better cutoff to ensure tougher competition asking, “51 was too low a cutoff, quite frankly. I would have been happy with a 51.25 – that’s just about the point of 2023 Worlds AA R4, or even a 51.5.” Another fan begged to differ as the scores seem fair and consistent with what is expected to qualify in a domestic championship. As it would be unfair to qualify for a foreign event but not one within the country, saying, “On the other hand, it’d be kinda sad and unfair if you’re capable of a score that could almost get you into the World AA final but not even deemed capable of attending your own national championships.”

The uproar over the 2024 Xfinity U.S. Championships’ packed schedule underscores the pressing need for reforms. The gymnastics community awaits potential changes to improve the event’s balance and overall experience for participants and spectators alike.