Prize Breakdown for XFinity US National Championships: Who Walks Out With What

Great athletes like Simone Biles and Suni Lee are trying to win a berth on the U.S. Olympic team. The upcoming 2023 Xfinity US Gymnastics Championships will be important for these athletes because in order to go to Paris, they will first need to secure their spots on the national team.

The 2023 Xfinity US Gymnastics Championships will kick off on August 24 in San Jose, California. It will end on August 27. Many veteran gymnasts will be competing against each other. Among them, one notable gymnast to watch out for is Simone Biles, who has a huge ambition this year.

Simone Biles on a historic quest

Simone Biles ended the 2021 gymnastics season on a high note. She earned her seventh U.S. all-around title, which was a remarkable feat only ever accomplished by Alfred Jochim. However, the legendary athlete is not content with this tie and wants to win her eighth title in the upcoming championships. Biles recently made a comeback to her beloved sport after a hiatus of two years and has already proven her mettle at the U.S. Classic in Chicago. Now, the 26-year-old gymnastics pro has set her sights on winning the Xfinity US Gymnastics Championships.

She has a good chance of winning the all-around title yet again. It would make her the oldest gymnast ever to achieve such a feat. Simone Biles has inspired hope among her fans, saying, ?I think I?m in better shape than I was in 2021?. She has attributed her clarity of mind to the age and maturity that came with it. Biles has never been short of stamina, yet she is not someone to leave it all to chance. She began training for this moment from the start of 2023 and ramped it up after her May 6 wedding to NFL beau Jonathan Owens. Simone Biles? chances of winning the all-around title got even better after another all-around champion withdrew her name from many events.

Suni Lee’s limited event choices at the 2023 Xfinity Championships

Suni Lee?s comeback to elite gymnastics was a happy occasion for all fans. She abandoned her NCAA career at Auburn University because of a kidney problem. Many were uncertain if she could recover in time for the World Championships. However, she made a remarkable return to the sport at the Core Hydration Classic and stunned everyone with her routines on the beams and vault. She earned the qualifying scores in the two events for the Xfinity U.S. National Championships. As the previous all-around champion, Sunisa Lee has the right to petition to allow her to compete in the all-around event.

But, Suni Lee has decided not to exercise that right and give up on the four major gymnastics events. Fans were disappointed to learn about her decision, with one taking to Twitter to write, ?USAGym has confirmed to me that Suni did not petition to compete in additional events at Championships?. She will instead continue to focus her energy on perfecting her routines for the beam and vault events. The 20-year-old Hmong-American athlete had to make this painful decision in the wake of her kidney troubles that have kept her from reaching her full potential. Fans will get the chance to cheer for this determined athlete as she takes the stage against some of the veterans and the rising stars.

Redefining the National Team

Before the competing athletes are able to go to the worlds at Antwerp, they will need to overcome the hurdle in California. After the Xfinity US Gymnastics Championships, a new U.S. National team will be announced. As per the USAG, the selection criteria for the top six (6) Juniors and the top ten (10) Seniors in the “All-Around? are as follows:

1. Five athletes will be added to the all-around event with the highest scores.
2. Five additional athletes will be added based on their rank order.
3. The remaining five spots will be filled on discretionary criteria or petition.

The senior development team will have two additions between the ages of 18 and 20. Athletes who want to qualify for this spot must earn a minimum of 32.000 on one day of the competition at the all-around event.

Advancing Toward the Women?s World Team Selection Camp

Simone Biles and Suni Lee might be the only two Olympic all-around champions competing at the 2023 Xfinity US Gymnastics Championships, but they are not the only Olympic medalists to watch out for in San Jose. They will be joined by Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, and Shilese Jones. Chiles will give best friend Simone Biles strict competition in the all-around event. After winning the gold in the 2022 World Championship, Jordan Chiles is hungry for more. Jade Carey has already proven herself as the best in the floor and vault events, but the all-around title has eluded her. Now, she will be trying her best to seize that victory, as will Shilese Jones, the 2022 World all-around silver medalist.

Each of these legendary women will be aiming to secure a spot in the eight-member team advancing to the U.S. women?s world team selection camp. The camp is scheduled to be held between September 19-22 in Katy, Texas. The top-scoring athletes in the all-around event will automatically earn two spots for the camp, while the remaining six will be chosen by the committee.

Forging the U.S. Men’s World Championship Team

The SAP Center will also play host to the exceptional male gymnastic icons. The headliner among the men this year will be Asher Hong, who earned fame after his stellar performance in the 2022 World Championships. The teen sensation finished sixth in the all-around event, proving he has what it takes to make it to the top. He will be competing against the runner-up from the 2022 National Championships, Donnell Whittenburg.

Five more contenders have entered the competition from the Penn State gymnastics team. Among them, one to look out for is Senior National team member Josh Karnes. Karnes is fired up after his success at the World University Games in China. The final men?s National team will be named only after the Xfinity US Gymnastics Championships ends on Sunday. All the team members will be hand-picked by the selection committee.

Men’s Pursuit of a New Champion

In the absence of two-time all-around champion Brody Malone, his crown will be up for grabs. Leading the pack are Olympians Shane Wiskus and Yul Moldauer. Donnell Whittenburg, who has won two medals in the World Championships before, is also a worthy candidate for the throne. However, the rising stars cannot be overlooked in the slightest. Asher Hong, who earned the all-around title at the 2023 Core Hydration Classic, will give the veterans a run for their money. Khoi Young and Fred Richard have both proven their potential in the all-around events at their respective levels. Now, they hope to etch their name in history by qualifying for the World Championships.

Read More: Despite Scoring Higher Than Simone Biles? in First Event, Suni Lee Forced to Sit Out of Events Due to Health Issues at US Classic 2023

The Junior men?s team is led by Asher Hong?s younger brother, Xander Hong, closely followed by the 2023 Development Program National Championships all-around champion Kiran Mandava. Now, it remains to be seen whose ambitions are strong enough to secure a spot on the World Championships team. The pressure is on these gymnasts as they strive to prove themselves before the biggest challenge of their lives.

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