Skye Blakely and Claire Pease tied for all-around lead after day one of US gymnastics championships

Skye Blakely and Claire Pease are tied for the women’s all-around lead after the first day of competition at the US gymnastics championships in Phoenix on Friday, each posting 55.6 points. The women’s all-around portion of the championships concludes on Sunday.

Blakely, 21, competes for the University of Florida and was a member of the United States’ winning teams at the 2022 and 2023 world championships; she missed the 2024 Paris Olympics after suffering an achilles injury at the US trials but returned to competition last year. Pease is a 17-year-old Honolulu native. Blakely shared the US championships uneven bars title with Hezly Rivera last year.

Sixteen-year-old Charleigh Bullock of Virginia is in third place on 55.4, with defending all-around champion Hezly Rivera fourth on 55.0. Jade Carey sits fifth on 54.4 and Reese Esponda occupies sixth on 54.1.

On the uneven bars Bullock recorded the top score with 14.25, while Pease and Blakely each scored 14.2. On the balance beam Pease posted 13.9 and Blakely 13.75, placing them second and third respectively behind Rivera.

Rivera’s overall total was affected by a fall on the uneven bars, but she finished the day with the best balance beam score of 14.3 and the second-highest floor mark of 14.0. Esponda produced the highest floor exercise score at 14.45.

Blakely reflected on her performance, saying of her Friday routines, according to Olympics.com, “That felt really good. I’m really proud of myself. It’s not easy, but I feel like I handled ‌each moment the best of my ability.“ Pease described being a co-leader as “definitely a dream”, per Olympics.com, and added, “I just like to stay focused on what I’m doing in the gym.“

The women’s all-around competition resumes and concludes on Sunday, when final placements for the US championships will be decided.