The Winter Cup, a meet that recently jump started breakout years for U.S. gymnasts, airs live on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on NBC, NBCSports.com/live, the NBC Sports app and Peacock.
Skye Blakely, a member of last year’s world championship-winning team, and Lexi Zeiss, an alternate for that team, headline the senior women’s field in Louisville.
The Winter Cup helps determine which gymnasts receive invitations to compete internationally later this winter and spring.
Many are prepping for the U.S. Championships in August and bidding to make the five-woman team for the world championships in September and October.
Blakely, then 17, and Zeiss, then 16, were the youngest U.S. gymnasts at worlds. The rest of the women’s team included Olympians Jade Carey and Jordan Chiles, plus the last two world all-around silver medalists, Leanne Wong and Shilese Jones.
The field at nationals in August could also include U.S. all-around champion Konnor McClain returning from injury and Olympic all-around gold medalist Suni Lee possibly returning to elite competition for the first time since the Tokyo Games.
Blakely and Zeiss can be motivated for Winter Cup by what happened at the February meet the last two years.
In 2021, Chiles won the Winter Cup, which became a springboard to her eventually making the Olympic team despite never having competed at a world championships.
In 2022, McClain earned her first significant senior all-around title at Winter Cup. She won the national all-around title six months later.
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