Biles and Mikulak Both Seek Sixth U.S. All-Around Title At 2019 U.S. Championships in Kansas City
July 26, 2019
Biles and Mikulak Both Seek Sixth U.S. All-Around Title At 2019 U.S. Championships in Kansas City
Kansas City, Mo. (July 26, 2019) – At the 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo., Aug. 8-11, 2016 Olympic and 2018 World all-around champion Simone Biles of Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre, is seeking to become the first woman in nearly 70 years to win six senior U.S. all-around titles. Biles and 11 of her U.S. Senior National Team teammates are among the 17 women competing in the senior division, and 29 women are competing as juniors.
Sam Mikulak of Newport Coast, Calif./U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center, is also seeking his sixth U.S. all-around title at the 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships at T-Mobile Center. Mikulak and 10 of his U.S. Senior National Team teammates are among the 35 men competing in the senior division, and 43 men are competing as juniors.
Simone Biles has the opportunity to tie with Clara Schroth Lomady, who won the women’s all-around from 1945-46 and 1949-52, as the only women to win six U.S. all-around titles. Along with Biles, the members of the senior national team in the field are: 2019 Gymnix International team gold-medalist Sloane Blakely of Frisco, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics; two-time World silver-medalist Jade Carey of Phoenix, Ariz./Arizona Sunrays; 2018 U.S. vault silver-medalist Jordan Chiles of Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre; 2018 World team gold-medalist Kara Eaker of Grain Valley, Mo./Great American Gymnastics Express; 2019 Gymnix International vault champion Aleah Finnegan of Lee's Summit, Mo./Great American Gymnastics Express; 2017 World all-around champion Morgan Hurd of Middletown, Del./First State Gymnastics; 2019 Jesolo Trophy team gold-medalist Shilese Jones of Westerville, Ohio/Future Gymnastics Academy; 2019 Jesolo Trophy all-around champion Sunisa Lee of St. Paul, Minn./Midwest Gymnastics Center; 2018 World team gold-medalist Grace McCallum of Isanti, Minn./Twin City Twisters; 2018 World team gold-medalist Riley McCusker of Brielle, N.J./MG Elite; 2018 Pan Am Championships all-around silver-medalist Trinity Thomas of York, Pa./University of Florida Gymnastics; and 2019 American Cup champion Leanne Wong of Overland Park, Kansas/Great American Gymnastics Express.
Sam Mikulak has the opportunity to tie Makoto Sakamoto, who earned his sixth all-around title in 1970. His senior national teammates in the field are: Donothan Bailey of Mission Viejo, Calif./U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center; Allan Bower of Chandler, Ariz./University of Oklahoma; Trevor Howard of Columbus, Ohio/Ohio State University; Sean Melton of Columbus, Ohio/Ohio State University; Akash Modi of Morganville, N.J./Stanford University; Yul Moldauer of Arvada, Colo./University of Oklahoma; Stephen Nedoroscik of Worcester, Mass./Pennsylvania State University; Genki Suzuki of North Wales, Pa./University of Oklahoma; Colin Van Wicklen of Magnolia, Texas/University of Oklahoma; and Alex Yoder of Indianapolis, Ind./Ohio State University. Justin Ah Chow of Miami, Fla./Ohio State University, and Riley Loos of El Dorado Hills, Calif./Technique Gymnastics, are current members of the U.S. Junior National Team who will be competing in the senior division.
The U.S. Junior National Team women members in the field are: Ciena Alipio of San Jose, Calif./West Valley Gymnastics School; Sydney Barros of Lewisville, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics; Skye Blakely of Frisco, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics; Sophia Butler of Houston, Texas/Discover Gymnastics; Kayla DiCello of Boyds, Md./Hill's Gymnastics; Olivia Greaves of Staten Island, N.Y./MG Elite; Lilly Lippeatt of Mason, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics; Konnor McClain of Cross Lanes, W.Va./Revolution Gymnastics; and Kaylen Morgan of Huntersville, N.C./Everest Gymnastics.
Seven members of the Men’s U.S. Junior National Team are expected to compete in Kansas City: Lazarus Barnhill of Houston, Texas/University of Oklahoma, Level 10/17-19; Taylor Burkhart of Morrison, Colo./5280 Gymnastics, Level 10/15-16; JR Chou of Cypress, Texas/Stanford Boys Gymnastics, Level 10/17-19; Isaiah Drake of Los Angeles, Calif./Gymnastics Olympica USA, Level 10/15-16; Nicolas Kuebler of Seattle, Wash./Metropolitan Gymnastics, Level 10/15-16; Colt Walker of Cedar Park, Texas/AcroTex Gymnastics, Level 10/17-19; and Khoi Young of Bowie, Md./Sportsplex Gymnastics, Level 10/15-16.
A part of the Team USA Champions Series, the U.S. Championships determines the men’s and women’s U.S. champions and U.S. National Teams for the junior and senior elite levels. The U.S. Championships will serve as part of the selection process for the U.S. Team for the 2019 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany, in October.
USA Gymnastics is partnering with the Kansas City Sports Commission for the 2019 event, with support from Visit KC and T-Mobile Center. This is the first time the event has been in Kansas City since 1987.
T-Mobile Center played host to both the 2012 and 2016 Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions. Kansas City has also staged other gymnastics events, including the final selection event for trampoline for the 2008 Olympic Games.
The roster of former U.S. all-around champions is a veritable who's who of gymnastics, including: women – Jordyn Wieber, Nastia Liukin, Shawn Johnson, Carly Patterson, Courtney Kupets, Shannon Miller, Dominique Dawes, Kim Zmeskal and Mary Lou Retton; and men –Jonathan Horton, Paul Hamm, Blaine Wilson, John Roethlisberger, Mitch Gaylord, Peter Vidmar and Bart Conner. The U.S. Gymnastics Championships traces its history back to 1897 for the men and 1931 for the women.
Additionally, the USA Gymnastics National Congress and Trade Show will be held at the Kansas City Convention Center, Aug. 8-11, in conjunction with the championships. The annual USA Gymnastics National Congress and Trade Show provides a valuable opportunity for gymnastics professional around the country to attend educational presentations, as well as a number of live demonstrations, on a variety of topics, including coaching, judging, business, preschool, school-age/recreational, sports science, fitness and safe sport and more. Attendees also receive admittance to the trade show hall where they can visit vendor booths that provide specific goods and services to the gymnastics community.
The competition schedule, which is subject to change, for the four days is below. All times are Central.
Thursday, August 8: Men’s gymnastics – 1 p.m., juniors, and 6:30 p.m., seniors
Friday, August 9: Women’s gymnastics – 1 p.m., juniors, and 6:30 p.m., seniors
Saturday, August 10: Men’s gymnastics – 1 p.m., juniors, and 6:30 p.m., seniors
Sunday, August 11: Women’s gymnastics – 1 p.m., juniors, and 6:30 p.m., seniors
Single-session tickets range in price from $27-$122, depending on the session and day. In addition, five multi-session packages are also available. All ticket prices are plus applicable fees. Tickets are available for purchase at t-mobilecenter.com, Price Chopper Box Office at T-Mobile Center or by phone at 888.929.7849.