‘The Pommel Horse Guy’ is back for another spin.
Stephen Nedoroscik returns to competition for the first time since the Paris Olympics this week, looking to win a fifth consecutive title on pommel horse at the U.S. gymnastics championships. Fellow Paris Olympians Hezly Rivera, Brody Malone, Frederick Richard and Asher Hong are also planning to compete at nationals, which are Thursday through Sunday at Smoothie King Arena in New Orleans.
Results at nationals will help determine who makes the world championships in October in Jakarta, Indonesia. There is no team competition at this year’s worlds, with only individual titles — all-around and events — at stake.
In addition to the usual all-around and event titles awarded at nationals, there will be a ‘squad showdown’ this year. Each rotation group will be considered a ‘squad,’ and their highest three scores on each event on the first day of competition will be counted in the ‘showdown.’ The squad with the highest score wins.
Here’s everything you need to know about the U.S. gymnastics championships:
Where are the U.S. gymnastics championships?
The U.S. gymnastics championships are being held at Smoothie King Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana.
It’s the first time the national championships have been in New Orleans since 1995. The state first hosted the event in 1977, when nationals were in Baton Rouge.
When are the U.S. gymnastics championships?
Competition is Thursday through Sunday, with the men and women alternating days. Here’s the schedule (all times Eastern):
Thursday, 8-10:30 p.m., men’s competition, day 1.
Friday, 7:45-10 p.m., women’s competition, day 1.
Saturday, 6:30-9 p.m., men’s competition, day 2.
Sunday, 7-9 p.m., women’s competition, day 2.
How can I watch the U.S. gymnastics championships?
The U.S. gymnastics championships will be shown on Peacock, NBC and CNBC. Here’s the schedule:
Thursday, 8-10:30 p.m., Peacock.
Friday, 7:45-10 p.m., Peacock.
Saturday, 6:30-9 p.m., CNBC.
Sunday, 7-9 p.m., NBC.
Watch the US gymnastics chamoionships with Peacock
Who are the gymnasts to watch?
Stephen Nedoroscik, aka ‘The Pommel Horse Guy,’ became a fan favorite at the Paris Olympics when he was seen looking positively Zen-like on the sidelines as he waited to compete in his one event with a rare medal for the U.S. men on the line. He and the U.S. men won the bronze, their first Olympic medal since the 2008 Games.
Nedoroscik then added an individual bronze on pommel horse.
Olympic teammates Frederick Richard, Asher Hong and Brody Malone are also competing, though Malone is not expected to do the all-around.
Hezly Rivera, who was the youngest member of Team USA at the Paris Olympics, and Paris alternates Leanne Wong and Joscelyn Roberson are all expected to contend for their first all-around title. Skye Blakely, a favorite to make the Paris team until she ruptured her Achilles at the Olympic trials, is expected to do the uneven bars and balance beam.
Also keep an eye on up-and-comers Claire Pease, Simone Rose and Jayla Hang.
Is Simone Biles competing?
No.
The seven-time Olympic champion is taking time off, just as she did after the Rio and Tokyo Games. Biles has said repeatedly that she still hasn’t decided whether she’ll compete at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
Biles is the most-decorated gymnast in history, male or female. In addition to 11 Olympic medals and 30 medals at the world championships, Biles is a nine-time U.S. all-around champion.
Are Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey competing?
Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey, all two-time Olympians, will not compete at the U.S. championships this week. But don’t rule out seeing Carey and Chiles in the future.
Both Carey and Chiles are taking breaks after competing in NCAA gymnastics this season, Chiles for UCLA and Carey for Oregon State. Chiles won a national title on uneven bars while Carey won bronze on balance beam.
Chiles has already said she intends to return to UCLA for her senior season. Carey’s collegiate career is over, and she told Olympics.com she thinks the time off will help her decide whether she wants to compete elite again.
‘Right now, (I’m) taking time and going to see where things end up,” she said. “So, it’s not a no, but it’s not a yes.”
As for Lee, the all-around champion at the Tokyo Olympics, she said in Paris that she was content with her career.
Health issues had sidelined Lee for the better part of a year before Paris, getting so bad she was struggling to get out of bed seven months before the Games. But after doctors got her medications right, Lee was able to resume training. She won three more medals in Paris: a gold with Team USA, and bronzes in the all-around and on uneven bars.
‘If I don’t (come back), I feel like I had a really good run. I’m super proud of everything that I was able to accomplish. Especially this year, not even knowing if I would be able to make it here,’ Lee said in Paris.