HARTFORD, Conn – The 2024 Core Hydration Classic sparked excitement as it brought together three Olympic All-Around Champions—Sunisa Lee, Simone Biles, and Gabby Douglas—for a historic face-off, the first of its kind!
GABBY DOUGLAS` DREAMS DASHED AS SHE MISSES QUALIFYING FOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN ALL-AROUND, LEAVING FANS DEVASTATED AS SHE PULLS OUT OF U.S.CLASSIC
The 2012 Olympic all-around champion, didn’t have the glamorous comeback she hoped for at the U.S. Classic.
SHE FLEW IN WITH A PRIVATE JET
Although she faced severe weather in Texas, causing travel chaos and canceled flights, Douglas didn’t let it dampen her spirits. Thanks to her agent’s quick thinking, she snagged a last-minute ride on a private jet to Connecticut, arriving in Hartford at the crack of dawn on Friday.
THE BARS ROUTINE
Yet, her return to major gymnastics competition since the 2016 Olympics started off rocky. Douglas faltered on the uneven bars, scoring only 10.100. After this disappointing start, she unexpectedly pulled out of the competition.
This abrupt exit from the arena shocked fans and meant Douglas failed to qualify for the all-around at the upcoming U.S. Championships. Because she already competed at April’s American Classic, she can’t request to compete in all four events.
WE WILL SEE HER AGAIN(?)
Despite this debacle, Douglas has qualified for three events at the national championships starting May 30 in Fort Worth. She also looks forward to competing in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials at the end of June in Minneapolis.
KONNOR MCCLAIN
“SHUT IT DOWN NOW”. KONNOR MCCLAIN`S WHEELCHAIR EXIT AT THE CORE HYDRATION CLASSIC SPARKS OUTRAGE AMONG GYMNASTICS FANS
The mood had already soured hours earlier when Gabby Douglas withdrew from the event after failing to impress during warm-ups. The situation only worsened as another top contender, McClain, ended her participation, prompting loud cries of disappointment from the crowd.
Konnor McClain’s Olympic dreams seemed crushed in Hartford. An official post by USA Gymnastics on X announced that McClain would not continue at the #CoreClassic. The news quickly spread, fueling fan frustration over the event’s increasingly disappointing turn of events.
Despite a promising start with a strong routine on the balance beam, a misstep during the switch ring saw McClain lose crucial points, concluding with a score of 14.200 and placing third after that segment.
WHAT HAPPENED TO KONNOR MCCLAIN?
As McClain prepared for her floor routine, she suffered an unexpected injury. While unconfirmed, whispers of an Achilles issue filled the arena, especially after she was seen returning on crutches. This sight was too much for some fans, as evidenced by their passionate reactions online.
One particularly vocal fan page exclaimed in anguish:
“I JUST FELL TO MY KNEES KONNOR ON A WHEELCHAIR
GABBY WITHDREW CANCEL THE FUC** MEET IM CRYING WHATTT.”
Only a month ago, McClain was bubbling with excitement about the busy season ahead, including the 2024 Core Hydration Classic and potentially the Olympics. “The Olympics has always been my dream…(I) am never going to give up on the dream that I have of going to the Olympics,” McClain had confidently stated.
To achieve her goal, McClain and LSU head coach Jay Clark had meticulously planned post-season activities to refine her elite skills. She detailed, “With our college schedule, we usually have a light day after a meet, so then, I’ll just practice my extra elite skills to ensure I maintain them and achieve the consistency I need with my elite routines.”
Yet, these well-laid plans came to a sudden standstill,
with Konnor ending up on a wheelchair as a fan
devastatingly reported: “screaming crying throwing up.”
Though the setback is profound, McClain, still a teenager, has a long journey ahead. Her resolve to pursue her Olympic dreams remains strong, inspired by the childhood aspirations she still holds dear.
SHILESE JONES
SHOWDOWN SHOCKER: SHILESE JONES UPSTAGES SIMONE BILES WITH JAW-DROPPING UNEVEN BARS TRIUMPH!
Shilese Jones, the 2023 World all-around bronze medalist, truly challenged Simone Biles with a standout performance on the uneven bars. Showcasing her upgraded layout Jaeger skill for the first time in competition, Jones managed to secure the only score above 15 on the uneven bars at 15.250.
“It definitely boosted my confidence, for sure,” Jones remarked. “This is a brand-new bar routine for me, so to present it and execute it as cleanly as I do in practice was overwhelmingly positive. We revised my routine just under three weeks ago. It’s a modification I’ve been eager to include for some time, and I think it really suits me and is incredibly enjoyable to perform. Successfully hitting it tonight felt incredible.”Jones maintained a lead of the 2024 Core Hydration Classic for the initial two rotations, but Biles surged ahead after the third with a stunning 15.600 on vault. Jones followed with the second-highest vault score of the event at 14.350, ending the all-around competition with a score of 57.650. Placing third was Jordan Chiles, a member of the 2021 Olympic team, who scored a total of 55.450.
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