Next stop: Hartford, Connecticut. The 2026 U.S. Classic competition caps the final stretch ahead of August’s U.S. Championships, and many of the nation’s top female gymnasts will take the stage from July 17-18 to vie for medals, gain competitive experience and qualify for nationals.
With the 2028 LA Olympics just two years away, this year’s field is significantly stronger than the last, and recent comeback announcements point to more competitive battles ahead. From Olympic gold medalists to up-and-coming rookie stars, here are the top athletes to watch at the 2026 U.S. Classic.
Ten Athletes to Watch at the U.S. Classic
1. Katelyn Ohashi
Two-time NCAA Champion, UCLA Gymnastics star, and former Olympic hopeful Katelyn Ohashi is in the midst of a comeback that few saw coming. Ohashi announced her return to the sport in June and made her comeback days later at the American Classic, marking her first elite gymnastics routine in over 13 years.
Leaving the small arena of the American Classic, Ohashi steps onto a brighter stage in Hartford in her first U.S. Classic as a senior elite gymnast. Though the former junior U.S. National Champion is content with any outcome, Ohashi’s 2026 elite season could end this weekend. The 29-year-old needs a combined total score of 26.800 to qualify for August’s U.S. Championships in Phoenix. At the American Classic, she fell short of that total by over two points, scoring a 24.650.
2. Jade Carey
Three-time Olympic medalist Jade Carey is the only Olympian to grace this weekend’s field, but the 26-year-old looks ready to make a splash in Hartford. Like Ohashi, Carey recently announced her gymnastics comeback, launching her push for a third-straight Olympic appearance.
Despite taking nearly two years off from elite competition, Carey impressed in her return, finishing second in the all-around at June’s American Classic and first on vault and floor exercise. With her results, she successfully qualified for the 2026 U.S. Championships, held in her native Phoenix, Arizona. This weekend in Hartford, Carey will compete in the all-around once again, vying for more hardware in her seventh U.S. Classic.
3. Leanne Wong
Five-time World medalist Leanne Wong is a staple on Team USA and U.S. Classic rosters. The 2025 World all-around silver medalist will compete in her ninth U.S. Classic this weekend, an event where she won the all-around title in 2022. In typical Wong fashion, the veteran will compete in the all-around this weekend and face off against former University of Florida teammate Skye Blakely.
Known for her steady, clean routines and artistry on floor exercise, Wong’s return to the U.S. Classic kickstarts her bid to make her fifth consecutive World Championship team for Team USA.
4. Skye Blakely
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – APRIL 18: Skye Blakely of the University of Florida performs on the floor exercise during the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championship at Dickies Arena on April 18, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Alicia Malnati/Getty Images)
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Two-time World team champion Skye Blakely returns to the elite stage after a successful and redemptive 2025 season. Considered a shoo-in for the 2024 Olympic team, Blakely’s dream was cut short by an untimely Achilles tear at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Despite immense physical and emotional turmoil, the 21-year-old returned to form in 2025.
Blakely tied with Hezly Rivera for gold on the uneven bars at the 2025 U.S. Championships, and went on to finish fourth on the event at the 2025 World Championships. In 2026, Blakely propelled the University of Florida to the SEC Championship and added vault and floor back to her repertoire – fans could even see her on all four events this weekend in Hartford.
5. Simone Rose
18-year-old Simone Rose is not a household name like some of her competitors, but the University of Florida commit unveiled major upgrades in 2026. Rose led Team USA to gold at May’s Pan American Championships, where she also collected two individual medals, including an impressive silver medal on the balance beam.
With the competitive field heating up in the 2026 season, Rose looks ready to adapt and strengthen her routines accordingly. She remains a dark horse to contend for titles at the U.S. Classic and beyond.
6. Dulcy Caylor
Few athletes had a better 2025 than Dulcy Caylor. Caylor burst onto the World Championship stage after winning the World Team Selection Event, edging out eventual World silver medalist Leanne Wong.
JAKARTA, INDONESIA – OCTOBER 25: Dulcy Caylor of Team United States competes in the Women’s floor exercise apparatus final on day seven of the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships at Indonesia Arena on October 25, 2025 in Jakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)
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Once in Jakarta, Caylor qualified for three event finals, the most of any American athlete. Though she left without a medal, she enters the 2026 elite circuit with veteran-like experience after her World Championship debut.
7. Tatum Drusch
18-year-old Tatum Drusch comes into Hartford on a hot streak. At June’s American Classic, Drusch edged out Olympic gold medalist Jade Carey to win the all-around, securing Drusch’s qualification for the U.S. Championships.
Known for her prowess on balance beam, Drusch also claimed the balance beam title in June and was the 2025 Winter Cup balance beam champion. After weathering a meniscus tear during the 2025 season, Drusch is back and better than ever – and ready to contend for the podium.
8. Reese Esponda
Reese Esponda hails from World Champions Centre (WCC), the same club that produced Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles. Like her WCC teammates, Esponda brings trademark power to her signature event, the floor exercise.
Esponda recently impressed at the City of Jesolo Trophy competition, winning gold on floor exercise with an upgraded routine and improved execution. For the past few seasons, Esponda has been a peripheral contender, but 2026 could be her year.
9. Caroline Moreau
Caroline Moreau enters the 2026 elite season as a first-year senior and the defending junior U.S. Champion. Despite her rookie status, Moreau posted a strong start to the year, placing fifth in the all-around in her senior elite debut at the 2026 Winter Cup.
Her successes carried over to the 2026 City of Jesolo Trophy, where Moreau helped Team USA win gold in the team event and claimed bronze on the uneven bars.
10. Ally Damelio
Like Moreau, Ally Damelio is widely considered an underdog; however, the Auburn University commit has earned international recognition for her impressive abilities on the uneven bars. Damelio executes the highly difficult “Seitz” release move, a skill rarely attempted by the top international athletes.