The 2015 AT&T American Cup is right around the corner, taking place March 7th in Arlington, Texas. For the first time this year, the event is being hosted in a football stadium, although this prospect does not daunt participating Americans Simone Biles, Mykayla Skinner and Donnell Whittenburg, who took some time to speak to us today about the upcoming competition.

“I have not competed in anything as close to as big as this stadium,” Simone said, “but I guess you need a big stadium for big gymnastics."

Biles, whose last competition was World Championships in October, is planning to showcase some of the upgrades she’s been working on, including a double layout full out on floor for her first tumbling pass, and a piked tkachev into pak on bars. She plans to add in further upgrades for Classics and P&Gs later this year.

Biles competed in the 2013 American cup as her international senior debut with fellow teammate Katelyn Ohashi. She is entering this upcoming competition with not only more experience, but with a few World Championship titles as well. “I’m approaching it now as I know what I’ve done in the past, I know what I’m capable of doing, just going in and hitting all four,” Simone said, adding in “I’m going to do what I normally do in competition – go in and have fun.”



Skinner was pleasantly surprised to receive the call asking her to compete at the American Cup, and is hoping to showcase her improvements since Worlds in October. “I’ve become a bigger and better gymnast,” Skinner said, “I’ve been working very hard on form and everything in my routines, I’ve become even better than I was last year.”

Skinner is also planning to showcase some upgrades, including a shaposh into pak on bars, a 1.5 through to triple on floor, and possibly a full in dismount on beam. Out of all four events, she wants to improve on bars the most, and she is hoping that adding in a couple of new skills will raise her scores.

Skinner previously competed at the Nastia Liukin Cup in 2010 and 2011, a competition that takes place just before the American Cup in the same venue. Thinking back to those early years, MyKayla said “I never dreamed of being able to compete in something so big until the last few years, when it’s become more realistic.”

Skinner does think about the Olympics from time to time, although she admits that she tries not to. She is hoping to make the Worlds team again this year, and will see where things go from there.



Like Skinner, Donnell Whittenburg was also a little shocked to receive the call inviting him to compete in the American Cup. “I was a little shocked but excited at the same time,” Whittenburg said earlier today. “I used to watch the American Cup all the time. Having my name up there with all the other top athletes – definitely an honor and hopefully it will be a great experience for me.”

Whittenburg recently competed in the Winter Cup, which he said was good preparation for going into the American Cup. “I just want to go out there and perform and hit as many sets as I can.”

One of Whittenburg’s goals going forward is to prepare for bigger competitions, and he sees the American Cup as being good experience and a great honor to compete with the best in the world.

Be sure to tune in to watch Simone Biles, Mykayla Skinner, Donnell Whittenburg and Sam Mikulak compete at the AT&T American Cup on March 7th. You can watch the first 90 minutes webcast on attamericancup.com/live starting at 11:30am ET, and the event will be broadcast live on NBC starting at 1pm ET.

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