P&G Championships will be the last meet of the season for the juniors, presenting the opportunity for national titles and the chance to become a National Team member. Several of the juniors will also be age-eligible for Rio (16 in the year of the Olympics), meaning this will be their last competition of the year to prove themselves as top contenders going into the Olympic year. Whether it is through competing upgrades with confidence, improving form and execution, or showing continued consistency, we list the top juniors that will be looking to make a splash at P&Gs to help nail themselves down as ones to watch for next year.


Photo by Christy Ann Linder

Laurie Hernandez
Coming off taking the titles at both Jesolo and the Secret U.S. Classic, Hernandez has had a very successful year so far and will not only be looking for a National title, but more importantly a performance that will catch Martha’s eye and show that she belongs in the elite group that has a strong shot at making the Olympic team. A vault upgrade and rock-solid beam work could take her to that next level. Overall, she is one who needs to keep doing what she’s been doing—competing confidently with style. 
 

Ragan Smith
Ragan Smith has a great combination of both power and grace. She showed a beautiful double layout upgrade on floor at Secret, giving her a 6.1 D score which was the second highest in the competition. She is a performer and commands the attention of the audience, consistently delivering difficult and solid routines. Floor and beam are her strongest events, and improved form and difficulty on bars would give her an edge. Smith has a big team of Texas Dreamers and a senior leader in Bailie Key to keep pushing her to improve and vie for a spot on that Olympic team.
 

Photo by Christy Ann Linder

Jazmyn Foberg
Last year’s Junior National Champion will be looking for a repeat title through a clean P&Gs performance. Foberg’s floor routine is packed with difficulty, boasting a 6.0 D score after adding a new tucked double double. If she can clean up her landings on floor, she will truly shine on that event. Foberg is a frontrunner among the juniors and will contend for a top podium spot, but will want to prove that she is frontrunner among all the Rio eligible U.S. gymnasts.
 

Photo by Christy Ann Linder

Emily Gaskins
After a recent move back home to Florida and newly under the direction of coach Steve Nunno, Gaskins is excited to be “back in the race” as she said in an interview at the Secret Classic. It’s been a “great change” for her and she competed several new upgrades including a Shaposh and a toe hect connected to a Pak on bars, as well as a double Arabian sissone on floor. At P&Gs, Gaskins will be looking to highlight her improvements by showing consistent and clean routines on every event.
 

Olivia Trautman
At last year’s P&G Championships, Trautman finished second on vault and came on strong in 2015, finishing 6th AA at the City of Jesolo Trophy. She has tremendous difficulty in her tumbling, debuting a new opening pass of a double layout full out in Jesolo. Trautman did not compete at the Secret U.S. Classic this year, so she needs a standout showing in order to put her on the map for future selection opportunities.

Norah Flatley surely would have been a competitor to watch for at P&Gs, but has recently scratched from the competition due to a nagging foot injury. More on Flatley here.

Full list of Rio age-eligible juniors competing at P&Gs:
Rachel Baumann
Christina Desiderio
Jazmyn Foberg
Margzetta Frazier
Emily Gaskins
Laurie Hernandez
Sydney Johnson-Sharpf
Abby Paulson
Grace Quinn
Ragan Smith
Olivia Trautman

Related:
Updated Women's P&G Championships Roster
P&G Championships Start Lists