Bailie Key at 2013 Secret US Classic podium training. Photo by Scott and Emer Hults.

The 2013 Secret US Classic Junior competition wrapped up just moments ago in the Sears Centre Arena. Bailie Key of Texas Dreams takes home the all around prize with a 58.25. 

The first rotation kicked off with Polina Shchennikova on the bars. Clean lines and an impressive difficulty score (6.3), Shchennikova was rewarded with a 14.35 total score that would place her in third after the first rotation. Alexis Vasquez and Norah Flatley of Chow's Gymnastics followed performing solid bar routines both packed with difficulty and demonstrating the refinement of their skills. Flatley in particular rose to the occassion getting nice height on her jeager release and closing the routine with a stuck double layout dismount. Flatley received a 14.3 for her efforts. On the beam, the highly anticipated Nia Dennis encountered some difficulty. Despite a huge arabian front and impressive air time on a side somi, Dennis fell on her back handspring-back layout series. Dennis also finished her routine landing short on her double back forcing a large step forward to receive a 13.6. First rotation bobbles were not localized to Dennis, Bailie Key of Texas Dreams opened her floor routine with a beautiful double arabian, but landed her dismounting pass, a double pike, with her chest a bit low causing a large step. Key earned a 14.0 on the floor.

The first rotation rounded out with Emily Schild in first with a 15.0 on the vault, Amelia Hundley in second with a 14.7 on vault, and Polina Shchennikova in third for her 14.35 on the bars.

For the second rotation, Norah Flatley continued demonstrating her strong competitive potential with a fantastic beam routine. The routine included Flatley's signiture front aerial -front aerial - side aerial combination. Flatley, however, did not connect the series to the switch leap - back pike. Flatley closed the routine with a strong back handspring, back handspring, two and a half twist that had only the smallest of steps giving her a score of 15.2, the highest of the night to this point. On the vault, Key competed a strong yurchenko double that showed great body alignment in the air and control on the landing. Key earned a 15.0. Amelia Hundley took to the bars where she competed both a shiposh and a shiposh 1/2. Hundley ended the routine with a full-in double back in combination, and landed with a stick giving her a 14.4 Over on the floor, Nia Dennis again flaunted her impressive tumbling ability opening with a double layout. Dennis also performed a 1 1/2 twist through to double arabian which she landed easily. The judges awarded Dennis with a 14.6. The beam proved difficult for early favorites Hernandez, Shchennikova, and Vasquez all of whom experienced falls on the apparatus.

After the second rotation Norah Flatley led with a 29.5. Amelia Hundley and Bailie Key lended in the second and third positions with a 29.1 and a 29.0 respectively.

The third event started with Nia Dennis sticking a double twisting yurchenko to grab a 15.25, the highest score of the day thus far on the event. Bailie Key took to the bars competing a nice jeager release and ending the event with a stuck full-in double back for a solid 14.25. On floor, Laurie Hernandez sold her floor routine featuring a double arabian to stag leap, a stuck full-in, and a front layout to punch double twist. Hernandez filled in the routine with expressive dance landing her with a 14.65. Veronica Hults of Texas Dreams showed beautiful lines on the bars with her stalder shiposh and blind to jeager. Hults dismounted with a stuck full twisting double back to receive a 14.55.

Amelia Hundley led going into the third rotation with a 43.5. Nia Dennis sat in second with a 43.45, and Bailie Key in third with a 43.25.

Bailie Key capped off her competition with an nice set on the balance beam. Key showed off her wonderful flexibility with a switch-ring, but her front tuck to sissone jump and back hand spring- back handspring- triple full really separated the routine as one of the night. Key received a 15.0 on the event. Veronica Hults also finished on beam where she displayed her array of skills including a side somi, a handspring-handspring- layout two foot, and a switch leap half. A clean routine, Hults ended with a handspring-handspring 2 1/2 twist with a small step on the landing. Hults tallied a 14.9 on the apparatus. Hundley wrapped up on the floor where she competed a double layout, a 2 1/2 twist to punch layout, a 1/2 through to double pike, and a double pike. Few mistakes for Hundley on the floor. The judges awarded her a 14.45. Nia Dennis continued displaying high skills on the bars with two tkachev variations. Dennis clipped her toes on the low bar when winding up for the double layout dismount, but recovered taking only a minor step back on the landing. 

The final standings were Bailie Key in first with a 58.25, Amelia Hundley taking second wih a 57. 95, and Veronica Hults in third with a 56.8.

For the event titles, Nia Dennis on the vault with a 15.25, Veronica Hults on bars with a 14.55, Norah Flatley on beam with a 15.2, and Laurie Hernandez on floor with a 14.65.



For full results from the Junior session click here. 

Continue getting all your Secret US Classic news from Gymnastike. The Senior session begins at 6 PM CT.

Kyla Ross on bars at the 2013 Secret US Classic. Photo by Melissa Perenson.

Competition at the 2013 Secret US Classic concluded moments ago in the Sears Centre Arena in Chicago, IL. Kyla Ross captures this year's All Around Senior Title.

Highlighting the first event was Kyla Ross taking to the balance beam. Ross performed a confident routine packed with skills including a front aerial- sheep jump, a front tuck, a side somi, and a switch leap- back tuck. Ross closed with a round-off double back taking a small hop on the landing. Ross received a 14.65 for her efforts. The bars presented some troubles in the first rotation. Both Simone Biles and MyKayla Skinner missed releases, a straddle tkachev for Biles and a shaposh half for Skinner. Brenna Dowell also missed her tkachev half to straddle back connection requiring an extra swing before falling back into the rhythym of the routine. Peyton Ernst impressed on the vault sticking a double twisting yurchenko solid earning her a 14.7.

After the first event, Peyton Ernst led with a 14.7 on the vault, followed by Kyla Ross with a 14.65 on the beam, and in third sits Kennedy Baker with a 14.55 from the vault.

The second event marked the return of McKayla Maroney to the elite scene. Maroney competed on the floor debuting some new passes alongside her new routine. Maroney competed a double layout, a 2 1/2 to a punch layout, a double arabian, and a double pike to close. Maroney stepped out of bounds on her opening pass, but overall a solid routine earning her a 14.35. Maroney's London teammate Kyla Ross also took to the floor showing off her new floor routine and combinations. Ross opened with a double arabian to a stag jump and went on to complete a nice full-in. On Ross's final pass, a double pike, she landed short forcing her to put her hands down. The judges awarded Ross a 13.4. Over on the beam, troubles continued for Simone Biles who started her routine with a 1 1/2 turn in a wolf position, but a balance check caused Biles to grab the beam to steady herself. No doubt a difficult routine flaunting Biles's power with a back handspring- back handspring- layout two foot, a front tuck, and dismouting with a handpsring- handspring- full in, but wobbles plagued the routine resulting in an overall score of 13.95 for Biles. Another powerhouse taking to the beam was MyKayla Skinner who performed unique combinations of a back handspring- arabian and a back handspring- tuck full. Skinner took a 13.55 for the event. Brenna Dowell also included an interesting beam combinating linking a full twisting back handspring to a back handspring- layout. While Dowell may not receive credit for the connection, it stands as a strong possibility in future competitions.

On the second event, Peyton Ernst leads with a 29.05. Madison Kocian finishes second with a 28.9, followed by Abigail Milliet with a 28.6.



McKayla Maroney kicked off the third event on her signature apparatus: the vault. Maroney performed two vaults the first being the Amanar that demonstrated amazing amplitude as has become custom for this athlete. Maroney performed a Mustafina for her second vault which she landed easily taking a small hop forward. Maroney earned a 15.6 on the first vault and a 15.25 on the second. The second MyKayla of the night also impressed when MyKayla Skinner performed the double twisting double layout. Skinner stepped out of bounds on the pass. Skinner demonstrated a high level of difficulty competing a double arabian to stag and a double- double, but was unable to complete her last tumbling pass, a 1 1/2 through to at least a double twist. Skinner received a 13.05 on the floor with a difficulty score of 6.3. Lexie Priessman who did not perform on the beam, competed well on the floor with a double twisting double back and a full twisting double layout among her four passes. Priessman earned a 14.8 on the event. Peyton Ernst looked solid on her favorite event, the balance beam. Ernst barely moved in her routine competing a handspring- handspring- layout two foot and a switch leap back pike among her many combinations. Ernst grabbed a 14.7. Kyla Ross completed a nice yurchenko double twist to take a 15.2. Biles wrapped up the third rotation on the floor. Biles competed a huge double- double and a double layout half. Biles closed with a full-in that just did not have enough gas to get around causing her to place both hands on the floor taking a 13.7 for the exercise.


Going into the final rotation, the leader board stood with Peyton Ernst in first with a 43.75, Kyla Ross in second with a 43.25, and Abigail Milliet in third with a 42.6. 

video by USA Gymnastics

Brenna Dowell debuted her Amanar vault in the fourth rotation. Dowell exceuted the skill cleanly for a 15.55. Kyla Ross performed a poised bar routine complete with both high-flying releases--a shaposh and shaposh half included-- and excellent lines in her handstands and pirouetting element. Ross earned a 15.4 on the event. MyKayla Skinner competed two vaults. Skinner stuck her first vault, the Cheng, and took a small step back on her yurchenko double twist to earn a 15.25 and 14.5 respectively. Simone Biles scratched the final rotation. 

Kyla Ross won the All Around Title with a 58.65. Peyton Ernst finished with the silver with a 58.25, and Brenna Dowell takes the bronze with a 57.2.

For event titles, McKayla Maroney dominates with a 15.6, Kyla Ross earns the bar title with a score of 15.4, Peyton Ernst takes the beam title with a 14.7, and Lexie Priessman takes floor with a 14.85.

Update: GAGE gymnasts Maddi Desch will compete at P&G Championships. Desch is coming back from a meniscus injury and successfully petitioned to compete in Hartford.

For full results from the Senior session click here.

For the recap of the Junior session that took place earlier today click here.


Top 10 All Around Results


Vault Results (for athletes performing 2 vaults only)


Top 10 on Uneven Bars:


Top 10 on Balance Beam:


Top 10 on Floor: