As hard as it was for USA Gymnastics to pick a four-woman team for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, it may be harder to pick the participants for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Why? The United States brought six gymnasts to compete in Tokyo — four team members and two individuals. This year, it may only bring five, all of whom will compete in the team competition.
That does two things for Team USA. First, it gives them more flexibility for the team competition, as the squad won't need every member to be a great, all-around player. In other words, Team USA has room for one specialist should they need a boost in any area.
At the same time, the U.S. will also have one fewer overall roster spot, so it will have to carefully choose which gymnasts it wants to take and which ones will be relegated to alternate status.
Four of the six women who competed for Team USA in Tokyo are vying for spots on the 2024 squad. The two not returning are Grace McCallum and the now-retired MyKayla Skinner. Even without that duo, competition will be fierce, with several top gymnasts facing high-end competition at the U.S. Championships and Olympic Trials.
Who will make the USA women's gymnastics team for the 2024 Olympics? Sporting News breaks down the gymnasts with the best chance to make it to Paris this summer.
MORE: How Simone Biles, other gymnasts can qualify for 2024 Paris Olympics
USA Gymnastics team projection for 2024 Olympics
Simone Biles
Biles is a lock to head to her third career Olympic Games. The 27-year-old has seven career medals to her name, four of which are gold, and is the greatest gymnast of all time. Biles hits moves others simply cannot and has several named after her because she was the first — and, in some cases, only — gymnast to ever achieve them.
Biles placed in the top two at every event in the Core Hydration Classic. She won it by nearly two points and figures to do the same over the final two pre-qualifying events to earn the lone automatic qualifying bid to the Olympics. Biles seems hungry to keep winning after a bout with the Twisties hindered her game in Tokyo, and Team USA will be thrilled to have her compete in all four events once again.
Shilese Jones
Behind Biles, Jones seems closest to locking down a spot for Paris 2024. The 21-year-old has developed into a star and won the all-around bronze at the 2023 World Championships in Antwerp. Like Biles, she has a well-balanced game and would be strong for Team USA across all four disciplines.
Case and point, Jones finished top four across each discipline at the Core Hydration Classic. She posted the top mark on the uneven bars (15.250) and had scores of at least 14.000 on the vault, beam and floor. That allowed her to finish second, just under two points behind Biles but more than two points ahead of third-place finisher Jordan Chiles.
If Jones continues to show that kind of gap between herself and the rest of the field (save for Biles) she should be a shoo-in for a roster spot.
Suni Lee
There's no way you can leave the reigning Olympic all-around gold medalist off the roster, right? Lee is still recovering from a kidney issue that prematurely ended her college career and put her Olympic career on hold, but she competed at the Core Hydration Classic and performed well.
Lee wasn't quite ready to get on the uneven bars — one of her best events — but she posted an event-best 14.600 on the beam and posted respectable scores on the vault and floor.
If Lee can continue to improve her strength and endurance ahead of the Olympics, she should be able to give Team USA a dynamic top three gymnasts on its roster. But even if she only prepares as a beam specialist and perhaps attempts to get back on the uneven bars, she will carry plenty of value for the United States.
Jade Carey
Speaking of specialists, Carey was one of the best at the Tokyo Olympics. She made the 2021 team as an individual performer and brought home gold for her floor exercise routine. The Oregon State product is also a top-notch vaulter — her 14.300 was the third-best at the Core Hydration Classic behind Biles and Jones — so it makes sense to bring her along as a complement to Lee. Between the two of them, they can post elite scores on all disciplines (provided Lee can get back on the uneven bars for the Olympics.)
Jordan Chiles
Will Chiles make it onto the five-woman team for the 2024 Olympics? That will be the biggest question entering the Olympic Trials.
Chiles finished third at the Core Hydration Classic, has a strong all-around game and comes with Olympic experience that few other competitors have. The question is whether she can raise the team's ceiling enough considering that the all-around game of Biles and Jones is presently better than hers. Team USA might prefer to take a specialist to Paris over Chiles if it believes it will better allow the U.S. to capture gold across each event.
That said, it's worth noting that Team USA's depth in this projection is shakiest on the bars given that Lee didn't compete in that discipline at the Core Hydration Classic. Chiles tied for third with Lexi Zeiss and Trinity Thomas behind Jones and Biles in that discipline, posting a 14.300.
That, plus Chiles' experience, may be enough to get her on the team ahead of the other top contenders.
MORE: Full updates, results, scores from 2024 U.S. Gymnastics Championships
In the hunt
These gymnasts are on the bubble for the 2024 Olympic roster, but they could easily make the team if one of the top contenders slips up or is injured. If not, expect these athletes to be considered the top alternates for the event.
Leanne Wong
Wong is a star college gymnast who has logged perfect 10s eight times during her time at Florida. This has come across all four disciplines and perfectly demonstrates her well-rounded game.
| Discipline | No. of perfect 10s (at Florida) |
| Uneven bars | 4 |
| Balance beam | 2 |
| Vault | 1 |
| Floor exercise | 1 |
Wong may not dominate any one event in particular, but she seems like a shoo-in alternate if she can't earn one of the top five spots. She's simply a safe pick who can provide Team USA with security and experience at the event having been an alternate during the 2021 Olympics.
And if she outperforms Chiles on the uneven bars during the Olympic Trials, that could force USA Gymnastics to make a difficult decision about how to put on the team.
Tiana Sumanasekera
It's hard to find a weakness in Sumanasekera's game. The 16-year-old posted a score of at least 13.000 in all four disciplines at the Core Hydration Classic, which included a rock-solid 13.900 on the floor. Team USA could be in the market for some help on the floor — where Lee is still working on her routine — so Sumanasekera's talents could be called upon, especially if she performs well in the Olympic Trials.
Skye Blakely
Blakely is another gymnast with few weaknesses in her game. She earned a 14.050 on her vault at the Core Hydration Classic and placed within the top 10 on the beam (13.850, 6th place) and floor (13.250, tied for 8th place) during the event.
If there are any concerns about Lee's readiness as she returns from a kidney issue that sidelined her long-term, Blakely could draw in to provide the team with more talent on the beam. That was Lee's best event at the Core Hydration Classic (14.600, first place).
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Kaliya Lincoln
Lincoln could get the call if Team USA needs a floor specialist to round out its team. She posted a 14.000 on the floor at the Core Hydration Classic, tied for the second-best overall with Shilese Jones. The only question is whether Lincoln can provide enough elsewhere to make the team or if she will be best served as a top alternate.
