FIG has announced the field for the American Cup that will take place on March, 7th in Milwaukee and, for the first time since 2011, Russian gymnasts will take part in the competition.
While Russia always competes at the rest of the All-Around World Cups (Stuttgart, Birmingham, and Tokyo), they would skip the US competition for a number of years now. One of the problem was likely the cost and difficulty of travel but that would also apply to the Tokyo World Cup. Among other reasons were likely the visa issues (high fees, long appointment waits and a complicated application process) and the fact that it’s quite early in the season and does not necessarily fit the preparation schedule for big competitions. This year, however, a non-nominative Olympic spot is at stake and Russia has a good chance to win it both on WAG and MAG side.
USA is sending their two top gymnasts on the men’s side – Sam Mikulak and Yul Moldauer. On the women’s side, US will be represented by Morgan Hurd and a new senior Kayla Di Cello.
Netherlands and Belgium opted not to send anyone. Their chances at winning an extra Olympic spot are not too high and it seems that like in 2016, they are prioritizing the team’s performance at the Olympics and trying to rest the gymnasts until then. In their place, the teams that placed lower at Worlds were invited. However, those gymnasts will only be able to compete for cash prizes and will not win points that can go towards the Olympic qualification. As Brazil also declined a spot, Ukraine and Australia got the opportunity.
Great Britain listed Amelie Morgan as their competitor, however, it seems that Morgan is currently recovering from a broken wrist and might not be ready to compete in slightly more than a month.
On the men’s side, it seems that South Korea hasn’t decided whether they will participate or who they will send and the last entry is to be confirmed. If they decline the spot, Italy will get a chance to send a gymnast.
List of participants
WAG
- Kayla Di Cello (USA)
- Georgia Godwin (AUS)
- Morgan Hurd (USA)
- Zhang Jin (CHN)
- Brooklyn Moors (CAN)
- Roxana Popa (ESP)
- Claire Pontlevoy (FRA)
- Amelie Morgan (GBR)
- Sara Voss (GER)
- Giorgia Villa (ITA)
- Hitomi Hatakeda (JPN)
- Lilia Akhaimova (RUS)
- Diana Varinska (UKR)
MAG
- Nestor Abad (ESP)
- Pablo Braegger (SUI)
- Lee Chih-Kai (TPE)
- James Hall (GBR)
- Daiki Hashimoto (JPN)
- Sam Mikulak (USA)
- Yul Moldauer (USA)
- Nikita Nagornyy (RUS)
- Deng Shudi (CHN)
- Diogo Soares (BRA)
- Andreas Toba (GER)
- Oleg Verniaiev (UKR)
Photo: Russian Artistic Gymnastics Federation
