Blakely, Pease tied after first day of U.S. gymnastics championships

Skye Blakely and Claire Pease finished level at the top of the women’s all-around standings after the opening day of the U.S. gymnastics championships in Phoenix on Friday, August 7, 2026.

Blakely, a 21-year-old University of Florida gymnast, and Pease, a 17-year-old from Honolulu, each totaled 55.6 points. Charleigh Bullock was close behind in third with 55.4, while defending champion Hezly Rivera placed fourth on 55.0.

Rivera, a member of the United States team that won Olympic gold in Paris in 2024, recovered from a fall on the uneven bars to post the day’s leading balance-beam score of 14.3. She also recorded 14.0 on floor exercise, second only to Reese Esponda’s 14.45.

Bullock led the uneven bars with 14.25. Pease and Blakely each scored 14.2 on the apparatus, helping them maintain their shared lead across the four events.

For Blakely, the performance continued a comeback after an Achilles injury at the 2024 U.S. Olympic trials ruled her out of the Paris Games. She returned to competition in 2025 and shared the national uneven-bars title with Rivera.

The women’s all-around competition concludes in Phoenix on Sunday, August 9.