EVERETT — The fans showed up hoping to see a strong showing by the United States women’s gymnastics team on Friday night, and they went home happy as the Americans won the women’s team competition and had the senior and junior women’s all-around champions at the Pacific Rim Championships in Comcast Arena.
Capping a stellar opening day for the host country, the Americans also won the team title in rhythmic gymnastics and had the all-around winner as well.
“We’ve had a lot of success in the last few years, and it was just a good night for us to reinforce that we’re on track for what we want to do,” said Steve Penny, the president of USA Gymnastics. “We come ready to go and today we did what we needed to do. We did our job, and that’s what we’re here for.”
Jordyn Wieber, the defending all-around World Champion, showed her brilliance by breezing to the all-around title with a score of 61.050. Second place went to teammate Kyla Ross with a 59.200 total, while Canadian Christine Lee nabbed third place with 57.800.
The junior all-around champion was Katelyn Ohashi, who grew up in Newcastle before moving away to train with top coaches. The petite Ohashi, who had a noisy fan club of family and friends on hand, had a total of 60.000, which would have given her second place in the senior women’s competition.
The silver medal winner in the junior division was American Lexie Priessman with a score of 57.800 while the bronze medal went to Sakura Yumoto of Japan at 53.600. The United States actually had an unofficial 1-2-3 sweep with Amelia Hundley scoring 57.600, but only the top two individuals for each team are eligible to place and that gave Yumoto third place.
In the nearby Community Ice Rink, American Julie Zetlin won the all-around title in rhythmic gymnastics, and the United States won the team title.
The first day of the three-day competition was contested before a total crowd (afternoon and evening sessions for both artistic and rhythmic) of 7,588 at Comcast Arena.
Wieber was easily the class of Friday’s evening session, which included gymnasts from China, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and the United States. Polished and powerful, she had the top senior scores on vault and balance beam, and was third in floor exercise and uneven bars.
“I was pretty happy that I hit four solid events,” Wieber said. “It’s been a few competitions since I hit four solid routines without any major mistakes, and I’m really proud that I did that.”
Wieber and her teammates had a so-so showing on vault, but “after (that) we kind of got all the nerves out. We had so much power and were so excited to compete, but I think after vault we kind of settled down a little bit … and then it just carried through the rest of the competition.”
Ohashi finished with the highest mark of the evening for any gymnast with a 15.850 on balance beam.
“It went well,” she said. “I could’ve improved on everything, but overall I’m glad.”
Ohashi said she didn’t notice the crowd noise much, except when she executed a near-flawless flip on balance beam that drew a big cheer. “And then I heard everyone,” she said.
Yet it was not all rosy for the American team. Gabrielle Douglas was expected to challenge Wieber for the all-around title, but instead had a disappointing night. On her opening event, Douglas nearly missed the vault table with one hand — she caught it with just fingers — and dropped a hand to the mat to keep from falling on her landing.
Later, Douglas slipped and dropped to a sitting position on the balance beam, and then fell off completely moments later.
Earlier in the evening, Zetlin won her gold medal despite three drops in clubs, “which is kind of like my flop,” she admitted with a grin. “But my hoop, ball and ribbon were all pretty strong.”
Her final event was ribbon, “and I knew I had to come back with a really strong last routine and that’s what I did. … To come back strong from that bad routine to a good routine, I felt really good with this performance.”
Zetlin said her “biggest goal was to come in a get first for the team. (Me) getting first was the second priority on my mind.”
The evening had a frightening moment when Australian gymnast Georgia Simpson suffered a dislocated left ankle on a floor exercise landing. She collapsed and was immediately surrounded by medical personnel, and later taken off the floor on a gurney before being transported to an Everett hospital.
Team standings
1. USA 239.700
2. China 220.650
3. Canada 219.000
4. Australia 214.500
5. Japan 212.550
6. Russia 210.500
7. New Zealand 185.750
8. Mexico 179.500
9. Chinese Taipei 164.100
Senior results
All-around
1. Jordyn Wieber, DeWitt, Mich., 61.050 2. Kyla Ross, Aliso Viejo, Calif., 59.200 3. Christine Lee, Canada, 57.800 4. Peiru Luo, China, 55.500 5. Chunsong Shang, China, 55.350 6. Emily Little, Australia, 55.300 7. Kristina Vaculik, Canada, 55.100 8. Victoria Moors, Canada, 54.850 9. Sixin Tan, China, 54.600 10. Yuri Ishi, Japan, 52.900 11. Anastasiya Marchuk, Russia, 52.000 12. Risa Konishi, Japan, 51.550 13. Wakiko Ryu, Japan, 51.250 14. Bibiana Maria Velez Alzate, Colombia, 50.750 15. Yurany Avendano, Colombia, 48.500 16. Hiu Ying Angel Wong, Hong Kong, China, 48.100 17. Karina Regidor, Costa Rica, 47.750 18. Yu-Chun Chen, Chinese Taipei, 46.400 19. Sandra Garcia, Mexico, 45.200 20. Lauren Mitchell, Australia, 43.500 21. Chia-Jung Tsai, Chinese Taipei, 43.100 22. Karla Martinez, Mexico, 43.000 23. Gabrielle Douglas, Virginia Beach, Va., 42.600 24. Maria Stepanova, Russia, 38.100 25. Ka Man Leung, Hong Kong, China, 37.850 26. Nim Yan Choi, Hong Kong, China, 34.700 27. Diana Elkina, Russia, 13.450 28. Georgia Simpson, Australia, 12.450
Vault
1. Hiu Ying Angel Wong, Hong Kong, China, 13.400 2. Risa Konishi, Japan, 13.200 3. Wakiko Ryu, Japan, 13.100 4. Yu-Chun Chen, Chinese Taipei, 12.850 5. Chia-Jung Tsai, Chinese Taipei, 12.500 6. Ka Man Leung, Hong Kong, China, 12.175
Uneven Bars
1. Gabrielle Douglas, Virginia Beach, Va., 15.500 2. Kyla Ross, Aliso Viejo, Calif., 15.250 3. Jordyn Wieber, DeWitt, Mich., 15.000 4. Christine Lee, Canada, 14.550 5. Kristina Vaculik, Canada, 14.200 6. Peiru Luo, China, 13.950 7. Chunsong Shang, China, 13.650 8. Victoria Moors, Canada, 13.550 9. Diana Elkina, Russia, 13.450 9. Sixin Tan, China, 13.450 11. Emily Little, Australia, 13.250 12. Wakiko Ryu, Japan, 13.100 13. Yuri Ishi, Japan, 13.050 14. Bibiana Maria Velez Alzate, Colombia, 12.700 15. Anastasiya Marchuk, Russia, 12.600 16. Risa Konishi, Japan, 12.400 17. Yurany Avendano, Colombia, 12.300 18. Karina Regidor, Costa Rica, 11.250 19. Hiu Ying Angel Wong, Hong Kong, China, 10.750 20. Sandra Garcia, Mexico, 10.450 21. Karla Martinez, Mexico, 10.000 21. Yu-Chun Chen, Chinese Taipei, 10.000 23. Chia-Jung Tsai, Chinese Taipei, 8.500 24. Ka Man Leung, Hong Kong, China, 6.800 25. Nim Yan Choi, Hong Kong, China, 1.500
Balance Beam
1. Jordyn Wieber, DeWitt, Mich., 15.700 2. Chunsong Shang, China, 15.250 3. Kyla Ross, Aliso Viejo, Calif., 15.000 4. Christine Lee, Canada, 14.950 5. Lauren Mitchell, Australia, 14.800 6. Peiru Luo, China, 14.500 7. Kristina Vaculik, Canada, 14.200 8. Sixin Tan, China, 14.050 9. Risa Konishi, Japan, 13.650 10. Yuri Ishi, Japan, 13.600 11. Emily Little, Australia, 13.400 12. Gabrielle Douglas, Virginia Beach, Va., 13.150 13. Anastasiya Marchuk, Russia, 12.800 14. Hiu Ying Angel Wong, Hong Kong, China, 12.700 15. Georgia Simpson, Australia, 12.450 16. Wakiko Ryu, Japan, 12.200 17. Chia-Jung Tsai, Chinese Taipei, 12.150 18. Victoria Moors, Canada, 12.050 19. Bibiana Maria Velez Alzate, Colombia, 11.950 20. Yu-Chun Chen, Chinese Taipei, 11.900 21. Maria Stepanova, Russia, 11.800 22. Yurany Avendano, Colombia, 11.550 23. Karina Regidor, Costa Rica, 11.200 24. Nim Yan Choi, Hong Kong, China, 10.850 25. Sandra Garcia, Mexico, 10.600 26. Karla Martinez, Mexico, 9.500 27. Ka Man Leung, Hong Kong, China, 8.450
Floor Exercise
1. Lauren Mitchell, Australia, 14.850
2. Victoria Moors, Canada, 14.750
3. Jordyn Wieber, DeWitt, Mich., 14.650 4. Christine Lee, Canada, 14.350 5. Emily Little, Australia, 14.150 6. Kyla Ross, Aliso Viejo, Calif., 14.100 7. Sixin Tan, China, 13.900 8. Peiru Luo, China, 13.850 9. Kristina Vaculik, Canada, 13.450 9. Anastasiya Marchuk, Russia, 13.450 11. Chunsong Shang, China, 13.150 12. Wakiko Ryu, Japan, 13.000 13. Yuri Ishi, Japan, 12.950 13. Maria Stepanova, Russia, 12.950 15. Bibiana Maria Velez Alzate, Colombia, 12.700 16. Karina Regidor, Costa Rica, 12.350 17. Risa Konishi, Japan, 12.250 18. Sandra Garcia, Mexico, 12.000 19. Yurany Avendano, Colombia, 11.850 20. Yu-Chun Chen, Chinese Taipei, 11.650 21. Hiu Ying Angel Wong, Hong Kong, China, 11.100 22. Karla Martinez, Mexico, 10.850 23. Ka Man Leung, Hong Kong, China, 10.600 24. Nim Yan Choi, Hong Kong, China, 10.150 25. Chia-Jung Tsai, Chinese Taipei, 10.050
Junior results
All-around
1. Katelyn Ohashi, Plano, Texas, 60.000 2. Lexie Priessman, Cincinnati, Ohio, 57.800 3. Amelia Hundley, Hamilton, Ohio, 57.600 4. Sakura Yumoto, Japan, 53.600 5. Maria Kharenkova, Russia, 52.950 6. Ekaterina Baturina, Russia, 52.350 7. Yuki Uchiyama, Japan, 51.750 8. Jazminne Casis, Australia, 51.600 9. Victoria Kayen Woo, Canada, 51.000 10. Charlotte Sullivan, New Zealand, 50.300 11. Jordyn Pedersen, Canada, 50.250 12. Anastasia Belova, Russia, 50.150 13. Alexandra Eade, Australia, 49.900 14. Rebecca Morrison, New Zealand, 45.300 15. Millie Williamson, New Zealand, 45.250 16. Valentina Brostella, Panama, 44.550 17. Shaden Michelle Cortes, Mexico, 44.500 18. Hanna Malloch, New Zealand, 44.350 19. Andrea Mora, Mexico, 43.250 20. Ana Victoria De Leon, Panama, 43.100 21. Federica Scheiman, Mexico, 42.600 22. Courtney Mcgregor, New Zealand, 42.100 23. Nina Lou, China, 41.600 24. Jie Mei, China, 40.700 25. Yu-Chun Lai, Chinese Taipei, 40.050 26. Madelaine Leydin, Australia, 35.900 27. Wan-Yin Chen, Chinese Taipei, 34.550 28. Angela Arce, Costa Rica, 33.300 29. Maegan Chant, Canada, 24.300 30. Tara Purvis, New Zealand, 20.550 31. Wei Wang, China, 9.550
Vault
1. Lexie Priessman, Cincinnati, Ohio, 15.300 2. Amelia Hundley, Hamilton, Ohio, 14.950 3. Katelyn Ohashi, Plano, Texas, 14.850 4. Maegan Chant, Canada, 13.750 5. Maria Kharenkova, Russia, 13.700 6. Yuki Uchiyama, Japan, 13.600 7. Alexandra Eade, Australia, 13.550 8. Sakura Yumoto, Japan, 13.450 8. Jordyn Pedersen, Canada, 13.450 8. Nina Lou, China, 13.450 11. Jazminne Casis, Australia, 13.400 11. Anastasia Belova, Russia, 13.400 13. Victoria Kayen Woo, Canada, 13.250 14. Ekaterina Baturina, Russia, 13.200 15. Charlotte Sullivan, New Zealand, 13.000 16. Shaden Michelle Cortes, Mexico, 12.850 17. Federica Scheiman, Mexico, 12.700 18. Andrea Mora, Mexico, 12.500 19. Ana Victoria De Leon, Panama, 12.300 20. Rebecca Morrison, New Zealand, 12.150 21. Courtney Mcgregor, New Zealand, 12.100 22. Valentina Brostella, Panama, 12.050 22. Tara Purvis, New Zealand, 12.050 22. Wan-Yin Chen, Chinese Taipei, 12.050 25. Yu-Chun Lai, Chinese Taipei, 12.000 26. Hanna Malloch, New Zealand, 11.950 27. Millie Williamson, New Zealand, 11.800 28. Angela Arce, Costa Rica, 11.000
Uneven Bars
1. Katelyn Ohashi, Plano, Texas, 14.650 2. Lexie Priessman, Cincinnati, Ohio, 14.300 3. Amelia Hundley, Hamilton, Ohio, 14.000 4. Jie Mei, China, 13.600 5. Sakura Yumoto, Japan, 13.250 6. Victoria Kayen Woo, Canada, 13.050 7. Ekaterina Baturina, Russia, 12.600 8. Jordyn Pedersen, Canada, 12.550 9. Anastasia Belova, Russia, 12.500 10. Alexandra Eade, Australia, 12.200 11. Madelaine Leydin, Australia, 12.100 12. Jazminne Casis, Australia, 12.050 13. Charlotte Sullivan, New Zealand, 11.400 14. Maria Kharenkova, Russia, 11.350 15. Yuki Uchiyama, Japan, 11.100 16. Maegan Chant, Canada, 10.550 17. Hanna Malloch, New Zealand, 10.100 18. Millie Williamson, New Zealand, 9.850 19. Andrea Mora, Mexico, 9.150 20. Valentina Brostella, Panama, 8.850 21. Rebecca Morrison, New Zealand, 8.750 22. Tara Purvis, New Zealand, 8.500 23. Yu-Chun Lai, Chinese Taipei, 8.400 24. Ana Victoria De Leon, Panama, 8.350 25. Courtney Mcgregor, New Zealand, 7.850 26. Shaden Michelle Cortes, Mexico, 7.400 27. Federica Scheiman, Mexico, 7.050 28. Wan-Yin Chen, Chinese Taipei, 6.750 29. Angela Arce, Costa Rica, 4.100
Balance Beam
1. Katelyn Ohashi, Plano, Texas, 15.850 2. Nina Lou, China, 14.300 3. Lexie Priessman, Cincinnati, Ohio, 14.200 3. Amelia Hundley, Hamilton, Ohio, 14.200 5. Maria Kharenkova, Russia, 14.000 6. Jie Mei, China, 13.650 7. Sakura Yumoto, Japan, 13.500 8. Yuki Uchiyama, Japan, 13.450 9. Charlotte Sullivan, New Zealand, 13.400 10. Ekaterina Baturina, Russia, 12.900 11. Madelaine Leydin, Australia, 12.750 12. Jazminne Casis, Australia, 12.700 13. Rebecca Morrison, New Zealand, 12.650 14. Shaden Michelle Cortes, Mexico, 12.300 15. Valentina Brostella, Panama, 12.100 15. Victoria Kayen Woo, Canada, 12.100 17. Jordyn Pedersen, Canada, 11.600 17. Federica Scheiman, Mexico, 11.600 19. Ana Victoria De Leon, Panama, 11.400 20. Millie Williamson, New Zealand, 11.350 21. Andrea Mora, Mexico, 11.250 22. Anastasia Belova, Russia, 11.050 23. Yu-Chun Lai, Chinese Taipei, 10.350 23. Alexandra Eade, Australia, 10.350 25. Hanna Malloch, New Zealand, 10.150 26. Courtney Mcgregor, New Zealand, 10.050 27. Angela Arce, Costa Rica, 9.000 28. Wan-Yin Chen, Chinese Taipei, 6.650
Floor Exercise
1. Katelyn Ohashi, Plano, Texas, 14.650 2. Amelia Hundley, Hamilton, Ohio, 14.450 3. Lexie Priessman, Cincinnati, Ohio, 14.000 4. Maria Kharenkova, Russia, 13.900 5. Nina Lou, China, 13.850 6. Alexandra Eade, Australia, 13.800 7. Ekaterina Baturina, Russia, 13.650 8. Yuki Uchiyama, Japan, 13.600 9. Jie Mei, China, 13.450 9. Jazminne Casis, Australia, 13.450 11. Sakura Yumoto, Japan, 13.400 12. Anastasia Belova, Russia, 13.200 13. Jordyn Pedersen, Canada, 12.650 14. Victoria Kayen Woo, Canada, 12.600 15. Charlotte Sullivan, New Zealand, 12.500 16. Millie Williamson, New Zealand, 12.250 17. Hanna Malloch, New Zealand, 12.150 18. Courtney Mcgregor, New Zealand, 12.100 19. Shaden Michelle Cortes, Mexico, 11.950 20. Rebecca Morrison, New Zealand, 11.750 21. Valentina Brostella, Panama, 11.550 22. Federica Scheiman, Mexico, 11.250 23. Ana Victoria De Leon, Panama, 11.050 23. Madelaine Leydin, Australia, 11.050 25. Andrea Mora, Mexico, 10.350 26. Wei Wang, China, 9.550 27. Yu-Chun Lai, Chinese Taipei, 9.300 28. Angela Arce, Costa Rica, 9.200 29. Wan-Yin Chen, Chinese Taipei, 9.100
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