Aly Raisman Wins Secret Classic; Mikulak Wins Fourth Straight All-Around Title at P&G Men’s Championships

(Photo by Karen King – Double G Media)

The XL Center in Hartford, CT hosted many big names in US Gymnastics this past weekend. The events that took place this weekend are the beginning of what will be the Olympic selection season as Team USA prepares for the Games in Rio this summer.

Saturday’s main event saw three-time London medalist, Alexandra (Aly) Raisman, take home the all-around title at the 2016 Secret U.S. Classic with a score of 59.250. The Needham, Mass. native topped the field on vault and floor exercise while taking nineteenth on uneven bars and third on balance beam. Rachel Gowey of Iowa finished second with an overall score of 58.300.

The top local all-around finisher was Erial, NJ native Marz Frazier who’s score of 55.900 was good for fourth place. Olympic Champion Gabby Douglas and World Champion Simone Bilas did not compete in the all-around field at this event.

Other notable local participants were Christina Desiderio (Hackettstown, NJ) who finished sixteenth with a 43.200, Jazmyn Foberg (Bayville, NJ) who finished seventeenth with a 39.850, and Lauren Hernandez (Old Bridge, NJ) who finished twenty-third with a 15.400 all-around score.

Raisman and Douglas are trying to become the first women to make back-to-back Olympic teams since 2000. The next stop for the women will be the 2016 P&G Championships in St. Louis, Mo. on June 24 and 26.

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(Photo by Karen King – Double G Media)

The action continued on Sunday as Sam Mikulak won his fourth straight U.S. all-around title at the 2016 P&G Men’s Gymnastics Championships. The P&G Championships determine the 18 men who advance to the U.S. Olympic Team Trials on June 23 and 25 in St. Louis.

Mikulak became the first man since Blaine Wilson to win four consecutive U.S. all-around titles. His 181.500 all-around score beat out Chris Brooks who finished second at 179.850. Morganville, NJ native, Akash Modi, finished fourth with a 178.750 all-around score.

Paul Ruggeri of Manlius, NY was the horizontal bar champion with a score of 31.600.

At the conclusion of the P&G Championships, the 2016 U.S. Senior National Team was announced and those individuals will now more on to Team Trials to determine who will represent the United States in Rio. Mikulak, Brooks, Modi, and Ruggeri are four of the 18 gymnasts that will compete in St. Louis. Joining them are fellow locals, Steven Legendre (Port Jefferson, NY), John Orozco (Bronx, NY), Eddie Penev (Penfield, NY), and Brandon Wynn (Voorhees, NJ).