HARTFORD, Conn. — The pathway to the Paris Olympics runs through Hartford on Saturday, as the top women’s gymnasts in the United States compete in the final day of the 2024 Core Hydration Classic at the XL Center.
The event is the last chance for women to qualify for the 2024 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships, which will be held in two weeks in Fort Worth, Texas. There, USA Gymnastics will announce the members of the U.S. National Team who will compete for Olympic Team berths at the 2024 Olympic Trials from June 27-30 in Minneapolis.
The action began on Friday with the Hopes Championship and the Junior Women’s Core Hydration Classic, and the intensity will kick up another level on Saturday when Session 1 of the Senior Women’s Core Hydration Classic begins at 2 p.m. Session 2 starts at 7 p.m.
The nation’s most talented women’s gymnasts will showcase their skills in the XL Center on Saturday. The field is headlined by 2020 Olympic gold medalist Sunisa Lee and 2016 Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles. Olympic medalists Jade Carey and Jordan Chiles are also competing.
2012 Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas, 28, may be drawing the most anticipation, as she returned to the sport after an eight-year layoff. Saturday will be critical for Douglas if she hopes to take another step towards participating in the 2024 Olympic games as a member of the country's five-person squad.
According to the Associated Press, Douglas became the first Black woman to win the Olympic all-around title when she earned gold in London in 2012.
In April, Douglas competed for the first time since 2016 at the American Classic in Katy, Texas. She showed noticeable rust, but Douglas displayed flashes of her former brilliance.
Travel issues delayed Douglas’ arrival in Connecticut until early Friday morning and she only got two hours of sleep, but told AP that it was important she got comfortable entering her first competition in a large venue since helping the U.S. team secure gold in Rio de Janeiro in the 2016 Olympics.
“I felt like, so much nostalgia,” Douglas told the Associated Press.
Douglas said that reflecting on a rough ending to 2016 inspired her to at least attempt to end her career on a higher note. She told AP she’s been training in Dallas, preparing for this moment for nearly two years.
“Regardless of the outcome, I wanted to make sure, like, I end on love and joy instead of hating something that I loved,” Douglas told the Associated Press. “I just want to go out there and do my very best and not try too hard or do too much… Just try to do my normal.”
For ticket information for Saturday’s sessions at the XL Center, click here. Tickets are being sold for individual sessions.
On Saturday, Session 1 will be broadcast on the USA Gymnastics YouTube channel, while Session 2 will air on Peacock.
Those traveling to Hartford to attend the event are invited to the Tumble Street Fan Fest. The Pratt Street block party will occur before both sessions on Saturday and will include yard games, live music, food, and drink specials with a Hartford Restaurant Discount Program.
The yard games and DJ are contingent on the weather, while the live music will occur from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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