On Feb. 24, 2024, senior gymnasts from around the country traveled to Louisville, Kentucky to compete in the 2024 Winter Cup in hopes of qualifying for the 2024 United States Gymnastics Championships and eventually the Olympic trials. The 2024 Winter Cup was the next step in the process of selecting the women’s gymnastics team — which would go on to compete in Paris this summer. With multiple gymnasts making their comebacks, the biggest question waiting to be answered is: Will the U.S. attend this year's Gymnastics Olympic games with three all-around Olympic gold medalists? 

The star of the show at the Winter Cup was 20-year-old Kayla DiCello who won by over a two-point lead — a large gap for gymnastics. DiCello is making her second run for the Olympic team after being chosen as an alternate for Tokyo 2020, but she ended up being unable to compete. Coming off of her win at the 2023 Pan American Games, DiChello was one to watch at this competition and she did not disappoint. DiCello has been praised throughout this season for her work ethic and has even decided to take a gap year from the University of Florida, where she was on the Gator’s gymnastics team, to make her claim for a secured spot in Paris 2024. She is now well on her way to qualifying for the championships, which are required for gymnasts who want to be selected for Olympic trials and then, possibly, the final team. She has a fight ahead of her as she competes with some of the other best gymnasts in history, and she is not the only gymnast trying to represent the United States in Paris. 

One of the biggest disappointments this Winter Cup was the pulling out of Gabby Douglas, the 2012 Olympic all-around champion and 2016 silver medalist behind Simone Biles who won the Gold. Douglas has been admired within and outside of the gymnastics community after making history as the first American to win gold in the team and individual all-around events. She was also the first African American to win the all-around title. In 2017, she came forward as the third member of the historic “Fierce Five” team to be abused by Olympic trainer Larry Nassar in addition to McKayla Maroney and Aly Raisman. Nassar is currently in prison after abusing over 130 young girls, including Simone Biles. 

This would have been Douglas’ first appearance back since 2016, but she sadly tested positive for COVID-19 and could not compete on Saturday. Luckily, this does not mark the end of her comeback as there are other routes she can take to earn a qualification spot for the championships later this year. Fans can expect to see Douglas at the national team training camp in April and/or the U.S. Classic to continue her comeback and make it to the big screen. If successful, Douglas will be the oldest female gymnast to attend the Olympics at 28 years old. 

Suni Lee, the reigning all-around Olympic champion, did make a comeback from an illness this year. After managing a kidney condition for over a year, Suni Lee had only been back in training for six weeks before the competition and sadly it showed. With Lee already only competing on two out of four events, she set out with only one goal — beginning her comeback, and debuting her newest skill — a full-twisting layout Jaeger on the uneven bars. At only 20 years old, she would be the first female gymnast to ever compete this skill, meaning it would be named “the Lee” in her honor should she successfully complete it at an international competition. However, Lee sadly fell on this skill at the Winter Cup and consequently fell on her next release on the uneven bars as well. Following up on beam, Lee had a devastating fall there as well, leaving her very upset with her performance but hopeful for the future. Notably, Lee was the only member of the 2020 Tokyo team to attend this competition with Jordan Chiles having to withdraw due to a shoulder injury. 

Simone Biles was another member of the Olympic team that could not attend. It is impossible to talk about gymnastics, and the possible next Olympic team, without mentioning Simone Biles. Biles, crowned the greatest gymnast of all time, did not attend the Winter Cup, because she had already qualified for the Championships as a current member of the U.S. National Team. However, she is expected to be seen at future competitions as she makes her play for Paris. Biles has been deemed the Greatest Of All Time and has even been seen wearing leotards with the face of a goat on it in rhinestones and embroidery. She has earned this title by breaking more records than any gymnast in history. Biles has received more medals than any other gymnast with 30 overall, 23 being world gold medals. She has also won six world all-around titles in the women's competition, the most out of any female gymnast, and is tied for the most Olympic medals won by any American gymnast with seven. This means if Biles makes this year's Olympic team and wins any medal, she will make history once again by becoming the gymnast with the most Olympic medals ever. Biles has been admired for her contributions to gymnastics history and is idolized for her perseverance. She was placed in foster care before she was adopted by her grandparents due to her mother’s drug addiction, and faced subsequent obstacles but did not waver in her athletic journey. This, in addition to her record breaks, has earned her praise from fans for perseverance. As a result, Biles has even received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden. 

Due to all of these records, fans are expecting to see Biles on this year’s 2024 Olympic team. This is especially important considering the fact that Biles’ starting values for her routines would give the U.S. team a major advantage against other countries. Her predicted scores are due to the fact that she has five skills named after her which can only happen by being the first female gymnast to perform them successfully in an international competition. Simone Biles has done this five times with the Biles I and II on the floor exercise, a double layout with a half twist and a double backflip with a triple twist, the Biles I on the beam, a double twisting, double backflip dismount, and the Biles I on vault — Yurchenko half-on with two twists. The latest skill predicted to be deemed the Biles II is on vault and is a Yurchenko double pike. Biles has already competed this successfully at the national level but was unable to perform it in Tokyo or any international competition just yet. This will likely also happen this upcoming summer. 

In conclusion, the U.S. is blessed to have incredibly talented women competing for their spot on the Paris Olympic team. Whether that team includes the gymnasts featured in this article, gymnasts still trying for that number one spot or stars that haven’t made their appearance yet, it is without a doubt going to be an Olympic Games you don’t want to miss.