Suni Lee, Olympic gymnastics champion, competing at Winter Cup. Here's how to watch.
Just call Winter Cup the Suni Show.
Sunisa Lee was always going to be in the spotlight at Saturday's meet. It's her first since she had to skip the world team selection camp last fall because of a kidney issue that limited her training, and she's debuting a skill on uneven bars no one's ever done. But now that Gabby Douglas isn't making her return to competition for the first time since 2016 — she withdrew Thursday because of COVID — all of the focus will be on Lee, the reigning Olympic champion.
"I'm doing really good," Lee said, beaming, after training Friday. "I'm just so happy to be here."
Lee is only doing bars and balance beam at Winter Cup, but she's definitely the one to watch. Here’s everything you need to know:
When is Winter Cup? And where is it?
The senior women’s meet is from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, Kentucky. There’s also a senior men’s meet that runs over two days. Day 1 is from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Friday and Day 2 is from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Where can I watch the USA Gymnastics Winter Cup?
You’re going to need your computer. Or your phone. Winter Cup is only available on USA Gymnastics’ YouTube channel.
Who is competing at the Winter Cup?
Lee is the main attraction.
She had to cut her final season at Auburn short because of the kidney ailment and it disrupted her elite-level training, too. Longtime coach Jess Graba said last summer that whether Lee could train often depended on how she was reacting to the medication that day.
But Lee said she's now in remission and has been able to train more consistently.
"She's happy, she's doing what she wants to do. She's healthy. Those are the main things," Graba said Friday. "This makes her feel better, doing things like this and training, getting skills named (for her). Those are fun things for her."
Other notable names include Skye Blakely, a member of the U.S. teams that won the last two world championships; and Kayla DiCello and Kaliya Lincoln, each of whom were double gold medalists at the Pan American Games last fall. The Americans won the team title, and DiCello also claimed the all-around gold while Lincoln won floor exercise.
Reigning junior champion Hezly Rivera is making her senior debut at Winter Cup. Also, Trinity Thomas, a standout at Florida, is returning to the elite level for the first time since 2019.
Is Simone Biles competing at the Winter Cup?
Simone Biles won’t be competing at Winter Cup.
She’s already qualified for the national championships as a member of last year’s world team — Winter Cup is a qualifier for nationals — and she doesn’t usually begin her competitive season this early. Look for her at the U.S. Classic, which is May 18 in Hartford, Connecticut.
What’s after Winter Cup?
There will be national team training camps each month and some gymnasts will get assignments to international meets. Then things start getting real at the U.S. Classic, where almost all of the women seeking a spot on the Paris Olympics team will compete.
The national championships are May 30 to June 2 in Fort Worth. At least 12 gymnasts will advance from there to the Olympic trials, which are June 27-30 in Minneapolis. The top finisher in the all-around automatically qualifies for the five-woman Paris team, and a committee will select the remaining four athletes and alternates.
Then it’s on to Paris!
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How can I watch Winter Cup 2024? Where to see Olympic champ Suni Lee
