Winter Cup Recap: Kayla DiCello takes all-around gold in first major competition of the Olympic year
Kayla DiCello salutes after finishing her uneven bars routine at the 2024 Winter Cup in Louisville, KY. Photo credit to USA Gymnastics.
Kayla DiCello (Hill’s Gymnastics/Boyds, MD) won women’s all-around gold at this weekend’s Winter Cup in Louisville, the first major competition of the 2024 season. The two-time World medalist was also named the Winter Cup uneven bars and floor exercise gold medalist, and Winter Cup balance beam silver medalist.
DiCello announced in April 2023 via Instagram that she elected to take a gap year from competing from the University of Florida to train for the 2024 Olympics. Her performance this weekend showed notable improvement from last season, a promising start to the Olympic year. DiCello is known for her consistency on all four events and her routines’ excellent balance of difficulty and execution.
The 2024 Winter Cup beam title was shared by Hezly Rivera (WOGA Gymnastics/Plano, TX) and Skye Blakely (WOGA Gymnastics/Frisco, TX). Rivera made her senior debut this weekend with an exceptional showing after an accomplished junior career. Blakely, two-time World medalist, is committed to compete at the University of Florida beginning this fall.
Sunisa Lee (Midwest Gymnastics/St. Paul, MN), reigning Olympic all-around champion, debuted a new skill (full-twisting layout Jaeger) on the uneven bars this weekend but failed to catch the release during her competition routine. If Lee is able to catch the release in an international competition, the skill will be named for her in the FIG Code of Points.
Trinity Thomas during her floor exercise routine at the 2024 Winter Cup in Louisville, KY. Photo credit to USA Gymnastics.
Trinity Thomas (University of Florida Gymnastics/Gainesville, FL) won the uneven bars silver medal in her first elite competition since 2019. Thomas returns to elite competition after significant success at the University of Florida, where she was one of the most successful NCAA gymnasts in history. Thomas received 28 perfect 10 scores in her five seasons at UF, tying the record for the most perfect 10 scores in NCAA history.
The full scoresheet from the competition can be found on the USAG website. The next competition on the road to the Paris Olympics is the 2024 Core Hydration Classic held May 17-18 in Hartford, CT.