The Junior Pan American Championships is a qualifier for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, which will be held in Buenos Aires in October, and may be a part of qualifying a full team to the 2019 Junior World Championships. The U.S. Team has women born in both 2003 and 2004, and to be eligible to qualify a berth to the Youth Olympic Games for their country, female gymnasts must be born in 2003. After JaFree Scott (Independence, Mo./GAGE), the originally named alternate, was added to the team when Sydney Barros (Lewisville, Texas/Texas Dreams) withdrew due to injury, two alternates (one each born in 2003 and 2004) were selected. When Sunisa Lee (St. Paul, Minn./Midwest Gymnastics Center), who was born in 2003, withdrew due to injury, Tori Tatum (Chanhassen, Minn./Twin City Twisters) was named to the team because she is age-eligible for the Youth Olympic Games. Lilly Lippeatt (Mason, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics), the second alternate, was born in 2004. The USA wanted to maximize its opportunities to earn a spot for the Youth Olympic Games and position themselves for a full-team participation in the 2019 Junior World Championships.
