MONTREAL, Que., Canada, March 8, 2019 – The U.S. women won the senior team title at the 2019 Gymnix International in Montreal, Que., Canada. Kara Eaker of Grain Valley, Mo./GAGE and Alyona Shchennikova of Evergreen, Colo./5280 Gymnastics, won the senior all-around gold and silver medals, respectively. Competition continues on Saturday with the junior team and all-around finals. A live webcast is available for the International Gymnix.

The USA claimed the team title with a total score of 165.261. Canada 2 slid by Australia, 155.196 to 154.963, for second. The U.S. Team’s event scores were: 42.465, vault; 42.233, uneven bars; 40.965, balance beam; and 39.598, floor exercise.

At the end of the all-around competition, one-tenth of a point separated Eaker and Shchennikova, 55.298 to 55.198. Sloane Blakely of Frisco, Texas/WOGA, was not far behind at 54.032; however, due to the maximum of two gymnasts per country, Blakely did not receive a medal. Japan’s Azuki Kokufugata snared the bronze medal with her 52.400. Eaker had the best score of the night on the balance beam at 14.666, and the second highest on vault (14.066) and uneven bars (14.100). She posted a 12.466 on floor. Shchennikova earned the top score on both vault (14.433) and uneven bars (14.633), with a 12.966 on beam and a 13.166 on floor. Blakely’s individual event scores were: 13.633, vault; 13.500, uneven bars; and the third best scores of the night on the balance beam (13.333) and floor exercise (13.566). Aleah Finnegan of Lee’s Summit, Mo./GAGE, posted the fifth highest score at 52.231. Her event scores were: 13.966, vault (third best); 12.866, uneven bars; 12.533, beam; and 12.866, floor. Finnegan, who performed two vaults, posted the top vault total of 13.700 (13.966 and 13.433) and qualified to the final.

The seniors who advanced to the event finals, a maximum of two per country, are: vault – Finnegan; uneven bars – Shchennikova and Eaker; balance beam – Eaker and Blakely; and floor exercise – Blakely and Shchennikova.

Representing the USA in the junior division are: Skye Blakely of Frisco, Texas/WOGA; Olivia Greaves of Staten Island, New York/MG Elite; Lilly Lippeatt of Cincinnati, Ohio/Gymnastics Academy; and Kaylen Morgan, Huntersville, North Carolina/Everest Gymnastics.

The competition schedule for the International Cup is: March 9 – 6:30 p.m., junior team and all-around finals; and March 10 – 1:40 p.m., junior and senior event finals. The March 8-9 sessions serve as the qualification round for the event finals. Live results are available online and on mobile devices. For more information, go to the event website. All times are Eastern.

Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. The organization is committed to creating a culture that encourages and supports its athletes and focuses on its highest priority, the safety and well-being of the athletes. USA Gymnastics has taken specific, concrete steps to strengthen its safe sport policies and procedures. Former gymnast and business executive Li Li Leung begins her tenure as president and chief executive officer of USA Gymnastics on March 8. The organization’s disciplines include men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, acrobatic gymnastics and gymnastics for all (formerly known as group gymnastics). For more complete information, visit usagym.org.