ACAPULCO, Mexico, Nov. 29, 2013 – After the first of two days, Peyton Ernst of Coppell, Texas/Texas Dreams, and Maggie Nichols of Little Canada, Minn./Twin City Twisters, currently have the top two spots in the women’s all-around and Josh Dixon of Mountain View, Calif./U.S. Olympic Training Center, is third in the men’s all-around at the Mexican Open in Acapulco, Mexico. Competition wraps up tomorrow with the balance of the all-around competition.
Ernst posted a two-event total of 29.550, finishing just ahead of Nichols at 29.500. Uzbekistan’s Oksana Chusovitina is third at 28.850. Tomorrow, the women compete on the balance beam and floor exercise.
Dixon is currently in third place after three events, posting a total of 42.900. Colombia’s Jossimar Calvo is at the top of the rankings with 44.650, followed by Russia’s Nikita Ignatyev at 44.350. On Saturday, the men wrap up competition on the vault, parallel bars and high bar.
Earlier this week, the USA won both the men’s and women’s team titles, as well as swept the top two spots in the women’s and men’s all-around, at the International Junior Mexican Cup in Acapulco, Mexico. Bailie Key of Montgomery, Texas/Texas Dreams, and Lauren Hernandez of Old Bridge, N.J./MG Elite, went one-two in the women’s all-around, and Kiwan Watts of N. Chesterfield, Va./Above the Bar Gymnastics Academy, and Alec Yoder of Indianapolis/InterActive Academy, took the top two spots, respectively, for the men.
The USA is also competing in Stuttgart, Germany. Defending champion Elizabeth Price of Coopersburg, Pa./Parkettes, and 2012 Olympian John Orozco of the Bronx, N.Y./Team Hilton HHonors (U.S. Olympic Training Center), will compete on Saturday, Nov. 30, and Dec. 1, respectively, in the DTB World Cup, which is part of the International Gymnastics Federation’s all-around World Cup series.