© John Cheng

SAINT PAUL, Minn., Aug. 20, 2011 – Jordyn Wieber of DeWitt, Mich./Gedderts’ Twistars USA, won the U.S. senior women’s title at the 2011 Visa Championships at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minn. McKayla Maroney of Laguna Nigel, Calif./AOGC, and Alexandra Raisman of Needham, Mass./Brestyan’s American Gymnastics, finished second and third, respectively.

Wieber, the leader after the first night of competition, sealed the victory in the final rotation when she nailed a jam-packed balance beam routine that included a standing back full twist. Her score, a 15.300, was the highest on the event of the evening. She posted a two-day all-around score of 121.300.

“I just wanted to come out here and have fun, that’s the most important thing,” the newly crowned national champion said. “I tried to be really aggressive and confident.”

Earlier in the night, Wieber began on the floor exercise, wasting no time, mounting with a nearly stuck double twisting double backflip for a 15.000 score. In rotation two, Wieber soared through the air on a Yurchenko two-and-a-half twisting vault, needing only a small step to control the landing, and scored a 15.950. On the uneven bars, Wieber earned a 15.200, dismounting with a double twisting double flyaway.

In addition to the all-around crown, Wieber claimed the top spot on the uneven bars (29.750) and floor exercise (29.900).

All-around silver-medalist Maroney claimed the gold medal on the vault with a combined two-day average of 30.700. Maroney launched her first vault, a Yurchenko two-and-a-half, high in the air to earn a 16.000 score, the highest on any apparatus in tonight’s competition. Maroney’s all-around score was 115.150.

“I’m so happy to do my best and to improve my performance from day one,” Maroney said.

On the uneven bars, Maroney recorded a 14.100, while she earned a 14.250 on the balance beam. In the last rotation, floor exercise, Maroney competed an impressive three-and-a-half twisting back layout for a 14.500.

Raisman began her night on the vault, where her double twisting Yurchenko earned a 15.100.

“I’m really happy that I did well,” Raisman said. “I’m especially happy that I was able to hit my uneven bars routine two days in a row.”

The all-around bronze medalist recorded scores of 13.950 and 13.200 on the uneven bars and balance beam, respectively. Raisman closed out her Visa Championships with an energetic floor routine, which got the crowd clapping along, and received a 14.350 score. Her all-around score was 114.600.

Mackenzie Caquatto of Naperville, Ill./Legacy Elite Gymnastics, finished fourth in the all-around with a score of 112.500 and took second on bars with a 29.700, while teammate Anna Li of Aurora, Ill., was third on bars with a 29.450.

2010 World Championships vault gold medalist Alicia Sacramone of Winchester, Mass./Brestyan’s American Gymnastics, won the balance beam national title, showing an impressive repertoire of skills including a piked front flip mount and double pike dismount. Sacramone’s two-day total on the event was 30.100 with her 14.900 score in tonight’s competition. The nine-time U.S. national championships participant also placed second on the vault, showing her trademark front handspring Rudi vault and double twisting Yurchenko for a 30.600.

2008 Olympic team silver medalist Chellsie Memmel of West Allis, Wis./M and M Gymnastics, who was unable to finish her uneven bars routine, finished eighth in the all-around competition. She was second on balance beam, scoring a 30.000 for her routine, which included a barani to back handspring. Shawn Johnson of West Des Moines, Iowa/Chow’s Gymnastics, recorded scores of 14.550 (vault), 14.250 (bars) and 14.700 (balance beam). Johnson, the 2008 Olympic balance beam champion, finished fourth on the event.

Defending champion Rebecca Bross of Plano, Texas/WOGA, was unable to finish the competition due to injury. Bross finished second on floor with a 29.500 and eighth on the balance beam with a 27.600.

Tonight’s competition marked the end of the four days of competition in the 2011 Visa Championships.