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Dallas gymnasts Konnor McClain, Skye Blakely finish 1-2 at USAG Winter Cup in hometown season debut

The two train at WOGA and showed Saturday why they’re on track to be major contenders for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

North Texas gymnasts Konnor McClain and Skye Blakely are on track to be strong contenders for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Their 1-2 finish Saturday in the first major national competition since the Tokyo Games reinforced that.

With a 54.300 final score, McClain won the all-around at USA Gymnastics’ Winter Cup on Saturday afternoon at The Star in Frisco, while Blakely (53.700) finished second.

The two train at World Olympic Gymnastics Academy — McClain at the Plano location and Blakely in Frisco — and their standings Saturday earned both automatic berths to compete for the U.S. at a team competition in Stuttgart, Germany, in March.

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Katelyn Jong, a 15-year-old from Allen who trains at Metroplex Gymnastics, tied for fifth all-around (52.650) in her first senior-level meet.

McClain and Blakely’s standout performances marked redemption for the 17 year olds.

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Blakely qualified to the U.S. Olympic team trials last summer, but injured her elbow during a warm-up run on vault minutes before the first night of competition began. She scratched from the two-night competition, ruling her out of contention for the Tokyo team, and underwent surgery soon after.

For McClain, her subpar showing at the Winter Cup in 2021 prompted her to change gyms, moving to the Dallas area to train under famed coach Valeri Liukin, and started a tumultuous calendar year.

She pulled out of Olympic contention after undergoing surgery for a broken hand in June, qualified to her first world championships in October but didn’t advance to an apparatus final, and grieved the deaths of her father and grandmother — who died days apart from complications of COVID-19 — in December.

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McClain sewed a “MM” patch, her dad, Marc’s, initials, onto the back of her leotard Saturday and finished the competition on balance beam, where she posted a meet-best 14.600 score to move from third place to the top of the standings.

The routine showcased her power, artistry and grace and left commentators gushing about her potential.

“Just absolutely picture perfect,” commentator and 2008 Olympic all-around champion Nastia Liukin said. “She has a lot to be proud of today.

“Konnor, your dad is proud of you.”

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