Although Olympians are still recovering from the grueling Olympic process, the journey to LA 2028 has only just begun for the next generation.
And a handful of future UCLA gymnasts are deep into the fight.
Incoming freshmen Jordis Eichman, Ashlee Sullivan and Nola Matthews competed in the senior division of the U.S. Classic in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, on Saturday. The competition is a potential qualifier for the U.S. Nationals and offers a televised platform for young gymnasts to gain national recognition.
The competition was split into two sessions, with Eichman competing in the first and Sullivan and Matthews in the second. All three gymnasts finished in the top fifteen. Sullivan placed sixth with a score of 52.200, Eichman secured tenth place with a 51.900 mark, and Matthews tied for 12th with a 51.500 performance.
Sullivan came out with confidence on beam, barely wobbling and sticking her acro series cold. She claimed the senior beam title with a score of 13.550. The event was a low point for Matthews, however, who fell on a side straddle jump after an otherwise clean routine, notching a 12.550.
“Beam’s a very mental event. You eat the beam or the beam eats you. So, going after each skill – no matter if it’s a fall or not – knowing I went for it completely, it’ll normally go the way you want,” Sullivan said in an interview with Inside Gymnastics.
The pair switched their luck on bars. Sullivan’s right hand slipped during a connection to the low bar, causing her to fall and score a 12.350. Matthews, meanwhile, posted her highest mark of the night with a 13.300. Eichman’s 13.400 was session one’s highest bars score, and she tied for sixth overall in the event.
Sullivan earned her highest mark of the night on vault, receiving a 9.200 execution score for her Yurchenko 1.5, posting a 13.800. Eichman took a small hop on the landing to score a 13.300, while Matthews notched a 13.100 with a larger forward jump.
All three athletes showed signs of fatigue on floor, which impacted their technique. Both Sullivan and Matthews fell forward on their final passes, scoring 12.500 and 12.550, respectively. Eichman avoided major errors to earn a 12.700.
Incoming freshman Tiana Sumanasekera was slated to compete but withdrew on Tuesday to continue healing from an ankle injury sustained at the Pan American Championships in June.
“As much as this breaks my heart, as I absolutely love competing and have been looking forward to Classics, I wanted to make the smartest and safest decision,” Sumanasekera said in an online statement.
Her absence did not jeopardize her season, since Sumanasekera had already qualified for nationals as a 2024 Olympic alternate.
However, gymnasts without Olympic status need a score of at least 52.000 at a major meet to qualify for U.S. Championships. Matthews and Sullivan secured their spots at the Winter Cup, but Eichman narrowly missed the cutoff Saturday, falling just one-tenth of a point short.
Coach Janelle McDonald and assistant coach Mark Freeman traveled to Illinois to support the future Bruins. McDonald said the incoming class’s elite experience will fortify the UCLA squad following the graduation of elite gymnasts – including Brooklyn Moors, Emma Malabuyo and Emily Lee.
“The fact that they have so much high-level experience out on the competition floor and even around the world is something that’s going to really help them transition well to the NCAA and really make the impact that we need them to make to be successful,” McDonald said.
Sumanasekera, Matthews and Sullivan will continue their journeys at the 2025 Xfinity U.S. Championships, taking place Aug. 7 to Aug. 10 in New Orleans.
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