Wikipedia

Skye Blakely

Skye Amiel Blakely (born February 4, 2005) is an American artistic gymnast. She was a member of the teams who won gold at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, silver at the 2022 Pan American Championships, and bronze at the inaugural Junior World Championships.

Skye Blakely
Blakely at the 2024 U.S. Championships
Personal information
Full nameSkye Amiel Blakely
Country represented United States
Born (2005-02-04) February 4, 2005 (age 19)
Dallas, Texas USA
HometownFrisco, Texas USA
DisciplineWomen's artistic gymnastics
LevelSenior International Elite
Years on national team2018–present (USA)
ClubWorld Olympic Gymnastics Academy
College teamFlorida Gators (2025–28)
Head coach(es)Yevgeny Marchenko and Haiou Sun
Medal record
Women's artistic gymnastics
Representing the  United States
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2022 Liverpool Team
Gold medal – first place 2023 Antwerp Team
Pan American Championships
Silver medal – second place 2022 Rio de Janeiro Team
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Rio de Janeiro All-around
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Rio de Janeiro Floor exercise
Junior World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Győr Team

Early life

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Blakely was born to Steven and Stephanie Blakely in 2005 in Dallas, Texas and has one older sister, gymnast Sloane Blakely. She began gymnastics in 2008.[1]

Junior gymnastics career

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2018

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In early 2018 Blakely competed at the Buckeye National Qualifier and the WOGA Classic, where she placed sixth in the all-around. She later competed at International Gymnix where she placed fifteenth in the all-around and fifth on uneven bars.[2] In early July, she competed at the American Classic where she placed third in the all-around behind Kayla DiCello and Konnor McClain.[3] Later that month she competed at the 2018 U.S. Classic where she placed sixth in the all-around and third on vault.[4] In August Blakely competed at the 2018 U.S. National Gymnastics Championships. She finished in fourth place in the all-around behind Leanne Wong, DiCello, and Sunisa Lee and won silver on floor exercise and bronze on vault. As a result she was added to the national team for the first time.[5]

2019

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In February Blakely was named to the team to compete at 2019 L'International Gymnix in Montreal, alongside Olivia Greaves, Lillian Lippeatt, and Kaylen Morgan.[6] While there she helped the USA win team gold and individually she won bronze in the all-around behind Canadian Zoé Allaire-Bourgie and teammate Greaves. During event finals she won gold on vault and uneven bars.[7]

In June Blakely competed at the Junior World Championships Trials where she placed first in the all-around and was named to the team to compete at the inaugural Junior World Championships alongside Kayla DiCello and Sydney Barros.[8] While there she helped the USA win team bronze and individually she recorded the seventh highest all-around score but did not place due to DiCello and Barros both placing higher. During event finals she placed fourth on uneven bars and fifth on floor exercise.[9]

 
Team / all-around final
 
Uneven bars final
 
Floor exercise final
 
Floor exercise final
Blakely at the 2019 Junior World Championships

In July Blakely competed at the U.S. Classic where she placed fourth in the all-around behind Konnor McClain, Barros, and Greaves. She won gold on floor exercise and silver on vault.[10]

In August Blakely competed at the U.S. National Championships where she placed fourth in the all-around. She tied for second on balance beam with Ciena Alipio and behind McClain and won bronze on floor exercise. As a result she was added to the junior national team.[11]

2020

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Blakely competed at the WOGA Classic in February, earning an all-around score of 57.150 to place first in the junior division and outscoring the senior division as well.[12] In March Blakely was selected to compete at International Gymnix, taking place in Montreal alongside Konnor McClain, Kaliya Lincoln, and Katelyn Jong.[13] While there she helped the USA win team gold and individually she won gold in the all-around, silver on vault, uneven bars, and balance beam behind McClain, and bronze on floor exercise behind McClain and Bailey Inglis of Canada.[14]

Senior gymnastics career

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2021

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Blakely made her senior debut at the 2021 Winter Cup, finishing first on balance beam and tied for eighth on floor exercise with Amari Drayton.[15] She next competed at the American Classic where she placed first in the all-around.[16] As a result of winning, she was re-added to the national team. Blakely next competed at the GK US Classic, placing seventh in the all-around, as well as finishing third on uneven bars behind Kayla DiCello and Jordan Chiles.[17] At the National Championships Blakely finished seventh in the all-around. As a result, she was named to the national team and selected to compete at Olympic Trials.[18] At the Trials Blakely was injured during vault warmups and withdrew from both nights of competition.[19]

In September Blakely verbally committed to compete for the Florida Gators.[20]

2022

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Blakely returned to competition at the 2022 Winter Cup where she placed second in the all-around competition behind Konnor McClain. As a result she was selected to compete at the DTB Pokal Team Challenge in Stuttgart alongside McClain, eMjae Frazier, Nola Matthews, and Ashlee Sullivan.[21] As a team they placed first. In July she was selected to compete at the Pan American Championships alongside Kayla DiCello, Zoe Miller, Elle Mueller, and Lexi Zeiss.[22] On the first day of competition she won bronze in the all-around behind Flávia Saraiva of Brazil and teammate Zeiss and also on floor exercise behind DiCello and Saraiva. Additionally she placed fourth on uneven bars and seventh on balance beam.[23] During the team final Blakely competed on all four events helping the United States win silver behind Brazil.[24]

In October Blakely was selected to compete at the 2022 World Championships alongside Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Shilese Jones, and Leanne Wong, and traveling alternate Lexi Zeiss.[25] During the qualification round Blakely helped the USA qualify to the team final in first place. Individually she qualified to the balance beam final in second place behind Ou Yushan of China.[26] During the team final Blakely competed on the balance beam, helping the USA win their sixth consecutive team gold medal.[27] During event finals Blakely placed fifth on balance beam after falling off the apparatus.[28]

In November Blakely officially signed her National Letter of Intent with the Florida Gators with the intention of deferring enrollment until after the 2024 Olympic Games.[29]

2023

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In September, Blakely won silver medals on vault, uneven bars, and balance beam at the U.S. national championships.[30] She was selected to represent the United States at the 2023 World Championships alongside Simone Biles, Shilese Jones, Joscelyn Roberson, Leanne Wong, and alternate Kayla DiCello.[31] During qualifications she competed on uneven bars and balance to help the USA qualify to the team final in first place. During the team final she competed on uneven bars and helped the USA win their seventh consecutive World team title.[32]

2024

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Blakely began the season competing at the 2024 Winter Cup where she was the balance beam champion and placed second in the all-around behind Kayla DiCello.[30] She next competed at the Core Hydration Classic where she placed fifth in the all-around.[33] At the National Championships Blakely finished second in the all-around behind Simone Biles. Additionally she finished second on vault and third on the uneven bars and balance beam. As a result she qualified to Olympic Trials.[34] During podium training for the competition Blakely injured her right Achilles tendon and therefore withdrew from her second Olympic Trials, ending her bid for the Olympics.[35]

Competitive history

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Year Event Team AA VT UB BB FX
Junior
2018 WOGA Classic 6
International Gymnix 15 5
American Classic       20 5
U.S. Classic 6   19 10 9
U.S. National Championships 4   5 8  
2019 WOGA Classic      
International Gymnix        
Jr. World Championships Trials  
Junior World Championships   4 5
U.S. Classic 4   14 14  
U.S. National Championships 4 6 8    
2020 WOGA Classic  
International Gymnix            
Senior
2021 Winter Cup   8
American Classic   4 4   4
U.S. Classic 7   18 7
U.S. National Championships 7 17 8 10
Olympic Trials WD
2022 Winter Cup   7    
DTB Pokal Team Challenge  
Pan American Championships     4 7  
U.S. National Championships 6 5 9 6
World Championships   5
2023 Winter Cup 6  
U.S. Classic      
U.S. National Championships 4       21
World Championships  
2024 Winter Cup   10   8
U.S. Classic 5   16 6 8
U.S. National Championships         8
Olympic Trials WD

References

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  1. ^ "Skye Blakely". USA Gymnastics.
  2. ^ "2018 International Gymnix Results". The Gymternet. March 11, 2018.
  3. ^ "American Classic Hopes Classic Meet Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. July 7, 2018.
  4. ^ "2018 GK U.S. Classic Meet Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. July 28, 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 21, 2018. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  5. ^ "2018 U.S. Championships - Women Day 2 Meet Results - Multi" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. August 19, 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 20, 2018. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  6. ^ "USA Gymnastics announces women's spring international team assignments". USA Gymnastics. February 24, 2019. Archived from the original on August 12, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  7. ^ "USA wins four junior, senior event titles at 2019 Gymnix International". USA Gymnastics. March 10, 2019. Archived from the original on November 8, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  8. ^ "2019 U.S. Junior Worlds Trials Results". The Gymternet. June 15, 2019.
  9. ^ "2019 Junior World Championships Results". The Gymternet. July 2, 2019.
  10. ^ "Biles, McClain win all-around titles at 2019 GK U.S. Classic". USA Gymnastics. July 20, 2019. Archived from the original on April 20, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  11. ^ "Biles soars to sixth U.S. women's all-around title at 2019 U.S. Championships". USA Gymnastics. August 11, 2019. Archived from the original on April 20, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  12. ^ "2020 WOGA Classic Results". The Gymternet. February 4, 2020.
  13. ^ "U.S. women to compete in 2020 Gymnix International". USA Gymnastics. March 3, 2020. Archived from the original on April 4, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  14. ^ "USA wins senior and junior team titles, 10 individual titles at 2020 Gymnix International". USA Gymnastics. March 9, 2020. Archived from the original on March 23, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  15. ^ "2021 Winter Cup Senior Women Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-02-28. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
  16. ^ "Blakely claims 2021 American Classic senior all-around title, eight qualify to U.S. Gymnastics Championships". USA Gymnastics. April 24, 2021. Archived from the original on July 3, 2022. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  17. ^ "2021 GK US Classic" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-05-23. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
  18. ^ "Biles wins seventh national all-around championship, most in U.S. women's gymnastics history". USA Gymnastics. June 7, 2021. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  19. ^ "Texans Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles dominate first day of U.S. gymnastics Olympic trials". The Dallas Morning News. June 25, 2021.
  20. ^ @InsideGym (September 27, 2021). "Gator Watch! 🐊Skye Blakely has committed to the University of Florida" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  21. ^ "World team members Frazier, McClain headline women's contingent for upcoming DTB Pokal Team Challenge and Mixed Cup in Stuttgart". USA Gymnastics. March 1, 2022.
  22. ^ "World all-around bronze medalist DiCello to headline U.S. women's team at 2022 Pan American Championships". USA Gymnastics. July 6, 2022.
  23. ^ "U.S. seniors earn 14 medals, including five gold, on second day of Pan American Championships". USA Gymnastics. July 15, 2022.
  24. ^ "U.S. senior men win team title, women capture silver as Pan American Championships end". USA Gymnastics. July 17, 2022.
  25. ^ "USA Gymnastics names dynamic, new-look women's roster for Artistic World Championships". USA Gymnastics. October 22, 2022.
  26. ^ "U.S. women qualify to team and all individual finals at 2022 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships". USA Gymnastics. October 30, 2022.
  27. ^ "U.S. women capture record sixth-straight World Championships team title". USA Gymnastics. November 1, 2022.
  28. ^ "Malone golden on final day of Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, Carey and Chiles each add hardware". USA Gymnastics. November 6, 2022.
  29. ^ "Gators Sign Four". Florida Gators. November 9, 2022.
  30. ^ a b "USA Gymnastics | Athletes". members.usagym.org. Retrieved 2024-07-23.
  31. ^ "U.S. senior women's teams named for 2023 World Artistic Championships, Pan American Games". USA Gymnastics. September 20, 2023.
  32. ^ "Team USA women win historic gold at Artistic World Championships". USA Gymnastics. October 4, 2023.
  33. ^ "Biles wins senior all-around crown at 2024 Core Hydration Classic". USA Gymnastics. May 18, 2024.
  34. ^ "USA Gymnastics announces rosters for 2024 Olympic Team Trials – Gymnastics". USA Gymnastics. June 3, 2024.
  35. ^ "Skye Blakely withdraws from U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials after injuring her Achilles". NBC News. June 27, 2024.
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