Caylor, Richard Win All-Around, Lead U.S. to Team Gold in Rio

Dulcy Caylor

The first day of Pan Ams concluded today with all of the gold medals going to the United States, as both the women’s and men’s teams topped the podium along with Dulcy Caylor and Fred Richard winning the all-around titles.

The win for Caylor was a happy surprise, given that she not only just qualified to national championships at her first national team selection camp last week, but also that she got her elite qualification score just three months ago, and two months ago, she was still competing level 10, finishing second in the Junior B division at both regionals and nationals. Today’s competition marked Caylor’s official elite debut, and she approached it with the skill, confidence, and finesse of a true veteran.

Caylor, who had been at Texas Dreams since level 7, moved to World Champions Centre following a season of competing Hopes in 2021, and during this time she’s moved her scores from a consistent 48-49 all the way up to a consistent 51-52, which includes a 51.666 for today’s performance. She hit a Yurchenko double on vault and some clean but bouncy tumbling on floor, as well as the best elite-level beam routine of her career, earning a 13.133.

Her score put her less than a tenth ahead of Jesolo all-around champion Tiana Sumanasekera, who was excellent on her Yurchenko double for a 14.1, on beam, where she had a few bobbles and missed ring positions though gorgeous work on her layout series and a solid double pike for a 13.7, and on floor, where she nailed her double layout and had just small hops back on her other double saltos for a 13.3.

As usual, bars was Sumanasekera’s downfall, where it seems like a mistake held her low-difficulty routine back to a 10.467. Despite this being a significant weakness for her, with a hit routine (which usually means an 11-range score), Sumanasekera has already proven herself on several occasions to nonetheless be among the top all-arounders because she’s so good everywhere else. But a missed routine can be detrimental, taking her from a potential podium finish at the Winter Cup down to seventh place, and pushing her into the silver medal position here. Still, it was an excellent day overall for her, and her all-around successes become even more impressive knowing she’s getting them with bars scores that other gymnasts wouldn’t be able to afford.

Also representing the U.S. women’s team, which took the title with a 157.266, were Alicia Zhou and Audrey Snyder, both brand-new to the national team as of last week’s camp. Zhou most notably was gorgeous in her dance and expression on floor, where she also displayed perfection in her technique and earned a 13.0, and though both her bars and beam scores were a bit lower than what she’s capable of, she still managed a 51.433 to rank third, though was not eligible for a podium spot due to the two-per-country limitations. Snyder, meanwhile, did a fantastic job to rank fifth with a 50.767 after stepping in as an alternate due to an injury to Zoey Molomo in training. She had a strong Yurchenko full for a 13.333 and showed off solid tumbling on floor for a 12.9, qualified to the bars final, with the second-best score of the meet, and proved herself to be a reliable teammate, which is so valuable at this level.

Canada pulled off the silver medal in the team competition with a 146.899, led by national champion Victoriane Charron with a 48.466 and Elite Canada champion Tegan Shaver with a 48.333. Charron wasn’t at a hundred percent on bars or beam, though she had a strong floor performance for a 12.6, while Shaver was solid all day aside from beam. The team also saw elegant beam work from Cristella Brunetti-Burns, who earned a 12.967 toward her 46.634 total, while Evandra Zlobec was excellent on floor, earning a 12.833 with an 8.433 execution score, and a 46.633 total.

The ladies from Argentina finished in a close third, winning the bronze with a 146.067. They looked like they might actually take the silver, but some last-minute falls on beam held them back a bit from taking advantage of what could have been a much higher score.

Stunning the crowd was Isabella Ajalla, this year’s South American Junior Games bars and beam champion. She won the all-around bronze at home in Rosario three months ago, and got it again here with a 50.934 after an impressive performance, especially on beam, where she was so fluid in her connections and artistic in all of her movements to earn a 13.4, and on floor, where her performance was one of the highlights of the competition and her tumbling – a double tuck, 2½, 1½ to front tuck, and double full – was super clean to earn a 12.667.

Argentina also had fantastic work from Mia Mainardi, the South American Junior Games all-around, vault, and floor champion who ranked seventh here with a 49.100. She was pretty solid throughout the day, but had a few small and uncharacteristic issues, especially with her landings on vault and floor, which weren’t bad but also weren’t as tight as she’s capable of, which held her back a bit, though she still had great success in qualifying for apparatus finals, making it in on bars, beam, and floor.

Nicole Iribarne and Mia Corrente rounded out the team, with Iribarne putting up a 45.466 after putting up her strongest work on vault and floor, though she had a pause on the low bar on bars and a fall on beam, while Corrente earned a 40.834, her total brought down by a fall on bars and then four falls in her heartbreaking beam set, which started out strong with a layout stepout mount and solid flight series, but quickly devolved into chaos, including a really hard fall on her switch leap – she missed her feet and landed hard on her knees – and then a frustrating mistake where she walked backwards off of the end of the beam during a choreo section. Still, she showed good promise on floor, and I hope the bronze medal was of some consolation after a tough day.

The Brazilians beat Argentina at the South American Junior Games in Argentina a couple of months ago, so it was only fair that Argentina beat Brazil in Brazil today! The host ladies were just a little out-of-step today, with their own struggles on beam making them unable to take advantage of Argentina’s rough day there today, and they finished fourth with a 145.399.

Their top performer was Andreza Lima with a 49.666. Lima missed a cross jump series on beam, though the rest of her routine went well, and she hit everything else well enough to rank sixth overall, including a great performance on floor that included an arabian double front, double pike, double tuck, and lots of fun turns, including a double L to double pirouette, a full hopped L turn out of a switch leap, and a Memmel to full pirouette, earning a 12.833.

Gabriela Rodrigues Barbosa, who won the silver all-around medal at the South American Junior Games, had the only hit beam routine today, where she earned a 12.367 for a routine that included a nice layout stepout mount, solid flight series, and a piked gainer full dismount. Her Yurchenko full had some form issues onto and off of the table, and she had some little things throughout bars, though her only big mistake came on floor, where she stumbled on her 2½ and put her hand down. Overall, she ranked ninth with a 48.333.

The others on Team Brazil were Josiany Calixto, one of my favorite beam workers who unfortunately had a wild fall on her triple wolf turn today, but came back with a mostly nice floor set, and Hellen Vitoria Silva, who was a little rough throughout the day, though she did some nice work on floor. The two ranked 14th and 16th with scores of 46.167 and 45.633, respectively.

Top all-arounders outside of the best four teams included Samantha Marín of Costa Rica with a 47.534, her teammate Lucía Solano with a 46.133, Gabriela Mendoza of Mexico with a 45.000, Brithany Herrera of Guatemala with a 44.633, and Lana Herrera of Panama with a 44.534.

The U.S. junior men finished about nine points ahead of the rest of the field with a 234.750, led by Richard with an 82.200, which I think is likely the best score of his career. Richard also posted the top score on every event but floor, where he finished second, making him a medal contender for all six of Saturday’s finals.

Toby Liang had a strong performance on floor despite his shorts hilariously falling off mid-pass, which was the only U.S. junior routine shown on the stream. Both he and Cole Partridge earned scores of 75.450, with the tie-breaker putting Liang in fourth and Partridge in fifth, while their younger teammate Nathan Roman finished 12th with a 73.550 after a steady day.

Canada really surprised me for second here. I was less familiar with their junior MAG program compared to other teams here, and while they didn’t have any major all-around standouts, all four of the guys did well enough to help the team push past a tough Brazil and Colombia, getting them to the silver medal position with a 225.850.

Xavier Olasz was the top performer for Canada, earning a 74.750 with his strongest work coming on floor and vault, while Kai Iwaasa put up a 74.300, Trentin Milligan earned a 72.800, and Victor Canuel posted a 72.200.

Despite a weak high bar program, Brazil started out strong on vault and came back with excellent rotations on floor and pommel horse to get the bronze with a 224.000, just under a point ahead of the Colombians, who got the upset over Brazil at the South American Junior Games.

Led by João Victor Perdigão with a 75.250 in the all-around, the team also included Bruno Silva with a 74.500, Kayke Santos with a 72.400, and Bernardo Ferreira with a 72.200. The highlight for me was definitely Perdigão’s simple but beautiful high bar set, and I loved enjoying all of the guys on floor, where Santos was a standout.

Though Colombia narrowly missed a team medal, the team took home two all-around medals from two of the youngest guys in the field, as 16-year-old Angel Barajas – the South American Junior Games all-around, floor, pommels, vault, p-bars, and high bar champion – won silver with a 76.350 while newcomer Camilo Vera, just 15, won bronze with a 76.100. It’s a massive result for both young men, who have the potential to bring Colombia to even greater heights in the sport. We didn’t get to see much of either, but luckily we did get to see high bar, where Barajas earned a 13.4 after catching both a Cassina and Kovacs to Kolman in his difficult – 6.0! – and exciting set.

Also representing Colombia were Jhordan Castro, who earned a 69.400, and Daniel Villa, who earned a 65.850.

Top competitors outside the best four teams included Ariel Villalobos of Costa Rica with a 75.100, Mario Alberto Rojas of Mexico with a 74.900, Juan Pablo Porras of Mexico with a 72.700, Luciano Flores of Chile with a 72.400, and Felipe Becerra of Argentina with a 70.500.

Results, including qualifiers to Saturday’s apparatus finals, are below. For more information about how to follow the rest of the meet, including tomorrow’s first day of senior competition, check out our coverage guide.

Women’s All-Around Results

1. Dulcy Caylor, United States, 51.666
2. Tiana Sumanasekera, United States, 51.567
– Alicia Zhou, United States, 51.433
3. Isabella Ajalla, Argentina, 50.934
– Audrey Snyder, United States, 50.767
4. Andreza Lima, Brazil, 49.666
5. Mia Mainardi, Argentina, 49.100
6. Victoriane Charron, Canada, 48.466
7. Gabriela Rodrigues Barbosa, Brazil, 48.333
8. Tegan Shaver, Canada, 48.333
9. Samantha Marín, Costa Rica, 47.534
– Cristella Brunetti-Burns, Canada, 46.634
– Evandra Zlobec, Canada, 46.633
– Josiany Calixto, Brazil, 46.167
10. Lucía Solano, Costa Rica, 46.133
– Hellen Vitoria Silva, Brazil, 45.633
– Nicole Iribarne, Argentina, 45.466
11. Gabriela Mendoza, Mexico, 45.000
12. Brithany Herrera, Guatemala, 44.633
13. Lana Herrera, Panama, 44.534
– Anelena Rodríguez, Costa Rica, 44.301
14. Tatiana Tapia, Panama, 44.300
15. Darielis Aviles, Puerto Rico, 44.200
16. Jimena Alzate, Colombia, 43.800
– Rachel Rodríguez, Costa Rica, 43.800
17. Oberlina Fuentes, Guatemala, 43.733
18. Mariana Alvarez, Mexico, 43.567
19. Khloe Timmer, Haiti, 43.367
20. Allanah Portalatin, Puerto Rico, 43.301
21. Jireth Gonzalez, Colombia, 42.933
– Katyna Alicea, Puerto Rico, 42.901
– Rebeca Menendez, Puerto Rico, 42.200
– Mariana Agudelo, Colombia, 41.666
– Natalia Flores, Mexico, 41.200
– Mia Corrente, Argentina, 40.834
22. Francesca Herou, Uruguay, 40.200
23. Francisca Namoncura, Chile, 40.167
24. Gabriela Carpio, El Salvador, 39.533
25. Karla Escoto, Dominican Republic, 38.000
– Isabella Correa, Colombia, 36.166
– Krystal Cancax, Guatemala, 33.267
26. Alejandra Jerez, El Salvador, 33.166
27. Valentina Chamorro, Nicaragua, 31.666

Women’s Team Results

1. United States 157.266
2. Canada 146.899
3. Argentina 146.067
4. Brazil 145.399
5. Costa Rica 140.334
6. Puerto Rico 130.668
7. Mexico 129.767
8. Colombia 128.765
9. Guatemala 121.633

Women’s Vault Qualification Results

1. Tiana Sumanasekera, United States, 13.833
2. Dulcy Caylor, United States, 13.650
3. Tegan Shaver, Canada, 13.250
4. Andreza Lima, Brazil, 12.866
5. Isabella Ajalla, Argentina, 12.750
6. Nicole Iribarne, Argentina, 12.733
7. Darielis Aviles, Puerto Rico, 12.650
8. Anelena Rodríguez, Costa Rica, 12.633
R1. Victoriane Charron, Canada, 12.583
R2. Lana Herrera, Panama, 12.417

Women’s Bars Qualification Results

1. Alicia Zhou, United States, 13.133
2. Audrey Snyder, United States, 12.367
3. Tegan Shaver, Canada, 12.133
4. Isabella Ajalla, Argentina, 11.867
5. Andreza Lima, Brazil, 11.833
6. Krystal Cancax, Guatemala, 11.667
7. Mia Mainardi, Argentina, 11.533
8. Evandra Zlobec, Canada, 11.533
R1. Gabriela Rodrigues Barbosa, Brazil, 11.500
R2. Rachel Rodríguez, Costa Rica, 11.467

Women’s Beam Qualification Results

1. Tiana Sumanasekera, United States, 13.700
2. Isabella Ajalla, Argentina, 13.400
3. Dulcy Caylor, United States, 13.133
4. Cristella Brunetti-Burns, Canada, 12.967
5. Gabriela Rodrigues Barbosa, Brazil, 12.367
6. Mia Mainardi, Argentina, 12.100
7. Brithany Herrera, Guatemala, 12.067
8. Samantha Marín, Costa Rica, 11.967
R1. Victoriane Charron, Canada, 11.933
R2. Andreza Lima, Brazil, 11.900

Women’s Floor Qualification Results

1. Tiana Sumanasekera, United States, 13.300
2. Alicia Zhou, United States, 13.000
3. Evandra Zlobec, Canada, 12.900
4. Andreza Lima, Brazil, 12.833
5. Isabella Ajalla, Argentina, 12.667
6. Victoriane Charron, Canada, 12.600
7. Mia Mainardi, Argentina, 12.600
8. Josiany Calixto, Brazil, 12.333
R1. Lucía Solano, Costa Rica, 11.833
R2. Darielis Aviles, Puerto Rico, 11.667

Men’s All-Around Results

1. Fred Richard, United States, 82.200
2. Angel Barajas, Colombia, 76.350
3. Camilo Vera, Colombia, 76.100
4. Toby Liang, United States, 75.450
– Cole Partridge, United States, 75.450
5. João Victor Perdigão, Brazil, 75.250
6. Ariel Villalobos, Costa Rica, 75.100
7. Mario Alberto Rojas, Mexico, 74.900
8. Xavier Olasz, Canada 74.750
9. Bruno Silva, Brazil, 74.500
10. Kai Iwaasa, Canada, 74.300
– Nathan Roman, United States, 73.550
– Trentin Milligan, Canada, 72.800
11. Juan Pablo Porras, Mexico, 72.700
12. Luciano Flores, Chile, 72.400
– Kayke Santos, Brazil, 72.400
– Victor Canuel, Canada, 72.200
– Bernardo Ferreira, Brazil, 72.200
13. Felipe Becerra, Argentina, 70.500
14. Renato Mendez, Chile, 69.400
– Jhordan Castro, Colombia, 69.400
15. Thiago Ognibene, Argentina, 69.350
– Yerioth Soto, Mexico, 69.250
– Fausto Latella, Argentina, 69.100
– Diego Espejo, Chile, 67.300
– Daniel Villa, Colombia, 65.850
16. Alejandro Mora, Costa Rica, 64.450
17. Sebastian Molina, El Salvador, 62.950
– Matias Casasola, Costa Rica, 60.950
– Nahuel Pardo, Argentina, 59.800
– Cristóbal Cuevas, Chile, 57.300

Men’s Team Results

1. United States 234.750
2. Canada 225.850
3. Brazil 224.000
4. Colombia 223.050
5. Mexico 216.850
6. Argentina 214.250
7. Chile 212.900
8. Costa Rica 200.500

Men’s Floor Qualification Results

1. Kai Iwaasa, Canada, 13.550
2. Fred Richard, United States, 13.450
3. Camilo Vera, Colombia, 13.250
4. Angel Barajas, Colombia, 13.200
5. Kayke Santos, Brazil, 13.050
6. Cole Partridge, United States, 12.850
7. Fausto Latella, Argentina, 12.800
8. Mario Alberto Rojas, Mexico, 12.750
R1. Xavier Olasz, Canada, 12.700
R2. Juan Pablo Porras, Mexico, 12.700
R3. João Victor Perdigão, Brazil, 12.700

Men’s Pommels Qualification Results

1. Fred Richard, United States, 14.050
2. Toby Liang, United States, 12.450
3. Nahuel Pardo, Argentina, 12.450
4. Bruno Silva, Brazil, 12.300
5. Camilo Vera, Colombia, 12.300
6. Trentin Milligan, Canada, 12.150
7. Xavier Olasz, Canada, 12.150
8. Bernardo Ferreira, Brazil, 12.000
R1. Mario Alberto Rojas, Mexico, 12.000
R2. Luciano Flores, Chile, 11.900
R3. Thiago Ognibene, Argentina, 11.900

Men’s Rings Qualification Results

1. Fred Richard, United States, 13.250
2. Ariel Villalobos, Costa Rica, 12.550
3. Kai Iwaasa, Canada, 12.500
4. Cole Partridge, United States, 12.500
5. João Victor Perdigão, Brazil, 12.450
6. Victor Canuel, Canada, 12.300
7. Thiago Ognibene, Argentina, 12.250
8. Camilo Vera, Colombia, 12.250
R1. Angel Barajas, Colombia, 12.100
R2. Bernardo Ferreira, Brazil, 12.050
R3. Juan Pablo Porras, Mexico, 11.900

Men’s Vault Qualification Results

1. Fred Richard, United States, 13.975
2. Luciano Flores, Chile, 13.825
3. Angel Barajas, Colombia, 13.600
4. Ariel Villalobos, Costa Rica, 13.575
5. Toby Liang, United States, 13.525
6. Yerioth Soto, Mexico, 13.475
7. Bruno Silva, Brazil, 13.475
8. Felipe Becerra, Argentina, 13.450
R1. Victor Canuel, Canada, 13.425
R2. Camilo Vera, Colombia, 13.400
R3. Mario Alberto Rojas, Mexico, 13.400

Men’s P-Bars Qualification Results

1. Fred Richard, United States, 13.700
2. Camilo Vera, Colombia, 13.400
3. Trentin Milligan, Canada, 12.900
4. Cole Partridge, United States, 12.850
5. Ariel Villalobos, Costa Rica, 12.750
6. Angel Barajas, Colombia, 12.700
7. Diego Espejo, Chile, 12.650
8. João Victor Perdigão, Brazil, 12.550
R1. Xavier Olasz, Canada, 12.500
R2. Luciano Flores, Chile, 12.450
R3. Mario Alberto Rojas, Mexico, 12.400

Men’s High Bar Qualification Results

1. Fred Richard, United States, 13.550
2. Angel Barajas, Colombia, 13.400
3. Toby Liang, United States, 12.500
4. Kai Iwaasa, Canada, 12.450
5. Ariel Villalobos, Costa Rica, 12.400
6. Mario Alberto Rojas, Mexico, 12.300
7. João Victor Perdigão, Brazil, 12.150
8. Cristóbal Cuevas, Chile, 12.100
R1. Xavier Olasz, Canada, 12.050
R2. Camilo Vera, Colombia, 12.050
R3. Bruno Silva, Brazil, 12.000

Article by Lauren Hopkins