Reese Esponda emerged victorious at the 2026 U.S. Classic held in Hartford, Connecticut, delivering a career-best all-around score of 54.900. She edged out Olympic champion Jade Carey, who posted a strong 54.050, reflecting a notable improvement as she returns to elite competition. Esponda's winning margin was largely influenced by her outstanding floor routine, where she scored a meet-best 13.950. Zoe Molomo completed the all-around podium with a bronze medal, scoring 53.900.

The competition at the Classic also showcased specialist performances, with world champion Skye Blakely winning gold on both uneven bars and balance beam. Despite competing only on bars and beam, Blakely impressed with high difficulty and strong execution. Meanwhile, five-time World medalist Leanne Wong was limited to the balance beam due to a wrist injury, scoring 11.900.

Katelyn Ohashi made a significant comeback at the event, performing two strong routines on balance beam and floor. Although her combined score of 26.400 fell just short of the 26.800 qualifying mark for the upcoming U.S. Championships, her nearly two-point floor improvement over her American Classic performance signaled encouraging progress. Ohashi’s balance beam routine, in particular, was met with enthusiastic crowd support.

Looking ahead, the focus shifts to the 2026 U.S. Gymnastics Championships scheduled from August 6-9 in Phoenix, Arizona. This event will be critical as gymnasts vie for selection to the U.S. National Team and invitations to the World Team Selection Event. The culmination of this process will be the announcement of the six-gymnast U.S. team set to compete at the 2026 World Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands, making the upcoming championships a pivotal moment for Team USA.