Junior Gymnast Lavi Crain Secures Massive Win At 2025 U.S. Classic
While the nation's top senior athletes wait to take to the stage on July 19 at the 2025 U.S. Classic gymnastics competition, one junior gymnast is already turning heads in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.
14-year-old Lavi Crain claimed the junior all-around title on Friday, dominating the field by over two full points and finishing in the top two on every event but floor.
Crain, an athlete training at Great American Gymnastics Express (GAGE), posted a massive 54.450 to claim the all-around title, defeating Charleigh Bullock in second (52.650) and Kylie Smith (51.800) in third.
In the individual events, Bullock stunned fans and judges on uneven bars, posting a dominant 14.400 to claim the win by nearly a whole point. Caroline Moreau won the floor title, executing difficult tumbling to post a strong 13.500. Crain also won gold on vault and balance beam en route to her first U.S. Classic all-around title.
Lavi Crain (Blue Springs, Mo./Great American Gymnastics Express), silver medal winner Charleigh ... More Bullock (Spotsylvania, Va./Capital Gymnastics National Training Center) and bronze medal winner Kylie Smith (Loveland, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics) pose during the medal ceremony of the 2025 U.S. Classic junior sessionv held in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.
At just 14 years of age, Crain looked like a seasoned veteran on Friday in NOW Arena. But the Missouri native isn't just poised—her scores are internationally competitive. Her all-around score (54.450) would have challenged for the title at multiple major events.
Crain's total would have clinched the silver medal at the following major international senior events: the 2025 Asian Championships, Pan American Championships, and European Championships.
Tonight's win also marks her fourth straight all-around title in all four meets, maintaining an undefeated season.
She began the year with a win at the U.S. Winter Cup, posting the highest beam score of any age group. Crain then took her success across the pond, delivering gold at the Jesolo Trophy. In June, she again claimed gold at the American Classic. Today, she added another 2025 title to her trophy case.
With her win, Crain was the first athlete named to represent the U.S. at the upcoming Junior Pan American Games in late August. The event will mark the first continental championship of Crain's young and promising career.
She will be joined at the games by Charleigh Bullock, Kylie Smith, Addalye VanGrinsven, and non-traveling alternate Addy Fulcher.
However, before she heads to Paraguay with Team USA, Crain will go for her first national title at the U.S. Championships in New Orleans, scheduled for August 7-10. Unsurprisingly, Crain heads to Louisiana as the undisputed favorite for gold.
In 2025, Lavi Crain continues to put the gymnastics world on notice. Perhaps even more impressively, the 14-year-old phenom still has years to grow.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump's latest demand: Washington football and Cleveland baseball teams should change names back
CLEVELAND (AP) — President Donald Trump wants Washington's football franchise and Cleveland's baseball team to revert to their former names. Trump said on Truth Social on Sunday morning that 'The Washington 'Whatever's' should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team. There is a big clamoring for this. Likewise, the Cleveland Indians, one of the six original baseball teams, with a storied past. Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen. Their heritage and prestige is systematically being taken away from them. Times are different now than they were three or four years ago. We are a Country of passion and common sense. OWNERS, GET IT DONE!!!' Josh Harris, whose group bought the Commanders from former owner Dan Snyder in 2023, said earlier this year the name was here to say. Not long after taking over, Harris quieted speculation about going back to Redskins, saying that would not happen. Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti indicated before Sunday's game against the Athletics that there weren't any plans to revisit the name change. 'We understand there are different perspectives on the decision we made a few years ago but obviously it's a decision we made. We've got the opportunity to build a brand as the Guardians over the last four years and are excited about the future that's in front of us," he said. Both teams have had their new names since the 2022 seasons. Washington dropped Redskins after the 2019 season and was known as the Washington Football Team for two years before moving to Commanders. Cleveland announced in December 2020 they would drop Indians. It announced the switch to Guardians in July 2021. In 2018, the team phased out 'Chief Wahoo' as its primary logo. The name changes had their share of supporters and critics as part of national discussions about institutions and teams to drop logos and names considered racist. The Guardians are the fifth name for Cleveland's baseball franchise. It joined the American League in 1901 as one of the eight charter franchises as the Blues. It switched to Bronchos a year later and used the Naps from 1903 through 1914 before moving to Indians in 1915. Washington started in Boston as the Redskins in 1933 before moving to the nation's capital four years later. Washington and Cleveland share another thing in common. David Blitzer is a member of Harris' ownership group with the Commanders and holds a minority stake in the Guardians. ___ AP sports:
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Report: Bengals to sign QB Desmond Ridder
The Bengals are bringing in another quarterback. Per Tom Pelissero of NFL Media, Desmond Ridder is signing with Cincinnati. It's a homecoming of sorts for Ridder, who played his college ball at the University of Cincinnati. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor was also Cincinnati's offensive coordinator and QBs coach when Ridder was being recruited. Ridder, 25, was a Falcons third-round pick in 2022. He started four games for the club in his rookie year and 13 in 2023. With the Falcons signing Kirk Cousins and drafting Michael Penix last year, Ridder was traded to the Cardinals. But he ended up with the Raiders, appearing in six games with one start last season. He completed 61 percent of his throws for 458 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in 2024. With Jake Browning solidified as Cincinnati's backup behind Joe Burrow, Ridder is likely competing to be the team's third quarterback. The Bengals also have Logan Woodside and rookie Payton Thorne on their roster at QB.
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
NFL teams open training camp, starting the long journey to Super Bowl 60 in San Francisco
The Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions already have kicked off training camp. Rookies for several other teams have also reported. All veterans across the league are due this week. The NFL season is underway. The road to San Francisco for Super Bowl 60 begins in the grueling summer heat. Some teams have new coaches. A couple of old coaches have new teams. Star players have switched uniforms. There are position battles to determine. And, plenty of storylines to watch. Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles aim for a repeat. Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs look to rebound after being denied the first three-peat in Super Bowl history. Training camp dates The Chargers and Lions were the first teams to have their full roster in camp. The Cowboys and Chiefs will have theirs on Monday. The rest of the league starts Tuesday. The Falcons and Steelers arrive Wednesday. Jim Harbaugh's Chargers face off against Dan Campbell's Lions in the Hall of Fame game on July 31 in Canton, Ohio. A pair of division rivalry games will open the season. The Eagles will host Dallas to begin the regular season on Sept. 4. The Chiefs and Chargers meet in Brazil the following night. New head coaches Pete Carroll is back in the NFL with the Las Vegas Raiders after just one year out of coaching. Carroll, who turns 74 in September, has a tough task building the Raiders into a playoff contender in a difficult division. Former Patriots star linebacker Mike Vrabel takes over in New England, replacing Jerod Mayo, who lasted one season after replacing Bill Belichick. The Bears turned to former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. The Jets hired former Lions DC Aaron Glenn. Kellen Moore left Philadelphia after one championship season to take over in New Orleans. Liam Cohen's success as Tampa Bay's OC landed him the head job in Jacksonville. Jerry Jones gave Brian Schottenheimer a chance to lead Dallas. Teams with new quarterbacks The Steelers are going all-in on Aaron Rodgers, hoping the 41-year-old, four-time MVP can take them to the big game. The Raiders acquired Geno Smith, reuniting Carroll with the quarterback he chose to replace Russell Wilson in Seattle. Sam Darnold ended up with the Seahawks after a career-year in Minnesota. Joe Flacco is back in Cleveland where he was the NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2023. The Browns also traded for Kenny Pickett and drafted Dillon Gabriel in the third round and Shedeur Sanders in the fifth. Wilson and Jameis Winston ended up in New York, but the Giants also selected Jaxson Dart in the first round. Justin Fields has a third chance with the Jets. J.J. McCarthy is the man in Minnesota after he missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury. Saints rookie Tyler Slough gets an opportunity to replace Derek Carr, who retired. The Titans have No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward. Top camp storylines Some contract issues still need to be resolved. The Bengals have yet to sign first-round pick Shemar Stewart and they haven't agreed to a new deal with All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, who wants a raise after leading the league in sacks last season. The dispute with Stewart, a pass rusher the defense needs, isn't about money; it's about the team trying to insert language in Stewart's contract that would trigger the voiding of his salary guarantees with a breach or default by him. Another contract situation to watch involves Dallas. Micah Parsons is due for a new deal that's expected to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. T.J. Watt currently holds that distinction after Pittsburgh gave him a $123 million extension worth an average of $41 million per season. Jones waited too long on Dak Prescott and ended up making him the NFL's first $60 million man last season. Now, he's going to end up paying Parsons more than anyone else who doesn't play QB. Quarterback competition The Browns have to choose between Flacco, Pickett, Sanders and Gabriel. Veteran Daniel Jones is competing with Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis. Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in 2023, has been injured often and has a lingering shoulder problem. Shough and Spencer Rattler are battling in New Orleans. Wilson, Winston and Dart should make it a tough decision for the Giants. Ward has to beat out Will Levis in Tennessee. Joint practices With more teams opting to rest quarterbacks and key starters in preseason games, joint practices have become the way to prepare players for the regular season. A total of 29 teams have scheduled joint practices with other clubs. On the road Six teams - the Bills, Cowboys, Colts, Chiefs, Rams and Steelers - will spend their entire camp away from their facilities. Dallas, which trains in Oxnard, California, is the only team going out of state. Roster cuts Teams can carry a maximum of 90 players throughout training camp and for all of their preseason games. Rosters must be trimmed to 53 by 4 p.m. EDT on Aug. 26. ___ AP NFL:
