Dickies Arena to Play Host to US Gymnastics Championships

The national championships for junior and senior men’s and women’s gymnastics will be held at Dickies Arena Thursday through Sunday.

This event will help determine who will compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials set for June 24-27 in St. Louis.

Texas will be heavily represented at this year’s championships on the men’s and women’s sides. One of the athletes is Emma Malabuyo, 18, of Flower Mound.

This is a big deal with all the best gymnasts across the country and we’re all competing for a spot just to make it to the Olympic trials.

"We definitely take a lot of preparation for this. I mean, this competition…it even begins a year ago. We were already thinking, how do we train and how are we going to get into a routine shape?" Malabuyo explains.

Like so many athletes, Malabuyo had to wait to showcase her talents. The event was announced at the end of 2019, but it was postponed in 2020 due to the pandemic.

"It’s so hard from working really hard to get ready for this point to be ready for a competition and then for it to not happen, you kind of have to just go back down and say…okay, where do I find my motivation again?" she said. "You just kind of have to reset and think of things you can do to work hard in the gym and prepare for this."

Alissa Sanderson, Director of Marketing for Dickies Arena, said the arena is now operating at full capacity with social distancing encouraged in certain spots. Masks are required, as it has been requested by USA Gymnastics.

"I know that mask mandate is different in Texas, but we really want to be respectful of the event and their request. In the future, I think it will be determined by the event," Sanderson told NBC 5 Thursday.

Jason Sanders, Director of the Fort Worth Sports Commission, said the event is a chance to continue building the momentum for large scale events in the city.

"The events we’re hosting and what we’ve done over the last seven months in the middle of a pandemic, no other city in America has done that," Sands said. "We’re really putting ourselves on the map in our ability to host high-profile events, produce them well."

According to the USA Gymnastics website, the following athletes are set to compete over the four-day competition:

Texas (Women)
Sydney Barros, Lewisville, Texas/World Champions Center, senior
Simone Biles, Spring, Texas/World Champions Center, senior
Skye Blakely, Frisco, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics, senior
Jordan Chiles, Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre, senior
Amari Drayton, Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre, senior
Karis German, Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre, senior
Madray Johnson, Dallas, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics, junior
Katelyn Jong, Allen, Texas/Metroplex Gymnastics, junior
Avery King, Dallas, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics, junior
Kaliya Lincoln, Frisco, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics, junior
Emma Malabuyo, Flower Mound, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics, senior
Zoe Miller, Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre, senior
Ella Murphy, Frisco, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics, junior
Joscelyn Roberson, Texarkana, Texas/North East Texas Elite Gymnastics, junior
Katelyn Rosen, Boerne, Texas/Mavericks Gymnastics, senior

Texas (Men)
Caden Clinton, Cypress, Texas, Cypress Academy of Gymnastics, Level 10 junior elite
Evan Davis, Houston, Texas, University of Iowa, senior
Ian Gunther, Houston, Texas, Stanford University, senior
Dallas Hale, Frisco, Texas, WOGA Gymnastics, Level 10 junior elite
Asher Hong, Tomball, Texas, Cypress Academy of Gymnastics, Level 10 junior elite
Xander Hong, Tomball, Texas, Cypress Academy of Gymnastics, Level 10 junior elite
Cameron Lee, Frisco, Texas, WOGA Gymnastics, Level 10 junior elite
Kiran Mandava, Cypress, Texas, Cypress Academy of Gymnastics, Level 10 junior elite
Vishal Mandava, Cypress, Texas, Cypress Academy of Gymnastics, Level 10 junior elite
Logan McKeown, Austin, Texas, Crenshaw Athletic Club, Level 10 junior elite
Ian Sandoval, Frisco, Texas, WOGA Gymnastics, Level 10 junior elite
David Shamah, Frisco, Texas, WOGA Gymnastics, Level 10 junior elite
Aaron Stein, Houston, Texas, Houston Gymnastics Center of the JCC, Level 10 junior elite
Erich Upton, Richmond, Texas, Iron Cross Gymnastics, Level 10 junior elite
Colt Walker, Cedar Park, Texas, Stanford University, senior
Matt Wenske, Houston, Texas, University of Oklahoma, senior
Bryan Woffinden, League City, Texas, Thorntons Gymnastics Center, Level 10 junior elite
Dave Wolma, Cypress, Texas, Cypress Academy of Gymnastics, Level 10 junior elite

Tickets for the four-day event are available.

NBCSN will have TV coverage through Saturday. Coverage on NBC will be Sunday 1-2 p.m. CT for men and 6-8 p.m. for women.