U.S. Women Shine with Gold and Silver at 2026 Pan American Championships

The U.S. women's gymnastics team enjoyed a triumphant day at the 2026 Pan American Gymnastics Championships held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as they secured both gold and silver medals in the all-around competition. Claire Pease, who had already contributed to Team USA's gold finish in the team event, clinched the individual all-around gold, while fellow American Charleigh Bullock took home the silver medal. Brazil's Thais Fidelis completed the podium with a bronze medal.

This achievement marks a significant milestone for the U.S. women, being the first time since 2018 that they achieved a 1-2 finish in the all-around, when Grace McCallum and Trinity Thomas accomplished the same feat. In the men’s all-around final later that day, Team USA's Yul Moldauer added a bronze medal to his collection, having already secured a bronze in the men's team event.

During the all-around competition, Pease set the tone right from the start with an exceptional performance on the vault, executing a Yurchenko double full and earning the highest vault score of the day at 14.166. Bullock, who had the top qualifying score, faced some challenges, scoring a 13.133 on her vault after a neutral deduction on her first attempt, but she managed to recover.

On the uneven bars, Bullock impressed with a competition-best score of 14.266, showcasing her technical skill. Pease also performed well on the bars, scoring 13.666, and will be competing for the uneven bars title on Sunday. On the balance beam, Pease scored the highest of the day with 13.533, while Bullock followed closely with a score of 13.333, setting her up for possible medals in the upcoming event finals.

As the competition wrapped up on the floor exercise, Pease needed a steady routine to secure her gold medal. Despite a minor misstep on her first tumbling pass, she finished with a score of 13.133, which was enough for victory. Bullock's routine earned her a score that was nearly two-tenths higher than Pease's but fell short due to the earlier deduction.

Looking ahead, Pease, Bullock, and U.S. teammate Simone Rose are set to compete in individual event finals this Sunday, with Pease aiming for medals on vault, bars, and floor, while Bullock will take on both beam and floor, and Rose will compete on vault, bars, and beam.