09 March 2020

USA gymnast Morgan Hurd wins all-around title at American Cup

USA gymnast Morgan Hurd has won the all-around title at the American Cup in Milwaukee for a second time. 

The 18 year-old sealed what was her first international title of the season ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in the summer. 

Overall she scored a total of 55.832 with compatriot Kayla DiCello in second with 55.132 and Japan's Hitomi Hatakeda third with 53.799.

Hurd finished first in the uneven bars (14.100), second in the floor exercises (13.666) and third in the vault (14.333) and balance beam (13.733).

She said: "I guess I just have almost a different mentality. I’m learning to be calmer and just really telling myself that I’m really just in a practice, (that) I’m not even doing a meet. That’s what I kept telling myself all day."

Hurd failed to secure her spot in the six-woman world championships team last year.

And US national women's team coordinator Tom Forster has praised her efforts and said it was a 'watershed' moment for the youngster. 

He said: "This was her opportunity to state who she is as an athlete, not to be ignored. I think she felt ignored for not making the world team last fall.

"You never know how the athletes are going to handle that. Some get really sad and it kind of crumbles their self-confidence. Others get mad and do something about it. That’s what you hope for, and that’s exactly what she did. She made a statement."

Great Britain's Jennifer Gadirova finished in fourth place as she competed at senior level for the first time.

She said afterwards: "All I was thinking was just do what I needed to do. Coming in where I came in, it makes me believe in myself more, that I can do stuff now."

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