Top national events pushed back to 2021

USA Gymnastics said Tuesday it has canceled its national championships scheduled for June 4-7 in Fort Worth and will stage the event at the city’s Dickies Arena next year.

Li Li Leung, the federation’s CEO, said USA Gymnastics also will not hold its USA Classic event scheduled for May 23 in Hartford,

Conn., or its annual championship event for rhythmic gymnastics, acrobatics and trampoline and tumbling.

“In light of recent guidance from health experts, and after receiving feedback from our athletes and coaches, we believe it is in the best interest of our community to wait until 2021 to hold premier events,” Leung said.

The national championships, a key step on the way to the delayed

Tokyo Olympics, will be held June 3-6, 2021, in Fort Worth. The U.S. Classic will be reset for May 22, 2021, in Hartford. No dates or site have been announced for the rhythmic, acrobatics and trampoline and tumbling championships.

Tickets already purchased for the postponed 2020 events will be valid for next year, but ticketholders also will have the option to seek refunds.

Five-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles of Spring was seeking a record seventh U.S. individual all-around championship at the 2020 U.S. Gymnastics Championships.

Biles and two-time Olympian Sam Mikulak are expected to remain in the sport for the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics. Mikulak is also a six-time national all-around champion.

Tuesday's decision brings clarity to gymnasts and their coaches as they reset their training regimens amid the shutdown of virtually every gym in the country. Even after the Tokyo Games were postponed until July 2021, it was unclear whether USA Gymnastics would proceed with its major competitions at some point in 2020.