Malone out to early lead at US Gymnastics Championships

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Defending champion Brody Malone sprinted to the lead at the U.S. Championships, posting an all-around score of 88.942 in the last major tuneup before this fall’s world championships. Malone posted the highest score on the high bar — an event he won a bronze medal on at the 2021 world championships — and looked at ease in his role as the new standard-bearer for the men’s program following three-time Olympian Sam Mikulak’s retirement following the 2020 Olympics. Asher Hong, an 18-year-old competing at nationals as a senior for the first time, is in second after posting an 85.480 followed by Donnell Whittenburg at 84.774.