Utah Gymnastics Adds 'National Champion' To Elite 2021 Recruiting Class

After already securing the commitments from two of the nation's top youth gymnasts in Kara Eaker and Grace McCallum — both Olympic hopefuls — Utah got even better when it added Sage Thompson, Junior Olympic uneven bars national champion, to its class

The rich get richer.

For Tom Farden in just his sixth season as head coach of Utah gymnastics, he's looking to bring national prominence back to the program. The Red Rocks are the nation's winningest program with 10 national titles, but haven been shut out since 1995, earning second place five times since then.

While this year's squad, led by floor specialist Sydney Soloski and all-around talents Maile O'Keefe and Cristal Isa, has the talent to bring home a national championship, it may be the future that looks even brighter.

Farden secured the signatures of Kara Eaker and Grace McCallum, two of the top youth gymnasts in the nation who are Olympic hopefuls.

“This is a very special recruiting class,” he told the Deseret News back in November. “Couldn’t be more proud of a group effort in getting these athletes, these world champions, to commit.”

But now Farden can add one more to that group as the Red Rocks have secured a commitment from Utah native Sage Thompson, the Junior Olympic uneven bars national champion.

“We are thrilled to have Sage join this year’s top-notch signing class,” Farden said in a release. “It’s great to have a local standout and we cannot wait for her to continue her career as a Ute in front of her hometown friends and family. Sage is strong on all four events but especially on uneven bars. Her captivating skills and pristine execution could make immediate impacts.”

Utah Gymnastics, Best of Utah Title — Courtesy of Utah Athletics

Sage Thompson's Career Accolades

• 15-time Utah State champion and seven-time Region 1 champion.
• 3-time Junior Olympic national championships qualifier (2017-2019).
• 2019 Junior Olympic Championships — Gold Medal on bars; Tied for 6th in all-around; Earned spot on 2019 Junior Olympic Team.
• 2018 Junior Olympic Championships — 2nd on bars; 5th on vault.
• 2019 Nastia Liukin Cup — Silver medal on bars

According to the press release from Utah athletics...

Over the course of her club career, Thompson has totaled 15 first-place finishes and 10 runner-up finishes at the Utah State Championships. At the 2019 Utah State Championships, Thompson nearly swept the competition, taking home the all-around, vault, bars and floor gold medals, while earning the silver medal on beam. She was just as convincing the year prior after winning the all-around, vault and floor titles. She finished as the silver medalist on bars and beam to round out the meet. In 2017, Thompson won the all-around and vault title, and finished second on bars and beam.

Thompson is currently attending Skyridge High School where she holds a 4.0 GPA and is a two-time National Honors Society member. She trains at Olympus Gymnastics but prior to that, previously trained at All American Gymnastics for a large duration of her club career.

***Members of the 2021 recruiting class will not compete until the 2022 season***

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