Everything was going according to plan until it wasn’t. With the 2025 Pan American Championships about to kick off in Panama City, all eyes were on Team USA’s stacked lineup. This gymnastics meet is one of the last big chances to impress before October’s World Championships in Jakarta. The stakes? Sky-high. And for the 2025 Senior Men’s Pan American Championships, one name that lit up the roster instantly? Asher Hong. But then, right before the action starts, the U.S. is hit with something unexpected and seriously disappointing that has shaken things up.

Asher Hong! Yep, the same Asher who helped the U.S. secure a team bronze at the 2023 World Championships and who’s been a standout at Stanford and a fan favorite for his explosive, clean routines is officially out of the gymnastics competition. Reason: Illness. No warning, no warm-up mishap, just a sudden setback that’s left a major hole in Team USA’s game plan.

Before this, Hong was slated to compete in every single event: Floor, Pommel Horse, Rings, Vault, Parallel Bars, and High Bar. His presence was everywhere. The strategy? It was built around him. Now what? Replacement! Now? Jun Iwai, the alternate who just went from standby to center stage. While he may not have Hong’s medal count (yet), Iwai’s been quietly grinding, and now the spotlight is his.

This isn’t just a fill-in job; it’s a high-stakes debut. With the team suddenly shifting gears, coaches will need to redraw the map fast, rework scores, and trust that Iwai’s nerves are as steady as his routines. But can Jun Iwai make the team win? Seems so!

Can Jun Iwai rise from alternate to all-around hero for Team USA?

Jun Iwai, the official alternate who’s just been thrust into the fray. At 18 years old, he recently made the senior national gymnastics team and earned his spot after strong performances at Winter Cup and other domestic events. He’s already claimed all-around gold at the 2024 Junior Elite Team Cup and earned international medals—bronze on floor and silver on horizontal bar at DTB Pokal—plus more hardware at the Osijek World Cup.

Now, he’s stepping in on multiple apparatus a week before the meet, pressure-cooker style. Has the U.S. ever dealt with a sudden withdrawal like this at the Pan American Championships? Rarely. In both 2022 and 2023, the U.S. senior squad brought home team gold, crushing it with steady lineups and standout names like Yul Moldauer and Shane Wiskus leading the charge in Medellin.

That winning rhythm seemed untouchable until 2024 flipped the script. Instead of a senior team, the U.S. sent only juniors to Santa Marta, breaking a streak that stretched back to 2017. The young guns held their own, no doubt, but with no senior team in the race, the title stayed off the table. Now, in 2025, all eyes are back on the seniors, except one key name has just dropped out.

Well, losing Hong at this stage stings. But Team USA has always been about depth, and with heavy hitters like Karnes, Christopulos, Burkhart, and Dang still in the mix, the mission hasn’t changed. If anything, the story just got more interesting. A late twist. A new face. And a chance for someone unexpected to step up and deliver under pressure. The question now? Can Team USA Men’s gymnastics turn this shake-up into a statement?