U.S. Women Win Team Title, Both All-Around Golds At 2014 Pac Rim Championships

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RICHMOND, B.C., Canada4 – The USA easily won the team title at the 2014 Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships at the Richmond (B.C., Canada) Olympic Oval. The United States also won both all-around gold medals, with Elizabeth Price of Coopersburg, Pa., and Bailie Key of Montgomery, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics, taking the top senior and junior honors, respectively. Competition continues tomorrow with the men’s team and all-around finals and the first day of rhythmic gymnastics competition. Fans can follow all of the action via a live webstream available through usagym.org.

In the team competition, the USA captured the title with a total of 237.000. Canada was second at 222.700, followed by China with 222.400.

In the all-around, the women took both the gold and silver medals for both the junior and senior levels. For the seniors, Price won the title with her 59.900, and Kyla Ross of Aliso Viejo, Calif./Gym-Max, claimed the silver at 58.700. The USA actually had the top three junior all-around scores, but medals are limited to two per country. Key’s 59.250 gave her the junior crown. Nia Dennis of Westerville, Ohio/Buckeye Gymnastics, was second at 57.950, and Norah Flatley of Cumming, Iowa/Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance, had the third best score at 56.850. Peyton Ernst of Coppell, Texas/Texas Dreams, rounds out the U.S. team, but she did not compete on all four events. The all-around bronze medalists were Elisabeth Black of Canada for the seniors at 57.100, and China’s Lou Huan at 56.300 for the juniors.

The USA started on the balance beam, and Key set the stage by scoring 14.850. Her routine, which got the team’s highest mark, included a standing Arabian, a flip-flop, flip-flop layout series, and her dismount of two back handsprings to a triple full. Flatley’s 14.650 was the next highest. The remaining scores that counted toward the team were Ross’ 14.450, Price’s 14.100 and Ernst’s 14.050, bringing the team’s event score to

USA Gymnastics Names Women's Team For Pacific Rim Championships

© John Cheng / Filippo Tomasi

INDIANAPOLIS,  Indiana  –  2013 World all-around champion Simone Biles of Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre, 2012 Olympic team gold medalist Kyla Ross of Aliso Viejo, Calif./Gym-Max, and 2014 AT&T American Cup champion Elizabeth Price of Coopersburg, Pa./Parkettes, headline the six women slated to compete at the 2014 Pacific Rim Championships in Richmond, B.C., Canada, April 9-11.

Juniors Bailie Key of Montgomery, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics, Nia Dennis of Westerville, Ohio/Buckeye Gymnastics, and Norah Flatley of Cumming, Iowa/Chow's Gymnastics and Dance, have also been named to the team.

Earlier, USA Gymnastics announced the six men who will represent Team USA at the event: John Orozco of Bronx, N.Y./Team Hilton HHonors (U.S. Olympic Training Center), Alex Naddour of Gilbert, Ariz./Team Hilton Honors (USA Youth Fitness Center), and Chris Brooks of Houston/Team Hilton HHonors (Cypress Gymnastics), seniors; and Davis Grooms of Katy, Texas/Champions Gymnastics, Marty Strech of Fountain Valley, Calif./Azarian U.S. Gymnastics Training Center, and Alec Yoder of Indianapolis, Ind./InterActive Academy, juniors.

In rhythmic gymnastics, the United States team is Aliya Protto of Culver City, Calif./California Rhythms; Cindy Lu of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora; and Valeriya Sharipova of Livingston, N.J./Independent, seniors; and Nastasya Generalova of Los Angeles, Calif./California Rhythms, Ekatherina Kapitonova of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, and Brigita Budginas of Agoura Hills, Calif./Platinum Gymnastics Academy, juniors.

The U.S.'s junior rhythmic group will also compete, which includes Sophia Popova of Minneapolis, Minn./Twin Cities Rhythmic; Nicole Sladkov of Vernon Hills, Ill./M & N Rhythmic Academy; Elina Nikerina of Deerfield, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center; Nicky Wojtana of Plano, Texas/Texas Rhythmic Academy; Yelyzaveta Merenzon of Buffalo Grove, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center; and Emily Rakhnyansky of Brooklyn, N.Y./MatchPoint.

USA Gymnastics names 2013 Women's World Championships Team

Huntsville, Texas – 2012 Olympic team gold-medalists McKayla Maroney of Long Beach, Calif./All-Olympia Gymnastics Center, and Kyla Ross of Aliso Viejo, Calif./Gym-Max Gymnastics, are among the four women named to the U.S. Team for the 2013 World Championships, scheduled for Sept. 30-Oct. 6 in Antwerp, Belgium. 2013 U.S. all-around champion Simone Biles of Spring, Texas/Bannon's Gymnastix, Inc., and 2013 all-around bronze-medalist Brenna Dowell of Odessa, Mo./GAGE, complete the squad. The team was selected following the conclusion of the 2013 World Championships Team Selection Camp, held at the USA Gymnastics National Team Training Camp at the Karolyi Ranch, a U.S. Olympic Training Site, in Huntsville, Texas.

The 2013 World Championships is an individual championships, which means there is no team competition and each gymnast will be coached by her personal coach.

The competition schedule for the World Championships is: Sept. 30 – men's qualification, 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.; Oct. 1 – men's and women's qualification, 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.; Oct. 2 – women's qualification, 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.; Oct. 3 – men's all-around finals, 8 p.m.; Oct. 4 – women's all-around finals, 8 p.m.; Oct. 5 – event finals, men's floor exercise, pommel horse and still rings and women's vault and uneven bars, 2:30 p.m.; and Oct. 6 – event finals, men's vault, parallel bars and horizontal bars, and women's balance beam and floor exercise, 2:30 p.m. Based on the draw, the women are competing in the qualification round in: Subdivision 1, vault; Subdivision 3, uneven bars; Subdivision 4, floor exercise. The men's draw is: Subdivision 1, starts on parallel bars; Subdivision 3, parallel bars; Subdivision 4, floor exercise.

The members of the U.S. Men's Team for the World Championships are: Jake Dalton of Reno, Nev./Team Hilton HHonors (University of Oklahoma); Steven Legendre of Port Jefferson, N.Y./Team Hilton HHonors (Oklahoma); 2013 U.S. all-around champion Sam Mikulak of Newport Coast, Calif./University of Michigan; Alexander Naddour of Queen Creek, Ariz./Team Hilton HHonors (USA Youth Fitness Center); John Orozco of the Bronx, N.Y./Team Hilton HHonors (U.S. Olympic Training Center); and Brandon Wynn, Voorhees, N.J./Team Hilton HHonors (Ohio State University). The remaining alternates are: Eddie Penev of Penfield, N.Y./Team Hilton HHonors (Stanford University); and Paul Ruggeri of Manlius, N.Y./Team Hilton Honors (U.S. Gymnastics Developmental Center II).

The women's team was determined by the Selection Committee. The criteria considered when selecting the team included: results from the P&G Championships; hit consistency and results from past international and national competitions; D-scores for difficulty, and E-scores for execution; consistency; medal potential; composition of individual strengths among the team members; readiness to compete; etc.

Gymnasts Kyla Ross & Jordyn Wieber: 2013 ESPY Awards

Los Angeles, California - Olympian Gymnasts sixteen year Kyla Ross & eighteen year old Jordyn Wieber
looked beautiful as they attended the 2013 ESPY Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on July 17, 2013 in Los Angeles, California.

Kyla Ross wore a lovely black dress with black high heels while Jordyn Wieber wore a blue dress with black high heels.

Kyla Briana Ross born October 24, 1996 is an American artistic gymnast who is a member of the gold medal-winning US Women's Gymnastics team at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Jordyn Marie Wieber born July 12, 1995 is an American artistic gymnast who was a member of the gold medal-winning US Women's Gymnastics teams at the 2011 World Championships and the 2012 Summer Olympics. She was also the 2011 World Women's All-Around Champion.

Photos Credit: Getty Images

2012 Olympic team champions Maroney, Ross set to compete at Secret U.S. Classic

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – 2012 Olympic team gold-medalists McKayla Maroney of Long Beach, Calif./All-Olympia Gymnastics Center, and Kyla Ross of Aliso Viejo, Calif./Gym-Max, are among the field of competitors expected to compete at the 2013 Secret U.S. Classic, scheduled for July 27 at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Ill.

In addition to Maroney and Ross, 2013 AT&T American Cup all-around silver medalist Simone Biles of Spring, Texas/Bannon's Gymnastix, and reigning U.S. junior champion Lexie Priessman of Cincinnati, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics, are also in the field. Fellow U.S. Senior National Team members Madison Desch of Lenexa, Kan./Great American Gymnastics Express; Maggie Nichols of Little Canada, Minn./Twin City Twisters; Brenna Dowell of Odessa, Mo./Great American Gymnastics Express; Kennedy Baker of Flower Mound, Texas/Texas Dreams; and Peyton Ernst of Coppell, Texas/Texas Dreams, join the quartet.

The junior field has 46 athletes from 16 states, including all five members of U.S. Junior National Team: Nia Dennis of Westerville, Ohio/Buckeye Gymnastics; Laurie Hernandez of Old Bridge, N.J./MG Elite; Amelia Hundley of Hamilton, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics; Bailie Key of Montgomery, Texas/Texas Dreams; and Polina Shchennikova of Arvada, Colo./TIGAR.

The event, which features some of the USA's top female gymnasts, is the final qualifying event for women's gymnastics for the P&G Gymnastics Championships, which determines U.S. champions and national team members.

Single session tickets range in price from $20-$35 for the junior session and $25-$45 for the senior session, including facility fees. All-day tickets, which include admission to both the junior and senior elite sessions, are also on sale and range from $40-$69, including facility fees. To purchase tickets, visit www.SearsCentre.com, call 1-888-SEARS-TIX, or visit the KIA Box Office at the Sears Centre Arena. Group tickets may be purchased by calling 847-649-2368.

The July 27 competition schedule is 1 p.m. for the junior session and 6 p.m. for the senior session. All times are Central and subject to change. For more information, go to secretclassic.com.

The 2013 P&G Gymnastics Championships, scheduled for Aug. 15-18 in Hartford, Conn., is USA Gymnastics' national championships. For more information, go to pgchamps.com.

Background information

Sears Centre Arena. Sears Centre Arena is an 11,000-seat multipurpose family entertainment, cultural, and sports arena located in Hoffman Estates' Prairie Stone Business Park. The Sears Centre Arena, which opened in 2006, is designed to accommodate a variety of events including concerts, family shows and sporting events. For more information regarding the Sears Centre Arena and upcoming events, please visit the arena's website at www.searscentre.com.

World Sport Chicago. World Sport Chicago, the legacy of Chicago's 2016 Olympic bid, believes that sport has the power to transform lives and is dedicated to helping children in Chicago find a sport to meet their interests and abilities. The organization promotes the Olympic ideals of fitness, education and well-being by working with partner organizations to launch or expand sport programs for kids. WSC is working to introduce Chicago's youth to the fun and benefit of sports and the ideals of fair play, teamwork, respect and leadership. For more information, go to www.worldsportchicago.org.

USA Gymnastics announces women's European Tour team

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – After the March Women's National Team Camp at the USA Gymnastics Training Center at the Karolyi Ranch, an official U.S. Olympic Training Site, USA Gymnastics has selected eight women, who will represent Team USA the next two weeks at events in Italy and Germany. Olympic team gold-medalist Kyla Ross of Aliso Viejo, Calif./Gym-Max, headlines the squad.

Joining Ross in the senior division are AT&T American Cup runner-up Simone Biles of Spring, Texas/Bannon's Gymnastics; Brenna Dowell of Lenexa, Kan./Great American Gymnastics Express; Peyton Ernst of Coppell, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics; Maggie Nichols of Little Canada, Minn./Twin City Twisters; and Lexie Priessman of Cincinnati, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics, the reigning U.S. junior champion.

With their selection, Nichols and Ernst have been added to the U.S. Women's Senior National Team.

Amelia Hundley of Hamilton, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics, and Bailie Key of Montgomery, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics, will compete in the junior division.

The women will first compete at the 2013 Jesolo Trophy in Jesolo, Italy. Competition begins on March 23 with the team and all-around finals, followed by event finals on March 24.

The following week, the team will travel to Chemnitz, Germany, for a tri-meet with Germany and Romania. Members of the U.S. delegation will perform with German athletes to create a fourth, mixed team.

USA Gymnastics teams up with Dora the Explorer

USA Gymnastics has teamed up with Nickelodeon and Dora the Explorer to promote the health and wellness benefits associated with our sport. Check out the commercial below!