DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Oct. 12, 2017 – More than 200 athletes from 10 countries are scheduled to compete at the 2017 Pan American Gymnastics Championships, Oct. 13-15, at Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Fla. The three-day continental championships feature acrobatic and rhythmic gymnastics competition on both the junior and senior elite levels. In addition to elite, the acrobatic gymnastics field includes participants in the 11-16 and 12-18 categories. The Pan American Championships kick off tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. ET with the junior rhythmic competition. Fans can watch all the action live at usagym.org/17PAGU.

The United States’ 60-athlete delegation includes 2016 World silver medalists Axel Osborne and Tiffani Williams, both of Riverside, Calif./Realis Gymnastics, and 2017 World all-around, hoop and ribbon finalist Evita Griskenas of Orland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center. In addition to the U.S., the other countries expected to compete in the Pan American Championships are Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela.

The competition schedule is as follows.

Friday, Oct. 13

  • 9:30 a.m. ET– Junior rhythmic team and all-around finals and event qualification
  • 1:30 p.m. ET – Junior and senior rhythmic group all-around finals and event qualification
  • 3:30 p.m. ET – Senior rhythmic, acrobatic 11-16 qualifications
  • 6:30 p.m. ET – Senior rhythmic and acrobatic 12-18, junior and senior qualifications

Saturday, Oct. 14

  • 9:30 a.m. ET – Junior rhythmic team and all-around finals and event qualification
  • 1:30 p.m. ET – Junior and senior rhythmic group all-around finals and event qualification
  • 3:30 p.m. ET – Senior rhythmic, acrobatic 11-16 qualifications
  • 6:30 p.m. ET – Senior rhythmic, acrobatic 12-18, junior and senior qualifications

Sunday, Oct. 15

  • 9:30 a.m. ET – Junior rhythmic event finals, acrobatic 11-16 finals
  • 1:30 p.m. ET – Senior rhythmic event finals, acrobatic 12-18 finals
  • 5:30 p.m. ET – Rhythmic group event finals, acrobatic junior and senior finals

All times are Eastern and subject to change. For more information on the Pan American Gymnastics Championships, including a detailed schedule, please visit usagym.org/17PAGU.

USA Gymnastics is hosting the championships. Tickets for the event will be available on site at the Ocean Center Box Office, with a day pass available for $25 and an all-session pass for $40.

Acrobatic gymnastics combines the beauty of dance with the strength and agility of acrobatics. Routines are choreographed to music and consist of dance, tumbling, and partner skills. At the elite level, each pair or group performs a balance, dynamic and combined routine. Pyramids and partner holds characterize the balance routine, while synchronized tumbling and intricate flight elements define the dynamic exercise. An acrobatic gymnastics pair consists of a base and a top. A women’s group is comprised of three athletes – a base, middle and top partner – while a men’s group has four athletes, a base, two middle partners and one top partner.

Rhythmic gymnastics is characterized by grace, beauty and elegance combined with dance and acrobatic elements, while working with ribbons, balls, hoops, ropes and clubs in a choreographed routine to music. The gymnasts must show variety in the use of space, while performing intricate apparatus handling, dance combinations, and a balance of jump/leaps, rotations, and balance difficulties. Each movement involves a high degree of athletic skill. Physical abilities needed by a rhythmic gymnast include strength, power, flexibility, agility, dexterity, endurance and hand-eye coordination.

Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. Its mission is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport. Its disciplines include men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, acrobatic gymnastics and Gymnastics for All (formerly known as group gymnastics). For more complete information, visit www.usagym.org.