The 10th World Games, the Olympic equivalent for non-Olympic disciplines and/or events, will take place July 20-30 in Wroclaw, Poland. Governed by the International World Games Association (IWGA) and recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), this multi-sport event is held every four years in the year following the summer Olympics. The World Games features competition in 37 sports with more than 4,500 athletes from around the world.

Four gymnastics disciplines with a total of 20 medal events are included in the program for the 2017 World Games. The breakdown of the 326 gymnasts participating is: 78 athletes, acrobatic gymnastics; 144, aerobic gymnastics; 24 athletes, rhythmic gymnastics; and 80 athletes, trampoline and tumbling. The United States qualified to send athletes for rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, and acrobatic gymnastics. Centennial Hall, a historic venue built in 1911, will serve as the site for all gymnastics events in Wroclaw.

The USA qualified for rhythmic gymnastics, which features individual events; acrobatic gymnastics in women’s pair, women’s group and mixed pair; and men’s and women’s double mini-trampoline, tumbling and synchronized trampoline. The World Games’ schedule features five days of gymnastics competition.

  • July 21 – qualifications and finals for rhythmic hoop and ball
  • July 22 – qualifications and finals for rhythmic clubs and ribbon
  • July 24 – qualifications and finals for acro’s women’s and mixed pairs, and men’s synchronized trampoline
  • July 25 – qualifications and finals for acro’s men’s pair and women’s group, and women’s tumbling and men’s double mini-trampoline
  • July 26 – qualifications and finals for acro’s men’s group, and women’s double mini-trampoline, men’s tumbling and women’s synchronized trampoline

Rhythmic gymnastics
Medals are awarded for each individual apparatus because the Olympic program includes only the all-around. The rhythmic competition for the 2017 World Games features 24 gymnasts and four apparatus: hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon. From the qualification round, the top eight gymnasts on each apparatus, with a limit of two-per country, advance to the finals. Scores do not carry over from the preliminary rounds. The top 21 athletes, max two per country, at the 2015 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany, qualified to the World Games. Two rhythmic spots are selected for continental representation and the last spot is for the host country. The USA qualified for the World Games based on Zeng’s eighth place finish in Stuttgart, the best in history for a U.S. rhythmic gymnast. Rhythmic gymnastics, the only gymnastics discipline represented at both the Olympics and World Games, was introduced to the World Games in Akita, Japan, in 2001.

Trampoline and tumbling
The trampoline field features 80 athletes competing in three disciplines: synchronized trampoline (40), double mini-trampoline (20); and tumbling (20). Ten athletes/pairs per discipline will compete in qualifying, in each discipline, the top eight athletes from preliminary competition, with a limit of one per country, qualify for finals.

A top-10 finish at the 2015 World Championships in Odense, Denmark (with a limit of one athlete/pair per country), earned an automatic berth to the World Games. For the USA, Austin White of Newport Coast, Calif., and Erin Jauch of Crystal Lake, Ill., won the men’s and women’s double mini-trampoline titles, respectively. Austin Nacey of Braidwood, Ill., finished eighth in men’s tumbling. Breanne Millard of Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., was 15th in women’s tumbling, allowing the U.S. to qualify based on the one per country rule. In synchronized trampoline, Shaylee Dunavin and Dakota Earnest of Plains of Texas/T&T Express, placed fifth for the women, Logan Dooley of Lake Forest, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics and Steven Gluckstein of Atlantic Highlands, N.J., finished eighth in the men’s competition.

Tumbling and synchronized trampoline have been included in the World Games since the event debuted in 1981. Double mini-trampoline was added to the World Games in 2001.

Acrobatic gymnastics
In 2017, 78 athletes make up the field for the five events: women’s pair, mixed pair, men’s pair, women’s group and men’s group. The women’s group has three gymnasts, and the men’s group has four gymnasts. The top four pairs/groups in the qualification round (which features one dynamic and one balance exercise) advance to the finals (one combined exercise). The U.S. will compete in mixed pair, women’s pair and women’s group disciplines.

The 2016 World Championships in Putian, China, was the qualification event for the World Games. In Putian, USA’s Tiffani Williams and Axel Osborne, both of Beaumont, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy, won the mixed pair silver medal, and Jessica Renteria and Maren Merwarth, both of San Antonio, Texas/Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio, finished fourth in the women’s pair competition. The U.S. women’s group of Londrea Garrett, Josephina Kievsky, and Emilia Segel, all of Columbia, Md./Emilias Acro Gymnastics and Cheer, placed ninth to earn the first reserve spot, which turned into a World Games berth after another country withdrew.

Acrobatic gymnastics first appeared at the 1993 World Games in The Hague, Netherlands.

Aerobic gymnastics
The aerobic gymnastics competition in Wroclaw will feature 144 gymnastics competing in five events: mixed pair, trio, group, step and dance. Six pairs/groups from each discipline will compete in qualifying with the top four advancing to the final. Federations qualified based on performances at the 2016 FIG Aerobic Gymnastics World Championships in Incheon, Korea. The U.S. is not participating in the aerobic competition.

The U.S. World Games Team selection criteria
The information below is a brief summary of how and where the U.S. World Games Team for rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, and acrobatic gymnastics will be determined. For the official and complete U.S. World Games Team selection procedures, please visit usagym.org.

Rhythmic gymnastics
2016 Olympian Laura Zeng of Libertyville, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, was selected to represent the USA at the 2017 World Games. The most decorated U.S. rhythmic gymnast in history, Zeng earned her spot on the World Games Team based on her recent international success. With her eighth-place finish at the 2015 World Championships, Zeng clinched the World Games berth for the U.S. and became the first rhythmic gymnast to qualify the United States for the Olympics since 2003. In 2016, she was the first American to win a rhythmic medal at a World Cup event, claiming two bronze medals at the Minsk World Cup. At the 2016 Olympic Games, Zeng finished 11th in the all-around, the best finish for a U.S. rhythmic gymnast since 1984. This year, she claimed two bronze medals at the 2017 Pesaro World Cup and finished fourth in the all-around, the highest finish ever by an American. She followed her World Cup success with a four-gold medal performance at the 2017 MTM Ljubljana International Tournament. In Ljubljana, Zeng won the all-around, hoop, clubs and ribbon titles, as well as placed third with the ball.

Acrobatic gymnastics
For acrobatic gymnastics, one women’s pair, one mixed pair and one women’s group will be selected to represent the United States at the 2017 World Games. The USA qualified for the World Games based on performances at the 2016 World Championships in Putian, China. The World Games Team will be named after the 2017 USA Gymnastics Championships, June 27-July 2 in Milwaukee, Wis.

  • A mixed pair, women’s pair and women’s group will be selected for the 2017 World Games Team. A maximum of one women’s pair, one mixed pair and one women’s group may be selected as non-traveling alternates.
  • The World Games Trials Series events are the Vegas Acro Cup, March 28-April 4, 2017, in Las Vegas, Nev., and the USA Gymnastics Championships, June 25-July 2, 2017, in Milwaukee, Wis.
  • Athletes will be chosen from among 2017 World Games Trials Series competitors by the Athlete Selection Committee. Scores and rankings at international and World Games Trials Series events are among the discretionary criteria utilized by the Selection Committee to determine the World Games pairs/groups and alternates.
  • The Selection Committee may consider petitions to the World Games Team from athletes who have legitimate injuries, illness or unusual circumstances, and who have demonstrated a high level of international potential within the last year.
  • Athletes must be at least 15 years old by Dec. 31, 2017.

Trampoline and tumbling
The U.S. qualified for eight trampoline spots, the maximum possible, at the 2017 World Games: double mini-trampoline – one male, one female; synchronized trampoline – one men’s pair and one women’s pair; and tumbling – one male and one female. The team will be announced at the conclusion of the 2017 USA Gymnastics Championships.

  • The top-ranked tumbling, double mini-trampoline and synchronized trampoline athletes from each gender/discipline based on their World Games selection score will represent the USA in the World Games. Bonus points earned at the World Games selection events will be added to an athlete’s total score at the USA Gymnastics Championships to determine the World Games selection score.
  • Athletes earn bonus points based on performances at three selection events: 2017 Winter Classic, Feb. 24-26, in Battle Creek, Mich.; 2017 Elite Challenge, May 18-21, in Colorado Springs, Colo.; and 2017 USA Gymnastics Championships, June 25-July 2, in Milwaukee.
  • For all disciplines and events, athletes must finish in the top three and reach minimum score requirements to receive bonus points: Winter Classic – 1st = 1.5 points, 2nd = 1 point, 3rd = .5 points; U.S. Elite Challenge – 1st = 3 points, 2nd = 2 points, 3rd = 1 point; and USA Gymnastics Championships – 1st = 4 points, 2nd = 3 points, 3rd = 2 points.
  • In synchronized trampoline, the pair must also achieve the minimum difficulty rating to receive bonus points. Horizontal displacement will be evaluated dependent on equipment availability.
  • To earn points at the 2017 Winter Classic the required combined score must be achieved in the preliminary round of two routines: synchronized with horizontal displacement – female (85.10/16.00), male (88.00/19.00); synchronized without horizontal displacement – female (82.00/16.00), male (85.80/19.00); tumbling ¬ female (63.00), male (68.00); and double-mini – female (69.00), male (72.50).
  • The target scores for the 2017 Elite Challenge and USA Gymnastics Championships are based on the three-routine combined total from the preliminary and final rounds: synchronized trampoline with horizontal displacement – female (131.50/13.00), male (136.50/15.00); synchronized without horizontal displacement – female (126.80/13.00), male (133.00/15.00); tumbling – female (126.00), male (136.00); and double mini-trampoline – female (138.00), male (145.00).
  • Athletes must be at least 17 years old by Dec. 31, 2017.

Key 2017 dates
A=acrobatics; R=rhythmic; TR=trampoline

February
24-26 – Winter Classic, Battlecreek, Mich. (TR)

March
28-April 2 – Las Vegas Acro Cup, Las Vegas, Nev. (A)

April
7-9 – Flanders International Acro Cup and World Cup, Puurs, Belgium (A)
28-30 – Baku World Cup, Baku, Azerbaijan (R)
28-30 – Corbeil Essones Tournament, Corbeil Essones, France (R)

May
2-7 – Sofia World Cup, Sofia, Belgium (R)
4-7 – Canada Cup, Calgary, Canada (TR)
12-14 – Portimao World Challenge Cup, Portimao, Portugal (R)
17-21 – Rhythmic National Qualifier, Lake Placid, N.Y. (R)
18-21 – Elite Challenge, Colorado Springs, Colo. (TR)
25 – Geneva International Acro Cup and World Cup, Geneva, Switzerland (A)

June
2-4 – World Challenge Cup, Guadalajara, Mexico. (R)
27-July 2 – USA Gymnastics Championships, Milwaukee, Wis. (A, R, TR)

July
20-30 – World Games, Wroclaw, Poland (A/R/TR)
20 – Rhythmic gymnastics – podium training
21 – Rhythmic gymnastics – qualification and final rounds for hoop, ball
22 – Rhythmic gymnastics – qualification and final rounds for clubs, ribbon
23 – Acrobatic gymnastics – podium training
23 – Trampoline/tumbling – podium training for synchronized trampoline, tumbling and double mini-trampoline
24 – Acrobatic gymnastics – qualification and final rounds for mixed pair and women’s pair
24 – Trampoline/tumbling – qualification and final rounds for men’s synchronized trampoline
25 – Acrobatic gymnastics – qualification and final rounds for men’s pair and women’s group
25 – Trampoline/tumbling – qualification and final rounds for women’s tumbling and men’s double mini-trampoline
26 – Acrobatic gymnastics – qualification and final rounds for men’s group
26 – Trampoline/tumbling – qualification and final rounds for women’s double-mini, men’s tumbling and women’s synchronized trampoline