COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., May 21, 2017 – 2016 Olympian Nicole Ahsinger of Lafayette, La./Trampoline and Tumbling Express, and three-time U.S. champion Jeffrey Gluckstein of Atlantic Highlands, N.J./Elite Trampoline Academy, won the women’s and men’s senior trampoline titles at the 2017 T&T Elite Challenge at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The other senior champions are: synchronized trampoline – Gluckstein, and Aliaksei Shostak of Lafayette, La./Trampoline and Tumbling Express (men’s), and Ahsinger and Clare Johnson of Huntsville, Ala./Merino Trampoline Gymnastics Academy (women’s); tumbling – Austin Nacey of Braidwood, Ill./Twiststars (men’s) and Angel Rice of Locust Grove, Ga./FlipCity South (women’s); and double mini-trampoline – Nacey (men’s) and Paige Howard of Mission Viejo, Calif./World Elite (women’s).
Ahsinger and Johnson clinched the women’s synchro title with a 125.300. Hally Piontek of Warrensburg of Mo./Kansas City Trampoline Club, and Jessica Stevens of Ellicott City, Md./Fairland Gymnastics, finished in the runner-up spot with a 54.700. For the men, Gluckstein and Shostak claimed the synchro crown with a 142.400 total. 2016 Olympian Logan Dooley of Lake Forest, Calif., and Cody Gesuelli of Schererville, Ind., both of whom train at World Elite Gymnastics, took second at 92.100, followed by Paul Bretscher of Knoxville, Tenn./Merino Trampoline Gymnastics Academy, and Isaac Rowley of Allen, Texas/Eagle Gymnastics Academy, in third (81.700)
Ahsinger won gold in the women’s trampoline final with a 154.290 total, finishing ahead of Johnson with 149.415, and Piontek with 149.405. Gluckstein was the men’s trampoline champion with a 167.145 total. Shostak took second at 165.180, and Gesuelli completed the top three with a 159.020.
Nacey nailed the gold for men’s tumbling, scoring a 144.300. Brandon Krzynefski of Centreville, Va./Capital Gymnastics, took the silver (141.000), with the bronze going to Alex Renkert of Indianapolis/Integrity Athletics (140.700). Rice won the senior women’s tumbling competition with a score of 128.100. Hope Bravo of Dallas/Eagle Gymnastics Academy, finished second (127.800). Eliza Floisand of Salt Lake City, Utah/Wasatch Trampoline & Tumbling, rounded out the top three at 125.100.
For double-mini, Howard’s 137.100 gave her the gold. Piontek captured the silver (135.400) and Kellyn Euhus of Byron, Ill./Wight Tumble Academy, garnered the bronze (132.200). On the men’s side, Nacey claimed the title with his 148.700. Renkert’s 147.500 landed him in second, and Trey Katz of Charleston, Ill./Kris Power Tumbling, was third with 143.700.
The T&T Elite Challenge is the second of three qualifying events for determining the athletes who will represent the United States at the 2017 World Games July 20-30 in Wroclaw, Poland. Athletes earn World Games bonus points based on performances at the 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. 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.