On the final day of junior competition Saturday at the 2023 Rhythmic Pan American Championships in Guadalajara, Mexico, the U.S. junior team raked in nine medals, while the senior delegation claimed three.

In junior competition, Rin Keys (Porter Ranch, Calif./Burlo Gymnastics) led the way with four individual event medals. After claiming all-around and team gold on Friday, Keys on Saturday won hoop (30.500) and ball (31.000), took silver on clubs (29.050) and bronze on ribbon (27.850). Megan Chu (San Diego, Calif./Pacific Stars Rhythmic Academy) won ribbon gold (29.750) and ball silver (30.000), while Erika Rusak (Auburn, Wash./Evergreen Rhythmics) claimed hoop silver (28.900).

The North Shore group of Goda Balsys (Northbrook, Ill.), Annabella Hantov (Northfield, Ill.), Kristina Lee (Woodridge, Ill.), Greta Pavilonyte (Buffalo Grove, Ill.) and Alaini Spata (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) added two more medals to the haul, taking five balls silver with a 27.050 and five ropes bronze with a 23.550. Brazil was first in both five balls (28.300) and five ropes (25.750) and Mexico was second in five ropes (25.250) and third in five balls (26.300).

In total, the junior delegation won 13 medals at this year’s Pan American Championships (see medal table, below).

On the senior side, Evita Griskenas (Orland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center) and Alexandria Kautzman (Simi Valley, Calif./California Rhythms) combined to claim silver in team competition with a score of 239.100, behind Brazil (251.900) and ahead of Canada (223.050). In addition to her team medal, Griskenas earned all-around bronze (123.100) behind Brazil’s Barbara Godoy (127.950) and Geovanna Santos (123.950).

Izzy Connor (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.), Daria Merkulova (Vernon Hills, Ill.), Gergana Petkova (Barrington, Ill.), Katrine Sakhnov (Glencoe, Ill.), Karolina Saverino (Elk Grove Village, Ill.) and Hana Starkman (Deerfield, Ill.) won group all-around bronze with an overall 51.300. The Brazilian group was first with a 60.850 and Mexico second with a 58.200.

Kautzman landed just off the all-around podium with a 116.000 but will advance to the clubs and ribbon final after ranking third (30.750) and fourth (28.500), respectively, on the apparatus. Griskenas will join her in Sunday’s finals after placing fourth (30.500) on clubs and second (31.100) on ribbon. The Senior National Group will also move onto finals following their third-place finish (23.150) in three ribbons and two balls qualifications.

Senior competition concludes Sunday. Results for the competition are available here, and live streaming of the event will continue here.

A complete list of medals won by Americans in junior competition at the 2023 Rhythmic Pan American Championships is below.

Gold (5)
Team: Megan Chu, Rin Keys, Erika Rusak
Ind. All-around: Rin Keys
Hoop: Rin Keys
Ball: Rin Keys
Ribbon: Megan Chu

Sliver (6)
Ind. All-around: Megan Chu
Hoop: Erika Rusak
Ball: Megan Chu
Clubs: Rin Keys
Group All-around: Goda Balsys, Annabella Hantov, Kristina Lee, Greta Pavilonyte, Alaini Spata
Group 5 Balls: Goda Balsys, Annabella Hantov, Kristina Lee, Greta Pavilonyte, Alaini Spata

Bronze (2)
Ribbon: Rin Keys
Group 5 Ropes: Goda Balsys, Annabella Hantov, Kristina Lee, Greta Pavilonyte, Alaini Spata

Photos by Ricardo Bufolin


Junior Hoop Medalists


Junior Ball Medalists


Junior Group 5 Ropes Medalists


Junior Clubs Medalists


Junior Ribbon Medalists


Junior Group 5 Balls Silver Medalists


Senior All-Around Medalists


Senior Team Silver Medalists


Senior Group All-Around Bronze Medalists