Minneapolis, Minn., May 10, 2013 – Four of the eight all-around champions in Junior A, Junior B, Senior A and Senior B were named today at the 2013 Women’s U.S. Junior Olympic National Championships at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The competition wraps up on May 11 with the final four divisions, Junior C, Junior D, Senior C and D. The two-day event features nearly 450 of the USA’s best Level 10 gymnasts, who compete on the highest level in the Junior Olympic program that is just under the elite level. The top four gymnasts in each age group make up the Junior Olympic National Team. The champions in the Junior A, Senior A, Junior B and Senior B divisions that were determined today are as follows.
Junior A – Lexy Ramler of St. Michael, Minn./KidSport Dynamos, won the all-around title with a score of 37.675 and the uneven bars title with a score of 9.450. Emily Gaskins of Coral Springs, Fla./Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy, took second in the all-around with a score of 37.650. Maggie Musselman of Crownsville, Md./Hill’s Gymnastics, took third in the all-around with a score of 37.525. Grace Waguespack of Longwood, Fla./Ace Gymnastics, took fourth in the all-around with a score of 37.475. On vault, Rachael Flam of Houston, Texas/Stars Gymnastics, won the vault title with a score of 9.675. Irina Alexeeva of Plano, Texas/WOGA, won the balance beam title with a score of 9.750. On floor, Nicole Biondi of Townsend, Mass./10.0, won the title with a score of 9.625.
Region 7 won the Junior A team title with a score of 150.650, followed by Region 5 with 150.525 and Region 3 with a score of 149.725.
Senior A – Kari Lee of Peoria, Ariz./Flames Arizona, won the all-around title with a score of 38.300. Kristen Nogaki of Orange, Calif./Wildfire, took second in the all-around with a score of 38.100 and won the uneven bars title with a 9.675. Madison Cindric of Lantana, Texas/Texas Dreams, finished third with a 38.050. There was a tie for fourth between Alyssa Shermataro of Rochester Hills, Mich./Olympia Gymnastics, and Bailey Gardner of Clio, Mich./Gedderts Twistars, both with a score of 38.025. Shermataro also won the title on balance beam with a score of 9.550. On vault there was a tie between Samantha Partyka of Katy, Texas/Champions, and Jillian Winstanley of Arlington, Mass./Gym and More, with matching scores of 9.800. There was a tie on floor between Lee, Partkya and Mackenzie Brannan of Austin, Texas/Capital Gymnastics, all with a score of 9.675.
Region 3 won the Senior A team title with a score of 152.550, followed by Region 5 with a 151.975 and Region 1 with a 151.175.
Junior B – Felicia Hano of San Gabriel, Calif./West Coast Elite, won the all-around title with a score of 38.200. Hano also won vault with her score of 9.875. Kennedi Edney of Chino, Calif./Precision, took second in the all-around with a score of 38.075. Edney also won the balance beam title with a score of 9.575. Reagan Campbell of Highland Village, Texas/Texas Dreams, took third in the all-around with a score of 37.975. Grace Glenn of Charlotte, N.C./NC-Southeastern, took fourth overall with a 37.675. On bars, Kyana George of McKinney, Texas/Metroplex, won the title with a score of 9.450. Melissa Reinstadtler of Brick, N.J./Rebound, took the floor exercise title with a score of 9.700
Region 1 won the Junior B team title with a score of 151.300, followed by Region 3 with a 151.175 and Region 8 with a 150.425.
Senior B – Maddy Stover of Fullerton, Calif./Wildfire, won the all-around title with a score of 38.250. There was a tie for second between Lindsey Lemke of Holt, Mich./R-Athletics, and Kaitlynn Hedelund of Chesapeake, Va./Excalibur, with a score of 38.100. Lemke also tied for first on floor with Aja Sims of Orlando, Fla./Brandy Johnson’s Gymnastics, with a score of 9.750. Nichole Guerrero, Dallas, Texas/Zenith Elite, took fourth in the all-around with a 38.075. Melissa Metcalf of Mesa, Ariz./Desert Devils, took top honors on uneven bars with her 9.70. Sims also took first on balance beam with a score of 9.725. Alyssa Jackson of Belton, Mo./Eagles, won the vault title with a score of 9.850.
Region 3 won the Senior B team title with a score of 152.125, followed by Region 1 with a 151.975 and Region 7 with a 151.450.
The Junior Olympic National Championships is the culminating event for the competitive season. The competition features eight age divisions (Junior A, Junior B, Junior C, Junior D, Senior A, Senior B, Senior C and Senior D), which are determined by age and birth date.
The competition schedule for May 11 is: 11:30 a.m., Junior and Senior C, and 5 p.m., Junior and Senior D.
The Junior Olympic National Championships is one of the national championships of USA Gymnastics, the sport’s national governing body in the United States. Many Junior Olympic champions have gone on to make the U.S. National Team and represent the United States in international competition and/or to compete in collegiate gymnastics. The Junior Olympic National Invitational Tournament (NIT) is held in conjunction with the Junior Olympic National Championships. The JO-NIT was developed to allow an additional 192 athletes an opportunity to compete at the national level. The competition features gymnasts who ranked eighth, ninth and 10th in the all-around in each of the eight age divisions at the Level 10 Regional Championships (provided they achieved a minimum all-around score of 34.00), plus any Regional individual event champions who did not qualify to the Junior Olympic National Championships or the JO-NIT. Competition is held on May 12, at the Minneapolis Convention Center.