Hampton, Va., May 11, 2012 – Four all-around champions in the Junior A, Junior B, Senior A and Senior B divisions were named at the 2012 Women’s U.S. Junior Olympic National Championships at the Hampton Roads Convention Center. The competition wraps up on May 12 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 determined on May 11 are as follows.

  • Junior A – Felicia Hano of San Gabriel, Calif./West Coast Elite, won the all-around title with a score of 38.200 and also won vault with a score of 9.800. Lexi Graber of Cape Coral, Fla./Southern Starz Gymnastics, took second in the all-around with a score of 37.700. There was a three-way tie for third place, all scoring 37.675, between Norah Flatley of West Des Moines, Iowa/Chows, Alexis Vasquez of West Des Moines, Iowa/Chows, and Grace Glenn of Southeastern. Anna Glenn of Charlotte, N.C./Southeastern, won the uneven bars title with a score of 9.575 while Flatley won beam with a 9.725 and Wynter Childers of Spearfish, S.D./Spearfish, won the floor exercise title with a score of 9.600.

    Region 8 won the Junior A team title with a score of 151.275, followed by Region 3 with 151.175 and Region 1 with a score of 151.125.

  • Senior A – Claire Boyce of Grapevine, Texas/Texas Dreams, won the all-around title with a score of 38.100. Baely Rowe of Federal Way, Wash./Auburn, took second in the all-around with a score of 38.050 and won bars with a 9.675. Taylor Allex of Becker, Minn./Classic Gym, finished third with a 37.975 and also won vault with a 9.750. Kamerin Moore of West Bloomfield, Mich./Gedderts Twistars, was fourth in the all-around with a score of 37.950. Nicole Medvitz of Paramus, N.J./ENA Paramus, won balance beam with a score of 9.500. Angela Cipra of Mesa, Ariz./Desert Devils, won the floor exercise title with a score of 9.700.

    Region 3 won the Senior A team title with a score of 150.775 followed by Region 5 with a 150.275 and Region 8 with a 150.200.

  • Junior B – Alicia Boren of Franklin Lakes, N.J./North Stars, won the all-around with a score of 38.325 and the floor exercise title with a score of 9.700. Rachel Gowey of Urbandale, Iowa/ Chow’s, took second in the all-around with a score of 37.975 and won beam with a score of 9.600. Julianna Cannamela of Waxhaw, N.C./Southeastern, took third in the all-around with a score of 37.950. Sydney Snead of Raleigh, N.C./Sonshine Gymnastics, finished fourth in the all-around with a score of 37.925. Kirah Koshinski of Orangeville, Pa./Northeast, won vault with a score of 9.800. Tiara Wright of Wilmington, Del./Parkettes, won uneven bars with a score of 9.625.

    Region 7 won the team title with a score of 152.150 followed by Region 8 with 151.550 and Region 3 with a 151.525.

  • Senior B – Charity Jones of Oklahoma City, Okla./Dynamo, won the all-around with a score of 38.525. Jones tied for first on floor (9.700) with Alyssa Nocella of Gilbertsville, Pa./Silvias. Jones also tied for first on vault (9.825) with Briley Casanova of Dallas, Texas/WOGA. Caitlin Atkinson of Houston, Texas/Cypress, finished second in the all-around with a score of 38.350 and she also won balance beam with a 9.500. There was a tie for third in the all-around between Sophia Lee and Rachel Daum, both scoring 38.250. Lee is from Plano, Texas/WOGA, and Daum is from Katy, Texas/Stars Houston. Mary Jane Horth of Akron, Ohio/Gym World Ohio, took first on bars with a 9.625.

    Region 3 won the team title with a score of 153.575 followed by Region 5 with 151.875 and Region 7 with a 151.100.

The Junior Olympic National Championships is the culmination 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 12 is: 11:30 a.m., Junior and Senior C, and 5 p.m., Junior and Senior D.

The U.S. 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 Women’s National Junior Olympic Championships. The JO-NIT was developed to allow an additional 192 athletes an opportunity to compete at the national level and 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 Nationals or the JO-NIT in the all-around qualify for that event. Competition is on May 13, at the Hampton Roads Convention Center.