© Grace Chiu
INDIANAPOLIS, June 19, 2014 — Eleven current junior and senior national team members headline the field of 126 competitors at the 2014 USA Rhythmic Gymnastics National Qualifier, scheduled for June 21-22 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, N.Y. The 2013 U.S senior all-around bronze-medalist Cindy Lu of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, and 2014 Pacific Rim team and hoop gold-medalist Aliya Protto of Culver City, Calif./California Rhythms, headline the senior field. 2014 Junior Pan American Championships team gold-medalists Camilla Feeley of Lincolnshire, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, and Nastasya Generalova of Los Angeles/California Rhythms, lead the junior field. The two-day event showcases some of the USA’s top rhythmic gymnasts vying for a berth to the USA Gymnastics Championships July 15-19 in Louisville, Ky.
Also competing at the National Qualifier are Serena Lu of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, Brigita Budginas of Agoura Hills, Calif./Burlo Gymnastics, Gabrielle Lowenstein of Huntington Beach, Calif./Eurogymnastics, and Ekatherina Kapitonova of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, — all of whom won international medals this spring.
In Lake Placid, the event gets underway Saturday with the first half of competition starting at 10 a.m. On Sunday, the competition concludes with the remaining two apparatus (clubs, ribbon) starting at 9 a.m. Tickets are $10 per day for adults, and $5 for children under 10. Tickets are available on competition days at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
A complete list of participants is included below.
The National Qualifier is open to all Level 9 and 10 athletes in the Hopes, junior and senior age divisions. The top 23 junior and Hopes competitors qualify to the USA Gymnastics Championships and join Youth Olympic Games participant Laura Zeng of Libertyville, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, and Junior Pan American Championships silver-medalist Nicole Kaloyony of Woodbridge, Va./Gymnastics World, who have already qualified. The top 17 seniors at the national qualifier will continue on to the national championships, joining World all-around finalists Jazzy Kerber of Highland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, and Rebecca Sereda of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, as well as 2014 Pacific Rim Championship team gold-medalist Valeriya Sharipova of Livingston, N.J./unaffiliated.
Rhythmic gymnastics is characterized by grace, beauty and elegance combined with dance and acrobatic elements, while working with ribbons, balls, hoops, ropes and clubs in a choreographed routine to music. The choreography must cover the entire floor and contain a balance of jumps, leaps, pivots and balances. Only four of the apparatus are competed each quad, and the four for 2016 are hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon. Each movement involves a high degree of athletic skill. Physical abilities needed by a rhythmic gymnast include strength, power, flexibility, agility, dexterity, endurance and hand-eye coordination.
2014 2014 USA Rhythmic Gymnastics National Qualifier field roster
(by level; state; name, hometown, state/club)
Level 10
- California
Sofya Akimova, San Diego, Calif./San Diego Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy
Brigita Budginas, Agoura Hills, Calif./Platinum Gymnastics Academy
Heather Chan, South Pasadena, Calif./Platinum Gymnastics Academy
Andria Gao, San Diego, Calif./Magdalena Ecke YMCA
Nastasya Generalova, Los Angeles, Calif./California Rhythms
Catherine Gonzales, Long Beach, Calif./Eurogymnastics
Danielle Greenberg, San Francisco, Calif./Community Youth Center
Anfisa Kupriyanova, Pleasant Hills, Calif./Community Youth Center
Gabrielle Lowenstein, Huntington Beach, Calif./Eurogymnastics
Elizabeth Petrosyan, Los Angeles, Calif./Los Angeles School of Gymnastics
Aliya Protto, Culver City, Calif./California Rhythms
Florida
Liana Cliff, Jacksonville, Fla./World Rhythmics
Claudia Mandado, Sunny isles beach, Fla./Miami Gymnastics and Dance Academy
Pamela Tang, Valrico, Fla./Tampa Bay Rhythmics
Georgia
Aleksandra Ivanova, Marietta, Ga./Golden Ribbon Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Illinois
Natalie Bourand, Burr Ridge, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Masha Chaadayev, Vernon Hills, Ill./M & N Rhythmic Academy
Ugne Dragunas, Darien, Ill./Illinois Rhythmics Gymnastics Center
Camilla Feeley, Lincolnshire, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Evita Griskenas, Orland Park, Ill./Illinois Rhythmics Gymnastics Center
Alexandra Ladan, Glenview, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Kristen Shaldybin, Chicago, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Maryland
Masha Khmelniker, Ashton, Md./Capital Rhythmics
Mia Shparaga, Reisterstown, Md./Capital Rhythmics
Massachusetts
Regina Yu, Wayland, Mass./New England Sports Academy
Anya Zhang, Belmont, Mass./Rhythmic Dreams
Minnesota
Julia Garbuz, Eden Prairie, Minn./NorthWest Rhythmic LLC
Ariella Kudishevich, Eden Prairie, Minn./IGM Gymnastics
Sophia Popova, Minneapolis, Minn./Twin Cities Rhythmic
New Jersey
Nikita Tang, Basking Ridge, N.J./Isadora
New York
Ekatherina Kapitonova, Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora
Cindy Lu, Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora
Serena Lu, Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora
Allyson Roytburd, Brooklyn, N.Y./Isadora
Ronit Shamuilov, Brooklyn, N.Y./Isadora
Hannah Walter, Angola, N.Y./Gymnastics Unlimited-Orchard Park
Pennsylvania
Valentina Cherepanova, Philadelphia, Pa./Iliana Rhythmic Gymnastics
Ariel Goldberg, Southampton, Pa./Philadelphia Rhythmic Academy
Ekaterina Komarova, Holland, Pa./Philadelphia Rhythmic Academy
Michelle Kriner, Huntingdon Valley, Pa./Iliana Rhythmic Gymnastics
Virginia
Evgeniya Chernukhina, Manassas, Va./Iliana Rhythmic Gymnastics
Level 9
- California
Tatiana Abeshyan, North Hollywood, Calif./California Springs School of Rhythmic Gymnastics
Dasha Baltovick, RCHO Santa Fe, Calif./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Natalie Bazikyan, Glendale, Calif./Rhythmic Olympica
Gurmukhi Bevli, Bellflower, Calif./Eurogymnastics
Leah Bronstein, Agoura Hills, Calif./Burlo Gymnastics
Eliza Cohen, Los Angeles, Calif./California Rhythms
Kristina Elkin, Tarzana, Calif./California Rhythms
Sabrina Flora, Corona, Calif./Eurogymnastics
Isabella Franco, Los Angeles, Calif./Los Angeles School of Gymnastics
Rachel Jahr, Beverly Hills, Calif./Los Angeles School of Gymnastics
Elizabeth Khapsalis, Lake Balboa, Calif./California Rhythms
Elena Kharitonova, San Diego, Calif./San Diego Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy
Lili Mizuno, Petaluma, Calif./Rhythmic Academy of Marin
Alexandra Munson, La Mesa, Calif./San Diego Rhythms
Yu-Shing Ni, Santa Monica, Calif./California Rhythms
Diana Odajyan, Sun Valley, Calif./Los Angeles School of Gymnastics
Sonia Petrossian, Glendale, Calif./Josephson Academy of Gymnastics
Geena Poldnev, Los Angeles, Calif./California Rhythms
Elena Slobodyanyuk, San Diego, Calif./San Diego Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy
Kristina Sobolevskaya, Los Angeles, Calif./California Rhythms
Katya Souchitski, Beverly Hills, Calif./Los Angeles School of Gymnastics
Shannon Tsang, Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif./Eurogymnastics
Desiree Webb, Santa Monica, Calif./Josephson Academy of Gymnastics
Juliette Wong, Sunnyvale, Calif./Diana’s Rhythmics
Connecticut
Anna Grant, Rocky Hill, Conn./New England Sports Academy
Florida
Linda Dillon, Tampa, Fla./Tampa Bay Rhythmics
Katya Marlowe, Valrico, Fla./Tampa Bay Rhythmics
Kristen Ng, Wesley Chapel, Fla./Tampa Bay Rhythmics
Sydney Rhoads, Appollo Beach, Fla./Tampa Bay Rhythmics
Valentina Sola, North Miami Beach, Fla./Miami Gymnastics and Dance Academy
Georgia
Alexandra Volkov, Marietta, Ga./Golden Ribbon Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Idaho
Malgorzata Staszewska, Coeur D’Alene, Idaho/Lake City Rhythmic
Illinois
Joyce Chen, Vernon Hills, Ill./M & N Rhythmic Academy
Alexandra Dolgikh, Buffalo Grove, Ill./M & N Rhythmic Academy
Taylor Edelchik, Highland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Michelle Frenkel, Deerfield, Ill./Rhythmix
Molly Isley, Northbrook, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Samantha Kats, Buffalo Grove, Ill./M & N Rhythmic Academy
Iryna Kidyk, Wheeling, Ill./M & N Rhythmic Academy
Julia Los, Buffalo Grove, Ill./M & N Rhythmic Academy
Erin Tucker, Highland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Alexandra Vassilyeva, Glenview, Ill./Rhythmix
Millennia Zhou, Long Grove, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Maryland
Sofia Bzhilyanskaya, Germantown, Md./Elegance Gymnastics
Daria Mozolina, Poolsville, Md./Capital Rhythmics
Massachusetts
Laurie Chen, Concord, Mass./Rhythmic Dreams
Amanda Dai, Newton, Mass./Rhythmic Dreams
Amy Kaluzhny, Newton, Mass./Rhythmic Dreams
Ksenia Moskalenko, Newton, Mass./Rhythmic Dreams
Nadia Salie, Newton, Mass./Rhythmic Dreams
Melissa Wong, Canton, Mass./New England Sports Academy
Erica Wu, Weston, Mass./New England Sports Academy
Margaret Zhao, Newton, Mass./Rhythmic Dreams
Minnesota
Louisa Mamnev, Golden Valley, Minn./NorthWest Rhythmic LLC
Jadie Marquardt, Burnsville, Minn./IGM Gymnastics
Anna Stepanova, Minnetonka, Minn./IGM Gymnastics
New York
Jennifer Ayzman, Brooklyn, N.Y./Isadora
Karina Berezovsky, Bronx, N.Y./Liberty Academy
Alison Goldenstein, Woodmere, N.Y./Matchpoint NYC
Julia Khrakovsky, Brooklyn, N.Y./Matchpoint NYC
Bianna Krubitski, Brooklyn, N.Y./Matchpoint NYC
Gabrielle Ostrometsky, Brooklyn, N.Y./Matchpoint NYC
Yekaterina Ronin, Brooklyn, N.Y./Matchpoint NYC
Samantha Sterin, Staten Island, N.Y./Gold Ray Rhythmic
Alexandra Vool, Brooklyn, N.Y./Matchpoint NYC
Lillian Yang, Manhasset, N.Y./Isadora
Oregon
Kiana Killian, Portland, Ore./Rose City Performing Arts Collaberative
Pennsylvania
Mia Hawbaker, Pittsburgh, Pa./Pittsburgh Northstars
Angela Liu, Wexford, Pa./Pittsburgh Northstars
Elizabeth McCullough, Narberth, Pa./Bala Gymnastics
Michelle Pogosian, New Hope, Pa./Philadelphia Rhythmic Academy
Lilia Tamkovitch, Philadelphia, Pa./Iliana Rhythmic Gymnastics
Texas
Margarita Andrade, Frisco, Texas/Texas Rhythmic Academy
Faith Bolden, Fresno, Texas/California Rhythms
Michelle Kishinevsky, Plano, Texas/Rhythmic Ribbon of Texas
Donna Quedens, Frisco, Texas/Rhythmic Ribbon of Texas
Virginia
Connie Du, Fairfax, Va./Gymnastics World
Briana Wright, Woodbridge, Va./Gymnastics World
Olivia Xia, Herndon, Va./Gymnastics World
Washington
Milena Kolesnikova, Kirkland, Wash./Evergreen Rhythmics
West Virginia
Kristiana Slioutovskaya-Lopez, Princeton, W.Va./Princeton Gymnastics
Hopes
- Florida
Vasilisa Nestscheret, Surfside, Fla./Rhythmic Art
Illinois
Karrine Denisova, Wilmette, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Matylda Marszalek, Highland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
New Jersey
Elizaveta Pletneva, Caldwell, N.J./Liberty Academy