Julie Zetlin
© Grace Chiu

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Feb. 9, 2012 – 2011 Pan American Games all-around champion Julie Zetlin of Bethesda, Md./Capital Rhythmics, and 2011 junior U.S. all-around champion Rebecca Sereda of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, are among the 17 elite rhythmic gymnasts scheduled to compete in the 2012 Rhythmic Challenge, Feb. 15-19, at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

As the first national rhythmic competition of the year, held in conjunction with the Rhythmic Challenge, the USOTC will also host the Rhythmic Invitational and Group Championships, which are to include 260 additional rhythmic gymnasts (Levels 6-10), making this the largest field ever to compete at the event.

In addition to Zetlin and Sereda, the other national team members competing in the Rhythmic Challenge are: seniors – Polina Kozitskiy of Fountainville, Pa./Philadelphia Rhythmic Academy, Alexis Page of New York, N.Y./Aviator Sports and Recreation, and Hanna Walter of Angola, N.Y./Gymnastics Unlimited-Orchard Park; and juniors – Julia Garbuz of Eden Prairie, Minn./Northwest Rhythmic, Jazzy Kerber of Highland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, Cindy Lu of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, Serena Lu of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, Jennifer Rokhman of Northbrook, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, Monica Rokhman of Northbrook, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, Ronit Shamuilov of Brooklyn, N.Y./Isadora.

Both the Challenge and Invitational events feature an all-around format. Held at Sports Center 1, competition begins Saturday, Feb. 18, at 7:30 p.m. MT, and continues through Sunday, Feb. 19, starting at 2:15 p.m. MT. All events are open to the public and admission is free. Additional event information, including a full schedule, can be found here. Results will be posted following each day’s competition. Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. Its mission is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport. Its disciplines include men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, acrobatic gymnastics and group gymnastics. For more information, log on to www.usagym.org.

2012 Rhythmic Challenge participants
Arranged by level, organized alphabetically

Senior
Jessica Bogdanov, Brooklyn, N.Y./Isadora
Jazzy Kerber, Highland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Polina Kozitskiy, Fountainville, Pa./Philadelphia Rhythmic Academy
Cindy Lu, Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora
Alexis Page, New York, N.Y./Aviator Sports and Recreation
Aliya Protto, Culver City, Calif./Club Ritmica
Daniella Romashin, Eden Prairie, Minn./Northwest Rhythmic LLC
Rebecca Sereda, Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora
Hannah Walter, Angola, N.Y./Gymnastics Unlimited-Orchard Park
Julie Zetlin, Bethesda, Md./Capital Rhythmics

Junior
Brigitta Budginas, Agoura Hills, Calif./Platinum
Julia Garbuz, Eden Prairie, Minn./Northwest Rhythmic
Serena Lu, Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora
Jennifer Rokhman, Northbrook, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Monica Rokhman, Northbrook, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Ronit Shamuilov, Brooklyn, N.Y./Isadora
Laura Zeng, Libertyville, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center