Jessie DeZiel, Jessica Howe, Joanna Sampson, and Grace Williams

DALLAS, Texas, May 7, 2010 – Four of the eight all-around champions have been determined at the 2010 Women’s U.S. Junior Olympic National Championships at the Dallas Convention Center. The competition wraps up on May 8 with the final four divisions. 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 champions determined on May 7 are as follows.

  • Junior B – Jessica Howe (Watch Video) of WOGA in Plano, Texas, won the all-around title with 38.300 points, as well as had the highest score on floor exercise at 9.650. Brittany Franklin of Texas Dreams in Coppell, Texas, was second in the all-around with a 38.000. Taylor Harrison of World Class in Newport News, Va., finished third in the all-around with a score of 37.825. Megan Jimenez of Precision in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., took fourth overall with a score of 37.750. There was a tie for fifth between Rebecca McRobbie of WOGA and Kara Lovan of Triad from Ankeny, Iowa, at 37.725. Desiree Palomares of Charter Oak Gliders in Covina, Calif., finished first on beam with a score of 9.725. Baely Rowe of Auburn Gymnastics in Auburn, Wash., and Diana Mejia of Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland, Ore., tied for first on bars with a score of 9.550. Emma Sibson of Golden Grip in Plano, Texas, won vault with a score of 9.750.
    Region 3 won the team title at 152.600, followed by Region 1 and Region 5.

  • Senior B – Joanna Sampson (Watch Video) of Ricochets in Hatboro, Pa., finished first in the all-around with a score of 38.200. Lloiminicia Hall of Texas Dreams in Coppell, Texas, was second with a score of 38.025 and tied for first on floor with a 9.650. Cerise Witherby of Wildfire Gymnastics in Tustin, Calif., placed third in the all-around at 38.000. Rebecca Tutka of Parkettes in Allentown, Pa., took fourth in the all-around with a score of 37.975. Erica Oswalt of GymCats from Henderson, Nev., was fifth with 37.700 points. Diandra Milliner of Folger’s Gymnastics in Andover, Kan., took first on vault with a score of 9.950 and tied for first on floor with a 9.650 (there was a three-way tie on floor with Milliner, Hall and Rachel Updike of KGDC of Olathe, Kan.). Chelsea Tang of National Academy won the bars title with her 9.600, and KGDC’s Updike took top honors on beam.
    Region 3 took the team title with 151.650 pts, with Region 7 and Region 1 landing in second and third, respectively.

  • Junior A – Grace Williams (Watch Video) of Gedderts’ Twistars, in Lansing, Mich., won the all-around title with 38.175 points, as well as tied for the highest score on the uneven bars with a 9.500. Alex McMurtry of Richmond Olympiad in Richmond, Va., and Jenna Bresette of Great American Gymnastics Express in Blue Spring, Mo., tied for second in the all-around with a score of 37.775. McMurtry won vault with a score of 9.750. Maddi Desch, also of Great American Gymnastics Express, was fourth all-around with a score of 37.700 and tied Williams on uneven bars with a score of 9.500. Maggie Nichols of Twin City Twisters of Champlin, Minn., was fifth in the all-around with a score of 37.675. Ashley Tai of Technique finished first on the balance beam with a 9.675 and Simone Biles on Bannon’s took top honors on floor exercise with a score of 9.625. Haley Scaman of Illinois Gymnastics Institute of Westmont, Ill., tied for first on vault with a score of 9.750.
    Region 4 won the team title at 151.550, followed by Region 5 and Region 3.

  • Senior A – Jessie DeZiel (Watch Video) of Twin City Twisters in Champlin, Minn., finished first in the all-around with a 38.100, which included top honors in the uneven bars at 9.500. Ciera Perkins of GymCats in Henderson, Nev., was second in the all-around with a score of 38.000, tied for first on vault with a 9.750 and first on floor exercise with a 9.675. Samantha Musto of Atlantic Coast in Williamstown, N.J., placed third in the all-around with a 37.825, as well as first on beam with a 9.475. Kassandra Lopez of Tumbleweeds in Tucson, Ariz., took fourth all-around with a score of 37.800. Haley Watts of Southeastern in Matthews, N.C., took fifth all-around with a score of 37.775.
    Region 5 took the team title with 151.100 pts, with Region 1 and Region 8 landing in second and third, respectively.

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.

These gymnasts are vying to become Junior Olympic National Champions in the all-around, as well as in all four events: vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise. USA Gymnastics has eight regions, and the winning Regions will also be determined at the conclusion of the competition.

The competition schedule for May 7 is: 11:30 a.m., Junior and Senior A, and 5 p.m., Junior and Senior B. Champions are determined for each session. May 8 is: 11:30 a.m., Junior and Senior C, and 5 p.m., Junior and Senior D.

All tickets for the championships are general admission, and children under three years of age are admitted free. All tickets are day passes and the prices are: adult, $20 per session; and children (3-12 years of age) and seniors (over 65 years of age), $15 per session. A day pass for training on Thursday is $10.

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 9, at the Dallas Convention Center.