LISBON, Portugal, March 11, 2019 – Alexandria Kautzman of Westlake Village, Calif./Burlo Gymnastics, won the junior rope title at the Lisbon (Portugal) International Tournament this past weekend. Ciel Arzandyan of Van Nuys, Calif./Rhythmic Academy of Los Angeles, brought home the ribbon bronze medal. Overall, the U.S. had Lennox Hopkins-Wilkins of Puyallup, Wash./Evergreen Rhythmics, competing in three senior event finals (ball, clubs and ribbon), and two juniors competed in all four event finals.

In the all-around, Hopkins-Wilkins finished 10th and all five U.S. seniors finished in the top 25 of the 59-gymnast senior field. For the juniors, Kautzman was fifth in the all-around, with Annaliese Dragan of Irvine, Calif./Nimble Rhythmic Gymnastics, Arzandyan, and Victoria Kobelev of Palm Coast, Fla./Rhythmic Art, finishing eighth, ninth and 10th, respectively. All eight juniors finished in the top 25 of the 100-gymnast junior field.

Kautzman won the junior rope title with her 15.733, finishing ahead of Israel’s Adi Katz (15.700) and Bulgaria’s Katrin Tsoneva (15.600). Dragan was fifth at 14.433. Arzandyan captured the ribbon bronze with a 14.533, and Dragan was sixth at 13.567. Katz was the ribbon champion (17.667), as well as for ball (17.933) and clubs (20.367). Kobelev was fourth in the ball final (15.100), with Kautzman in sixth (14.867). Kautzman just missed the junior clubs podium with her fourth-place finish (16.400), where Kobelev was sixth (15.800). For the seniors, Hopkins-Wilkins finished seventh in the clubs (17.733) and ribbon (15.500) and eighth in the ball (15.700) finals. The senior event champions were hoop, Boryana Kaleyn of Bulgaria; and ball, clubs and ribbon, Neviana Vladinova of Bulgaria.

The all-around placement and scores for the U.S. Team are below. Vladinova won the senior all-around title (80.250), and Katz was the junior all-around champion (69.150).

Seniors

  • Lennox Hopkins-Wilkins, Puyallup, Wash./Evergreen Rhythmics – 10, 65.350 (hoop, 16.250; ball, 16.700; clubs,17.250; ribbon, 15.150).
  • Nerea Francis, North Miami Beach, Fla./Miami Gymnastics and Dance Academy – 16, 59.400 (hoop, 15.250; ball, 15.300; clubs, 15.900; ribbon, 12.950).
  • Shannon Xiao, Fairfax, Va./Gymnastics World – 17, 58.950 (hoop, 15.950; ball, 15.350; clubs, 14.700; ribbon, 12.950).
  • Heather Chan, Irvine, Calif./Eurogymnastics – 18, 57.550 (hoop, 14.200; ball, 15.200; clubs, 15.550; ribbon, 12.600).
  • Helena Pavlovcic, Glendale, Calif./California Rhythms – 22, 54.700 (hoop, 13.700; ball, 14.750; clubs,13.650; ribbon, 12.600).

Juniors

  • Alexandria Kautzman, Westlake Village, Calif./Burlo Gymnastics – 5, 61.550 (rope, 14.550; ball,16.300; clubs, 17.100; ribbon, 13.600).
  • Annaliese Dragan, Irvine, Calif./Nimble Rhythmic Gymnastics – 8, 57.950 (rope, 14.250; ball, 13.650; clubs, 14.700; ribbon, 15.350).
  • Ciel Arzandyan, Van Nuys, Calif./Rhythmic Academy of Los Angeles – 9, 57.250 (rope, 13.550; ball,15.050; clubs, 13.050; ribbon, 15.600).
  • Victoria Kobelev, Palm Coast, Fla./Rhythmic Art – 10, 56.400 (rope, 12.450; ball, 15.100; clubs, 16.550; ribbon, 12.300).
  • Naomi Skotnikov, Highland Park, Ill./Vitrychenko Academy Corp – 13, 54.000 (rope, 12.400; ball, 14.000; clubs, 14.450; ribbon, 13.150).
  • Jenna Zhao, Burr Ridge, Ill./Vitrychenko Academy Corp – 14, 53.900 (rope, 11.700; ball, 14.300; clubs, 13.450; ribbon, 14.450).
  • Isabelle Richardson, Las Vegas, Nev./Eurogymnastics – 17, 53.350 (rope, 11.000; ball, 13.400; clubs, 14.200; ribbon, 14.750).
  • Esther Kiseleva, Wayne, N.J./Liberty Academy – 21, 52.600 (rope, 12.200; ball, 12.900; clubs, 14.550; ribbon, 12.950).

Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. The organization is committed to creating a culture that encourages and supports its athletes and focuses on its highest priority, the safety and well-being of the athletes. USA Gymnastics has taken specific, concrete steps to strengthen its safe sport policies and procedures. Former gymnast and business executive Li Li Leung begins her tenure as president and chief executive officer of USA Gymnastics on March 8. The organization’s disciplines include men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, acrobatic gymnastics and gymnastics for all (formerly known as group gymnastics). For more complete information, visit usagym.org.