© Steve Lange

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Feb. 18, 2013 – Jazzy Kerber of Highland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, and Laura Zeng of Libertyville, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, won the senior and junior all-around titles, respectively, at the Rhythmic Challenge this past weekend at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Challenge, the first competition in the 2013-16 Olympic cycle, is part of the selection process for international competition for national team members.

In the senior division, Aliya Protto of Culver City, Calif./California Rhythms, took second, and Cindy Lu of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, finished third in the all-around.

Kerber scored a 59.250 in the all-around followed by Protto with a 54.950 and Lu at 53.250. Kerber had the highest score in all four individual events: hoop, 15.850; ball, 14.100; clubs, 15.350; and ribbon, 13.950. Protto’s event scores were: hoop, 14.050; ball, 13.100; clubs, 14.750; and ribbon, 13.050. Lu’s event scores were: hoop, 13.800; ball, 13.700; clubs, 13.250; and ribbon, 12.500.

The scores and ranking for the other members of the rhythmic national team who competed were: Ronit Shamuilov of Brooklyn, N.Y/Isadora, fourth 52.300; Daniella Romashin of Eden Prairie, Minn./NorthWest Rhythmic, fifth, 49.950; Kristen Shaldybin of Allston, Mass./Isadora, sixth, 44.400; and Hannah Walter of Angola, N.Y./Gymnastics Unlimited-Orchard Park, seventh, 42.550. Rebecca Sereda of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, competed in three events.

In the junior competition, Zeng won the competition with a score of 57.150. Serena Lu of Staten Island N.Y./Isadora, finished in second with a score of 52.100, and Brigita Budginas of Agoura Hills, Calif./Platinum Gymnastics Academy, was in third with a 48.650.

In conjunction with the Rhythmic Challenge, the USOTC also hosted the Rhythmic Invitational and Group Championships, a Junior Olympic level competition.

2013 Rhythmic Challenge
Colorado Springs, Colo.
Feb. 13-17, 2013

Senior division

    All-around
    1 Jasmine Kerber, North Shore, 59.250
    2 Aliya Protto, California Rhythms, 54.950
    3 Cindy Lu, Isadora, 53.250
    4 Ronit Shamuilov, Isadora, 52.300
    5 Daniella Romashin, NorthWest, 49.950
    6 Kristen Shaldybin, Isadora, 44.400
    7 Hannah Walter, Gymnastics Unlimited, 42.550

    Hoop
    1. Jasmine Kerber North Shore, 15.850
    2. Aliya Protto, California Rhythms, 14.050
    3. Ronit Shamuilov, Isadora, 13.850

    Ball
    1. Jasmine Kerber North Shore, 14.100
    2. Cindy Lu, Isadora, 13.700
    3. Aliya Protto, California Rhythms, and Rebecca Sereda, Isadora, 13.100

    Clubs
    1. Jasmine Kerber North Shore, 15.350
    2. Aliya Protto, California Rhythms, 14.750
    3. Cindy Lu, Isadora, and Daniella Romashin, Northwest, 13.250

    Ribbon
    1. Jasmine Kerber North Shore, 13.950
    2. Ronit Shamuilov, Isadora, 13.550
    3. Aliya Protto, California Rhythms, 13.050

Junior division

    All-around
    1 Laura Zeng, North Shore, 57.150
    2 Serena Lu, Isadora, 52.100
    3 Brigita Budginas, Platinum, 48.650

    Hoop
    1 Laura Zeng, North Shore, 14.750
    2 Brigita Budginas, Platinum, 13.750
    3 Serena Lu, Isadora, 11.850

    Ball
    1 Laura Zeng, North Shore, 13.800
    2 Serena Lu, Isadora, 13.550
    3 Brigita Budginas, Platinum, 11.800

    Clubs
    1 Laura Zeng, North Shore, 13.850
    2 Serena Lu, Isadora, 13.700
    3 Brigita Budginas, Platinum, 11.700

    Ribbon
    1 Laura Zeng, North Shore, 14.750
    2 Serena Lu, Isadora, 13.000
    3 Brigita Budginas, Platinum, 11.400