© Esther Teijeira
CHICAGO, June 27, 2010 – Polina Kozitskiy of Fountainville, Pa., will represent the United States in rhythmic gymnastics at the first-ever Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, August 14-26. The United States qualified to the Youth Olympic Games at the 2009 Junior Pan American Championships. The USA will also send Jesse Glenn in men’s gymnastics and a men’s trampolinist, who will be announced in the near future.
Kozitskiy, who trains at Philadelphia Rhythmic Academy, won the all-around at the 2010 Chicago Cup Level 10 Invitational, one of three qualifying events in the U.S. rhythmic Youth Olympic Games selection process. At the 2009 Junior Pan American Championships, Kozitskiy won the clubs title and placed second in both the all-around and rope. Selection to the 2010 Youth Olympic Games was a combination of the best two all-around scores from three events. The other two events were the 2010 Rhythmic Challenge, Feb. 14 and the U.S. National Team April Selection Camp verification, April 6-11, both in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Alexis Page of New York City/Aviator Sports and Recreation was named the alternate.
To be considered for the Youth Olympic Games, U.S. rhythmic gymnasts had to meet the following criteria: be a current member of the U.S. Junior National Team, and meet the Youth Olympic Games age-requirement mandate, being born between born between 1 January 1995 and 31 December 1995.
Background information
The U.S. Olympic Committee will send a team of nearly 80 athletes to the 2010 Youth Olympic Games, which begins with the Opening Ceremony on August 14. The USA will send three athletes in gymnastics, one for each of three disciplines: men’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics and men’s trampoline.
The Youth Olympic Games is an international multi-sport event of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that will bring together 3,600 athletes (between the ages of 14 and 18) from all 205 National Olympic Committees and competing in the 26 sports of the 2012 Olympic Games in London. The Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games run from Aug. 14-26 and feature a cultural and education program, with the goal of increasing participants’ awareness of the Olympic values and topics, such as healthy lifestyles and the fight against doping.
For more information on the Youth Olympic Games, visit www.olympic.org/youtholympicgames.