INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The national championship hopes of 70 gymnasts will be decided at the 2009 Rhythmic National Qualifier being held July 18-19 at the Plainfield Recreation and Aquatic Center in Plainfield, Ind. The all-around competition will allow the top 25 juniors and 20 seniors in ranking order to earn a berth to the 2009 Visa Championships Aug. 12-15 in Dallas, Texas, where each hopes for a chance to win a national title and a spot on the U.S. National Team.
Those gymnasts who do not compete in the 2009 Rhythmic National Qualifier may petition for inclusion following the rules and policies of the rhythmic gymnastics program if they have recorded one equal to or greater than qualifying score during the 2009 season and meet one of three requirement: injured at the time of competition, recently competed in an international competition, or currently a member of the U.S. Rhythmic National Team. Among with 40 juniors and 30 seniors competing at the qualifier are Chicago Cup gold, bronze, and silver medalist Rebecca Sereda of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, Jazzy Kerber of Highland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, and Julie Zetlin, Bethesda, Md./Rhythmflex.
About
The 2009 Visa Championships, USA Gymnastics’ national championships, are Aug. 12-15 in Dallas, Texas. The U.S. champions for men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, acrobatic gymnastics and trampoline and tumbling are determined at the Visa Championships. Artistic gymnastics will be held at American Airlines Center, with rhythmic and acrobatic gymnastics and trampoline and tumbling at the Dallas Convention Center. The USA Gymnastics National Congress and Trade Show, held in conjunction with the Visa Championships, will also be at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel.
2009 Rhythmic National Qualifier Competitors
*Arranged alphabetically by division and state
Juniors
Danielle Johnson, Los Angeles, Calif./Los Angeles School of Gymnastics
Monica Khechumian, Glendale, Calif./Hollywood Academy of Gymnastics
Megan Kincaid, Los Angeles, Calif./California Rhythms
Meghan Lalor, Vista, Calif./Magdalena Ecke YMCA
Aliya Protto, Culver City, Calif./Hollywood Academy of Gymnastics
Sharon Dassouli, Northbrook, Ill./Illinois Rhythmics Gymnastics Center
Peggy Flavin, Downers Grove, Ill./Elite Sports Complex Inc.
Cailtyn Hillier, Lisle, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Jazzy Kerber, Highland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Madeline Peterson, Elmhurst, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Ilana Slutsky, Glenview, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Rachel Tsybulevsky, Chicago, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Liza Demyanov, Eagan, M.N./International Gymnastics of Minnesota
Ariella Kudishevich, Eden Prairie, M.N./International Gymnastics of Minnesota
Daniella Romashin, Eden Prairie, M.N./NorthWest Rhythmic LLC
Amanda Dai, Newton, Mass./Rhythmic Dreams
Elaine Dai, Newton, Mass./Rhythmic Dreams
Yulia Kisseleva, Needham, Mass./Fitness Elite
Amanda Ugorji, Cambridge, Mass./Gymnastics Academy of Boston
Alona Guseva, Rockville, Md./Rhythmflex
Carly Johnson, Dickerson, Md./Rhythmflex
Jessica Bogdanov, Brooklyn, N.Y./Isadora
Jane Braverman, Brooklyn, N.Y./Isadora
Alina Chmut, Rego Park, N.Y./Isadora
Azusa Cho, Astoria, N.Y./Aviator Sports and Recreation
Alisa Kano, Brooklyn, N.Y./Isadora
Diana Kim, Brooklyn, N.Y./Aviator Sports and Recreation
Lyrica Okano, New York, N.Y./Aviator Sports and Recreation
Alexis Page, New York, N.Y./Aviator Sports and Recreation
Olga Pavlenko, Flushing, N.Y./Isadora
Eberlee Santander, Bronx, N.Y./Aviator Sports and Recreation
Rebecca Sereda, Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora
Elizabeth Ukilis, Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora
Polina Kozitskiy, Fountainville, PA/Philadelphia Rhythmic Academy
Alison Alvarez, Midland, Texas/West Texas Tumbling Stars
Shelby Kisiel, Missouri City, Texas/North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Mattea Cavagnaro, Seattle, Wash./Evergreen Rhythmics
Katerina Furlong, BELLEVUE, Wash./Kortel Academy of Gymnastics
Amanda Tran, SHOre.ELINE, Wash./Kortel Academy of Gymnastics
Seniors
Nicole Chillingworth, Rolling Hlls Estates, Calif./Eurogymnastics
Rachel Girma, Moorpark, Calif./Los Angeles School of Gymnastics
Amanda Heinemann, San Rafael, Calif./Rhythmic Academy of Marin
Haile Lidow, Hermosa Beach, Calif./Los Angeles School of Gymnastics
Ren MacDonald, Los Angeles, Calif./Clubritmica
Nicole Minevich, San Diego, Calif./San Diego Rhythms
Anastasia Torba, Orinda, Calif./Allegro Rhythmics
Ivana Benson, Valrico, FL/Tampa Bay Rhythmics
Rachel Anderson, Naperville, Ill./Elite Sports Complex Inc.
JoAnna Arnold, Evanston, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Stephanie Baldwin, Winnetka, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Emily Barnett, Evanston, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Emily Kulas, Northbrook, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Marina Ljuboja, Highland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Michelle Przybylo, Glenview, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Samantha Banks, Long Lake, Minn./International Gymnastics of Minnesota
Sarah Kudishevich, Eden Prairie, Minn./International Gymnastics of Minnesota
Michelle Milstein, Eagan, Minn./International Gymnastics of Minnesota
Yuliya Aleksandrov, Belmont, Mass./Rhythmic Dreams
Elektra Markogiannakis, Randolf, Mass./Rhythmic Dreams
Julie Zetlin, Bethesda, Md./Rhythmflex
Brittany Bartley, Novi, MI/Oakland Rhythmics
Aimee Gupta, Ordchard Lake, MI/Oakland Rhythmics
Angela Lee, Woodside, N.Y./Isadora
Gabrielle Magid, Brooklyn, N.Y./Isadora
Louisa Armstrong, Brecksville, Ohio/Rhythmania
Katie Dalton, Litchfield, Ohio/North Coast Rhythmics
Manon Chaney, Gresham, Ore./Westside Dance and Gymnastics Acadamy
Shaina Clark, Woodburn, Ore./Westside Dance and Gymnastics Acadamy
Claire Skach, Portland, Ore./Westside Dance and Gymnastics Acadamy
Rachel Little, Frisco, Texas/Tampa Bay Rhythmics
Alexis Moore, Auburn, Wash./Evergreen Rhythmics