Julie Zetlin and Polina Kozitskiy
© Diane Bidermann

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., July 15, 2010 – 2010 Rhythmic Challenge all-around champion and Chicago Cup silver-medalist Julie Zetlin of Bethesda, Md./ Rhythmflex, and 2010 Youth Olympic Games qualifier Polina Kozitskiy of Fountainville, Pa./ Philadelphia Rhythmic Academy, headline an impressive field of 75 gymnasts expected to compete at the 2010 U.S. Rhythmic National Qualifier in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., at the Andover High School Field House, July 17-18. The Rhythmic Qualifier is the last opportunity for the country’s top rhythmic gymnasts to qualify for the 2010 Visa Championships, USA Gymnastics’ national championships, in Hartford, Conn., Aug. 10-14.

The field includes 15 members of the current U.S. National Team, including 2010 Chicago Cup silver-medalist Jazzy Kerber of Highland Park, Ill., and bronze-medalist Shelby Kisiel of Houston/ North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center. Reigning junior Chicago Cup and U.S. all-around champion Rebecca Sereda of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, has petition directly to compete at Visa Championships.

The Rhythmic National Qualifier consists of individual event and all-around competition. The competition schedule is as follows:

  • Saturday, July 17, rope and hoop – Junior Group A, 9 a.m., Junior Group B, 11:15 a.m., Senior Group A, 2:05 p.m., Senior Group B, 3:40 p.m.
  • Sunday, July 18, ball and clubs – Junior Group A, 9 a.m., Junior Group B, 11:15 a.m.; ball and ribbon – Senior Group A, 1:50 p.m., Senior Group B, 3:15 p.m.

Awards will be given each day following the conclusion of competition, with the all-around and Visa Championships qualifiers being determined following the two-day event.

The top 24 junior gymnasts and the top 20 seniors in rank order from the National Qualifier will advance to the 2010 Visa Championships. The total number of rhythmic participants at Visa Championships shall not exceed 25 juniors and 20 Senior. In the case of a current junior or senior national team member not competing in the National Qualifier, her space will be counted as part of the total number of slots.

The 2010 Visa Championships, USA Gymnastics’ national championships, features the country’s best gymnasts vying for national titles and spots on the U.S. National Team. Rhythmic gymnastics, which will take place Aug. 12-13, and trampoline and tumbling will be staged at the University of Hartford’s Chase Arena, while men’s and women’s gymnastics will be held at the XL Center.

2010 Rhythmic National Qualifier
Participants Roster

*Arranged alphabetically by state and last name

California
Jacqueline Buckley, Calabasas Hills, Calif./ Platinum Gymnastics
Brigita Budginas, Agoura Hills, Calif./ Platinum Gymnastics
Nicole Chillingworth, Rolling Hlls Estates, Calif./ Eurogymnastics
Margarita Cruz, Costa Mesa, Calif./ Eurogymnastics
Leora Feldman, Los Angeles, Calif./ California Rhythms
Shirley Gon-Gibbs, Culver City, Calif./ Los Angeles School of Gymnastics
Megan Kincaid, Los Angeles, Calif./ California Rhythms
Rachel Krugliak, Studio City, Calif./ Clubritmica
Anna Livshyts, Walnut Creek, Calif./ Allegro
Nicole Mezheritsky, Van Nuys, Calif./ Grace Academy
Nicole Minevich, San Diego, Calif./ San Diego Rhythms
Aliya Protto, Culver City, Calif./ Clubritmica
Aria Rodli, San Diego, Calif./ Emerald City Academy
Haley Shrader, Petaluma, Calif./ Aurora Rhythmics
Anastasia Torba, Loma Linda, Calif./ Allegro
Crysti Wang, Altadena, Calif./ Clubritmica

Florida
Ivana Benson, Valrico, Fla./ Tampa Bay Rhythmics
Rachel Little, Lithia, Fla./ Tampa Bay Rhythmics
Katya Marlowe, Valrico, Fla./ Tampa Bay Rhythmics
Tiffany Paul, Riverview, Fla./ Tampa Bay Rhythmics

Illinois
Rachel Anderson, Naperville, Ill./ Elite Rhythmics
JoAnna Arnold, Evanston, Ill./ North Shore Rhythmics
Emily Barnett, Evanston, Ill./ North Shore Rhythmics
Sharon Dassouli, Long Grove, Ill./ North Shore Rhythmics
Caitlyn Hillier, Lisle, Ill./ North Shore Rhythmics
Jazzy Kerber, Highland Park, Ill./ North Shore Rhythmics
Jennifer Rokhman, Northbrook, Ill./ North Shore Rhythmics
Monica Rokhman, Northbrook, Ill./ North Shore Rhythmics
Rachel Tsybulevsky, Chicago, Ill./ North Shore Rhythmics
Laura Tutunikov, Northbrook, Ill./ North Shore Rhythmics

Massachusetts
Zoe Davis, Newton, Mass./ Fitness Elite Training Center
Elektra Markogiannakis, Randolf, Mass./ Rhythmic Dreams
Ada Moisescu, Newton, Mass./ Rhythmic Dreams
Kristen Shaldybin, Allston, Mass./ Isadora

Maryland
Jenna Feeley, Germantown, Md./ Elegance Gymnastics
Lilia Gestson, Gaithersburg, Md./ Elegance Gymnastics
Carly Johnson, Dickerson, Md./ Capital Rhythmics
Masha Khmelniker, Ashton, Md./ Capital Rhythmics
Julie Zetlin, Bethesda, Md./ Capital Rhythmics

Michigan
Rina Adachi, Novi, Mich./ Oakland Rhythmics
Brittany Bartley, Novi, Mich./ Oakland Rhythmics
Aimee Gupta, Ordchard Lake, Mich./ Oakland Rhythmics
Alexandra Jankulov, Northville, Mich./ Oakland Rhythmics
Ksenya Masterova, Livonia, Mich./ Oakland Rhythmics

Minnesota
Samantha Banks, Long Lake, Minn./ IGM Gymnastics
Liza Demyanov, Eagan, Minn./ IGM Gymnastics
Julia Garbuz, Eden Prairie, Minn./ Northwest Rhythmics
Ariella Kudishevich, Eden Prairie, Minn./ IGM Gymnastics
Cindy Lu, Blaine, Minn./ Twin Cities Rhythmic
Serena Lu, Blaine, Minn./ Twin Cities Rhythmic
Danielle Romashin, Eden Prairie, Minn./ Northwest Rhythmics
Jia-Shyuan Su, Woodbury, Minn./ IGM Gymnastics

New Jersey
Lisa Rassadkina, Dayton, N.J./ Isadora

New York
Jane Braverman, Brooklyn, N.Y./ Isadora
Alisa Kano, Bronxville, N.Y./ Isadora
Angela Lee, Woodside, N.Y./ Isadora
Karina Oganezova, Brooklyn, N.Y./ Isadora
Alexis Page, New York, N.Y./ Aviator
Olga Pavlenko, Flushing, N.Y./ Isadora
Eberlee Santander, Bronx, N.Y./ Aviator
Yana Shaposhnikova, Brooklyn, N.Y./ Aviator
Yasmeen Sidqi, Brooklyn, N.Y./ Isadora
Tawny Sit, Roslyn, N.Y./ Isadora
Alexandra Topilova, Brooklyn, N.Y./ Isadora
Hannah Walter, Angola, N.Y./ Gymnastics Unlimited

Ohio
Yana Matkivski, Avon Lake, Ohio/ Philadelphia Rhythmic Academy
Audrey Whitaker, Columbus, Ohio/ Integrity

Oregon
Manon Chaney, Gresham, Ore./ Oregon Gymnastics Academy
Claire Skach, Portland, Ore./ Oregon Gymnastics Academy
Ann Yang, Lake Oswego, Ore./ Westside Dance and Gymnastics

Pennsylvania
Polina Kozitskiy, Fountainville, Pa./ Philadelphia Rhythmic Academy
Yarvna Tomalishchak, Philadelphia, Pa./ Philadelphia Rhythmic Academy

Texas
Shelby Kisiel, Missouri City, Texas/ North Shore Rhythmics

Washington
Katerina Furlong, Bellevue, Wash./ Kortel Academy
Amanda Tran, Shoreline, Wash./ Kortel Academy