© Team Photo

DES MOINES, Iowa, July 6, 2019 – After three days of competition, the 2019 U.S. champions for acrobatic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, and trampoline and tumbling were determined at the 2019 USA Gymnastics Championships at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa.

The 2019 U.S. senior national champions for the three disciplines are listed below.

Acrobatic gymnastics

  • Men’s pair: Angel Felix and Braiden McDougall of Moreno Valley, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy
  • Mixed pair: Aisley Boynton and Sean Obley of Chandler, Ariz./Aspire Kids Sports Center
  • Women’s pair: Victoria Blante and Morgan Sweeney, Livermore, Calif./WestCoast Training Center
  • Women’s group: Reagan Dubbels, Emily Petty, Abby Rosilier, San Antonio, Texas/Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio

Rhythmic gymnastics

  • All-around: Laura Zeng, Libertyville, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
  • Group: U.S. National Group, North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, Deefield, Ill.

Trampoline and tumbling

  • Trampoline: Jeffrey Gluckstein, Atlantic Highlands, N.J./Elite Trampoline Academy, and Jessica Stevens, Ellicott City, Md./Fairland Gymnastics
  • Tumbling: Kaden Brown, Herriman, Utah/Wasatch Trampoline & Tumbling, and Eve Doudican, Bixby, Okla./Oklahoma Extreme Tumbling
  • Double mini-trampoline: Ruben Padilla, Oakley, Calif./Wasatch Trampoline & Tumbling, and Kayttie Nakamura, Honolulu, Hawaii/Merino Trampoline Gymnastics Academy

Rhythmic gymnastics
Zeng won her fifth consecutive all-around title with a combined 155.850 total of the final and qualification round scores. Evita Griskenas of Orland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, was just 1.750 behind Zeng for the silver medal with a total of 154.100. Camilla Feeley of Deerfield, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, brought home the bronze medal with her total of 147.400. Rounding out the top five were Stasya Generalova of Los Angeles, Calif./California Rhythms, in fourth (141.000) and Lili Mizuno of Northbrook, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, in fifth (139.200).

Zeng’s event scores from today included a 21.050 for hoop, the highest U.S. score for the event, along with 20.150/ball, 19.750/clubs and 17.500/ribbon. Griskenas’ scores today were: 20.300/hoop; 19.950/ball; 20.000/clubs; and 18.650/ribbon. Feeley’s event scores were: 17.650/hoop; 19.000/ball; 18.150/clubs; and 17.800/ribbon.

The U.S. senior group, which trains at North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, won the all-around title (92.250). The group includes Isabelle Connor of Manhattan Beach, Calif.; Connie Du of Deerfield, Ill.; Matylda Marszalek of Highland Park, Ill.; Yelyzaveta Merenzon of Buffalo Grove, Ill.; Elizaveta Pletneva of Deerfield, Ill.; Nicole Sladkov of Vernon Hills, Ill.; and Kristina Sobolevskaya of Chicago.

The U.S. Team for the 2019 Junior World Championships, July 19-21, in Moscow features Alexandria Kautzman of Westlake Village, Calif./Burlo Gymnastics, Victoria Kobelev of Palm Coast, Fla./Rhythmic Art, and Jenna Zhao of Burr Ridge, Ill./Vitrychenko Academy Corp.

The annual award recipients for rhythmic gymnastics were: Athlete of the Year, Laura Zeng; Coach of the Year, Natalia Klimouk, and assistant coaches, Dani Takova, Angelina, Yovcheva, Marina Kadobina; Sportsperson of the Year, Elena Shinohara; and Star Service, Beth Darling.

Trampoline and tumbling
At the end of the evening, the gymnasts who will compete in trampoline at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, were introduced. They were selected based on performances in the trampoline qualification round, pending approval by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. The team is comprised of: men – Gluckstein, Ruben Padilla of Oakley, Calif./Wasatch Trampoline & Tumbling, and Cody Gesuelli of Huntsville, Ala./Merino Trampoline Gymnastics Academy, non-traveling alternate; and women – Charlotte Drury, of Laguna Niguel, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics, Nicole Ahsinger of Lafayette, La./Trampoline and Tumbling Express, and Stevens, non-traveling alternate.

In trampoline, Gluckstein won his third straight and sixth overall U.S. title. Combined with his brother’s five titles, the Gluckstein brothers have won 11 straight men’s U.S. trampoline titles. Gluckstein won with a total of 167.080 for the gold. Aliaksei Shostak of Youngsville, La./Trampoline and Tumbling Express, was second at 164.105, with Gesuelli in third at 161.250. The women’s competition was extremely tight. Stevens won the women’s crown with her 154.750. Ahsinger was on her heels at 154.440, with Drury next at 154.010.

Brown’s gold in tumbling came via a 151.600. Patrick Lyell of Kenner, La./Elmwood Gymnastics Academy, and Haydn Fitzgerald of Sammamish, Wash./Seattle Gymnastics-Ballard, were second (136.800) and third (135.900), respectively. Doudican easily garnered the women’s gold with her 138.1000. Eliza Floisand of Salt Lake City, Utah/Wasatch Trampoline & Tumbling, was the silver medalist at 132.200. Hope Bravo of Waco, Texas/Eagle Gymnastics Academy, snared third at 129.800.

Padilla won his first senior double mini-trampoline title (149.700). Noah Orr of Phoenix, Ariz./Air Sports Unlimited, was second (143.700), and Weston Sitz of Prosper, Texas/Eagle Gymnastics Academy, took third (139.100). Nakamura edged out Sydney Senter of Aiea, Hawaii/Merino Trampoline Gymnastics Academy, 138.500 to 138.200, for the title. Kiley Lockett of Oceanside, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics, was just .100 behind Senter and took third (138.100).

The annual trampoline award recipients were: Athlete of the Year, Gluckstein/trampoline, Brown/tumbling, Padilla/double-mini; Coach of the Year, Amber Van Natta; Sportsperson of the Year, Padilla; and T&T Club of the Year, Integrity Athletics.

Acrobatic gymnastics
In the women’s group, Dubbels, Petty and Rosilier won the title at 82.450. The contest for the silver and bronze was close. Elanor Chang, Grace Vonder Haar and Kayla Vonder Haar, Laurel, Md./Emilia’s Acro Gymnastics and Cheer, had a .0730 edge over clubmates Isabel Chang, Sasha Gladkova and Sydney Martin, 81.950 to 81.220. The other champions’ scores were: men’s pair –Felix and McDougall, 82.390; mixed pair –Boynton and Obley, 75.030; and women’s pair –Blante and Sweeney, 75.570.

Acrobatic gymnastics’ annual award recipients were: Athlete of the Year, McDougall and Felix; Coach of the Year, Vladimir Vladev; Sportsperson of the Year, Aubrey Rosillier; and Star Service, Rhonda Francis.

Rhythmic gymnastics – Finals
Senior all-around

  1. Laura Zeng, Libertyville, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, 155.850
  2. Evita Griskenas, Orland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, 154.100
  3. Camilla Feeley, Deerfield, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, 147.400

Group

  1. U.S. National Group (Isabelle Connor of Manhattan Beach, Calif.; Connie Du of Deerfield, Ill.; Matylda Marszalek of Highland Park, Ill.; Yelyzaveta Merenzon of Buffalo Grove, Ill.; Elizaveta Pletneva of Deerfield, Ill.; Nicole Sladkov of Vernon Hills, Ill.; and Kristina Sobolevskaya of Chicago), 92.250

Acrobatic gymnastics

  • Men’s pair: Angel Felix and Braiden McDougall, Moreno Valley, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy, 82.390
  • Mixed pair: Aisley Boynton and Sean Obley, Chandler, Ariz./Aspire Kids Sports Center, 75.030
  • Women’s pair: Victoria Blante and Morgan Sweeney, Livermore, Calif./WestCoast Training Center, 75.570
  • Women’s group: Reagan Dubbels, Emily Petty, Abby Rosilier, San Antonio, Texas/Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio, 82.450
  • Junior Elite 13-19 Women’s Group: Emma Jennings, Aranel Prevost, Rachel Watts, Rockville, Md./Xtreme Acro, 79.650
  • Junior Elite 13-19 Mixed Pair: Anna Blough, Carson Breen, Moreno Valley, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy, 78.820
  • Junior Elite 13-19 Women’s Pair: Katie Borcherding, Destiny Nolting, Pacific, Mo./Show Me Acro, 76.130

Trampoline and tumbling
Trampoline, men

  1. Jeffrey Gluckstein, Atlantic Highlands, N.J./Elite Trampoline Academy, 167.080
  2. Aliaksei Shostak, Youngsville, La./Trampoline and Tumbling Express, 164.105
  3. Cody Gesuelli, Huntsville, Ala./Merino Trampoline Gymnastics Academy, 161.250

Trampoline, women

  1. Jessica Stevens, Ellicott City, Md./Fairland Gymnastics, 154.750
  2. Nicole Ahsinger, Lafayette, La./Trampoline and Tumbling Express, 154.440
  3. Charlotte Drury, Laguna Niguel, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics, 154.010

Double mini-trampoline, men

  1. Ruben Padilla, Oakley, Calif./ Wasatch Trampoline and Tumbling, 149.700
  2. Noah Orr, Phoenix, Ariz./Air sports Unlimited, 143.700
  3. Weston Sitz, Prosper, Texas/Eagle Gymnastics Texas, 139.100

Double mini-trampoline, women

  1. Kayttie Nakamura, Honolulu, Hawaii/Merino Trampoline Gymnastics Academy, 138.500
  2. Sydney Senter, Aiea, Hawaii/Merino Trampoline Gymnastics Academy, 138.200
  3. Kiley Lockett, Oceanside, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics, 138.100

Tumbling, men

  1. Kaden Brown, Herriman, Utah/Wasatch Trampoline & Tumbling, 151.600
  2. Patrick Lyell, Kenner, La./Elmwood Gymnastics Academy, 136.800
  3. Haydn Fitzgerald, Sammamish, Wash./Merino Trampoline Gymnastics Academy, 135.900

Tumbling, women

  1. Eve Doudican, Bixby, Okla./Oklahoma Extreme Tumbling, 138.100
  2. Eliza Floisand, Salt Lake City, Utah/Wasatch Trampoline & Tumbling, 132.200
  3. Hope Bravo, Waco, Texas/Eagle Gymnastics Academy, 129.800

For the junior and senior elite levels for each discipline, the athletes vied for national titles. Performances in Des Moines also determined berths on the junior and senior U.S. National Teams for acrobatic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics and trampoline and tumbling.

Catch Des Moines was the local partner for the event. USA Gymnastics staged the 2009 U.S. Classic and the 2015 U.S. Women’s Junior Olympic Championships in Des Moines.

The USA Gymnastics Championships, one of the annual national championships organized by USA Gymnastics, was first held in 2014 at the KFC Yum! Center and the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, Ky. Past sites are Greensboro (N.C.) Coliseum Complex (2015, 2018), Rhode Island Convention Center and Dunkin’ Donuts Center (2016), and Milwaukee’s BMO Harris Bradley Center and Wisconsin Center (2017). For more information on the USA Gymnastics Championships, please go to usagymchamps.com.

Acrobatic gymnastics combines the beauty of dance with the strength and agility of acrobatics. Routines are choreographed to music and consist of dance, tumbling, and partner skills. At the elite level, each pair or group performs a balance, dynamic and combined routine. Pyramids and partner holds characterize the balance routine, while synchronized tumbling and intricate flight elements define the dynamic exercise. An acrobatic gymnastics pair consists of a base and a top. A women’s group is comprised of three athletes – a base, middle and top partner – while a men’s group has four athletes, a base, two middle partners and one top partner.

Rhythmic gymnastics is characterized by grace, beauty and elegance combined with dance and acrobatic elements, while working with the apparatus in a choreographed routine to music. The five apparatus used in rhythmic gymnastics are rope, hoop, ball, clubs, and ribbon. Rhythmic gymnasts may compete individually or as a group. The choreography must cover the entire floor with intricate apparatus handling, dance combinations, jumps, leaps, rotations, and balance difficulties. Each movement involves a high degree of athletic skill. Physical abilities needed by a rhythmic gymnast include strength, power, flexibility, agility, dexterity, endurance and hand-eye coordination.

Trampoline events involve athletes using trampolines that can propel them up to 30 feet in the air, during which they can perform double and triple twisting somersaults. Tumbling utilizes elevated rod-floor runways that enable athletes to jump at heights more than 10 feet and execute a variety of acrobatic maneuvers. For the double-mini competition, the athlete makes a short run, leaps onto a small two-level trampoline, performs an aerial maneuver and dismounts onto a landing mat. Trampoline was added to the Olympic Games in 2000, and at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, the USA had its first athlete in history advance to the finals.

Background information

 

  • Catch Des Moines. Catch Des Moines is the official destination marketing organization promoting and representing Greater Des Moines to leisure travelers and meeting planners. As the visitors’ and meeting professionals’ trusted partner, we help elevate the visitor experience by connecting the functional to the aspirational. Our focus is to drive economic success for our more than 840 partners and enhance the quality of life in the 15 Greater Des Moines communities we represent. For more information, visit catchdesmoines.com.
  • Iowa Events Center. The Iowa Events Center is a three venue, state-of-the-art multi-purpose complex located in the heart of downtown Des Moines, Iowa. The facility is owned by Polk County and managed by Spectra Venue Management, the expert in hosting and entertainment. Wells Fargo Arena is a 17,000 seat arena that is home to three professional sports teams, including the NBA G-League’s Iowa Wolves, the AHL’s Iowa Wild, and the IFL’s Iowa Barnstormers, in addition to hosting numerous concerts, family shows and sporting events. For more information visit www.iowaeventscenter.com.
  • USA Gymnastics. 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 is the new president and chief executive officer of USA Gymnastics. 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.