© Diane Bidermann

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Nov. 23, 2010 – 2010 U.S. all-around champion Julie Zetlin of Bethesda, Md., headlines the U.S. Team that will compete in the 2010 Pan American Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, Dec. 2-5, in Guadalajara, Mexico. The event, which features competition in both individual and group rhythmic gymnastics, is the qualification event for the 2011 Pan American Games, Oct. 14-30 in Guadalajara.

Competing on the U.S. Team are:

  • Shelby Kisiel of Houston/North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
  • Olga Pavlenko of Brooklyn, N.Y./Isadora
  • Anastasia Torba of Orinda, Calif./Allegro Rhythmic
  • Julie Zetlin of Bethesda, Md./Capital Rhythmics

The U.S. group, which trains at North Shore Rhythmic in Buffalo Grove, Ill., includes: Jessica Bogdanov, Megan Frohlich, Michelle Przybylo, Sofya Roytburg, and Sydney Sachs.

Qualification for the Pan Am Games is by country not an individual athlete and is based on rankings after the preliminary round. For individual, the countries that finish in the top six of the team rankings qualify for two gymnasts for the Pan Am Games. An additional four gymnasts will qualify their country based on rankings in the all-around prelims. For group, the top five countries in the rankings qualify for the Pan Am Games.

The schedule for the Pan Am Championships is: Dec. 2 – rope and hoop at 3 p.m. and group (five hoops) at 5:30 p.m.; Dec. 3 – ball and ribbon at 4 p.m., group (three ribbon/two rope) at 6:30 p.m. and individual and team award ceremonies at 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 4 –individual event finals for rope and hoop and group (five hoops) at 6 p.m.; and individual event finals for ball and ribbon and group (three ribbon/two rope) at 6 p.m. All times are local in Guadalajara.