INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Jan. 23, 2008 — 2007 U.S. all-around champion Lisa Wang of Buffalo Grove, Ill., and her 2007 U.S. Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships teammates are among the gymnasts who will compete at the LA Lights Rhythmic Gymnastics Invitational, the nation’s largest annual rhythmic gymnastics event, Jan. 25-27, at the Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium in Culver City, Calif. Also scheduled to compete are 2007 all-around world champion Anna Bessonova of the Ukraine and 2007 team world gold-medalist Evgeniya Kanaeva of Russia.
Along with Wang, the 2007 U.S. Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships Team includes Ava Gehringer of Evanston, Ill., Rachel Marmer of Los Angeles and Julie Zetlin of Bethesda, Md. Other U.S. National Team members competing are: senior—Delaney Lonergan of Los Angeles, who trains at Los Angeles School of Gymnastics, the event’s host club; and junior— Gabrielle Magid of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Rebecca Millstein of Eagan, Minn.; Tyler Rosemond of Fresh Meadows, N.Y.; Viktoriya Syatkina of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and Anastasia Torba of Orinda, Calif.
More than 400 participants from around the world are expected to compete in level four to elite. The elite rope and hoop individual events begin with the juniors at 5:45 p.m. on Jan. 26, followed by the seniors at 6:45 p.m. The elite clubs and ribbon competitions are on Jan. 27, starting with the juniors at 3:40 p.m. and the seniors at 4:40 p.m. Medals will be awarded in the four individual events and the all-around champion will be determined based on the combined results of the individual events.
The LA Lights Invitational is hosted by the Los Angeles School of Gymnastics and is celebrating its 26th anniversary.