Two U.S. rhythmic gymnasts will compete in the 2009 World University Games

U.S. Rhythmic National Team members Rachel Marmer of Los Angeles/Eurogymnastics, and Ava Gehringer of Evanston, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center will join more than1 0,000 athletes from around the globe at the World University Summer Games, July 1-13, in Belgrade, Serbia.

May 30, 2009

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., May 30, 2009 – U.S. Rhythmic National Team members Rachel Marmer of Los Angeles/Eurogymnastics, and Ava Gehringer of Evanston, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center will join more than10,000 athletes from around the globe at the World University Summer Games, July 1-13, in Belgrade, Serbia. The rhythmic gymnastics portion of the competition will be held July 9-11 in Belgrade Fair Hall 1.

Marmer and Gehringer finished one-two in the all-around at the 2009 Rhythmic Challenge earlier this year. In 2008, both Marmer and Gehringer were members of the U.S. team that won team gold medal at the Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships presented by Gillette Venus. Marmer was the all-around silver medalist at the last two Visa Championships, and in 2008, she also won silver medals in rope, hoop and clubs. As a junior, she earned three all-around and eight individual event U.S. titles. She will attend Santa Monica (Calif.) College in the fall.

Gehringer placed third in the all-around at Visa Championships in 2006 and 2008, as well as second in rope and ribbon in 2008. She is enrolled at New York University (New York) for the 2009 fall semester.