INDIANAPOLIS (October 13, 2023) – The U.S. rhythmic and trampoline programs on Friday announced the athletes set to compete at the 2023 Pan American Games October 21-November 4 in Santiago, Chile.

Rhythmic Gymnastics

After competing at this year’s Rhythmic World Championships in Valencia, Spain, and the Aeon Cup in Tokyo, Japan, Olympians Evita Griskenas (Orland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center) and Lili Mizuno (Northbrook, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics) look to claim an Olympic berth to the 2024 Summer Games in Paris. They will be joined in Chile by the Senior National Group of fellow Olympian Izzy Connor (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.), Gergana Petkova (Barrington, Ill.), Katrine Sakhnov (Glencoe, Ill.), Karolina Saverino (Elk Grove Village, Ill.) and Hana Starkman (Deerfield, Ill.). Alexandra Kautzman (Simi Valley, Calif./California Rhythms) and Daria Merkulova (Vernon Hills, Ill.) were named as the non-traveling alternates for individual and group competition, respectively.

Rhythmic competition in Santiago begins on Wednesday, November 1 and runs through November 4. The 2023 Pan American Games serves as the last Olympic qualifying opportunity in rhythmic gymnastics. Americans will need to finish first in the all-around among athletes and groups who have not previously qualified for Paris in order to gain an Olympic berth.

Trampoline and Tumbling

A four-athlete delegation will compete in individual trampoline in Santiago, headed by two-time Olympian Nicole Ahsinger (Lafayette, La./Trampoline and Tumbling Express and 2020 Olympian Aliaksei Shostak (Lafayette, La./Trampoline and Tumbling Express). Competing alongside them will be 2022 World team all-around silver medalists Jessica Stevens (Ellicott City, Md./Fairland Gymnastics) and Ruben Padilla (Bluffdale, Utah/Wasatch Trampoline & Tumbling). Sarah Webster (Lafayette, La./Trampoline and Tumbling Express) and Isaac Rowley (Allen, Texas/Eagle Gymnastics Academy) will be non-traveling replacement athletes for the event.

Individual trampoline competition will take place over two days, November 3-4.

Visit santiago2023.org for all information about the upcoming Games in Chile. All participants are listed alphabetically by discipline below.

Rhythmic Gymnastics
Izzy Connor — Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.
Evita Griskenas — Orland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Alexandra Kautzman — Simi Valley, Calif./California Rhythms*
Daria Merkulova — Vernon Hills, Ill.*
Lili Mizuno — Northbrook, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics
Gergana Petkova — Barrington, Ill.
Katrine Sakhnov — Glencoe, Ill.
Karolina Saverino — Elk Grove Village, Ill.
Hana Starkman — Deerfield, Ill.

Trampoline and Tumbling Gymnastics
Nicole Ahsinger — Lafayette, La./Trampoline and Tumbling Express
Ruben Padilla — Bluffdale, Utah/Wasatch Trampoline & Tumbling
Isaac Rowley — Allen, Texas/Eagle Gymnastics Academy*
Aliaksei Shostak — Lafayette, La./Trampoline and Tumbling Express
Jessica Stevens — Ellicott City, Md./Fairland Gymnastics
Sarah Webster — Lafayette, La./Trampoline and Tumbling Express*

*Denotes non-traveling replacement athlete