Lily Avila, Alexandria Kautzman and Sarah Mariotti

BELGRADE, Serbia, May 6, 2022 – Senior gymnasts Lily Avila (Highland Park, Ill./Vitrychenko Academy), Alexandria Kautzman (Simi Valley, Calif./California Rhythms) and Sarah Mariotti (San Diego, Calif./Emerald City Academy of Rhythmic Gymnastics) headline a nine-person U.S. contingent to this weekend’s International Tournament Ritam Cup in Belgrade, Serbia. Junior National Team members Jaelyn Chin (Aventura, Fla./Bessonova’s School), Megan Chu (San Diego, Calif./Emerald City Academy of Rhythmic Gymnastics) and Rin Keys (Porter Ranch, Calif./Burlo Gymnastics) will also be in action, as will club participants Isabella Chong (Mission Viejo, Calif./Burlo Gymnastics) and Olivia Fischer (Denver, Colo./Zara Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy). Natalie de la Rosa (Woodland Hills, Calif.), representing Burlo Gymnastics, is the lone U.S. athlete set to compete in the pre-junior (2010-11) division.

Mariotti will make her senior international debut Saturday at the USC Vozdovac, while Kautzman eyes her second top-10 all-around finish of the season after claiming ninth at the Tashkent World Cup last month in Uzbekistan. The three participating Junior National Team members are back on the international stage just weeks after delivering a trio of top-10 all-around performances at the 2022 International Tournament Sofia Cup where Keys claimed the bronze medal. Meanwhile, Chong, the 2021 Ritam Cup pre-junior division champion, will look to build on last year’s success in Serbia.

Pre-juniors, who will only show two apparatus, will open the competition tomorrow at 2:15 a.m. ET. De la Rosa has chosen hoop and ball. Junior hoop and ball performances are slated to begin at 5 a.m. ET. Fischer and Keys will lead off with Group A followed by Chin and Chong in Group B and Chu in Group C. Kautzman will compete in Senior Group A at noon ET. Mariotti has been assigned to Group B, and Avila will close out Day 1 performances with Group C.

The junior and senior all-around competitions will conclude Sunday with the clubs and ribbon apparatus. Juniors will get underway with Group A at 3 a.m. ET and Groups B and C following at 4:30 a.m. ET and 6 a.m. ET, respectively. Seniors will take the floor at 11 a.m. ET with competition set to wrap around 2:30 p.m. ET.

For additional details, including how to access results and where you can stream the competition, visit the event’s official website.