INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The country’s top Junior Olympic artistic gymnasts will compete in USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic National Championships for the next two weekends. Oklahoma City, Okla., is playing host to the Women’s Junior Olympic National Championships, April 29-30, at the Cox Arena and Convention Center. The Men’s Junior Olympic National Championships is May 4-7 at the Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek, Mich.
This weekend, approximately 450 Level 10 gymnasts will compete in the 2006 USA Gymnastics Women’s Junior Olympic National Championships. Level 10 is the highest level of age-group competition in the United States. The two-day competition features gymnasts competing in eight different age divisions. The competition schedule is: April 29 – 11:30 a.m. for Junior and Senior A Divisions and 5 p.m. for Junior and Senior B Divisions; April 30 – 10 a.m. for Junior and Senior C Divisions and 3:30 p.m. for Junior and Senior D Divisions. Each session features competition and awards for team (regional), all-around and individual events. The top four all-around finishers for each age division qualify for the Junior Olympic National Team.
The women’s levels are determined by birth date and the breakdowns are: Senior D – born prior to or on March 31, 1988; Senior C – born from April 1-Sept. 30, 1988; Senior B – born from Oct. 1, 1988, to April 30, 1989; Senior A – born from May 1-Oct. 31, 1989; Junior D – born from Nov. 1, 1989, to June 30, 1990; Junior C – born from July 1, 1990, to April 30, 1991; Junior B – born from May 1, 1991, to April 30, 1992; and Junior A – must be at least 9 years old and born on or before May 1, 1992.
Tickets for the event are: adults (13 and over), $15 per day or $25 for an all-access pass, which includes all Saturday and Sunday sessions plus some other activities; children (12 and under), $10 per day and $15 for an all-access pass; and children 2 and under are admitted free. Tickets may be purchased through TicketMaster. The Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy is the club hosting the Women’s Junior Olympic National Championships.
The Men’s Junior Olympic National Championships has its opening ceremony on May 3 at 7:30 p.m., with competition beginning on May 4. The championships feature Levels 9 and 10 male gymnasts. The men’s levels are determined by skill level, and Level 10 is divided into two age groups, 14-15 years old and 16-18 years old. Titles will be given for each category for team (regional), all-around and individual events.
The competition schedule is: May 4 – three individual qualifying rounds for Level 10 (ages 14-15 and 16-18), 8:30 a.m.,1:15 p.m. and 6 p.m., with the regional team competition also in the evening session; May 5 – three Level 9 individual qualifying rounds, 9 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., with the regional team competition also in the evening session; May 6 – all-around finals, 10 a.m. for Level 10 (14-15 year-olds), 2:30 p.m. for Level 10 (16-18 year-olds) and 7 p.m. for Level 9; and May 7 – Levels 9 and 10 individual event finals, 12 p.m.
At the conclusion of the event, the Level 10(16-18 year-olds) all-around champion will receive the Mas Watanabe Award. The top competitors for Level 9 are named to the Junior Olympic National Team. For Level 10, the Junior Olympic National Championships are a qualifier for the Visa Championships (Aug. 13-16 in St. Paul, Minn.), where the national team for gymnasts 14-15 and 16-18 years of age are determined
Tickets for the Battle Creek event are: all-event passes – $50 for seniors (65 and older), $60 for adults, $50 for child (ages 7-12) and kids 6 and under are admitted free; daily competition tickets – $13 for seniors and kids (ages 7-12), $15 for adults and kids 6 and under are admitted free. Branch Gymnastics is the club hosting the Men’s Junior Olympic National Championships.
To reach the Junior Olympic National Championships, gymnasts competed in state and regional championships. The entire Junior Olympic program includes a number of levels and age groups but only the ages and levels identified above are eligible to compete on the national level.