INDIANAPOLIS, July 18, 2017 – USA Gymnastics is sending a 16-athlete delegation to represent the U.S. in rhythmic gymnastics, synchronized trampoline, tumbling, double mini-trampoline and acrobatic gymnastics at the 10th World Games, the Olympic equivalent for non-Olympic disciplines and/or events, July 20-30 in Wroclaw, Poland. 2016 Olympian and three-time U.S. rhythmic champion Laura Zeng of Libertyville, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, kicks off the gymnastics competition for the U.S. on July 21 with the qualifications and finals for rhythmic hoop and ball. Centennial Hall, a historic venue built in 1911, will serve as the site for all gymnastics events in Wroclaw.

The gymnasts who will represent the United States at the 2017 World Games are listed below by discipline.

Rhythmic gymnastics

  • Laura Zeng, Libertyville, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center

Acrobatic gymnastics

  • Mixed pair: Axel Osborne and Tiffani Williams, both of Moreno Valley, Calif./Realis Gymnastics
  • Women’s group: Sophie Gruszka, Morgan Sweeney and Amanda Waterson, all of Livermore, Calif./West Coast Training Academy
  • Women’s pair: Emily Davis and Aubrey Rosilier, both of San Antonio, Texas/Acrobatic Gymnastics

Trampoline and tumbling

  • Synchronized trampoline
    Jeffrey Gluckstein, Atlantic Highlands, N.J./Elite Trampoline Academy, and Aliaksei Shostak, Lafayette, La./Trampoline and Tumbling Express (men)
    Nicole Ahsinger, Lafayette, La./Trampoline and Tumbling Express, and Clare Johnson, Huntsville, Ala./ Merino Trampoline Gymnastics Academy (women)
  • Tumbling
    Austin Nacey, Braidwood, Ill./TwistStars Tumbling and Trampoline (men)
    Rachel Thevenot, Metairie, La./Elmwood Gymnastics Academy (women)
  • Double mini-trampoline
    Alex Renkert, Columbus, Ohio/Integrity Athletics (men)
    Paige Howard, San Juan Capistrano, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics (women)

The World Games’ schedule features five days of gymnastics competition.

  • July 21 – qualifications and finals for rhythmic hoop and ball
  • July 22 – qualifications and finals for rhythmic clubs and ribbon
  • July 24 – qualifications and finals for acro women’s and mixed pairs, and men’s synchronized trampoline
  • July 25 – qualifications and finals for acro men’s pair and women’s group, and women’s tumbling and men’s double mini-trampoline
  • July 26 – qualifications and finals for acro men’s group, and women’s double mini-trampoline, men’s tumbling and women’s synchronized trampoline

Governed by the International World Games Association (IWGA) and recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), this multi-sport event is held every four years in the year following the summer Olympics. The World Games features competition in 37 sports with more than 4,500 athletes from around the world.

Four gymnastics disciplines with a total of 20 medal events are included in the program for the 2017 World Games. The breakdown of the 326 gymnasts participating is: 78 athletes, acrobatic gymnastics; 144, aerobic gymnastics; 24 athletes, rhythmic gymnastics; and 80 athletes, trampoline and tumbling.

The Olympic Channel will broadcast select events from the World Games. The World Games will also be live streamed on OlympicChannel.com, the Olympic Channel app, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app.

For more information on gymnastics at the World Games, click here. For information on the World Games in general including a complete schedule, go to theworldgames2017.com/en/.

Acrobatic gymnastics
Acrobatic gymnastics first appeared at the 1993 World Games in The Hague, Netherlands. In 2017, 78 athletes make up the field for the five events: women’s pair, mixed pair, men’s pair, women’s group and men’s group. The women’s group has three gymnasts, and the men’s group has four gymnasts. The top four pairs/groups in the qualification round (which features one dynamic and one balance exercise) advance to the finals (one combined exercise).

Rhythmic gymnastics
Rhythmic gymnastics, the only gymnastics discipline represented at both the Olympics and World Games, was introduced to the World Games in Akita, Japan, in 2001. Medals are awarded for each individual apparatus because the Olympic program includes only the all-around. The rhythmic competition for the 2017 World Games features 24 gymnasts and four apparatus: hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon. From the qualification round, the top eight gymnasts on each apparatus, with a limit of two-per country, advance to the finals. Scores do not carry over from the preliminary rounds.

Trampoline and tumbling
Tumbling and individual and synchronized trampoline have been included in the World Games since the event debuted in 1981 in Santa Clara, Calif. Double mini-trampoline was added to the World Games in 2001. Individual trampoline joined the Olympic Games program in 2000, which resulted in its removal from the World Games. The trampoline field in Wroclaw features 80 athletes competing in three disciplines: synchronized trampoline (40), double mini-trampoline (20); and tumbling (20). Ten athletes/pairs per discipline will compete in qualifying, in each discipline, the top eight athletes from preliminary competition, with a limit of one per country, qualify for finals.