© Tom Theobald

IZMIR, Turkey, Sept. 23, 2014 — Jazzy Kerber of Highland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, posted a 16.716 for her hoop exercise today at the at the 2014 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Izmir, Turkey. Rebecca Sereda of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, and Serena Lu of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, also performed their hoop routines in today’s competition, which marked the qualification halfway point.

The United States continues its competition tomorrow and will perform their ribbon routines at 2 p.m. local time/7 a.m. ET. 

Lu was first to go for the Americans and posted a 14.950 for her upbeat exercise. With a routine set to jazz music, Sereda followed with a 14.550. Kerber was last to go for Team USA, performing to “My Sweet and Tender Beast.” She showed an elegant and sophisticated routine that showcased her control throughout intricate turning and balance elements to earn a 16.716.

After two events, Kerber is in 23rd place in the all-around with Sereda in 51st. Lu is 43rd but will only perform hoop and ball in Izmir. The top 24 advance to Friday’s all-around final, based on their top three scores with no more than two per country advancing.

USA Gymnastics will carry more than 15 hours of live web coverage of the finals at the World Rhythmic Championships. In addition to live coverage of the medal rounds, USA Gymnastics will provide archived coverage of Team USA’s routines during the individual qualification rounds.

The complete live coverage schedule for this year’s Worlds is below and all times are Eastern. As the U.S. rights holder, USA Gymnastics’ coverage will only be available to viewers in the USA.

Thursday, Sept. 25
1 p.m. – Individual event finals (clubs and ribbon)

Friday, Sept. 26
9:30 a.m. – Individual all-around final (Group B, Rank 13-24)
1 p.m. – Individual all-around final (Group A, Rank 1-12)

Saturday, Sept. 27
8 a.m. – Groups General Competition (Part 1)
10:45 a.m. – Groups General Competition (Part 2)

Sunday, Sept. 28
8 a.m. – Group event finals (5 clubs and 3 balls/2 ribbons)

Fans can also find live scoring, start lists and results at fig-gymnastics.com, as well as extensive U.S. coverage at usagym.org and on the USA Gymnastics Facebook page and twitter feed (@usagym). The FIG’s Twitter handle is @officialFIG, and additional videos will be posted to the FIG’s YouTube Channel.

Rhythmic gymnastics is characterized by grace, beauty and elegance combined with dance and acrobatic elements, while working with ribbons, balls, hoops, ropes and clubs in a choreographed routine to music. The choreography must cover the entire floor and contain a balance of jumps, leaps, pivots and balances. Only four of the apparatus are competed each quad, and the four for 2016 are hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon. Each movement involves a high degree of athletic skill. Physical abilities needed by a rhythmic gymnast include strength, power, flexibility, agility, dexterity, endurance and hand-eye coordination.