MOSCOW, July 16, 2019 – The USA’s top junior rhythmic gymnasts are in Moscow finishing preparations for competing in the first Junior World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, July 19-21, at the city’s Olympic Complex Luzhniki. With competition in both individual and group rhythmic gymnastics, the International Gymnastics Federation’s championships will determine the all-around country champions for both individual and group rhythmic gymnastics, as well as the team and individual event champions.

The U.S. Team for individual rhythmic gymnastics includes the USA’s top three all-around junior gymnasts, based on the 2019 USA Gymnastics Championships: Alexandria Kautzman of Westlake Village, Calif./Burlo Gymnastics, who was third; Victoria Kobelev of Palm Coast, Fla./Rhythmic Art, the silver all-around medalist and ribbon champion; and Jenna Zhao of Burr Ridge, Ill./Vitrychenko Academy, who won the all-around, rope, ball and clubs titles. The members of the U.S. group, which is based at Vitrychenko Academy in Niles, Ill., and won the junior group title, are: Madeleine Avila of Highland Park, Ill.; Lola Perez of Weymouth, Mass.; Tatyana Shilshtut of Buffalo Grove, Ill.; Remy Turner of Glendale, Calif.; and Emily Wilson of Brooklyn, N.Y.

The World Championships format includes the all-around in both individual and group rhythmic gymnastics, as well as a team competition and individual event finals. For the individual competition, a country may have a two-, three- or four-person team, and each athlete must compete at least once. Just one athlete per country competes for each event. The USA’s event assignments are: Kautzman, rope and ball; Kobolev, clubs; and Zhao, ribbon. In addition to an all-around country champion, the top eight gymnasts for each apparatus advance to the event finals.

For rhythmic group, each country’s squad will perform both the five hoops and five ribbons routines, with an all-around champion named. The top eight for each event advance to the finals. The team ranking is determined after the first two days of competition by adding the individual and group all-around scores.

The competition schedule is below, and the USA competes in Group D for the individual competition. All times are local to Moscow, which is seven hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time. The individual apparatus finals are expected to be livestreamed by the FIG.

July 19

  • 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. – Individual qualification round, rope and ball: Group A, 9 a.m.; Group B, 10:40 a.m.; Group C, 1:15 p.m.; Group D, 3 p.m.
  • 5:50 p.m. – Opening ceremony
  • 6:30 p.m. – Group qualification round: 5 hoops and 5 ribbons

July 20

  • 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. – Individual qualification round, clubs and ribbon: Group A, 9 a.m.; Group B, 10:40 a.m.; Group C, 1:15 p.m.; Group D, 3 p.m.
  • 6:30 p.m. – Group qualification round: 5 ribbons and 5 hoops
  • 9 p.m. – Rhythmic group all-around; team ranking (individual and group) awards

July 21

  • 12 p.m. – Rope final
  • 12:35 p.m. – Ball final
  • 1:25 p.m. – 5 hoops final
  • 2:20 p.m. – Clubs final
  • 2:55 p.m. – Ribbon final
  • 3:45 p.m. – 5 ribbons final

For more information on the Junior World Championships, including live scoring, go to www.gymnastics.sport.

Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. The organization is committed to creating a culture that encourages and supports its athletes and focuses on its highest priority, the safety and well-being of the athletes. USA Gymnastics has taken specific, concrete steps to strengthen its athlete safety policies and procedures, including adopted the updated USA Gymnastics Safe Sport Policy. Former gymnast and business executive Li Li Leung is the new president and chief executive officer of USA Gymnastics. The organization’s disciplines include men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, acrobatic gymnastics and gymnastics for all (formerly known as group gymnastics). For more complete information, visit usagym.org.