INDIANAPOLIS, June 11, 2018 — The USA is competing in the 2018 Junior Pan American Championships for men’s and women’s gymnastics June 13-15 at the City of Buenos Aires (Argentina) Club. The competition is a qualifier for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, which will be held in Buenos Aires in October.
Fans can follow the Junior Pan American Championships several different ways: Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. The organizers are planning to provide live coverage of the event on its YouTube page.
The members of the U.S. Team are listed below.
- Men
Brandon Briones, Gilbert, Ariz./Aspire Kids Sports Center
Taylor Burkhart, Morrison, Colo./5280 Gymnastics
JR Chou, Cypress, Texas/Cypress Academy of Gymnastics
Isaiah Drake, Los Angeles, Calif./Gymnastics Olympica USA
Alternate: Joshua Karnes, Erie, Pa./Lakettes Gymnastics Academy
Coaches
Tom Meadows, Cypress Academy
Pavel Sargsyan, Gymnastics Olympica
Travis Rainer, North Valley Gymnastics
Women
Jordan Bowers, Lincoln, Neb./Solid Rock Gymnastics
JaFree Scott, Independence, Mo./GAGE
Tori Tatum, Chanhassen, Minn./Twin City Twisters
Leanne Wong, Overland Park, Kan./GAGE
Alternate (non-traveling): Lilly Lippeatt, Mason, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics
Coaches
Danelle Catlett, Solid Rock Gymnastics
Al Fong and Armine Barutyan, GAGE
Sarah Jantzi, Twin City Twisters
The U.S. men and women will both compete in their respective Subdivisions 2. Buenos Aires is an hour ahead of Eastern time, and the competition schedule is: June 13 – women’s event qualification and all-around and team final, 9:30 a.m. ET, Subdivision 1, and 12:45 p.m. ET, Subdivision 2; June 14 – men’s event qualification and all-around and team final, 10:10 a.m. ET, Subdivision 1, and 2:30 p.m. ET, Subdivision 2; and June 15 – men’s and women’s event finals, 10 a.m. ET (men’s floor, pommel horse and still rings; women’s vault, uneven bars), and 3:10 p.m. ET (men’s vault, parallel bars and horizontal bar; women’s balance beam and floor).
Seven athletes, with a maximum of one per country, will qualify for a berth based on the all-around results from the qualification competition. To be eligible to qualify a berth to the Youth Olympic Games for their country, female gymnasts must be born in 2003 and male gymnasts born in 2001-02. The USA is trying to qualify in men’s gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics and trampoline.
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 empowers and supports its athletes and focuses on its highest priority, the safety and well-being of the athletes. USA Gymnastics has already taken specific, concrete steps to strengthen its safe sport policies and procedures. 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.