CAGUAS, Puerto Rico, Oct. 16, 2015 – The USA won 10 gold medals at the 2015 Pan American Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships in Caguas, Puerto Rico. Claiming a total of 13 medals, the U.S. Team won three gold medals in the senior division, and seven gold, two silver and one bronze in the age-group competition. The USA’s haul was highlighted with senior gold medal wins by Maren Merwarth and Jessica Renteria of Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio in women’s pair; Axel Osborne and Tiffani Williams of Realis Gymnastics Academy in mixed pair; and Emilia Segel, Londrea Garrett and Josephina Kievsky of Emilias Acro Gymastics and Cheer in the women’s group.
U.S. medalists from are competition are listed below.
Senior Division
- Women’s group: Emilia Segel, Reisterstown, Md., Josephina Kievsky, Elkridge, Md., and Londrea Garrett, Columbia, Md., with Emilias Acro Gymnastics and Cheer – 25.530, first place
Mixed pair: Axel Osborne, Beaumont, Calif., and Tiffani Williams, Moreno Valley, Calif., with Realis Gymnastics Academy – 24.530, first place
Women’s pair: Maren Merwarth and Jessica Renteria, both of San Antonio, Texas/ Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio – 26.030, first place
Age-group Division
13-19
- Mixed pair: Aisley Boynton and Maxim Sedochenkoff, both of Riverside, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy – 26.500, first place
12-18
- Women’s group: Anna Grafov, Ellicott City, Md., Lauren Pountnay, Columbia, Md., and Caitlyn Kicza, Woodbine, Md., with Emilias Acro Gymnastics and Cheer – 27.000, first place
Women’s group: Alyssa Delgado, Gabriela Foster and Connie Kickirillo, all of San Antonio/Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio – 26.900, second place
Women’s pair: Thalia Berry, Boerne, Texas, and Aubrey Rosilier, San Antonio, with Acrobabic Gymnastics of San Antonio – 26.650, first place
Women’s pair: Olivia Staff, Redlands, Calif., and Ciera Wilson, Riverside, Calif., with Empire Gymnastics – 26.000, second place
11-16
- Women’s group: Jordan Gruendler, Alexis Leinonen, Elizabeth Kirchner, all of San Antonio/Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio – 26.850, first place
Mixed pair: Emma Fitzgerald and Jarrett Darrah, both of Placerville, Calif., with International Gymnastics Centre – 27.200, first place
Women’s pair: Morgan Price and Alexandra Edwards, both of San Antonio, Texas/Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio – 27.050, first place
Women’s pair: Sarah Diamond, Elizabeth Heinz, both of San Antonio, Texas/Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio – 26.600, third place
Men’s group: Grant Shields and Sean Shields, Columbia, Md., Sean Butehorn, Mt. Airy, Md., and Daniel Disman, Clarksville, Md., with Emilias Acro Gymnastics and Cheer – 26.150, first place
Acrobatic gymnastics combines the beauty of dance with the strength and agility of acrobatics. Routines are choreographed to music and consist of dance, tumbling, and partner skills. At the elite level, each pair or group performs a balance, dynamic and combined routine. Pyramids and partner holds characterize the balance routine, while synchronized tumbling and intricate flight elements define the dynamic exercise. An acrobatic gymnastics pair consists of a base and a top. A women’s group is comprised of three athletes – a base, middle and top partner – while a men’s group has four athletes, a base, two middle partners and one top partner.