Polina Kozitskiy
© Todd Bissonette

HAVANA, Cuba, Nov. 15, 2009 – The United States won all four individual event finals gold medals and two silver, along with a group silver and bronze, on the final day of competition at the 2009 Junior Pan American Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Havana, Cuba, taking the total medal count for the USA to six gold, four silver and one bronze. In addition, the United States qualified for individual rhythmic gymnastics for the 2010 Youth Olympic Games.

Rebecca Sereda of Staten Island, N.Y., won the event titles for rope, hoop and ball. Earlier in the competition, she won the all-around title, as well as assisted the United States in winning the team gold medal. Polina Kozitskiy of Fountainville, Pa., claimed the fourth individual event gold in clubs, along with the silver medal in rope and hoop. She also was the silver medalist in the all-around and helped earn the team gold medal. The U.S. group earned the silver medal in hoop and bronze in ribbon.

Sereda and Kozitskiy went one-two in the rope and hoop event finals. In rope, Sereda received the top score of 23.700, followed by Kozitskiy at 23.350. Canada’s Maria Kitharska rounded out the top three at 21.700. For hoop, Sereda and Kozitskiy posted a 23.400 and 23.100, respectively, for the top two spots. Canada’s Kaitlyn James was third at 22.300.

For ball, Sereda’s 23.800 was a full point ahead of silver-medalist Kitharska. Canada’s Isha Sanchez was third at 22.100.

Kozitskiy easily won the clubs title with her 23.450. Brazil’s Emanuelle Lima and Kitharska were a distant second and third at 21.950 and 21.600, respectively. The USA’s Alexis Page of New York City was fifth in both ball and clubs, in addition to helping the USA secure the team gold medal.

The junior group of Alexandria Acree, Camille Guidry, Alexa Horn and Kaylee Ward, all of whom are from Jacksonville’s (Fla.) World Rhythmics, won the silver medal in hoop (20.550) and the bronze (17.300) in ribbon. Canada won both group event finals.

2009 Junior Rhythmic Pan American Championships
Nov. 14, 2009
Havana, Cuba
Event finals

Individual Event Finals

Rope
1. Rebecca Sereda, Staten Island, N.Y., 23.700
2. Polina Kozitskiy, Fountainville, Pa., 23.350
3. Maria Kitharska, Canada, 21.700

Hoop
1. Rebecca Sereda, Staten Island, N.Y., 23.400
2. Polina Kozitskiy, Fountainville, Pa., 23.100
3. Kaitlyn James, Canada, 22.300

Ball
1. Rebecca Sereda, Staten Island, N.Y., 23.800
2. Maria Kitharska, Canada, 22.800
3. Isha Sanchez, Canada, 22.100
Other U.S. finish
5. Alexis Page, New York, N.Y., 21.800

Clubs
1. Polina Kozitskiy, Fountainville, Pa., 23.450
2. Emanuelle Lima, Brazil, 21.950
3. Maria Kitharska, Canada, 21.600
Other U.S. finish
5. Alexis Page, New York, N.Y., 20.100

Group Event Finals

Hoop
1. Canada, 21.500
2. USA, 20.550
3. Brazil, 20.150

Ribbon
1. Canada, 19.850
2. Cuba, 19.100
3. USA, 17.300