Highlights from podium training at the 2018 US Classic in Columbus Ohio presented by:
Preview: 2018 US Classic/Hopes Championships
Livestream Schedule for the weekend.
Friday July 27 – 8 a.m. ET – Junior podium training
Friday July 27 – 10 a.m. ET – Senior podium training
Friday, July 27: Hopes Championships – 2:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, July 28: Junior Women’s competition – 1:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, July 28: Senior Women’s competition – 7:30 p.m. ET
Region 5 Insider US Classic Coverage
Region 5 Insider will be onsite covering all the action. Follow along all weekend on our coverage page sponsored by Tumbl Trak. Here is a preview of our Region 5 athletes competing this weekend.
For HOPE’s it’s championship time, but for many of the junior and senior elites its all or nothing. This weekend the GK US Classics/HOPES Championships take place at the Schottenstein Center on the campus of Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Though there will be anticipation and excitement in the arena for the return of 2016 Olympic All Around Champion Simone Biles, for many of the athletes in the junior and senior sessions this competition is either a tune up for nationals or the last opportunity to qualify to the USA National Championships in Boston.
Kicking off the weekend will be the HOPE’s Championships, final competition of the season which for many included a full Junior Olympic (level 8,9 or10) season as well. For some, this will be the first experience competing on a podium. Sydney Jelen of Legacy Elite is our regions only qualifier for this session and will be competing in her second HOPEs Championships. As we have documented before, Sydney competed is this competition back in 2016 and was the 2018 Junior A JO National Bars champion. Sydney is looking to showcase a few upgrades in her routines this weekend and hopes to finish on the podium in multiple events. Check out our R5 Spotlight on Sydney posted this week.
In the Junior Elite session JPAC’s Elizabeth Gantner is competing in her first US Classic but 2nd classic for the newly qualified elite. Liz is looking to improve upon her performance at the American Classic in Utah where she struggled a bit. Liz achieved her USA Championships qualifying score at the elite qualifier earlier in the season which unfortunately didn’t count but shows her potential to meet the score to qualify to her first elite national championships. She added a new combo on bars, Toe Blind 1/1 to Pak at the American Classic but missed it during the competition and will be looking to rock that this weekend. Check out that combo and more in our R5 Spotlight with Liz. (video)
Cincinnati’s Lilly Lippeatt, current junior elite national team member, has scratched from this weekends meet due to a glute muscle injury. Lilly is hoping to be ready to compete in Boston in 3 weeks. Here is Lilly on bars at the Pacific Rim Championships verification. Lilly was USA’s alternate for these Championships.
video from USA Gymnastics
In the senior session, all eyes of course will be on Simone’s return (though probably will not be doing all around this weekend), however Region 5 has two senior elites who are coming off a high from their performance at the American Classic and will compete in front of hometown fans. Shilese Jones from Future Gymnastics won the American Classic and is already qualified to championships. She will be looking to improve on her beam routine as she fell at the American Classic. She has posted some upgrades on Instagram so it will be interested to see if she adds any upgrades this weekend. (video)
Shania Adams from Buckeye, 2nd at American Classic and qualified to championships as well, has been dealing with a back injury this year and competed some watered down routines at classics earlier this month. Shania will possibly be upgrading all of her routines at classics this weekend in preparation for nationals. (video)
Absent from this weekends meet will be 2017 Jesolo junior all around champion Gabby Perea from Legacy Elite. Gabby who has already qualified to championships at camp this year and is recovering from a lower leg injury. Gabby and her coaches are unsure if she will be back in time to compete in Boston but hopefully will be ready for world selection camp. Here is a look at Gabby’s 6.5 bars start value routine from day 2 of the 2017 P&G Championships.
video by USA Gymnastics
20 Questions with JO National Qualifier Amelia Knotts (GTC-Rochester)
Our next 20 Questions Athlete is 1st time JO National Qualifier Amelia Knotts of Gymnastics Training Center of Rochester (GTC) in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Amelia, who is in her first year of Level 10 and her first season with GTC, has been a strong talent in the last few years as a level 9. She was always a pleasure to watch on the competition floor. Amelia through some big skills and had all the makings of a talented gymnast. Being from Michigan I have seen this athlete grow up and it has been wonderful to watch her progress, I was thrilled to see her qualify for her 1st JO Nationals this past year and definitely can see big things coming with this incredible young athlete. With summer coming to a very quick end, lets get to know this incredible athlete who was just named The GTC Athlete of the Year, as she gets ready for her 2nd season of level 10 and another run at the JO National Championships.
How did you get into gymnastics? How old were you? I was 3 when my mom
decided to put me into gymnastics. She said that I always had a LOT of energy
What is your favorite event? My favorite event is vault
Favorite Skill to train/compete? My favorite skill to compete is a double back on floor. My favorite skill to train is a yurchenko double
Dream Skill? My dream skill is a shaposh to bail on bars
What is your favorite part of gymnastics? I love being apart of a team and cheering as loud as I can at meets and during practice
What college do you plan on attending? I am undecided on where I would like to attend college
What is your favorite meet to compete at? Why? My favorite meet to compete at is Gymnastics on the Grand because Jake Dalton is there
Biggest accomplishment in gymnastics so far? My biggest accomplishment in gymnastics was making level 10 JO Nationals this past year and placing on vault
Who do you most admire in the sport of gymnastics? I admire my teammate Lauren Holt, she is my teammate at GTC
What is your favorite Region 5 Insider Feature or Series? My favorite Region 
5 Series or Feature is the “OMG Blooper” series
What is your go to playlist or song before meets? Before a meet I always listen to something country
3 Things you could not live without? 3 Things I cannot live without are my family, my phone, and pizza
If you could be any animal, what animal would you be and why? If I could be any animal I would be a turtle because they basically just eat, swim, and lay in the sun all day
5 Most Important or Must have Items in your gym bag? The 5 most important things in my gym bag are my grips, wrist guards, tape, pre wrap, and fruit snacks
Do you have any pre-meet rituals or superstitions? A superstition I have is that I must have my turtle keychain in my bag that my friend gave me
What do you like to do outside of Gymnastics? Outside of Gymnastics I like baking, going swimming, and hanging out with my friends and family
Most embarrassing meet moment or gymnastics moment? One of my most emabarressing gymnastics moments was then I once I split the beam on a lea
p when I was competing
If you weren’t a gymnast, what sport would you do or try? If I weren’t a gymnast I would try track
Which athletes (any sport) do you respect the most and why? I respect wounded warrior athletes the most because they have lost limbs fighting for our country and still persevere through everyday challenges to play sports and to do what they love.
What is the most valuable piece of advice or wisdom your coach has given you? At meets my coach always tells me “nothing but your words”
Bonus Question: Tell me something interesting about yourself…. I am adopted from China but, I don’t like Chinese food
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Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2018 ESPY Awards
The Arthur Ashe Award for Courage is presented to an individual or individuals who’s contributions “transcend sports”. The recipient reflects the spirit of Arthur Ashe, an American Tennis Player, possessing strength in the face of adversity, courage in the face of peril and the willingness to stand up for their belief no matter what it cost. The Award has been presented annually at the ESPY Awards since its inception in 1993 (ESPN.com).
This past weekend the incredible woman affected by the heinous actions of Larry Nassar, were presented with this prestigious award at the 2018 Espy Awards in Los Angeles California. Over 140 sister survivors gathered on the stage to accept the Arthur Ashe Courage Award presented by Jennifer Garner.
Congratulations to all the sister survivors, those who were in attendance and those who were unable to attend, on this prestigious award for Courage.
We have compiled a gallery below of photos from the ESPY Awards, if you have photos you would like to share with us to be included in our gallery please email us ([email protected]) and they will be added.
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For more information about the 2018 ESPY and to watch the Sister Survivors accept the Arthur Ashe Award please Click Here
Photo Credit: ESPN.com
Making Moves Monday (July 23, 2018)
Region 5 is making their move into 2019. Check out some of the new skills being done from our gymnasts around the Region. If you want your upgrades to be included in future Making Your Move posts upload your video to your Instagram page (must be public or put up on gym IG) and tag us @region5gyminsider. #R5MakingMovesMonday
Amanda Gruber (Flying High) New Double Layout on Floor
Sophia Smyth (Bartlett Gymnastics) Comaneci on Bars
Bella Romagnano (Buckeye) Bars 1st 1/2 looking good!
Abby Singh (Phenom) Killing it this summer. 2 New floor upgrades
Amelia Greenfield (Phenom) New Flight Series
Kaylee Cooper (Aspire) New Double Back Dismount on Beam
Buckeye Gymnastics with some new beam and floor skills
Mackenzie Patricelli (Kiaga) New Jaeger on bars
