A Perfect 10: The Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation Kicks Off 30 Years with the 11th Annual Harlem Gymnastics Invitational

12 Feb A Perfect 10: The Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation Kicks Off 30 Years with the 11th Annual Harlem Gymnastics Invitational

Posted at 11:33h in News & Features by Christy Sandmaier 0 Comments

By Christy Sandmaier

Vice President & Co-Publisher

The live gymnastics competition, set for Friday, February 20 to Sunday, February 22, 2026 will bring together hundreds of athletes from across the country!

The Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation (WHGF) is kicking off its busy calendar of festivities celebrating 30 years of free and low-cost gymnastics with the return of its Harlem Gymnastics Invitational (HGI). The 11^th annual competition will feature various levels of gymnasts competing in Rhythmic Gymnastics, Trampoline & Tumbling and Girls’ Artistic Gymnastics, creating a live spectacle of sport. The competition will be held Friday, February 20 to Sunday, February 22, 2026 from 9 AM to 6 PM each day at the 50,000 square foot historic Harlem Armory, located 40 West 143^rd Street, New York, NY.

“2026 marks three decades of offering low-cost and free gymnastics here in Harlem, and we could not be more excited to kick off the anniversary with our annual invitational, bringing the sport live to Harlem,” said Wendy Hilliard, Founder and CEO of the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation. “It’s not every day that you get to see high flying skills, powerful tumbling or a ribbon and hoop in action. It’s also not every day that athletes across all economic backgrounds can compete at the same meet. The foundation has come such a long way, and has had more than 25,000 athletes through our doors. With the funds raised at this year’s invitational, we’ll be able to provide opportunity to athletes to come.”

Wendy has been a great friend of Inside Gymnastics throughout the years, and she continues to inspire us with her dreams and her drive to bring gymnastics and life skills to young athletes all around the country. It’s a true honor to continue to share her story.

Checking in with Wendy this week, she told us of the 30-year milestone: “30 years ago, I set out to create a space that empowers athletes who might not have otherwise had the opportunity to train in gymnastics. Over three decades, it’s become evident that we’re NOT teaching just physical skills. We’re teaching lessons on and off the mat, including time management, discipline and teamwork, which athletes can carry with them and apply throughout their lives – no matter their profession or path. Starting a local foundation from the ground up wasn’t the easiest, but I was determined to give back through the sport that I loved. I am grateful for the support of partners, donors, Olympic athletes and others, who have helped us keep our doors open, expand into Detroit as well, and serve nearly 30,000 young athletes in Harlem and Detroit. Here’s to the next 30 years and beyond.”

The kids are the why of every initiative.

“This community across the board has been so supportive of what we do, and it really affects the kids’ lives,” she told us last spring. “The stories we have from the different kids that we have, it’s a big range. In gymnastics, as you understand, the parental part is big. That’s why we’re in the community, right? We have to support families as well, oftentimes. The cool thing about our gym is that the reason we all wear the same leotard is because once you’re there, everybody’s the same. It’s that level of care that you have for the kids. Once everybody’s in the gym, everybody’s the same. And that’s really special.”

Because of the support of so many, Hilliard has been able to expand and offer opportunities to the young gymnasts the foundation serves on multiple levels.

Wendy with the WHGF Harlem Competing Athletes (HGI 2025) - Credits Julieta Okot

Hilliard was the first Black rhythmic gymnast to represent the U.S. internationally and was inducted into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2008. As a result of her experiences, she founded WHGF in 1996 before expanding to her hometown of Detroit in 2016, to make gymnastics accessible to urban youth. The Foundation serves urban youth between the ages of 3 to 17. At WHGF, young gymnasts learn about time management, responsibility, teamwork, leadership, and sustainable health habits. To date, WHGF has served over 25,000 youth.

Last year, more than 800 gymnasts aged 7 to 18 representing Metro NYC, New Jersey, Connecticut, Georgia, Maine, California, Ohio, North and South Carolina, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Canada competed in Harlem. Among the competitors this year will be dozens of WHGF students, including gymnasts from WHGF Detroit, which is celebrating its 10^th year in 2026. In addition, the foundation will again host its signature “Showtime in Harlem” performance where WHGF students and athletes will highlight the foundation’s mission and perform exciting routines on Sunday, February 22 at 5 p.m.

The event is free to spectators but attendees must fill out the entry form provided here.

Click here for more information on the 2026 Harlem Gymnastics Invitational, email hgi@wendyhilliardfoundation.org or call (212) 316-0315.

The Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation’s mission is to empower the lives of young people from underserved communities by improving physical and emotional health through the sport of gymnastics. WHGF was founded in NYC in 1996 and expanded to Detroit in 2016, in Wendy Hilliard’s hometown and has since served more than 25,000 youth. Funds raised at the HGI will help keep the sport of gymnastics affordable and accessible to urban youth through scholarships and low-cost programs.

For more information on WHGF, follow the foundation’s Instagram @WendyHilliardFoundation, Facebook @WendyHilliardFoundation, Twitter @WendyHilliardFD, and YouTube @GymnasticsFoundation.