PRESS RELEASE: USA Set To Compete In 2018 Junior Pan Am Championships

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, 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, chaperone

Women

Jordan Bowers, Lincoln, Neb./Solid Rock Gymnastics

JaFree Scott, Independence, Mo./GAGE

Tori Tatum, Chanhassen, Minn./Twin City Twisters

Leanne Wong, Overland Park, Kansas/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 on central time, and the competition schedule is: June 13 – women’s event qualification and all-around and team finals, 10:30 a.m. CT/11:30 a.m. ET, Subdivision 1, and 1:45 p.m. CT/2:45 p.m. ET, Subdivision 2; June 14 – men’s event qualification and all-around and team finals, 11:10 a.m. CT/12:10 p.m. ET, Subdivision 1, and 3:30 p.m. CT/4:30 p.m. ET; and June 15 – men’s and women’s event finals, 11 a.m. CT/12 p.m. ET (men’s floor, Pommel horse and still rings; women’s vault, uneven bars), and 4:10 p.m./5:10 p.m. (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.