2017 P&G Championships Coming to Anaheim

The women’s roster is set for the 2017 P&G Gymnastics Championships, USA Gymnastics’ national championships, where America’s top gymnasts will compete for national titles and berths on the U.S. National Team, Aug. 17-20, at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. The 54-gymnast field features both veterans and rising stars in the junior and senior divisions, including 2017 AT&T American Cup champion Ragan Smith of Lewisville, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics; Smith’s fellow 2016 Olympic replacement athlete Ashton Locklear of Hamlet N.C./Everest Gymnastics, a 2014 World team gold medalist; 2017 Stuttgart World Cup all-around bronze-medalist Morgan Hurd of Middletown, Del./First State Gymnastics; Riley McCusker of Brielle, N.J./MG Elite, the 2017 Jesolo Trophy all-around and balance beam champion; and 2017 London World Cup all-around silver-medalist Victoria Nguyen of West Des Moines, Iowa/Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute.

In addition, other U.S. Senior National Team members who had success earlier this year and are expected to compete are: Abby Paulson of Coon Rapids, Minn./Twin City Twisters, who claimed the 2017 Jesolo Trophy floor title and all-around bronze medal; Alyona Shchennikova of Evergreen, Colo./5280 Gymnastics, who recently won the all-around title at the 2017 U.S. Classic; and 2017 Jesolo Trophy team champion Trinity Thomas of York, Pa./Prestige Gymnastics. U.S. Senior National Team members Shania Adams of Plain City, Ohio/Buckeye Gymnastics, and Jordan Chiles of Vancouver, Wash./Naydenov Gymnastics, are also in the field. Performances in Anaheim will determine the U.S. National Team and which senior women will be invited to the World Team Selection Camp, Sept. 18-22, at the USA Gymnastics National Team Training Center in Huntsville, Texas.

The junior women’s field includes six U.S. Junior National Team members: 2017 Jesolo Trophy junior team gold-medalist Olivia Dunne of Hillsdale, N.J./Eastern National Academy of Paramus; 2017 U.S. Classic junior balance beam gold-medalist Adeline Kenlin of Iowa City, Iowa/Iowa Gym-Nest; 2017 Gymnix International Junior Cup uneven bars silver-medalist Sunisa Lee of Saint Paul, Minn./Midwest Gymnastics Center; 2017 U.S. Classic junior all-around champion Emma Malabuyo of Flower Mound, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics; Maile O'Keefe of Las Vegas, Nev./Salcianu Elite Academy of Gymnastics, the defending U.S. junior all-around champion; and 2017 Jesolo Trophy junior all-around champion Gabby Perea of Geneva, Ill./Legacy Elite.

The four-day competition schedule is: Aug. 17 – men’s gymnastics, juniors at 1 p.m. and seniors at 7 p.m.; Aug. 18 – women’s gymnastics, juniors at 1 p.m. and seniors at 7:30 p.m.; Aug. 19 –men’s gymnastics, juniors at 12 p.m. and seniors at 5 p.m.; and Aug. 20 – women’s gymnastics, juniors at 11 a.m. and seniors at 3:30 p.m. Times listed are Pacific.

Single-session tickets range in price from $20 to $122 per ticket. Multi-session packages are also available: women’s first day of competition package – junior and senior women’s sessions, Aug. 18, $85-$150; women’s final day of competition package — junior and senior women’s sessions, Aug. 20, $99-$165; men’s package – all men’s sessions (junior and senior), Aug. 17 and 19, $85-$130; and senior finals package – senior men on Aug. 19 and senior women on Aug. 20, $95-$140. All-session tickets, which range in price from $159-$699, are also on sale. Tickets may be purchased at Ticketmaster.com or by phone at 800-745-3000. For group sales, contact Honda Center at 714-940-2859 or via email at groupsales@hondacenter.com. For more information, go to pgchamps.com.

In addition to several post-Olympic gymnastics tour events, Honda Center also has played host to the 2003 World Gymnastics Championships and the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Gymnastics. Honda Center and Visit Anaheim are working with USA Gymnastics to stage the championships.

Four-time Olympic gold-medalist Simone Biles of Houston/World Champions Centre, and two-time Olympian Sam Mikulak of Newport Beach, Calif./U.S. Olympic Training Center, won their fourth consecutive women’s and men’s U.S. all-around titles, respectively, at the 2016 P&G Championships. The roster of former U.S. all-around champions is a veritable who’s who of gymnastics, including: women – Jordyn Wieber, Nastia Liukin, Shawn Johnson, Carly Patterson, Courtney Kupets, Shannon Miller, Dominique Dawes, Kim Zmeskal and Mary Lou Retton; and men – Jonathan Horton, Paul Hamm, Blaine Wilson, John Roethlisberger, Mitch Gaylord, Peter Vidmar and Bart Conner. The U.S. Gymnastics Championships traces its history back to 1897 for the men and 1931 for the women. This is the first time the event will be held in Anaheim, Calif.

The annual USA Gymnastics National Congress and Trade Show is a three-day event open to the entire gymnastics community. Held in conjunction with the P&G Championships, the National Congress provides a unique opportunity for presentations, demonstrations and educational seminars on a variety of topics and a large exhibitor’s hall with additional business opportunities. The 2017 edition will be staged Aug. 17-19 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Background information

·       Honda Center. Honda Center is the premier entertainment and sports venue in Southern California. Owned by the City of Anaheim and operated by Anaheim Arena Management, LLC, the arena opened in June of 1993. The National Hockey League’s Anaheim Ducks have called the arena home since their inaugural season in the fall of 1993. In addition to Ducks games, Honda Center hosts a variety of world class acts such as The Rolling Stones, The Who, Fleetwood Mac, Professional Bull Riders and more. For more information, visit www.hondacenter.com.

·       Visit Anaheim. Founded in 1961, Visit Anaheim is a 501 (c)(6) nonprofit destination marketing organization. Visit Anaheim’s mission is to develop, market and sell Anaheim benefiting the economic vitality of our communities. Follow Visit Anaheim on Facebook (Facebook.com/VisitAnaheim) Twitter (@Visit_Anaheim), Instagram (Instagram.com/VisitAnaheim) and LinkedIn (VisitAnaheim)

·       USA Gymnastics. Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. Its mission is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport. Its disciplines include men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, acrobatic gymnastics and Gymnastics for All (formerly known as group gymnastics). For more complete information, log on to usagym.org.

2017 P&G Women’s Gymnastics Championships Field

Alpha by state, last name

Arizona
Jade Carey, Phoenix, Ariz./Oasis Gymnastics, senior

California
Ciena Alipio, San Jose, Calif./West Valley Gymnastics School, junior

Frida Esparza, Pittsburg, Calif./Head Over Heels, senior

Madelyn Williams, Vacaville, Calif./San Mateo Gymnastics, junior

Colorado
Jay Jay Marshall, Denver, Colo./TIGAR, junior

Alyona Shchennikova, Evergreen, Colo./5280 Gymnastics, senior

Kalyany Steele, Colorado Springs, Colo./Colorado Aerials Gymnastics Center, senior

Delaware
Love Birt, Wyoming, Del./First State Gymnastics, junior

Morgan Hurd, Middletown, Del./First State Gymnastics, senior

Florida
Emily Gaskins, Coral Springs, Fla./Cincinnati Gymnastics, senior

Sydney Johnson-Scharpf, Groveland, Fla./Brandy Johnson's Global Gymnastics, senior

Georgia
Elena Arenas, Bogart, Ga./Georgia Elite Gymnastics, senior

Sydney Barros, Woodstock, Ga./Texas Dreams Gymnastics, junior

Illinois
Gabby Perea, Geneva, Ill./Legacy Elite Gymnastics LLC, junior

Iowa
Adeline Kenlin, Coraville, Iowa/Iowa Gym-Nest, junior

Victoria Nguyen, West Des Moines, Iowa/Chow's Gymnastics and Dance Institute, senior

Kansas
Leanne Wong, Overland Park, Kan./Great American Gymnastics Express, junior

Maryland
Kayla Di Cello, Boyds, Md./Hill's Gymnastics, junior

Madeleine Johnston, Boyds, Md./Hill's Gymnastics, junior

Anya Pilgrim, Germantown, Md./Hill's Gymnastics, junior

Michigan
Leah Clapper, Ann Arbor, Mich./Gym America, senior

Minnesota
Sunisa Lee, Saint Paul, Minn./Midwest Gymnastics Center, junior

Grace McCallum, Isanti, Minn./Twin City Twisters, junior

Abby Paulson, Coon Rapids, Minn./Twin City Twisters, senior

Missouri
Kara Eaker, Grain Valley, Mo./Great American Gymn. Express, junior

JaFree Scott, Independence, Mo./Great American Gymn. Express, junior

Nebraska
Jordan Bowers, Lincoln, Neb./Solid Rock Gymnastics, junior

Nevada
Selena Harris, Henderson, Nev./Gymcats Gymnastics, junior

Maile O'Keefe, Las Vegas, Nev./Salcianu Elite Academy of Gymnastics, junior

Sienna Robinson, Las Vegas, Nev./Browns Gymnastics Las Vegas, junior

New Jersey
Olivia Dunne, Hillsdale, N.J./Eastern National Academy of Paramus, junior

Margzetta Frazier, Erial, N.J./Parkettes National Gymnastics Center, senior

Riley McCusker, Brielle, N.J./MG Elite, senior

North Carolina
Lauren Little, Mooresville, N.C./Everest Gymnastics, junior

Ashton Locklear, Charlotte, N.C./Everest Gymnastics, senior

Marissa Oakley, Huntersville, N.C./Everest Gymnastics, senior

Victoria Smirnov, Hickory, N.C./Shooting Stars Gymnastics, junior      

Ohio
Shania Adams, Plain City, Ohio/Buckeye Gymnastics, senior

Shilese Jones, Westerville, Ohio/Buckeye Gymnastics, junior

Lillian Lippeatt, Mason, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics, junior

Pennsylvania
Addison Fatta, Wrightsville, Pa./Prestige Gymnastics, junior

Trinity Thomas, York, Pa./Prestige Gymnastics, senior

Texas
Annie Beard, Dallas, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics, junior

Luisa Blanco, Little Elm, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics, senior

Audrey Davis, Frisco, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics, junior

Hannah Hagle, Chireno, Texas/Texas East Gymnastics, junior

Olivia Hollingsworth, Seabrook, Texas/Stars Gymnastics Training Center-Houston, junior

Emma Malabuyo, Flower Mound, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics, junior

Deiah-Marie Moody, Plano, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics, junior

Ragan Smith, Lewisville, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics, senior

Deanne Soza, Coppell, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics, senior

Abigail Walker, Carrollton, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics, senior

Virginia
Abigail Scanlon, Sterling, Va./Capital Gymnastics National Training Center, junior

Washington
Jordan Chiles, Vancouver, Wash./Naydenov Gymnastics Inc., senior