Sereda wins U.S. junior rhythmic all-around title at ’09 Visa Championships

DALLAS, Texas, Aug. 14, 2009 –Rebecca Sereda of Staten Island, N.Y., won the U.S. junior rhythmic gymnastics all-around crown at the 2009 Visa Championships at the Dallas (Texas) Convention Center. Ava Gehringer of Evanston, Ill., leads the senior all-around rankings with 147.575 points; the senior all-around competition concludes on Saturday.

Sereda, who trains at Isadora, handily won the all-around title with a two-day combined all-around score of 189.500, which resulted in an 11.675 margin of victory. as well as qualified for the U.S. Rhythmic Junior National Team. 

Isadora’s Olga Pavlenko of Flushing, N.Y., finished in second place with an all-around score of 177.825. Jazzy Kerber of Highland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, captured third at 177.275. Fourth place belonged to Jessica Bogdanov of Brooklyn, N.Y./Isadora, with 176.600, and Alexis Page of New York, N.Y./Aviator Sports and Recreation, scored a 173.950 for fifth place. 

The senior all-around concludes on Saturday with competition in both hoop and ribbon. After the first two events, Gehringer, who trains at North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, built a 6.675 point lead. Rachel Marmer of Los Angeles, Calif./ Eurogymnastics, and Julie Zetlin, Bethesda, Md./ Rhythmflex, are in a tight battle for second and third place with scores of 140.900 and 140.675, respectively.

For complete rhythmic gymnastics scores, go to usa-gymnastics.org.

Competition for the Visa Championships wraps up on Saturday with women’s gymnastics, trampoline/tumbling, rhythmic gymnastics and acrobatic gymnastics. Tickets for the event are still available, and may be purchased by phone at 800-745-3000; online at www.ticketmaster.com; at all Ticketmaster outlets; or at the American Airlines Center Ticket Office. In recognition of Visa’s longstanding support of USA Gymnastics, the 2009 Visa Championships proudly accepts only Visa cards.

About the Dallas Convention Center
The Dallas Convention Center, which has more than 1,000,000 sq. ft., is the site for rhythmic and acrobatic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling. The Dallas Convention Center offers a staggering 726,726 square feet of prime, contiguous exhibit space along with a 203,000-square-foot column-free exhibit hall, the largest in the United States. Plus, the Dallas Convention Center offers even more great features, such as a 9,816-seat arena, a theater with a 1,750-person capacity and 96 meeting rooms.

About 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, and acrobatic gymnastics. For more complete information, log on to www.usa-gymnastics.org.

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2009 Visa Championships
Dallas Convention Center
Dallas, Texas
Aug. 14, 2009
Rhythmic gymnastics
Finals

Junior rhythmic all-around finals
1. Rebecca Sereda of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, 189.500
2. Olga Pavlenko of Flushing, N.Y/Isadora, 177.825
3. Jazzy Kerber of Highland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, 177.275
4. Jessica Bogdanov of Brooklyn, N.Y./Isadora, 176.600
5. Shelby Kisiel of Missouri City, Texas/North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, 173.950
6. Amanda Tran of Shoreline, Wash./Kortel Academy of Gymnastics, 167.225
NOTE: The top six in the all-around rankings automatically qualified for the U.S. Junior National Rhythmic Gymnastics Team.