Press and Media Coverage
JULY 30, 2021
San Diego Rhythmic Gymnasts achieve high rankings at USA Championships and Pan American Championships
Rhythmic gymnasts represented Emerald City Rhythmics at the USA Championships (St. Louis, MO) and represented the United States at the Junior Pan American Championships (Guatemala City, Guatemala). Aesthetic group gymnasts represented the United States at the Aesthetic Group Gymnastics Academic Cup (Sofia, Bulgaria).
(San Diego, CA) Olympic hopeful gymnasts closed out the end of the 2020-2021 season with flying colors. Individual rhythmic gymnasts train with five apparatuses: rope, hoop, ball, clubs, and ribbon. However, the sport’s governing body determines which of the four of these five apparatuses are in use during a 4-year competitive cycle.
After competing with the top 24-ranked gymnasts in the United States, Emerald City Rhythmics Level 10 Elite gymnasts Lauren Kramer and Katie Tang are among the top 8 selected as members of the 2021-2022 USA Rhythmic Junior National Team (Kramer finished 2nd all- around; Tang finished 8th all-around). The members of the USA National Team compete internationally and represent the United States at all of the large scale championships. Kramer and Tang’s new accomplishment brings EMC’s representation to 4 USA National Team Members, 1 Philippines National Team member, and 6 Elite Level 10 gymnasts.
At the Junior Pan American Championships (June 25-27) in Guatemala City, Guatemala, Megan Chu was named Junior PanAm Champion and 1st on the American Continent. All four of Megan’s routines competed on behalf of Team USA, and she qualified for all event finals as well. Svetlana Prokopova, EMC Head Coach, shared that she was extremely proud of Megan for this monumental accomplishment: “Megan is first on the entire continent. We are so happy for her, and very proud of her hard work.”
Megan Chu (age 12) placed 1st all-around, 1st on the hoop final, 1st on the clubs final, 1st on the ribbon final, and 2nd on the ball final.
Teammate Sarah K. Mariotti (age 14) competed her clubs and ribbon routines, placing 3rd in the ribbon final.
Megan and Sarah’s scores helped Team USA win 1st place in the team event.
Meanwhile, EMC gymnasts competed and found success at the USA Gymnastics Championships (June 24-27) in St. Louis, Missouri.
Junior Level 10 Elite results:
Lauren Kramer (age 14): 2nd place all-around; 4th place clubs; 4th place ribbon; 6th place hoop; 7th place ball.
Katie Tang (age 15): 7th place hoop; 7th place ball; 8th place all-around; 12th place clubs; 13th place ribbon.
Rachel Lu (age 15): 11th place ribbon; 11th place all-around; 12th place ball; 14th place hoop; 17th place clubs.
Natalia Ye-Granda (age 13): 12th place clubs; 12th place ribbon; 17th place all-around; 18th place hoop; 20th place ball.
Valentina Moya (age 12): 2nd place hoop; 18th place all-around; 19th place ball; 20th place ribbon; 24th place clubs.
Kirin Kimura (age 15): 11th place clubs; 19th place ribbon; 19th place all-around; 20th place hoop; 21st place ball.
Junior Level 10 results:
Angel Lu (age 15): 8th place ribbon; 10th place hoop; 14th place all-around; 16th place ball; 20th place clubs.
Senior Level 10 results:
Liza Kolesnichenko (age 16): 2nd place clubs; 3rd all-around; 4th place hoop; 5th place ribbon; 9th place ball.
Emerald City Rhythmics is also home to the USA National Aesthetic Group Gymnastics (AGG) Team for Juniors and Seniors, founded in September 2017. As well, EMC has a children’s AGG team, Team Emerald, that started training together in September 2020. The close-knit team has performed very well in their premiere season. Team Emerald traveled to their first international live assignment in Sofia, Bulgaria and earned the silver medal in the 10-12 years old short program.
About Emerald City Academy of Rhythmic and Aesthetic Group Gymnastics
The mission of Emerald City Rhythmics (EMC) is to empower girls to participate in the unique, beautiful, and expressive sports of Rhythmic and Aesthetic Group Gymnastics. Founded in 2009, EMC coaches have equipped dozens of gymnasts with the athleticism, grace, and strength of character required to compete at the highest level of these sports.
In addition to the EMC recreational programs, the Junior Olympic rhythmic gymnastics competitive program has become home to many USA Gymnastics Elite Squad Members, State, Regional, and National Champions, fourteen (14) United States National Team members in rhythmic gymnastics, and twelve (12) United States National Team members in aesthetic group gymnastics. Our Aesthetic Group Gymnastics Junior Team is ranked 7th in the World (2019), and has competed in World Cups and the World Championships since 2018.
To learn more, visit our website at www.emeraldcityrhythmics.com
MAY 26, 2021
8 San Diego Rhythmic Gymnasts achieve the rank of Level 10 Elite, the highest in the sport
Local gymnasts from Emerald City Academy of Rhythmic and Aesthetic Group Gymnastics (EMC) were selected from a national pool of 213 athletes, and are now qualified for trials at the USA Rhythmic Gymnastics National Team Championships.
(San Diego, CA) The results from the 2021 National Rhythmic Elite Qualifier are in: 8 of the 25 newly-minted Level 10 Elite gymnasts in the United States call San Diego home. This is the first instance in the history of USA Gymnastics where one club had eight qualifying gymnasts at the same time.
Emerald City Gymnastics is home to USA’s Aesthetic Group Gymnastics National Team. The following accomplished gymnasts train 30 hours per week at EMC under the direction of Svetlana Prokopova.
Megan Chu, age 13, Mesa Verde Middle School
Kirin Kimura, age 15, Scripps Ranch High School
Lauren Kramer, age 14, Marshall Middle School
Rachel Lu, age 15, The Cambridge School
Sarah K. Mariotti, age 14, Laurel Springs School
Valentina Moya, age 12, Meadowbrook Middle School
Katie Tang, age 14 Carmel Valley Middle School
Natalia Ye-Granda, age 13, Notre Dame Academy
Despite the challenges of COVID-19, Emerald City found creative solutions to keep the EMC gymnasts advancing their craft. As a solution to the facility closure, they continued training on Zoom and outdoors at local parks and beaches in order to maintain the gymnasts’ stamina, artistry, and athleticism that they have worked so hard to cultivate.” The director is especially grateful to the ongoing support of the gymnasts’ families: “We are blessed that all of the EMC parents had full faith in us and in our program. All of the hard work from our gymnasts and coaching staff has led us to these amazing opportunities.”
The next step for these Olympic hopefuls will be to compete at the 2021 USA Gymnastics Championships, scheduled for June 24-27 in St. Louis, Missouri. The USA Gymnastics Championships is qualification for the Pan American Games, scheduled for September 2021 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Pan American Games are the most prestigious and competitive event in the entire American continent.
In addition, two of the 4 United States gymnasts who were selected to represent the USA at the Pan American Championships on June 25-27 in Guatemala City, Guatemala are Megan Chu (ranked #1 in the USA) and Sarah K. Mariotti (ranked #3) from EMC. After earning the ranks of 1st and 3rd in the United States, Megan and Sarah have competed in Romania and Bulgaria over the course of the last month.
EMC Head Coach Svetlana Prokopova reflected on the past year, “My hardest challenge this season was to keep kids motivated when we couldn’t train in person. I am very proud of the gymnasts, and how they were able to keep focused and to work towards their future goals, which have now become a reality.” EMC Assistant Coach Dasha Baltovick shared, “I love coming to work and sharing my passion for the sport. Everyone at our gym is a team player, I have learned so much from Head Coach Svetlana. I am honored to inspire young athletes, and strive to be an example for them as a former member of the USA National Team.”
Other notable accomplishments from EMC gymnasts include:
Junior gymnast Angel Lu (age 15, The Cambridge School) achieved Level 10 and is ranked #33 in the United States.
Senior gymnast Liza Kolesnichenko (age 15, Scripps Ranch High School) was also promoted to Level 10 and is ranked #21 in the United States.
Senior gymnast Jessica Tijam (age 16, [incoming] Mt. Carmel High School) represents the Philippines Senior National Team.
About Emerald City Academy of Rhythmic and Aesthetic Group Gymnastics
The mission of Emerald City Rhythmic (EMC) is to empower girls to participate in the unique, beautiful, and expressive sports of Rhythmic and Aesthetic Group Gymnastics. Founded in 2009, EMC coaches have equipped dozens of gymnasts with the athleticism, grace, and strength of character required to compete at the highest level of these sports.
In addition to the EMC recreational programs, the Junior Olympic rhythmic gymnastics competitive program has become home to many USA Gymnastics Elite Squad Members, State, Regional, and National Champions, fourteen (14) United States National Team members in rhythmic gymnastics, and twelve (12) United States National Team members in aesthetic group gymnastics. Our Aesthetic Group Gymnastics Junior Team is ranked 7th in the World (2019), and has competed in World Cups and the World Championships since 2018.
To learn more, visit our website at www.emeraldcityrhythmics.com
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