World and Olympic champions headline field for Secret U.S. Classic
INDIANAPOLIS, July 8, 2015 – Eight World and Olympic champions, including individual gold medalists Simone Biles of Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre, Gabrielle Douglas of Virginia Beach, Va./Buckeye Gymnastics, and Aly Raisman of Needham, Mass./Brestyan’s American Gymnastics, are expected to compete at the Secret U.S. Classic, July 25, at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Ill.
The July 25 competition schedule is 1 p.m. for the junior session and 6:30 p.m. for the senior session. All times are Central and subject to change.
Listed below are the eight gymnasts who collectively have won 21 World and Olympic medals since 2010, including athletes who helped Team USA win the World team titles in 2011 and 2014 and the team gold medal at the Olympic Games in 2012.
- Alyssa Baumann of Plano, Texas/WOGA: 2014 World Championships – team, gold
- Simone Biles of Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre: 2014 World Championships – team, all-around, balance beam, and floor exercise, gold; vault, silver; 2013 World Championships – all-around and floor exercise, gold; vault, silver; balance beam, bronze
- Gabrielle Douglas of Virginia Beach, Va./Buckeye Gymnastics: 2011 World Championships – team, gold; 2012 Olympic Games – team and all-around, gold
- Madison Kocian of Plano, Texas/WOGA: 2014 World Championships – team, gold
- Ashton Locklear of Hamlet, N.C./Everest Gymnastics: 2014 World Championships – team, gold
- Aly Raisman of Needham, Mass./Brestyan’s American Gymnastics: 2010 World Championships – silver, team; 2011 World Championships – team, gold; floor exercise, bronze; 2012 Olympic Games – team and floor exercise, gold; balance beam, bronze
- Kyla Ross of Aliso Viejo, Calif./Gym-Max: 2012 Olympic Games – team, gold; 2013 World Championships – all-around, uneven bars and balance beam, silver; 2014 World Championships – team, gold; all-around, bronze
- MyKayla Skinner of Gilbert, Ariz./Desert Lights: 2014 World Championships – team, gold; vault, bronze
The complete senior field is listed below, and the junior field will be released in the near future.
Single-session tickets range in price from $25-$40 for the junior session and $30-$50 for the senior session plus applicable fees. All-day tickets, which include admission to both the junior and senior elite sessions, are also on sale for $125, $79, $69, $59 and $49. The platinum all-session ticket price includes an Olympian meet and greet before competition begins.
To purchase tickets, visit www.SearsCentre.com, call 1-888-SEARS-TIX, or visit the Box Office at the Sears Centre Arena. Group tickets may be purchased by calling GroupTix at 773-327-3778 or by visiting GroupTix.net. Discounted tickets are also available through local gym clubs that are participating in the Club Ticket Sales Program. For more information, go to secretclassic.com.
Many of the country’s top gymnasts use the Secret U.S. Classic as a final tune-up for the P&G Gymnastics Championships, while other gymnasts are hoping to qualify for the national championships. The P&G Championships is the national championships for USA Gymnastics and determines the U.S. champions and the U.S. National Team. The 2015 P&G Championships are scheduled for Aug. 13-16 at Bankers Life Field House in Indianapolis. For more information, go to pgchamps.com.
The Hopes Championships takes place Friday, July 24, the day prior to the Secret U.S. Classic, and tickets are $20. The Hopes Championships has two age groups, 10-11 year-old and the 12-13 year-old, and athletes advance to the Hopes Championships from the Hopes Classic (May 29-31 in Huntsville, Texas, at the USA Gymnastics National Team Training Center at the Karolyi Ranch, an official U.S. Olympic Training Site). The top 18 from each age group qualify to the Hopes Championships assuming each athlete achieves a minimum qualifying score. The Hopes classification is just below the elite level, and the Hopes Championships, previously known as the U.S. Challenge, is the culmination of the Hopes athletes’ season.
USA Gymnastics is again partnering with World Sport Chicago on this event. The two organizations have worked together on the 2009 American Cup, the 2009-10 Chicago Cup, and the U.S. Classic since 2010.
Background information
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Sears Centre Arena. Sears Centre Arena is an 11,000-seat multipurpose family entertainment, cultural, and sports arena located in Hoffman Estates’ Prairie Stone Business Park. The Sears Centre Arena, which opened in 2006, is designed to accommodate a variety of events including concerts, family shows and sporting events. For more information regarding the Sears Centre Arena and upcoming events, please visit the arena’s website at www.searscentre.com.
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World Sport Chicago. World Sport Chicago, the legacy of Chicago’s 2016 Olympic bid, believes that sport has the power to transform lives and is dedicated to helping children in Chicago find a sport to meet their interests and abilities. The organization promotes the Olympic ideals of fitness, education and well-being by working with partner organizations to launch or expand sport programs for kids. WSC is working to introduce Chicago’s youth to the fun and benefit of sports and the ideals of fair play, teamwork, respect and leadership. For more information, go to –www.worldsportchicago.org.
2014 Secret U.S. Classic senior athlete roster
(by state; name, hometown, state/club, level)
Arizona
MyKayla Skinner, Gilbert, Ariz./Desert Lights Gymnastics
California
Kylie Dickson, Los Angeles, Calif./All Olympia AOGC
Gabrielle Douglas, Tarzana, Calif./Buckeye Gymnastics
Felicia Hano, San Gabriel, Calif./Gym-Max Gymnastics
Alaina Kwan, Cypress, Calif./All Olympia AOGC
Lauren Navarro, La Verne, Calif./Gliders Charter Oak Gymnastics
Kyla Ross, Aliso Viejo, Calif./Gym-Max Gymnastics
Colorado
Polina Shchennikova, Evergreen, Colo./TIGAR
Illinois
Marissa Oakley, Oswego, Ill./Phenom Gymnastics
Massachusetts
Alexandra Raisman, Needham, Mass./Brestyan’s American Gymnastics
Minnesota
Maggie Nichols, Little Canada, Minn./Twin City Twisters
Lexy Ramler, St. Michael, Minn./KidSport LLC
Missouri
Brenna Dowell, Odessa, Mo./Great American Gymn. Express
North Carolina
Ashton Locklear, Hamlet, N.C./Everest Gymnastics
Ohio
Nia Dennis, Westerville, Ohio/Buckeye Gymnastics
Pennsylvania
Taylor Lawson, Macungie, Pa./Parkettes National Gymnastics Center
Texas
Alyssa Baumann, Plano, Texas/WOGA
Simone Biles, Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre
Bailie Key, Montgomery, Texas/Texas Dreams
Madison Kocian, Plano, Texas/WOGA