Ronit SHAMUILOV
RHYTHMIC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS Photos by John Cheng
Julie ZETLIN
Rebecca SEREDA
Jazzy KERBER
R
ebecca Sereda of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, won the all-around at the 2012 Rhythmic National Championships in San Jose, Calif., with a two-day score of 213.325. “It feels amazing. I’ve been the junior national champion, but to be senior national champion is a different level,” said Sereda, who won four event medals on the first day of competition, including two gold, one silver and one bronze. 2012 Olympian Julie Zetlin of Bethesda, Md./ Capital Rhythmics, placed second at the competition with a 212.250, followed by Jazzy Kerber of Highland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, in third at 211.175. The top eight competitors earned spots on the Senior National Team: Cindy Lu of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora; Polina Kozitskiy of Fountainville, Pa./Philadelphia Rhythmic Academy; Daniella Romashin of Eden Prairie, Minn./ NorthWest Rhythmic LLC; Aliya Protto of Culver City, Calif./ California Julie Zetlin Rhythms; 2012 OLYMPIAN Hannah Walter of Angola, N.Y./ Gymnastics Unlimited– Orchard Park; Kerber; Sereda; and Zetlin. During event finals, Sereda earned gold on ball with a 27.280, Kerber took silver with a 27.200 and Lu earned bronze with a 25.980. In the clubs,
Sereda earned her second gold of the competi competition with a 27.230, followed by Zetlin with a 27.150 and Kerber with a 26.300. Kozitskiy won hoop with a 26.020, followed by Kerber with a 25.900 and Sereda with a 25.750. Zetlin won ribbon with a 27.530, followed by Sereda with a 26.900 and Kerber with a 26.230. Ronit Shamuilov of Brooklyn, N.Y/Isadora, earned the junior all-around national title with a two-day score of 206.275. Shamuilov, who led the all-around standings after the first day with a 102.300, won three of four events in the final en route to a 103.975. “I couldn’t have asked for better. To know that I set a goal and finally accomplished it, I feel so happy.” said Shamuilov, who won four event medals including two gold and two silver on the first day of competition. Trailing Shamuilov was Laura Zeng of Libertyville, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, second with a 205.650 followed by Julia Garbuz of Eden Prairie, Minn./NorthWest Rhythmic LLC, in third at 198.300. The top eight competitors earned spots on the Junior National Team: Jennifer Rokhman of Northbrook, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center; Kristen Shaldybin of Allston, Mass./Isadora; Brigita Budginas of Agoura Hills, Calif./Platinum Laura ZENG Gymnastics; Garbuz; Lu; Monica Rokhman; Shamuilov; and Zeng. Shamuilov earned gold on ball with a 26.125, trailed by Zeng with a 25.600 and Garbuz with a 25.425. Zeng won hoop with a 25.500, followed by Serena Lu of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, Rokhman and Shamuilov tied for second with a 24.900. The same three took to the podium in ribbon after Shamuilov won with a 25.700, followed by Zeng with a 25.300 and Garbuz with a 24.550. Garbuz earned clubs gold with a 25.800, Shamuilov won silver with a Julia 25.675 and Serena Lu earned bronze GARBUZ with a 25.600. USA GYMNASTICS JULY • AUGUST 2012
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