Pro Gymnastics Challenge

Big Names to Watch at 2013 Pro Gymnastics Challenge

Big Names to Watch at 2013 Pro Gymnastics Challenge

Apr 25, 2013 by Anne Phillips
Big Names to Watch at 2013 Pro Gymnastics Challenge
The 2013 NCAA gymnastics season may have come to a close, but there's even more exciting gymnastics that should be on your radar! Before this summer's U.S. Championships, you'll get to see the stars of elite gymnastics in a different setting at the Professional Gymnastics Challenge. 

The Professional Gymnastics Challenge features an amazing cast of Olympic and world-renowned gymnasts competing in a new, exciting format. PGC is a skill-for-skill competition with teams consisting of both men and women squaring off in head-to-head battles for true gymnastics supremacy. It sounds awesome. 




Who's competing? 
The format will be USA vs the World! 

The big names on Team USA
Chellsie Memmel
West Allis, WI, age 24

Memmel may be retired, but she can still put on a show. She's been a staple in the U.S. elite gymnastics scene since 2003 and will be the most exciting American female out on the floor. She's gained worldwide respect for her tenacity, competitive fire, and persistence in the sport. Memmel was the 2005 World All Around Champion, 2003 World Uneven Bars Co-Champion, and 2008 Olympic silver medalist.

Vanessa Zamarripa
O'Fallon, IL, age 22

With recent success in both the NCAA and elite worlds, UCLA's Vanessa Zamarripa is adored by many in the gymnastics community. She makes difficult gymnastics look effortless. Plus, she has many more tricks up her sleeve than what you saw at the recent NCAA Championships, including a gorgeous double layout on floor and a deltchev release on uneven bars. She was the 2010 NCAA Vault and Team Champion, the 2013 AAI Award Winner, and the 2013 Pac 12 Conference Gymnast of the Year. She closed our her collegiate career with an incredible 19 All-American Honors. 

Jake Dalton
Norman, OK, age 21

Dalton has emerged as the next star of the American men's team and is undefeated in 2013, winning the Winter Cup Challenge then topping the international field at the AT&T American Cup. Can he continue his win streak at the PGC? Dalton is a 2012 Olympic Finalist and the 2012 U.S. Champion on floor and vault. His floor tumbling, both explosive and clean, is not to be missed! Dalton is pumped about the PGC because, "it is something new and exciting for me and the sport of gymnastics."

Jonathan Horton
Houston, TX, age 27

Horton is the clear leader of Team USA and really thrives in the type of competitive atmosphere that the PGC will provide. Horton LOVES performing to a crowd and is known for being a trickster. Expect him to throw some insane skills and have a great time doing it. Horton is a 2-time U.S. Olympian (2008 & 2012) and a 2-time Olympic medalist. 
Kat Ding
Sparks, NV, age 23

Remember charismatic Gym Dog Kat Ding? The NCAA National Champion will return to the competition floor and it will be interesting to see which tricks she can still pull out. Ding finished her collegiate career in a big way, winning the NCAA title on both bars and floor, graduating as a 4-time NCAA Champion.

More USA gymnasts you can expect to see at the PGC: Brandon Wynn, Steve Legendre, Chris Brooks, Ashanee Dickerson, Alyssa Pritchett, Paul Ruggeri, Josh Dixon, Jesse Silverstein, Jana Bieger, and Alex Naddour. 


Big Names in the International Field

Catalina Ponor
Romania, age 25

Catalina Ponor is a 3-time Olympic Gold Medalist from Romania. In 2004, she won Olympic titles on beam, floor, and helped the Romania team to victory. Hungry for more, Ponor made a remarkable comeback to the sport in 2011 and ultimately led the Romanian team to bronze at the 2012 Olympic Games, then earned silver on floor. Ponor is known for her aggressive style on balance beam, competing many difficult skills in combination and will be very exciting to watch at the Pro Gym Challenge!

Anna Pavlova
Russia, age 25

What's not to love about Anna Pavlova? She's a 2-time Olympian for Russia (2004 and 2008) and still competing at age 25! She recently won four gold medals at the 2012 Tournoi International de Schiltigheim. Pavlova is known for her elegant style and is absolutely beautiful to watch. 

Oksana Chusovitina
Uzbekistan, age 37!

Chusovitina has defied the odds in women's gymnastics and is a SIX-time Olympian! She helped the Soviet team win the Olympic gold medal way back in 1992, earned an Olympic silver medal on vault in 2008, and impressively contended for another vault medal this past summer in London. Chusovitina has come out of retirement once again and is eyeing her seventh Olympic Games which would break her own record of Olympic appearances. She is a legend. 

Marcel Nguyen
Germany, age 25

Nguyen is the top German gymnast and the 2012 Olympic All Around and Parallel Bars Silver medalist. He has some impressive skills we hope to see here, including a rarely competed full twisting double tuck dismount off p bars! 

Marissa King
England, age 22

King just closed out her NCAA career at the University of Florida by leading the team to the program's first NCAA title. King has always been an impressive gymnast but in her time at Florida, she really learned how to perform and will use that to her advantage here. She is a 2008 Olympian for Great Britain, the 2011 NCAA Vault Champion, and an 8-time NCAA All American.

Alexander Shatilov
Israel, age 25

Being 6 feet tall, Shatilov is quite the anomaly in gymnastics. His height adds a certain aestetic quality to his gymnastics and his tumbling is simply world class. Shatilov is a 2-time World medalist on floor, a 2012 Olympian, and recently clinched the 2013 European title on floor. 
 

More international gymnasts you can expect to see at the PGC: Nathan Gafuik, Petrix Barbosa, Jade Barbosa, Daniele Hypolito, Jessica Lopez, Alexander Shatilov, Sam Oldham, Lisa Mason, Laura-Ann Chong, Andrew Smith, and Nathalia Sanchez.


Event Details
Friday, May 10th: “No Borders Competition:” Mixed international teams unite to compete in a no borders showdown for athletic supremacy. Watch these Olympic, World and National champions compete in a skill-for-skill battle.

Saturday, May 11th: Over 100 different National World and Olympic titles meet to square off in a USA vs. The World skill-for-skill battle.

Location: Lehigh University’s Stabler Arena

Watch it LIVE! Click here to buy TICKETS.

Televised: Monday May 20th, Tuesday, May 21st and Wednesday, May 22nd on ESPN2.

Related Content