Remembering the 2010 Championships

Aug 8, 2013 by Elizabeth Stranahan

Kyla Ross was the 2010 US Junior National Champion in Hartford. Photo by Ryan Schulz.

Before gymnastics competition heats up again at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut, we want to reflect on the last time this arena housed gymnastics history. Hartford played host to the memorable 2010 Championships, a meet that boosted Olympian Alicia Sacramone back to the top of the world--literally--and launched rising stars Kyla Ross and Sam Mikulak into the spotlight. Look back on the excitement of the 2010 Championships in Hartford before tuning in August 15th when the drama starts anew.

Women's All Around medalists L to R: Mattie Larson, Rebecca Bross, Aly Raisman. Photo by Ryan Schulz.

A major highlight of the week came from the women's senior competition. Rebecca Bross secured the All Around title after posting top scores on both the bars and the beam. The WOGA gymnast made a name for herself at the 2010 Championships, and her impressive performance caught the eye of Martha Karolyi. Karolyi and the Selection Committee later named Bross to the 2010 World's Team where she would place second on bars and third overall.

Senior Alicia Sacramone stole the night, though. After a disappointing 2008 Olympic Games, Sacramone toyed with retirement until finally deciding she was not quite ready to leave the sport. Sacramone started her comeback in 2010, and the magnitude of her success compounded at the 2010 Championships where Sacramone swept the vault title and finished second on the beam, the only events on which she competed. Sacramone proved herself as a competitor and a contender at the 2010 Championships and secured herself a spot on the 2010 World's Team where, in Rotterdam, she would claim the vault title.

On the junior side, Kyla Ross of Gym Max earned the all around crown for the second year in a row showing herself as not only a strong performer, but also a consistent athlete. Also in the junior competition, McKayla Maroney of All Olympia started her dominance of the vault taking home the event title by nearly a point. Maroney also held her own in the all around competition finishing third all around. Gabby Douglas started working her way into the limelight at the 2010 Championships. Still competing for Excalibur, Douglas finished fourth in the junior division at the competition.

2010 Men's All Around medalist L to R: Danell Leyva, Jonathan Horton, Brandon Wynn. Photo by Greg Long.

For the men, Jonathan Horton continued his prominence winning his second consecutive senior all around title. For the juniors, Sam Mikulak earned the all around gold in his last year in the age group. Horton would travel to the World Championships to take home a bronze in the all around competition. For Mikulak, it signaled the start of postitioning himself as a major player in the world of men's elite gymnastics.

The 2010 USA women's Olympic team with their bronze medals. Photo by Ryan Schulz.

The 2010 Championships also recognized some special guests. Ten years after their Olympic Games in Sydney, the 2000 USA Women's Olympic Team received bronze medals for their efforts in the team competition. The USA Team composed of Amy Chow, Jamie Dantzscher, Dominique Dawes, Kristen Maloney, Elise Ray, and Tasha Schwikert earned their bronze after the International Federation of Gymnastics disqualified the Chinese Team for lying about the age of competitor Dong Fangxiao. For many on the American Team, the medal ceremony came as a validation of their work accomplished nearly a decade ago. "Our performance didn't change. Fourth or third I don't think I could accept this medal had I not competed to the best of my ability that day," said Jamie Dantzscher following the awards ceremony. "I think we truly deserve it, and I think that's why the moment is so exciting for all of us." The Hartford arena birthed new dreams and saw the long-delayed realization of another.

Since the 2010 Visa Championships, gold medalists Kyla Ross, McKayla Maroney, and Sam Mikulak all participated in their first Olympic competition. Alicia Sacramone officially retired from gymnastics and quite recently got engaged to NFL player Brady Quinn. However, each of these athletes had a starting line, and the paths led them through the XL Center in Hartford, CT. Even the beginnings of Sacramone's relationship with Brady Quinn swirled through the Hartford gymnasium. So it begs the question, whose dreams are only starting out this year? What will the 2013 P&G Championships bring, and who stands on the precipice of gymnastics greatness? Share your favorite moment from the 2010 Championship below, and stay connected with Gymnastike as the P&G Championships kicks off August 14th to see newcomers become household names.

Related:
Relive the 2010 Championships by visiting our photo gallery.
Check out all the interviews from our 2010 Championships coverage.
Watch videos with the 2000 Olympic team before & after their medal ceremony.