USA Gymnastics Names 2013 World Team

Sep 15, 2013 by Jennifer Teitell

USA Gymnastics has named the women's team for the 2013 World Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp. Martha Karolyi and the selection committee picked the team following the World Selection Camp held at the Karolyi Ranch in Texas. The 2013 World Championships will be held in Antwerp, Belgium, September 30-October 6.

The four gymnasts that will represent the United States in Antwerp are:

Simone Biles of Bannon's Gymnastix /Spring, TX
2013 U.S. National All Around Champion; 1st AA, VT, BB, & FX at 2013 City of Jesolo Meet; 2013 AT&T American Cup Silver Medalist; 2012 U.S. Junior National Vault Champion

McKayla Maroney of AOGC / Long Beach, CA
2013 U.S. National Vault and Floor Champion; 2012 US Secret Classic Vault Champion & 3rd on FX; 2012 Olympic Team Gold Medalist; 2012 Olympic Vault Silver Medalist; 2011 World Vault and Team Champion

Kyla Ross of Gym-Max / Aliso Viejo, CA
2013 U.S. uneven bars & balance beam gold medalist and all-around silver medalist; 2012 Olympic Team Gold Medalist; 2012 U.S. Uneven Bars Silver Medalist; 2013 USA-Germany-Romania Tri-Meet All Around Champion; 2013 City of Jesolo Uneven Bars Champion, and 2nd All Around and Beam

Brenna Dowell of GAGE / Odessa, MO
2013 U.S. All Around and Uneven Bars Bronze Medalist; 3rd All Around at 2013 Secret US Classic; 3rd All Around at 2013 City of Jesolo; 2012 Mexican Open All Around Champion

Elizabeth Price of Parkettes has been named non-traveling alternate for the Team. Price was also an alternate for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team. Hip injuries kept her out of competition for the majority of the season.

Being the year following the Olympics, this is an individual World Championships with only four athletes making up each women's team and six athletes for men's teams. There will be no team competition; only all around and event titles will be awarded. A total of three athletes may compete on each event in qualifications with a maximum of two athletes per country advancing to all around and event finals. Each gymnast will be coached by their personal coaches in Antwerp.

The women's team was determined by the Selection Committee. According to USA Gymnastics, the criteria considered when selecting the team included: results from the P&G Championships; hit consistency and results from past international and national competitions; D-scores for difficulty, and E-scores for execution; consistency; medal potential; composition of individual strengths among the team members; readiness to compete; etc.

The U.S. men named their World team immediately after competition at the P&G Championships. Members of the U.S. Men's Team are: Jake Dalton of Reno, Nev./Team Hilton HHonors (University of Oklahoma); Steven Legendre of Port Jefferson, N.Y./Team Hilton HHonors (Oklahoma); 2013 U.S. all-around champion Sam Mikulak of Newport Coast, Calif./University of Michigan; Alexander Naddour of Queen Creek, Ariz./Team Hilton HHonors (USA Youth Fitness Center); John Orozco of the Bronx, N.Y./Team Hilton HHonors (U.S. Olympic Training Center); and Brandon Wynn, Voorhees, N.J./Team Hilton HHonors (Ohio State University). The remaining alternates are: Eddie Penev of Penfield, N.Y./Team Hilton HHonors (Stanford University); and Paul Ruggeri of Manlius, N.Y./Team Hilton Honors (U.S. Gymnastics Developmental Center II).

The competition schedule for the World Championships is: (times are local Antwerp time, GMT+2hr)
Sept. 30 – men's qualification, 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Oct. 1 – men's and women's qualification, 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Oct. 2 – women's qualification, 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 3 – men's all-around finals, 8 p.m.
Oct. 4 – women's all-around finals, 8 p.m.
Oct. 5 – event finals, men's floor exercise, pommel horse and still rings and women's vault and uneven bars, 2:30 p.m.
Oct. 6 – event finals, men's vault, parallel bars and horizontal bars, and women's balance beam and floor exercise, 2:30 p.m.

Based on the draw, the U.S. women are competing in the qualification round in: Subdivision 1, vault; Subdivision 3, uneven bars; Subdivision 4, floor exercise. The U.S. men's draw is: Subdivision 1, starts on parallel bars; Subdivision 3, parallel bars; Subdivision 4, floor exercise.

Gymnastike will be on-site for coverage of the 2013 World Championships!