USA Gymnastics announced the eight gymnasts named to the 2015 Pan American Games training squad. Nia Dennis of Buckeye Gymnastics, Madison Desch of GAGE, Rachel Gowey of Chow’s Gymnastics, Felicia Hano of Gym-Max, Amelia Hundley of Cincinnati, Lauren Navarro of Gliders, Emily Schild of Everest and Megan Skaggs of Gymnastics Academy of Atlanta. Navarro was also added to the womens National Team.
Five gymnasts will represent the USA in the women’s artistic gymnastics competition at the games in Toronto, July 11-15. The members of the training squad will spend the rest of the month at their home gyms putting the final touches on their competition routines. They will return on June 29 for the final selection camp to determine the five-member team.
Each and every international competition is an opportunity for the gymnasts to both gain experience and prove themselves to Marta Karolyi and the US women’s team selection committee. The forming of this team is a careful balance of sending gymnasts who will best represent the US, while giving opportunities for other gymnasts to gain experience in an international competition and prove that they can contribute on a world stage. Some of the USA’s top veteran gymnasts are not represented on this team for this reason.
The Pan American Games run from July 10-26. The artistic gymnastics competitions will include an all-around, team and individual apparatus competitions. The US is sending gymnasts to compete in all forms of gymnastics, including men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, trampoline, and rhythmic gymnastics. Schedules of competition and more information can be found on http://www.toronto2015.org.