U.S. captures six more gold medals at Pac Rim rhythmic event finals

© FIG

• Official Kellogg's Pacific Rim Championships website

EVERETT, Wash., March 17, 2012 – Team USA captured six out of the eight available gold medals at today's junior and senior rhythmic event finals at the 2012 Kellogg's Pacific Rim Championships at the Comcast Community Ice Rink in Everett, Wash. In the first half of competition, recently crowned all-around champion Julie Zetlin of Bethesda, Md./Capital Rhythmics, had a first-place finish in ball, scoring a 25.300. Polina Kozitskiy of Fountainville, Penn./Philadelphia Rhythmic Academy, also claimed a gold in hoop with an 24.775, and finished fourth in ball with 24.000.
"This was a really big competition for me," Kozitskiy said, "and I can honestly say I felt really prepared for it today. It was a great event and the crowd was so supportive."
Junior Julia Garbuz of Eden Prairie, Minn./NorthWest Rhythmic LLC, won the gold medal in both hoop and ball, scoring an impressive 24.325 and 24.350, respectively. Laura Zeng of Libertyville, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, finished second in ball with a 24.200, and third in hoop, 23.775.
"The past two days have been an amazing experience for me," Garbuz said. "It was a great competition for the U.S. and I was so proud to see our team win the gold medal."
The competition continued with more success for Team USA as Zetlin and Zeng earned the senior and junior ribbon title, respectively, with scores of 25.250 and 24.300. Alexis Page of New York, N.Y./Aviator Sports and Recreation, also medaled in the senior ribbon event final with a score of 24.300, earning silver, as Garbuz gained the junior ribbon bronze medal with a 23.375.
"We all really pulled together at this event and showed what the U.S. is made of," Zetlin said. "It was a good step before London and a great competition all around."
In the senior clubs event final, Kozitskiy placed second with a score of 24.000, behind China's Linyi Peng, with a 24.175. Juniors Zeng and Jennifer Rokhman of Northbrook, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, placed second and third, respectively, with scores of 23.500 and 22.950, respectively. Canada's Patricia Bezzoubenko was first with a score of 23.825.
Today concluded the rhythmic competition at the Pac Rim Championships, but competition continues tomorrow with women's and men's artistic individual event finals and trampoline competition.