GYMNASTICS: Zeng’s four golds gives her 17 national titles at U.S. National Champs for Rhythmic-Trampoline-Tumbling

U.S. Rhythmic star Laura Zeng

There isn’t much doubt that Laura Zeng, an established veteran at age 19, is the best Rhythmic gymnast in the U.S. She proved it once again with four gold medals and a bronze at the USA Gymnastics National Championships in Des Moines, Iowa over the weekend.

Zeng came into the meet with 13 national championships to her credit, including four straight in the All-Around. She extended that to five with a 155.850-154.100 win over Evita Griskenas; only Sue Soffe, who won six in a row from 1976-81, has won more.

In the apparatus finals, Zeng defended her 2018 crowns in Hoop and Clubs and won her second in Ball. But Griskenas was the winner in Ribbon, moving up from second in 2018. Griskenas ended the meet with four medals: one gold and three silvers.

In the Trampoline and Tumbling events – Trampoline is on the Olympic program – Jeffrey Gluckstein won his sixth national title and third in a row by nearly three points over Aliaksei Shostak, 167.080-164.105.

Jessica Stevens was a first-time winner in the women’s Trampoline, out-scoring 2017 champ Nicole Ahsinger, 154.750-154.440. Summaries:

USA Gymnastics National Championships
Des Moines, Iowa (USA) ~ 2-6 July 2019
(Full results here)

Rhythmic Gymnastics

All-Around: 1. Laura Zeng, 155.850; 2. Evita Griskenas, 154.100; 3. Camilla Feeley, 147.400; 4. Stasya Generalova, 141.000; 5. Lili Mizuno, 139.200; 6. Lennox Hopkins-Wilkins, 132.600; 7. Daria Merkulova, 128.600; 8. Nerea Francis, 128.550.

Hoop: 1. Zeng, 20.350; 2. Griskenas, 19.750; 3. Feeley, 19.350; 4. Generalova, 19.250; 5. Mizuno, 18.950; 6. Karrine Denisova, 18.150; 7. Hopkins-Wilkins, 17.950; 8. Heather Chan, 17.800.

Ball: 1. Zeng, 20.350; 2. Griskenas, 18.900; 3. Mizuno, 18.800; 4. Feeley, 18.550; 5. Generalova, 17.600; 6. Denisova, 17.450; 7. Chan, 16.850; 8. Elena Shinohara, 16.750.

Clubs: 1. Zeng, 19.500; 2. Feeley, 18.600; 3. Generalova, 18.100; 4. Griskenas, 17.750; 5. Francis, 17.450; 6. Mizuno, 16.950; 7. Shinohara, 16.650; 8. Shannon Xiao, 16.550.

Ribbon: 1. Griskenas, 18.800; 2. Feeley, 18.300; 3. Zeng, 17.200; 4. Mizuno, 17.100; 5. Hopkins-Wilkins, 17.000; 6. Generalova, 16.500; 7. tie, Merkulova and Shinohara, 14.800.

Trampoline & Tumbling

Men/Trampoline: 1. Jeffrey Gluckstein, 167.080; 2. Aliaksei Shostak, 164.105; 3. Cody Gesuelli, 161.250; 4. Paul Bretscher, 158.585; 5. Logan Gilbert, 157.515; 6. Nico Verderosa, 156.400; 7. Ruben Padilla, 155.745; 8. Davy Ford, 155.020.

Men/Double Mini: 1. Padilla, 149.700; 2. Noah Orr, 143.700; 3. Weston Sitz, 139.100; 4. Simon Smith, 138.800; 5. C.J. Rhoades, 133.200; 6. Alex Renkert, 132.600; 7. Joshua Rasoul, 132.100; 8. Jeremy Cooper, 103.900.

Men/Tumbling: 1. Kaden Brown, 151.600; 2. Patrick Lyell, 136.800; 3. Haydn Fitzgerald, 135.900; 4. Drew Collins, 129.300; 5. Alex Renkert, 127.700; 6. Kayne Johnson, 120.900; 7. Ian Castrence, 115.500; 8. Brandon Krzynefski, 98.500.

Women/Trampoline: 1. Jessica Stevens, 154.750; 2. Nicole Ahsinger, 154.440; 3. Charlotte Drury, 154.010; 4. Kayttie Nakamura, 151.005; 5. Lexi Vigil, 149.225; 6. Sydney Senter, 149.025; 7. Casey Primiano, 145.775; 8. Ellen Heinen, 141.855.

Women/Double Mini: 1. Nakamura, 138.500; 2. Senter, 138.200; 3. Kiley Lockett, 138.100; 4. Tristan van Natta, 136.600; 5. Lacey Jenkins, 136.400; 6. Kristie Lowell, 135.500; 7. Trinity van Natta, 134.500; 8. Susan Gill, 100.500.

Women/Tumbling: 1. Eve Doudican, 138.100; 2. Eliza Floisand, 132.200; 3. Hope Bravo, 129.800; 4. Caitlyn Crawford, 123.000; 5. Isabel Steinmetz, 119.300; 6. Ashley McDonald, 119.000; 7. Ellie Kirane, 118.600; 8. Rachel Thevenot, 110.800.