LANSING, Mich.— Region 5 won the Super Team title at the 2017 Women’s Junior Olympic Level 9 Eastern Championships. The three-day championships, which showcased 454 female gymnasts, wrapped up April 30 in Lansing, Mich., at Summit Sports and Ice Complex. The Junior Olympic Eastern Championships and its sister event, the Junior Olympic Western Championships, are the culmination of the competitive season for Level 9.

The Greater Lansing Sports Authority and Gedderts’ Twistars USA Inc. organized the very successful 2017 Junior Olympic Eastern Championships, which featured the top seven Level 9 gymnasts from USA Gymnastics Regions 5-8 in 16 age divisions, which are determined by birth date.

Twistars USA was well represented at the event with nine athletes competing; Kendall Abney Junior 1, Abby Bielski Junior 3, Eliana Thompson Junior 3, Alexia Xiromeritis Junior 4, Karly Kim Junior 6, Sophia Rios Senior 1, Breckin Quoss Senior 1, Savannah Fisk Senior 2, and Payton Young Senior 5.

Kendall Abney with a score of 37.650 was the Junior 1 All-Around Gold Medalist. Eliana Thompson with a score of 37.700 was the Junior 3 All-Around Bronze Medalist. Alexia Xiremeritis with a score of 37.675 was the Junior 4 Bronze Medalist and Sophia Rios with a score of 37.900 was the Senior 1 Gold Medalist.

Region 5 won the Super Team title, with Region 7 coming in second. Region 8 was third, followed by Region 6.

The states that comprise each region are:  Region 5 – Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio; Region 6 – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont; Region 7 – Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia; and Region 8 – Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee. Many Junior Olympians have gone on to make the U.S. National Team and represent the United States in international competition and/or to compete in collegiate gymnastics.

For complete results and additional information from the Eastern Championships, please go to www.usagymeastern.com.

Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. Its mission is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport. Its disciplines include men's and women's artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, acrobatic gymnastics, and Gymnastics for All (formerly known as group gymnastics). For more information, log on to www.usagym.org.

For more information about the GLSA contact Mike Price at (517) 377-1406 or visit lansingsports.org.

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The Greater Lansing Sports Authority (GLSA) is a division of the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau. The GLSA’s mission is to be the leading voice of sports tourism in the Greater Lansing area and to promote economic growth by attracting a diverse range of sporting events to the region. The GLSA will strive to enhance the quality of life for area residents through the development of local sports and fitness programs for all ages, and to support the continued development and maintenance of safe, high-quality athletic facilities.