Sports News: Key wins junior women's all-around title at 2013 P&G Gymnastics Championships

Hartford, Connecticut - Bailie Key of Montgomery, Texas/Texas Dreams, won the junior women's all-around with a score of 118.550 points after the second of two days of competition at the P&G Gymnastics Championships at Hartford's (Conn.) XL Center. Lauren Hernandez of Old Bridge, N.J./MG Elite, won the silver medal with 116.650 points, and Amelia Hundley of Hamilton, Ohio/Cincinnati, finished third with 113.750 points. Women's competition continues tonight with the final day of the senior women's division, which includes 2012 Olympic team gold-medalists McKayla Maroney of Long Beach, Calif./All-Olympia, and Kyla Ross of Aliso Viejo, Calif./Gym-Max.

Key began her competition on the floor exercise, posting a combined score of 29.750 points that earned her the event title. Key tumbled four clean passes: an Arabian double front to stag jump; one-and-a-half twist through to a triple twist; front double full punch front; and a double pike dismount. She also showed perfect positions in her leaps. In the second rotation, Key vaulted a double-twisting Yurchenko for 14.750 points. On bars, Key improved her performance from the first day of competition with a Stalder-full to full-twisting double tuck dismount for 14.100 points and fourth place in the event rankings at 28.050. Key finished her competition on the balance beam, hitting a flip flop, flip flop layout series and a triple full dismount for a two-day total of 30.900 points and the beam title.

Hernandez, who was 21st at the 2012 U.S. Championships, soared to second in the all-around with eight solid routines. In the first rotation, Hernandez commanded the crowd's attention on floor exercise, committing to her choreography and cleanly landing her tumbling passes for a two-day total of 29.100 points

and the silver floor medal. Hernandez earned the silver medal on bars, scoring 28.450 points for a routine that included a high Ricna and stuck her full-twisting double tuck dismount. Hernandez finished her competition by tying for the bronze on balance beam with 29.400 points.

Hundley, third in the all-around, won the title on uneven bars. She competed a clean routine with a Ricna release, a van Leeuwen transition and a Stalder to immediate full-twisting double tuck dismount for a combined score of 28.550 points. Hundley earned the bronze medal on floor with her upbeat routine featuring a double layout mount and a high double tuck dismount, scoring 29.000 points.

Ariana Agrapides of Bayville, N.J./MG Elite, easily won the vault title with a combined score of 30.750 points. Agrapides hit two beautiful double-twisting Yurchenkos with excellent landings, receiving an execution score of 9.600 points for her vault during the final day of competition.

Junior National Team
Polina Shchennikova, Veronica Hults, Nia Dennis, Lauren Hernandez, Bailie Key, Amelia Hundley, Norah Flatley, Alyssa Baumann

The competition schedule is: Aug. 17 – women's gymnastics, juniors at 2 p.m. and seniors at 7:30 p.m.; and Aug. 18 – men's gymnastics, seniors at 11:30 a.m. and juniors at 6:30 p.m. Times listed are Eastern.

This year, it will be easier than ever to follow the competition and fan events. Schedules, the official program and general information for both fan and competition activities, including start lists, live scoring and more, are available at PGChamps.com. USA Gymnastics is also providing enhanced event coverage on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Fans can connect with gymnastics enthusiasts around the world by using the event's official hashtag, #PGChamps.

Tickets are still available. Single-session tickets range in price from $20 to $99. Multi-session packages are also available: men's package – all men's sessions (junior and senior), Aug. 16 and 18, $85-135; women's first day of competition package – junior and senior women's sessions, Aug. 15, $70-125; women's final day of competition package — junior and senior women's sessions, Aug. 17, $85-135; and men's and women's package – senior women on Aug. 17 and senior men on Aug. 18, $85-135. All-session tickets, which range in price from $125-$395, are also on sale, and the top-priced ticket is for the best seat location and includes an autographed commemorative poster. Prices include facility fees and vary according to ticket location. Tickets are available through several different avenues:Ticketmaster.com; calling 1-800-745-3000; or the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center. For group tickets, please call 860-548-2000.

Fan Activities

From morning fitness at the Old State House to the 50th Anniversary Museum and the Capital City's Taste of the Championships, fans will have plenty of opportunities for fun while they enjoy the exciting week of competition in Hartford.

The following is a quick overview of the fan activities available during the P&G Championships. For the most up-to-date and complete information on all event and fan activities, go to PGChamps.com.

• Morning fitness. Downtown workers and fans can start the day off right by joining gymnastics coaches and celebrities for a free morning workout, led by local Hartford fitness fanatics and Olympian John Macready, at the Old State House. On Thursday, Aug. 15, and Friday, Aug. 16, USA Gymnastics is hosting "Get up, get fit!", a morning fitness session from 6:30-7:30 a.m. Thursday's session features a boot camp and Pilates, with Friday's session including a boot camp and yoga. Companies making the sessions possible are P&G, Under Armour, Hartford Healthcare, Civic Mind, Downtown Yoga and Whole Foods.
  
  
• Capital City's Taste of the Championships. Six restaurants are creating special menu items as part of the Capital City's Taste of the Championships. From Aug. 15-17, Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra and legendary gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi will review and taste the signature dishes, which are also being reviewed by a nutritionist with USA Gymnastics' partner St. Vincent Sports Performance to determine the healthiest dish. The six restaurants are: Agave, 100 Allyn St.; City Steam Brewery Café, 942 Main St.; DISH Bar & Grill, 900 Main St.; Feng Asian Bistro, 93 Asylum St.; Max Downtown, 185 Asylum St.; and Salute, 100 Trumbull St., #2.
  
  
• "Let's Eat." "Let's Eat" is a network of 10 Hartford restaurants that are offering a 20-percent discount to P&G Championships ticket and credential holders, as well as those with a USA Gymnastics Congress credential. The participating restaurants are: Black Bear Saloon at 187 Allyn St.; Burger Baby at 283 Asylum St.; Carbone's Ristorante at 588 Franklin Ave.; DISH Bar & Grill at 900 Main St.; Front Street Bistro at 39 Front St.; Hot Tomato's at One Union Place; Peppercorn's Grill at 357 Main St.; Salute Restaurant at 100 Trumbull St.; The Russian Lady at 100 Ann Uccello St.; and The Tavern Downtown at 201 Ann Uccello St.
  
  
• USA Gymnastics 50th anniversary museum, celebrating 50 years of champions. Open to the general public, the museum will feature a combination of pictures, historical items, mementoes and videos that tell the story of USA Gymnastics and its first 50 years of accomplishments and champions. It will also include historical leotards from GK Elite and equipment from AAI. Admission is free.
  The museum officially opens at 10 a.m. on Aug. 15, and several well-known gymnasts are expected to be on hand for the opening. The museum is open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 15, to Saturday, Aug. 17, and from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 18. Two autograph sessions will be held each day, and the celebrity gymnasts signing autographs are expected to include Olympic gold medalists Shannon Miller, Carly Patterson and Paul Hamm; members of Team Hilton HHonors, including Olympic silver-medalist Jonathan Horton, Leyva and Orozco; and members of both the 2007 Women's World Championships Team (team champions) and the 2012 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team. Check PGChamps.com daily for the updated autograph schedule.
  
  
• USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame. Also at the XL Center, the 2007 Women's World Championships Team and women's gymnastics members of the Hall of Fame will be recognized for their achievements on Thursday, Aug. 15, with the men's Hall of Famers introduced on Friday, Aug. 16. The Fierce Five and the 2007 Women's World Championships Team are members of the 2013 class of the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame. The members of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Women's Team, aka the Fierce Five, are Gabrielle Douglas of Virginia Beach, Va./Chow's Gymnastics and Dance, McKayla Maroney of Long Beach, Calif./All-Olympia Gymnastics, Aly Raisman of Needham, Mass./Brestyan's American Gymnastics, Kyla Ross of Aliso Viejo, Calif./Gym-Max, and Jordyn Wieber of DeWitt, Mich./Gedderts' Twistars USA. The 2007 World Championships Team includes Ivana Hong of Laguna Hills, Calif., Shawn Johnson of West Des Moines, Iowa, Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas, Samantha Peszek of Indianapolis, Ind., Alicia Sacramone of Winchester, Mass., and Shayla Worley of Orlando, along with alternate Bridget Sloan of Pittsboro, Ind.
  
• USA Gymnastics Fitness Zone. Kids can have fun and gain knowledge about the importance of fitness through the interactive USA Gymnastics Fitness Zone. The zone features activities in building strength, flexibility, cardiovascular exercise and nutrition. The Fitness Zone will be featured on the concourse at the XL Center.
  
  
• WGYM. WGYM, the in-house radio broadcast for men's and women's gymnastics, provides running commentary on the competition, as well as fun facts about the sport and the competitors. Olympic gold medalists Amanda Borden, Paul Hamm and Shannon Miller will serve as hosts for the broadcasts. Radios will be available at the XL Center.
  
  
• Merchandise. Fans can purchase everything gymnastics from event-specific tees to 50th anniversary merchandise at the XL Center.

Television, webcast and YouTube coverage

• Live competition coverage.
  
  • NBC Sports Network and NBC will air all four senior competition sessions live. The remaining schedule is listed below.
    • Aug. 17 – Women – 8 p.m. ET – NBC
    • Aug. 18 – Men – 1 p.m. ET – NBC
  • Hosted by 1996 Olympic team gold-medalist Amanda Borden, USA Gymnastics will provide live webcast coverage of all four junior competitive sessions. Two-time Olympic gold-medalist Shannon Miller, 2004 Olympic all-around champion Paul Hamm, and 2008 Olympic silver-medalists Jonathan Horton and Samantha Peszek will join Borden to provide commentary and analysis. NBC and NBC Sports Network will provide live webcasts of senior competition. Below is the remaining schedule.
    • Senior Women Day 2 - Aug. 17 - 8-10 p.m. ET - NBC
    • Senior Men Day 2 - Aug. 18 - 1-2:30 p.m. ET - NBC
    • Junior Men Day 2 - Aug. 18 - 6:30-9 p.m. ET


• USA Gymnastics on YouTube. USA Gymnastics will post coverage of the P&G Championships, including nearly every competition routine, after the conclusion of the event, interviews from media day and post-competition, and clips from podium training.

Background Information

• Connecticut Convention Center. The Connecticut Convention Center, which has a total of 540,000 sq. ft. space, is the site for the USA Gymnastics National Congress and Trade Show. The facility offers an outdoor esplanade overlooking the Connecticut River and is connected to both the Marriott Hartford Downtown and the Connecticut Science Center.
  
  

XL Center. The XL Center, managed by Global Spectrum (a division of Comcast Spectacor), will host two days of competition for both men's and women's gymnastics. The XL Center is home to the University of Connecticut Men's & Women's Basketball teams along with the Hartford Wolf Pack, the American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Rangers. In addition to resident teams, the XL Center entertains millions of visitors annually with a variety of concerts, family shows, sporting events, consumer & trade shows. The XL Center is Connecticut's home for premier sports & entertainment.