Bailie Key wins junior all-around title at 2013 Secret U.S. Classic

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., July 27, 2013 – Bailie Key of Montgomery, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics, won the junior all-around title at the 2013 Secret U.S. Classic at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill. Amelia Hundley of Hamilton, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics, and Key’s teammate Veronica Hults of Coppell, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics, were second and third, respectively. The one-day event is the final women’s qualifier for the 2013 P&G Gymnastics Championships, and the gymnasts are either looking to secure a spot at the national championships or using it as a tune-up. The senior competition begins at 6 p.m.
Key began on floor, where she used an Arabian double front to stag jump, a one-and-a-half twist through to a triple full, a front double full, and a double-pike dismount for a score of 14.000 points. On vault, she competed a high double-twisting Yurchenko for 15.000 points, which tied for the third highest vault score. Key then moved to the uneven bars, where her precise pirouetting work and a stuck full-twisting double tuck earned her 14.250 points. Finishing on balance beam, Key earned the second highest beam score of the junior competition, 15.000, for a solid set that included two flip flops to a two-footed layout and a beautiful switch ring leap.
Hundley’s consistent performance, scoring 14.400 points or higher on each event, helped her to a second-place finish and a 57.950 total. She finished second on bars, using an Endo-half, Stalder full, Maloney combination, a Ricna and a full-twisting double tuck dismount for 14.400 points. Hundley was third on floor for an energetic routine that included a double layout (14.450). Third in the all-around, Hults earned the day’s top score on uneven bars, 14.550 points, for an intricate routine that included a Stalder full, Stalder-Shaposhnikova sequence, and strong pirouetting work.
Individual event champions included Nia Dennis of Westerville, Ohio/Buckeye Gymnastics, on vault; Hults on uneven bars; Norah Flatley of Cumming, Iowa/Chow’s Gymnastics, on beam; and Lauren Hernandez of Old Bridge, N.J./Monmouth Gymnastics, on floor.
The Secret U.S. Classic served as the final qualifier to the P&G Gymnastics Championships. Based on their scores today, four gymnasts who had not previously qualified were added to the roster for the P&G Championships, where they will compete for berths onto the U.S. National Team. They are Vanasia Bradley of Lincoln Park, Mich./Splitz Gymnastics; Nadia Cho of Plano, Texas/WOGA; Christina Desiderio of Hackettstown, N.J./Parkettes Gymnastics; and Sydney Johnson-Scharpf of Groveland, Fla./Brandy Johnson’s Global Gymnastics.
The 2013 P&G Gymnastics Championships, scheduled for Aug. 15-18 in Hartford, Conn., is USA Gymnastics’ national championships and determines U.S. champions and national team members. For more information, go to pgchamps.com.
Background information

Sears Centre Arena. Sears Centre Arena is an 11,000-seat multipurpose family entertainment, cultural, and sports arena located in Hoffman Estates’ Prairie Stone Business Park. The Sears Centre Arena, which opened in 2006, is designed to accommodate a variety of events including concerts, family shows and sporting events. For more information regarding the Sears Centre Arena and upcoming events, please visit the arena’s website at www.searscentre.com.
World Sport Chicago. World Sport Chicago, the legacy of Chicago’s 2016 Olympic bid, believes that sport has the power to transform lives and is dedicated to helping children in Chicago find a sport to meet their interests and abilities. The organization promotes the Olympic ideals of fitness, education and well-being by working with partner organizations to launch or expand sport programs for kids. WSC is working to introduce Chicago’s youth to the fun and benefit of sports and the ideals of fair play, teamwork, respect and leadership. For more information, go to www.worldsportchicago.org.