INDIANAPOLIS, July 30, 2014 – The Secret U.S. Classic is set to take place Saturday, Aug. 2, at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill. 2013 World all-around and floor exercise champion Simone Biles of Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre, 2012 Olympic team gold-medalist and three-time 2013 World silver-medalist Kyla Ross of Aliso Viejo, Calif./Gym-Max Gymnastics, and 2013 World team member Brenna Dowell of Odessa, Mo./GAGE, headline the senior field. The Secret U.S. Classic is the final opportunity for female gymnasts to qualify for the 2014 P&G Championships, USA Gymnastics’ national championships. 2012 Olympic team gold-medalist and two-time World vault champion McKayla Maroney of Long Beach, Calif./All-Olympia Gymnastics, will be on hand to sign autographs before each session.

Competition begins Saturday at 1 p.m. CT with the junior elites, followed by the senior session at 6:30 p.m. CT. Many athletes who have already qualified for the P&G Championships will use the Secret U.S. Classic as a tune-up for the P&G Championships, scheduled for Aug. 21-24 in Pittsburgh, Pa. In addition, the U.S. Challenge Competition, for HOPES athletes ages 10-13, is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 1, at 2:30 p.m. CT. This is the final competition of the year for these HOPES athletes.

Maroney will sign autographs for the first 300 in line, with one autograph per person, prior to the beginning of each session, and doors officially open one hour prior to the competition’s start. The Kellogg’s Fitness Zone and Athletico’s “make-a-poster” are among the opportunities available on the concourse prior to competition.

Eight junior elite gymnasts who will be age-eligible for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will compete during the senior session but will be vying for junior titles: The 2014 Pacific Rim Championships team gold-medalists Nia Dennis of Westerville, Ohio/Buckeye Gymnastics, and Norah Flatley of Cumming, Iowa/Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute, are among the eight, along with Jazmyn Foberg of Bayville, N.J./MG Elite, Lauren Navarro of La Verne, Calif./Charter Oak Gymnastics, Abby Paulson of Coon Rapids, Minn./Twin City Twisters, Olivia Trautman of Champlin, Minn./Twin City Twisters, Emily Gaskins of Coral Springs, Fla./Cincinnati Gymnastics, and Ragan Smith of Lewisville, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics. The eight are competing in the senior session due to the large number of junior gymnasts who entered the Secret U.S. Classic.

To qualify to the P&G Championships, senior elites must score at least a 54.000 in the all-around; have a three-event total of 41.250; or earn a total of 28.000 on two events. Juniors must have a 52.000 in the all-around at the Secret U.S. Classic.

There is still time to grab tickets before competition begins Saturday. Single-session tickets range in price from $20-$45, depending on the session and location of the ticket. All-day tickets, which include admission to both the junior and senior elite sessions, are also available for $40-$69. To purchase tickets, visit www.SearsCentre.com, call 1-888-SEARS-TIX, or visit the Box Office at the Sears Centre Arena. Group tickets may be purchased by calling (847) 649-2451.

For those who cannot make the trip to Hoffman Estates, the senior session will be carried live on Universal Sports, along with a live webcast at universalsports.com. A live webcast of both the junior and senior competitive sessions will be available at secretclassic.com. USA Gymnastics will also provide live webcasts of Friday’s junior (8 a.m. CT) and senior (10 a.m. CT) podium training sessions and the Hopes competition at the U.S. Challenge (2:30 p.m. CT). At the conclusion of the Secret U.S. Classic, all of Saturday’s competitive routines will be available at YouTube.com/USAGymnastics. On social media, fans can follow the event on Twitter by following @USAGym or using the official hashtag #SecretClassic, and on Facebook.com/USAGymnastics. For start lists, results and additional information, go to SecretClassic.com.

Athletico is the official local provider of athletic training services for the 2014 Secret U.S. Classic.