The Ever So Elegant Evita Griskenas Wins the Pan American Games

A very promising gymnast with unique style has won the all around this year's Pan American Games in rhythmic gymnastics. She also grabbed the gold with ball and hoop and is competing with ribbon and clubs tomorrow. Her main competitors included the new Canadian star, Katherine Uchida, the Brazilians Barbara Domingos Natalia Gaudio, her teammate Camilla Feeley and a young gymnast from Argentina who has shown great potential, Sol Feinberg.

"Elegance" would be the first word that comes to mind when you see Evita. But also: a gymnast with polished classical lines, musicality, apparatus technique and charisma.

Born to Lithuanian parents, who were both athletes, Evita Griskenas comes to the US national team from Chicago-based North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center. In 2015, she became the US Junior National Champion and placed 3rd at the  Moscow Grand Prix Junior International Tournament.

As a senior, Evita placed 7th in the team competition at the World Championships in Sofia and advanced to the all-around finals where she dazzled with beautiful performances and a great personal presence on the carpet.

Evita is coached by Natalia Klimouk and Angelina Yovcheva.

She has received ballet training from a very young age with Russian, Bulgarian and Cuban professionals.


I have no doubt that Evita will continue to place among the top 10 in the world if she will continue to show more original and memorable routines.

She fully deserves to be among the world's elite and in contest for the medals at large international tournaments.

Although Evita is less experienced than her powerful teammate on the national team, Laura Zeng, Evita, who is only 18, is already standing out among the world elite with her personal style.

I think her continuous participation will bring competition and improvement in the American team as a whole, and I really hope that her performances and achievements will inspire many girls in the Americas to try to follow in her footsteps.

Congratulations to everyone on the US team on their great work and fantastic potential!

Laura Zeng Has Returned: Ready and Confident

Laura Zeng from the United States has returned confidently on the carpet after a suspension due to the use of a prohibited substance. In the 2019 season, she showed she kept in good form and worked to meet the next challenge with difficulty and originality.

While prohibited substance use happens rarely in rhythmic gymnastics, the federations and communities may consider why it should happen at all and whether the substances used really have a significant effect on performance at all, in a sport where success does not depend on strength or speed.

Boryana Kaleyn Faces New Challenges Following Her Amazing European Championship Performance

The new leader of the Bulgarian team, Boryana Kaleyn, took two bronze medals with ball and ribbon at the EC in Baku. In her interviews for Bulgarian TV, she shared that the week following the championship will be very challenging for her because her "matura," exams, which take place during the last year of high school, are coming up.

She has been studying for these exams while also preparing for a very strong performance at the EC. A high school senior, Boryana placed ahead of gymnasts who are 6-7 years older and much more experienced than her, including her teammate,  the Olympian Vladinova, who is 25.

Boryana truly is one of the most hard-working and determined athletes in Bulgaria and I am sure she will shine in everything she does, from school to sports, to her personal hobbies and aspirations.

We are fortunate to have her on a team that really needs new ideas and originality in order to defend a proud and beautiful gymnastics tradition. Go Boryana!