LOS ANGELES—Little Armenia resident, Elizabeth Petrosyan, a 2011 VISA USA National Qualifier, will be competing with more than 200 gymnasts from around the world at the 2012 LA Lights Tournament on Friday.
Also competing will be seven gymnasts from the National Federation of Armenia. They are: Lilit Khechoyan, Luiza Papazyan, Alita Abgaryan, Karine Khachatryan, Armine Papazyan, Anyuta Sedrakyan and Mari Buchakhchyan.
Sponsored by Los Angeles School of Gymnastics (LASG) and sanctioned by the International Gymnastics Federation (IGF), the 2012 LA Lights Tournament of Champions is the nation’s largest and most prestigious gymnastics event.
2012 LA Lights will take place from February 3 to 5 starting at 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Helen Bernstein High School (1309 N. Wilton Place) in Los Angeles as more than 200 top gymnasts from USA, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Armenia, China and Canada will participate in this event.
Some of the top gymnasts include Liubov Charkashyna (who will compete in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games and the 2011 World Championship Bronze Medalist), Melitina Staniouta (who will compete in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games and ranks #6 on the 2011 World Champion List), Aliaksandra Narkevich (who will compete in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games and ranks #14 on the 2011 World Champion List), Anna Bessonova (2008 Olympic Bronze Medalist) as well as LASG gymnasts Heather Chan, Shirley Gon-Gibbs and Elizabeth Petrosyan (2011 VISA USA National Qualifiers).
“This event is the largest multi-level competition in the world, drawing top gymnasts from around the globe and culminates in a dramatic awards ceremony and gymnastics celebration,” said Tanya Berenson, general manager of LASG. “Given this is an Olympic year, all gymnasts are gearing up for their top performances to date.”
LA Lights 2012 is the first and only event in the U.S. and one of only 12 in the gymnastics global community to be approved by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG). Recognized by the International Olympic Committee and its officials as the oldest of international sport federations, FIG is the supreme authority on international gymnastics.
The LA Lights Tournament of Champions serves as the primary route for major international tournaments including the World Championship and the Olympic Games.
LASG, the nation’s leader in the gymnastics industry, is headed by executive director Alla Svirsky – a four-time Olympic Coach and a USA Gymnastics Inductee to the Hall of Fame. After years of dedication, coach Svirsky pioneered rhythmic gymnastics into the United States through the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. This was the first sanctioned Olympic Games for rhythmic gymnastics and Svirsky was acclaimed as the first Olympic coach for the sport.
About Los Angeles School of Gymnastics (LASG)
LASG, an Olympic-quality training center, is a nonprofit corporation, is considered among the top training facilities in the country, which has been training Los Angeles youth since 1975. Led by four-time Olympic coach Alla Svirsky, LASG has provided thousands of young athletes with quality gymnastics instruction and has produced several Olympians and internationally-ranked athletes. Visit www.lagymnastics.com.
About 2012 L.A Lights Rhythmic Gymnastics Invitational
LA Lights is one of the largest rhythmic gymnastics events in the nation. Sanctioned by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) and USA Gymnastics Federation, the tournament hosts hundreds of the world’s most diverse and competitive athletes in rhythmic gymnastics, including world champions from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, USA, and many more. Visit www.lalightsmeet.com for more information.
