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SAN JOSE, Calif., – San Jose, Calif., will again showcase the best in gymnastics when the city plays host to the 2008 Pacific Alliance Gymnastics Championships, March 28-30. The three-day international event features the top gymnasts from 14 countries, including powerhouses China, Japan and the USA, competing in the Olympic disciplines of men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics and trampoline. Artistic gymnastics will be held at the San Jose State University Event Center, with rhythmic gymnastics and trampoline slated for the San Jose McEnery Convention Center.
“San Jose has just hosted one of the most, if not the most, successful Visa Championships ever, and we are excited to bring one of the top international team competitions to this great city,” said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. “The Pacific Alliance Championships will give fans in San Jose a first-hand look at the gymnasts who have their eyes on Beijing.”
Held every two years, the field for the Pacific Alliance Championships features gymnasts from 14 countries, including the United States, Australia, Canada, China, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Korea and Russia. NBC Sports will televise action from the Pacific Alliance Championships. Tickets are expected to go on sale this fall.
“Building on the incredible excitement of the successful Visa Championships in San Jose this week, we look forward to working, once again, with this great Northern California gymnastics community and USA Gymnastics,” said Patricia Ernstrom, executive director of the San Jose Sports Authority. “Along with our partners at San Jose State and the Convention and Visitors Bureau, we are thrilled to be hosting such a prestigious international competition in San Jose.”
Medals will be awarded for team, all-around and individual events for men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics. Individual events will be contested in trampoline.
World champions Nastia Liukin and Chellsie Memmel tied for the women’s all-around title at the 2006 Pacific Alliance Championships held in Honolulu. In 2004, both Carly Patterson and Paul Hamm won gold medals before becoming 2004 Olympic all-around champions.
About San Jose State University:
San Jose State -- Silicon Valley's largest institution of higher learning with 30,000 students and 4,000 employees -- is part of the California State University system. SJSU's 154-acre downtown campus anchors the nation's 10th largest city. For more information, please visit http://www.sjsu.edu.
About San Jose McEnery Convention Center
Considered the hub for meetings and conventions in San Jose, the San Jose McEnery Convention Center opened its doors in April 1989. The facility has 432,000 square feet of function space, including a 22,000 square-foot ballroom and 30 meeting rooms.
About the San Jose Sports Authority
The San Jose Sports Authority is a non-profit organization that serves as the sports marketing agency for the City of San Jose. Since their inception in 1991, they have worked with community partners to bring more than 150 premier events and programs to the San Jose area. For more information, visit www.sjsa.org.
About USA Gymnastics
Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics, the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States, encourages participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport. For more information, log on to www.usa-gymnastics.org.
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