2016 Top 15 Gymnast of the year Nominees

Below is the official list of the top 15 nominees for the 2016 International Gymnast Magazine Gymnast of the Year!

Annie Beard (2022)
- Kim Zmeskal-Burdette & Chris Burdette

I am a 10 year old Level 9 gymnast at Texas Dreams and a member of the exclusive Dream Team. I am in 5th grade. My home is in Louisiana but my mom and I moved to Texas last August to pursue my dreams of becoming an elite gymnast. My dad and 13 year old sister, Caroline did not move here with us. My sister is a 12 year cancer survivor. She is my inspiration. In my free time, I love to play board games, swim, fish with my dad, and do crafts with my mom.

Cosette Carranza (2020)
- Kim Zmeskal & Chris Burdette

My training schedule is 7:00 am to 11:00 Monday through Friday and 7:00 to 12:00 Saturdays. My favorite event is bars. My favorite skills are triple twist on floor; tuck stand turn on beam, and Shaposhnikova on bars. Doing triples makes me feel like I'm doing the impossible and I feel like I'm flying when I do a shaposh.

Elle Delgado

Elle Delgado is a level 7 gymnast from Club Champion Gymnastics in CA.

Emily Owens

Emily Owens - MSO Featured Athlete!

Kendall Landry (2023 )
Kurt Thomas Gymnastics - Kurt Thomas and Beckie Thomas

Kendall started gymnastics when she was just 3.5 years old. She was in ballet and her instructor quickly pointed out that ballet was not likely in Kendall's future (since she was upside down all of the time in class). She recommended gymnastics. Based on that recommendation, we enrolled Kendall in a gymnastics after school program sponsored by Infinite Bounds. Shortly thereafter Kendall was asked to join a "pre-team". Kendall's passion for the sport grew and she learned about Kurt Thomas Gymnastics. We loved the gym and their approach to training. She joined the KT team as a Level 3 gymnast. She quickly progressed through levels 4-7 between 2013 - 2015.

Lauren Letzsch (2021)
- Alex & Katia Shchennikova

Lauren was 3 years old when she started gymnastics, and quickly found her passion in gymnastics. During the 2008 Summer Olympics, she was glued to the TV, wearing a USA leotard, and singing the national anthem during Shawn Johnson's gold medal performance. Just a year later, she met Shawn at the 2009 Visa Championships. She began competing as a Level 4 just after she turned 6. She advanced through the JO levels each year. In 2013, she began attending the US Women's Team Developmental Camps at the Karolyi Ranch. She qualified as a HOPES elite in 2014, and attended the 2014 Secret Challenge in Chicago, where she earned 2nd place on beam. She continues to train for elite competitions, and hopes that someday she will wear the red, white and blue and compete for the United States in international competitions. When not in the gym or attending home school co-op with her friends, Lauren enjoys arts and crafts, pop music, hiking and biking outside and playing with her Bengal cat, Zeus, and Labradoodle puppy, Athena.

Levi Jung-Ruivivar

Levi Jung-Ruivivar - MSO Featured Athlete!

Lundyn Van der Toolen (2024 )
Olympus Gymnastics - Ryan Kirkham & Jessie Mcdonough

Lundyn Vandertoolen is a gymnast from Olympus Gymnastics in UT. I competed level 10 last year and was the state Champion. After that unfortunately I fractured by foot in 2 places and couldn't compete at Regionals. I am currently working to qualify Jr. Elite this year. I am also competing level 10. I ABSOLUTELY love competing.

Mia Viola

Mia Viola - MSO Featured Athlete!

Myli Lew (2025)
San Mateo Gymnastics - Armen Astoian and Oksana Bystrova

At the age of 4.5 year's old, Myli Lew was put into the Hot Shot's group and was doing 3 hours of gymnastics a week. She was slowly learning TOPs skills. At the age of 6, Myli began competing level 3 where she made the NorCal South State Team 2nd place all around. Myli made TOP's Diamond Team in 2014 and was also on the NorCal South State Champion for Level 4 placing 1st all around. After competing level 4, Myli competed one level 5 meet off season. She was the only level 5 off season gymnast to compete from her gym and won 1st place all around. Myli also made TOPs National A Team in 2015 and attended her first Developmental Invite camp in Feb '16. Myli was the NorCal South State Champion for level 7 in 2016 and represented level 7 NorCal South State Team at Regionals where she was 1st place all around. Myli has attended Developmental Camp twice so far in the later part of 2016. Myli can't wait to learn more skills. She has met a lot of great gymnasts from other gyms on my journey and loves being able to connect with them on social media since they live far away.

Olivia Greaves

Olivia Greaves is a level 8 gymnast of MG Elite in Morganville, NJ.

Peyton Oltman (2022)

Peyton Oltman is a level 9 gymnast from Texas Dreams Gymnastics in Coppell, Texas

Rachael Flam
Stars Gymnastics

In her senior year before heading off to Stanford, Rachel Flam made it a season to remember with some very strong and consistent performances throughout the year. Flam finished atop the podium in the all-around on five separate occasions in 2017, including first all-around wins at state, regionals, and JO Nationals, a truly remarkable feat. Flam’s highest all-around score of the season came at the WOGA Classic with a staggering 39.275, one of the few gymnsts to even score over a 39 throughout the year. Flam is from Houston, Texas and is an incoming freshman at Stanford.

Sophia Groth

Sophia Groth - MSO Featured Athlete!

Sydney Laird

Sydney Laird - MSO Featured Athlete!

2015 Winners

Maggie Nichols

Sr Elite Winner

Laurie Hernandez

Jr Elite Winner

Annie Beard

Jo Winner


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