Top gymnasts to compete in Hoffman Estates

Some of the top women in USA Gymnastics will return to the suburbs this summer to compete at the Secret U.S. Classic at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates on Aug. 2.

This will be the second year that the Sears Centre will host the major gymnastics event, the final qualifying event for the P&G Gymnastics Championships. Last year 2012 Olympian Kyla Ross won the senior division. Previous winners include former Olympians Carly Patterson, Nastia Liukin, Shawn Johnson, Aly Raisman and Jordyn Wieber.

"We're excited to welcome world class USA Gymnastics back to Hoffman Estates for the US Secret Classic. We look forward to continued success based on last year's great response from the community," said Ben Gibbs, general manager of the Sears Centre Arena.

It's too early to know which stars will be competing, but officials said it will be an entertaining day no matter what.

"Traditionally it's a mixture of big names who are using the event as a tune up for national championships, but it's also a great place to see our rising stars and the people who are going to be names to watch in the next few years," said Leslie King, vice president of communications for USA Gymnastics.

The event has been in Chicago for the past few years, but in 2013 moved to Hoffman Estates instead of the city, King said.

"Last year's event at the Sears Centre was such a success that it made perfect sense to come back," she said. "It's a great way for people in Chicagoland to have a front-row seat to see the best women gymnasts in the country."

Tickets for the event go on sale at 10 a.m. Thursday. All-day tickets, which include admission to both the junior and senior elite sessions, are priced at levels of $40, $50, $60 and $69. The junior session begins at 1 p.m. on Aug. 2 and the senior session begins at 6:30 p.m. Single session tickets will go on sale at a later date. Tickets can be purchased by visiting searscentre.com, calling (888) SEARS-TIX, or visiting the box office at the Sears Centre Arena.

For more information go to secretusclassic.com.