Tauranga to host 2020 Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships

New Zealand Olympian Dylan Schmidt is excited Tauranga will host the 2020 Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships. Photo / File

Tauranga has secured hosting rights for the 2020 Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships.

Gymnastics New Zealand announced today the event would take place April 17 to 19 2020.

The biennial event gathers the best of men's and women's artistic, rhythmic and trampoline gymnastics from the 21 eligible Pacific Rim nations, including traditional power houses USA, China, Japan and Russia with new Oceania countries likely to be added prior to the 2020 event.

Gymnastics NZ chief executive Tony Compier said the Pacific Rim Championships was one of only three events on the international calendar that competes all four Olympic sports under one roof.

"The other two events are the Olympics and the biennial World University Games. We are not taking these hosting rights lightly and are confident that together with our event partners, we will provide an international spectacle that NZ has not yet seen.

"The 2000 Championships that we hosted was a successful event but now, two decades on, the sheer heightened calibre of international gymnastics together with digital advances will enable us to really provide a gymnastics showcase that New Zealand has not seen and the world has not yet seen from New Zealand."

Compier said the decision to hold the event in Tauranga and at Trustpower Baypark was an easy one.

"There are very few stadia across the country that have the spatial parameters to effectively accommodate an event of this magnitude.

"We have formed a strong association with the city, Baypark and the local community where the 2018 New Zealand Gymnastics Championship were held."

Tauranga Mayor Greg Brownless said it was an honour that the city had been selected to host this international spectacle.

"We're delighted to be welcoming the Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships to Tauranga's Trustpower Baypark Arena.

"We are committed to hosting world class events and this will be an incredible opportunity for people to experience international athletes competing at the highest level."

In trending with other Olympic years the event expected to continue to play a key lead-in for Tokyo 2020 Olympians.

The 2016 Pacific Rim Championships saw several subsequent Rio Olympians take the floor including world gymnastics phenomenon Simone Biles, alongside New Zealand's own Olympians Dylan Schmidt and Courtney McGregor.

Schmidt is no stranger to the Pacific Rim Championships having won bronze in 2016 in the lead-up to his Olympic debut in Rio. In 2012, he gained recognition on the world stage by winning gold in the junior division.

Tauranga in 2020 would be Schmidt's fifth championships.

"It's an Olympic year so hard to say exactly who will be there, but it's generally a very high quality field. It'll be nice to have some of the world's best here in my home country, and not have to travel to a top event for once.

"I'm probably most excited for the opportunity to have friends and family come to watch."