The 2008 US Women's Olympic Gymnastics Team: Johnson, Liukin, Memmel, Peszek, Sacramone, and Sloan Go for Gold

For the most part, there were no surprises in the selections made after the training camp in Texas. Along with automatic team members Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin, the first- and second-place finishers at Trials, gymnasts Chellsie Memmel, Samantha Peszek, and Alicia Sacramone were more-or-less locks for the team. The one surprise is the sixth member, Bridget Sloan, an internationally inexperienced 16-year-old whose only experience at a World Championships was as an alternate in 2007.

The three alternates are talented 2007 World team member Ivana Hong, daring vaulter Corrie Lothrop, and experienced gymnast Jana Bieger, whose falls on the uneven bars at the selection camp cost her a starting spot according to team coordinator Marta Karolyi. In a July 20th Los Angeles Times article, Diane Pucin noted that there were some disappointing moments at the selection camp, including lack of confidence from Hong and injuries that cost Shayla Worley and Mattie Larson a chance at a spot on the team.

Strengths and Weaknesses of the US Olympic Team

During the team finals, the US will have to put three gymnasts up on each event, and every score counts towards the team total. The uneven bars is the team’s weakest event, and could be the deciding factor in the competition, where the Chinese are particularly impressive. Liukin is strong on bars, with a 2005 World gold medal, and Memmel finished second in the same competition, though a sore neck kept her from doing much bars work at the camp. The two also finished one-two on beam in 2005, an event on which Johnson is likely to compete as well.

On vault, Sacramone is particularly strong, with several World medals. She and Shawn Johnson are also both excellent on the floor exercise. Johnson and Peszek are also very strong vaulters, and Peszek could compete on floor as well. Sloan is something of an unknown factor, but she may compete on uneven bars along with Memmel and Liukin. The Americans will have to score very well on beam and floor, and stay steady enough on bars and vault to keep up with the Chinese strength on those events.

Trends in Women’s Team Gymnastics Since the Magnificent Seven

When American gymnastics fans think of victory, they think of the Magnificent Seven – the 1996 Olympic team that won gold in Atlanta after Kerri Strugg’s famous final vault on an injured ankle and included such stars as Dominique Moceanu, Dominique Dawes, and Shannon Miller. Immediately after that victory in Atlanta, the US team experienced a slip that included last place finishes at the next two World Championships in 1997 and 1999, and a disappointing fourth at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

Since 2000, however, the American program has been improving. The team won gold at Worlds in 2003 and 2007, and finished second at the 2004 Athens Olympics and 2006 Worlds. A gold medal at the 2008 Olympics is by no means a long shot, especially considering the depth of the US team and the corresponding weakness of the Russian and Romanian teams. The biggest challenge will be besting the strong Chinese team at home. With the difficulty of the Chinese routines, the Americans can’t afford any major errors in Beijing.

Aug 17, 2008 5:54 PM

Guest :

Wow, I can't tell you how much I love gymnastics. It is a great sport to watch because every event is so challenging. You have to have so much training to be so flexible and able to do things like the uneven bars and backflips on the balance beam. I am truly inspired by Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin because they are so young and so awesome. For doing those stunts they make football seem easy. I have pictures of Johnson and Liukin in my room. They will hold world records for a while. We've had many great athletes in my time, but none have inspired me so much as Johnson and Liukin. While they're there in Beijing I'm going to put something with luck on the ground so that the luck will travel all the way through the earth and come up in Beijing so that they will have good luck for their floor exercises. Shawn and Nastia, if you're reading this, know that there are so many people here in the US that admire you. I probably won't ever be an Olympic star like you, but I am always ready to try the next move in gymnastics. You take the huge challenge of coming all the way to Beijing, My computer even has Johnson-Liukin wallpaper. I will remember your names for the rest of my life because I admire you so much. It shows that young people like myself can do amazing things.
Hannah USA

Sep 9, 2008 8:10 PM

Guest :

I did gymnastics and my favorite skill to watch and do are the uneven bars. Shawn Johnson you are my fave. And it was God's plan to have you be born a gymnist. I love watching you perform, especialy on the floor and balance beam. I think you are great, young, and talented. The thing I most like about you is your GREAT BIG SMILE!

Oct 2, 2008 7:19 PM

Guest :

Wow, okay so I know absolutly nothing about gymnastics but I watched the Beijing Olympics and was impressed. Shawn Johnson definatly stood out so much to me. I mean she gorgouse for one thing but she is so short and yet that powerful. She's like 4'9' but if you look at her calves, its amazing. I'm 14 and saving every single bit of my money and going to the 2012 London Olympics. I know so much about Shawn and even wrote an English paper featuring her and the U.S. Gymnastics team.

Jan 26, 2009 6:05 PM

Guest :

I loveeee all of the gymnasts! Especially Shawn. I plan to be like her, wether I make it to the olympics or not! She is sweet and very dedicated to her hard work and efforts... I also like Nastia Luiken but I do not think she is as dedicated as Shawn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Shawn if you are ever to read this I LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEE UUUUUU!!!! :-)