US Women's Olympic Gymnastic Team Hopefuls
Profile of the Gymnasts Selected for the 2008 Training Camp
Jul 16, 2008
Jana Bieger
Bieger is an 18-year-old gymnast whose coach is her mother, Andrea, a former West German Olympic gymnast. She ranked second all-around and on floor exercise at Worlds in 2006, but did not attend the competition in 2007 due to a poor showing at Nationals after an ankle injury.
Chelsea Davis
Davis, who trains in Texas with 1992 Olympian Kim Zmeskal Burdette, is one of the younger gymnasts at the camp and only recently became a member of the national team, so is unlikely to make the cut this year.
Ivana Hong
15-year-old Hong is also new to international competition, but was on the winning World team in 2007. Her best event is the beam, but her vault is also one to watch. She may be the most likely of the inexperienced gymnasts to earn a spot.
Shawn Johnson
Johnson, a 16-year-old from Iowa, is guaranteed to be on the Olympic team after winning the competition at Trials. She won the 2007 World Championships in her first year in senior competition, and in fact won every competition she entered that year. She has continued to perform well in the all-around, with an element at the highest difficulty level in three events. She also has one of the most difficult vaults in world competition.
Mattie Larson
Larson, another 16-year-old from California, only became a senior in 2008, placing seventh at Nationals and in the Trials. According to her official website, she hopes “one day” to make a World or Olympic team.
Nastia Liukin
Liukin, the 18-year-old daughter of well-known coach Valeri, finished second at Trials and is also guaranteed a spot on the Olympic team. She is an experienced international competitor, having been on the national team for six years. Her best events are beam and bars, and she won an all-around silver medal at Worlds in 2005, finishing only 0.001 behind Chellsie Memmel.
Corrie Lothrop
Lothrop is another internationally inexperienced 16-year-old, but her difficulty level has increased greatly in recent years. She has begun training the same vault as Shawn Johnson, a Yurchenko with 2-1/2 twists.
Chellsie Memmel
20-year-old Memmel would be a likely pick for the team. Though injuries have plagued her recently, she placed third at Trials and is an experienced international competitor, with a 2005 World all-around title.
Samantha Peszek
Peszek is another gymnast likely to make the Olympic team. She is 16 years old and was a member of the gold-medal team at Worlds in 2007. She is particularly strong on the floor exercise, and would fill a hole for the team on that event.
Alicia Sacramone
Sacramone is an 18-year-old gymnast who is experienced in international competition and particularly talented on floor and vault, which gives her a very good shot at making the team as well. She was the 2005 World Champion on floor exercise. She has also been attending classes full time since 2006, and according to her official website is the only woman on the national team to compete both in elite gymnastics and with the NCAA.
Bridget Sloan
16-year-old Sloan is yet another young gymnast with little international experience. Though she has placed well at some smaller international meets, she was only an alternate for the 2007 World team.
Shayla Worley
17-year-old Worley is something of an X factor in the selection process. She placed second at Nationals in 2007 and was a member of the 2007 World team, but has recently suffered from injuries including back problems prior to Trials. She could have a good shot at being the sixth team member, but will need to prove that she is healthy.
References:
Official Gymnast Websites
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