Nastia Liukin Pulls out of World Championships

Olympic champion Nastia Liukin ran out of time.

Liukin withdrew her name from consideration for the world gymnastics championships Monday, saying she hasn't had enough time to train. Liukin, only the third U.S. woman to win the Olympic title, has been in high demand for appearances, photo shoots and commercial opportunities since she left Beijing, but the schedule wreaked havoc on her training.

The first of two training camps that will be used to choose the U.S. women's team is next week, and worlds are Oct. 13-18 in London. There is no team competition at this year's worlds, only the all-around and individual events.

"I didn't want to go out there and compete and represent Team USA if I wasn't at my best," Liukin said. "Physically, I'm not capable of doing it because I didn't have enough time to prepare."

While Liukin said she is going to take a break from the sport -- "I hope to go on vacation, hopefully on an island somewhere" -- she insists she is not retiring.

She plans to return to the gym, and still hopes to compete at the London Olympics in 2012. She'd also like to compete at another world championships. Liukin has won nine medals at worlds, tying her with Shannon Miller for most by a U.S. gymnast.

"This decision has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of my career. It's based on just this year, the world championships," Liukin said. "I really feel like it was necessary just because I haven't really had much time off. I wasn't always in the gym, but I was always on the go.

"I'm going to take some time off, regroup, get ready for the next few years and decide what the plan is from here on out."

Making this decision was stressful, Liukin said, because she didn't want to let anyone down. Though there's no team competition at worlds, these championships set the tone for the leadup to the next Olympics and give an early indication of who are the teams and gymnasts to watch.

The Americans served notice they had rebounded from their disappointing showing in Sydney by winning two of the four event titles at the 2002 world championships. Chellsie Memmel and Liukin were 1-2 in the all-around in 2005, and the Americans went on to collect seven more medals in the event finals. Liukin took gold on beam and bars.

Liukin said she talked with her parents -- father Valeri is her coach -- over the weekend, and spent two days trying to track down women's national team coordinator Martha Karolyi, who is in Romania on vacation. When she finally got ahold of Karolyi on Monday morning, Liukin said it was one of the hardest conversations she's ever had.

"She definitely tried to convince me to come to camp and give it one more shot," Liukin said. "I could tell it was a little hard for her to take, but it hasn't been easy. At same time, this is the right decision for me at this time."

Liukin's decision will give Karolyi some flexibility in selecting a team for worlds. Countries can send only four gymnasts, and are limited to two gymnasts per event. Liukin would have done, at most, balance beam and uneven bars.

"We appreciate her making a decision that is right for her, as well as putting the goals of her teammates ahead of her own," Karolyi said. "We look forward to working with Nastia as she returns to competitive gymnastics when she is ready."

Liukin's announcement wasn't a complete surprise.

She's crisscrossed the country since winning gold in Beijing, doing everything from appearing at Fashion Week to picking up the female athlete of the year award at the ESPYs. She's loved all the experiences, but gymnastics is not a sport that can be done on a part-time basis.

It takes hundreds of repetitions to perfect a routine -- even routines she was doing with ease just last summer. Liukin would feel as if she was making progress after a few days at home, only to leave for a few days and then feel as if she had to start the whole process over again when she returned.

"It was very frustrating," she said.

Liukin curtailed her schedule a few months ago so she could compete at the U.S. championships, which were in her hometown of Dallas. She did one event, finishing fourth on beam, but the solid yet imperfect performance showed she wasn't back to top level yet.

And that's not good enough.

As the Olympic champion, the expectations are higher for Liukin. She not only accepts that, she expects even more of herself. If she's not ready to contend for a gold medal, then she's not ready to compete.

"I've set my standards too high," she said. "I don't want to just go out there and compete."

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press

Great News for NCAA Gymnastics!

National Gymnastics Foundation, USA Gymnastics create Collegiate Gymnastics Developmental Fund
08/17/2009

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Aug. 12, 2009 – The National Gymnastics Foundation, in partnership with USA Gymnastics, is creating a Collegiate Gymnastics Developmental Fund. The fund’s goal is to provide solutions to support collegiate programs in peril and offer educational and business training for coaches and program administrators to assist them in building financially secure programs. The Collegiate Gymnastics Developmental Fund complements the initiatives USA Gymnastics already has in place to support collegiate gymnastics.

“Collegiate gymnastics is a vital part of the gymnastics fabric in the United States,” said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. “This effort will work to reinforce the importance of our existing NCAA programs and provide a new level of support to the coaches and athletes involved. The fund is intended to create a mechanism in partnership with the various coaches associations and schools that helps collegiate gymnastics programs enhance their presence in communities nationwide. We look forward to working with the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women, College Gymnastics Association for men’s gymnastics and the various gymnastics programs as we move forward. ”

In addition to the Collegiate Developmental Fund, the National Gymnastics Foundation already has scholarship programs in place for men’s collegiate gymnastics and trampoline athletes that are endowed through donations and fees. USA Gymnastics organizes national championships for both men’s and women’s gymnastics to supplement the NCAA National Gymnastics Championships. USA Gymnastics has taken an increasingly proactive role in supporting the collegiate arm of gymnastics; earlier this year it hosted a summit to discuss the issues facing collegiate gymnastics and assisted in a fundraising effort for Cal State Fullerton women’s gymnastics team.

The Collegiate Developmental Fund (CDF) will be supported through public and private donations, as well as through some existing funds in the National Gymnastics Foundation. The NGF has dedicated funds valued at $100,000 to seed the CDF.

“The Foundation is still working out the details for the fund,” said Bob Wood, chair of the National Gymnastics Foundation. “No grants will be issued until the guidelines and parameters for funding and distribution are solidified. We are excited about the opportunities the Fund will present, and we hope the gymnastics community will band together to build a solid endowment for this effort.”

"This is a huge step forward," commented Mike Lorenzen, president of NACGC/W. "We are very excited about the opportunity to work with USA Gymnastics and the National Gymnastics Foundation to identify solutions to maintain and develop new college programs."

“It is important for us to work together to sustain NCAA gymnastics as an important goal for all of our athletes,” said Mike Burns, president of the College Gymnastics Association for men’s gymnastics. “USA Gymnastics, the National Gymnastics Foundation and the entire NCAA gymnastics community are vital partners in this effort. I look forward to working on this worthwhile cause.”

The National Gymnastics Foundation was created from the energy and excitement generated by the gold-medal Olympic effort of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Proceeds totaling $1.4 million from the 1984 Olympics were used to establish the Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Today, the Foundation’s assets total approximately $4.3 million.

Copyright © USA Gymnastics. All Rights Reserved.

National Championships Results- Sloan takes the title

Sloan wins women’s all-around title at ’09 Visa Championships
08/15/2009

DALLAS, Aug. 15, 2009 – 2008 Olympic team silver-medalist Bridget Sloan of Pittsboro, Ind., won her first U.S. all-around title at the 2009 Visa Championships at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Sloan, who trains at Sharp’s Gymnastics, came from behind in the last rotation win the title with a score 117.550.

“It feels great to win the Visa Championships, “said Sloan. “The first day didn’t go as planned, but today went well. I know this is the first step in the World (Championships) selection process, and now I know what I need to do.”

2008 Olympic Team alternate Ivana Hong of Lovejoy, Texas/WOGA, finished a close second in the all-around at 117.250. WOGA’s Rebecca Bross of Plano, Texas, landed in third place with an all-around score of 116.600.

Kytra Hunter of Frederick, Md./Hill's Gymnastics, finished fourth in the all-around with 113.750 Sloan won both the uneven bars and floor exercise crowns with combined scores of 29.450 and 29.350, respectively. Hong won the U.S. balance beam title with a score of 30.350. Kayla Williams of Nitro, W.V./Gym Nest won vault with a score of 29.075.

In the final rotation, Sloan’s 15.000 on vault clinched the all-around title. She had the evening’s highest scores on uneven bars (14.900) and floor exercise(15.050). She posted a 14.900 on balance beam.Hong posted Saturday night’s top score on beam at 15.200. Her other scores were: vault, 15.250; uneven bars, 14.600; and floor exercise, 14.000. Bross earned highest vault score of the day at 15.300 for her double twisting Yurchenko vault. Her other scores for the night were 13.350 on bars and 14.700 on beam and floor exercise. 2008 Olympian Samantha Peszek of Indianapolis, Ind./Sharp’s Gymnastics, was second on beam with a score of 30.100.

Fellow 2008 Olympians Chellsie Memmel of West Allis, Wis., and Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas, competed on the balance beam. 2008 Olympic all-around champion Liukin was named Athlete of the Year and Sportsperson of the Year and her father and coach Valeri Liukin was named Coach of the Year.

2009 Visa Championships
American Airlines Center
Dallas, TX
Aug. 15, 2009
Women’s gymnastics final results

All-Around
1. Bridget Sloan, Pittsboro, Ind., 117.550
2. Ivana Hong, Lovejoy, Texas, 117.250
3. Rebecca Bross, Plano, Texas, 116.600
4. Kytra Hunter, Frederick, Md., 113.750
5. MacKenzie Caquatto, Naperville, Ill., 111.950
6. Jana Bieger, Coconut Creek, Fla., 111.550
7. Kayla Williams, Nitro, W. Va., 111.350
8. Cassandra Whitcomb, Cincinnati, Ohio, 111.100
9. Alaina Johnson, Tyler, Texas, 109.650
10. Kaitlyn Clark, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., 109.400
11. Rebecca Clark, Blue Springs, Mo., 109.250
12. Kimberly Jacob, Raleigh, N.C., 108.550
13. Brooke Parker, Lorton, Va., 107.950
14. Morgan Steigerwalt, Jim Thorpe, Pa., 107.050
15. Annette Miele, Easton, Pa., 106.150
16. Georgia Dabritz, Rowley, Mass., 105.600

Vault
1. Ivana Hong, Lovejoy, Texas, 29.950
2. Bridget Sloan, Pittsboro, Ind., 29.900
2. Kytra Hunter, Frederick, Md., 29.900
4. Rebecca Bross, Plano, Texas, 29.750
5. MacKenzie Caquatto, Naperville, Ill., 29.600
6. Kayla Williams, Nitro, W. Va., 29.075
7. Morgan Steigerwalt, Jim Thorpe, Pa., 28.500
7. Kaitlyn Clark, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., 28.500
9. Annette Miele, Easton, Pa., 28.150
10. Kimberly Jacob, Raleigh, N.C., 27.850
10. Brooke Parker, Lorton, Va., 27.850
12. Jana Bieger, Coconut Creek, Fla., 27.550
13. Cassandra Whitcomb, Cincinnati, Ohio, 27.500
14. Alaina Johnson, Tyler, Texas, 27.300
15. Rebecca Clark, Blue Springs, Mo., 27.200
16. Georgia Dabritz, Rowley, Mass., 27.150
17. Samantha Peszek, Indianapolis, Ind., 14.550

Uneven Bars
1. Bridget Sloan, Pittsboro, Ind., 29.450
2. Cassandra Whitcomb, Cincinnati, Ohio, 29.350
3. MacKenzie Caquatto, Naperville, Ill., 29.000
4. Jana Bieger, Coconut Creek, Fla., 28.850
5. Ivana Hong, Lovejoy, Texas, 28.650
6. Rebecca Bross, Plano, Texas, 28.400
7. Georgia Dabritz, Rowley, Mass., 28.100
8. Alaina Johnson, Tyler, Texas, 27.700
9. Kytra Hunter, Frederick, Md., 27.300
9. Brooke Parker, Lorton, Va., 27.300
11. Kaitlyn Clark, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., 27.050
12. Rebecca Clark, Blue Springs, Mo., 26.850
13. Kimberly Jacob, Raleigh, N.C., 26.600
14. Annette Miele, Easton, Pa., 25.650
15. Kayla Williams, Nitro, W. Va., 24.800
16. Morgan Steigerwalt, Jim Thorpe, Pa., 23.400

Balance Beam
1. Ivana Hong, Lovejoy, Texas, 30.350
2. Samantha Peszek, Indianapolis, Ind., 30.100
3. Rebecca Bross, Plano, Texas, 29.400
4. Nastia Liukin, Parker, Texas, 29.150
5. Bridget Sloan, Pittsboro, Ind., 28.850
6. Rebecca Clark, Blue Springs, Mo., 28.500
7. Kimberly Jacob, Raleigh, N.C., 28.250
8. Chellsie Memmel, West Allis, Wis., 27.900
8. Kytra Hunter, Frederick, Md., 27.900
10. Kayla Williams, Nitro, W. Va., 27.850
11. Jana Bieger, Coconut Creek, Fla., 27.800
12. Morgan Steigerwalt, Jim Thorpe, Pa., 27.700
13. Alaina Johnson, Tyler, Texas, 27.100
14. Annette Miele, Easton, Pa., 26.700
15. Kaitlyn Clark, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., 26.650
16. Brooke Parker, Lorton, Va., 26.350
17. MacKenzie Caquatto, Naperville, Ill., 26.000
18. Cassandra Whitcomb, Cincinnati, Ohio, 25.800
19. Georgia Dabritz, Rowley, Mass., 25.100

Floor exercise
1. Bridget Sloan, Pittsboro, Ind., 29.350
2. Rebecca Bross, Plano, Texas, 29.050
3. Kytra Hunter, Frederick, Md., 28.650
4. Kayla Williams, Nitro, W. Va., 28.500
5. Cassandra Whitcomb, Cincinnati, Ohio, 28.450
6. Ivana Hong, Lovejoy, Texas, 28.300
7. Samantha Peszek, Indianapolis, Ind., 28.250
8. Alaina Johnson, Tyler, Texas, 27.550
9. Morgan Steigerwalt, Jim Thorpe, Pa., 27.450
10. MacKenzie Caquatto, Naperville, Ill., 27.350
10. Jana Bieger, Coconut Creek, Fla., 27.350
12. Kaitlyn Clark, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., 27.200
13. Rebecca Clark, Blue Springs, Mo., 26.700
14. Brooke Parker, Lorton, Va., 26.450
15. Kimberly Jacob, Raleigh, N.C., 25.850
16. Annette Miele, Easton, Pa., 25.650
17. Georgia Dabritz, Rowley, Mass., 25.250

Copyright © USA Gymnastics. All rights reserved.

NCAA may change women's gymnastics championships

Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA women's gymnastics committee is recommending changes to the national championship format: It wants four teams to compete in the finals instead of the current six.

According to a proposal disclosed last week, byes would be eliminated and the competition would be shortened, something the committee believes would make the event more appealing to fans and television.

Thirty-six teams would still compete at regionals and 12 would still advance to the championship round.

Other recommended changes include counting the score of each gymnast on each apparatus toward the team's final score, instead of throwing out the lowest of the six individual scores. The format would only be used in regional and national championships.

The changes still need final approval before they would be implemented in 2011.

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press

IOC monitoring case against China's 2000 gymnasts

Associated PressLAUSANNE, Switzerland -- The International Olympic Committee said it will take "necessary measures" if gymnastics officials determine that China used two underage gymnasts at the 2000 Summer Games.

The investigation into Dong Fangxiao and Yang Yun's eligibility has been turned over to a disciplinary commission, the International Gymnastics Federation announced Tuesday. If they are found to be underage, the commission could recommend sanctions to the FIG's executive committee.

But it would be up to the IOC to determine what, if anything, to do about the medals China won in Sydney. The Chinese women won the bronze team medal, and Yang was the bronze medalist on the uneven bars.

"The IOC will take necessary measures upon the decision of the FIG disciplinary commission," IOC spokeswoman Sandrine Tonge said Wednesday. "We're following the case and awaiting their findings."

Questions about Dong and Yang's ages arose during the FIG's investigation into the eligibility of several members of China's team that won the gold medal at the Beijing Games. The 2008 gymnasts were cleared in October, but the FIG said it wasn't satisfied with "the explanations and evidence provided to date" for Dong and Yang.

The gymnasts are suspected of being as young as 14 in Sydney. Gymnasts must turn 16 during an Olympic year to be eligible to compete.

The disciplinary commission, formed last week, has already received all of the evidence and met once. Its decision is expected by September, at the latest.

Neither Yang nor Dong could be contacted by The Associated Press on Wednesday. Calls to Yang's cell phone number were answered by a "cannot be connected" message, while Dong's number is no longer in use.

Zhou Qiurui, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Gymnastics Association, said the association had received a notice from the FIG and was willing to cooperate, but did not have any details on how that would be done.

"Lu Shanzhen, the deputy director of our association who is in charge of the women's team, is not in Beijing," Zhou said.
---
Associated Press researcher Xi Yue in Beijing contributed to this report.
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press

Catching Up with Chellsie Memmel

06/10/2009
Chellsie Memmel was a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team that won the team silver medal in Beijing, China. At the 2006 World Championships, Memmel helped her team earn the silver medal, but had to withdraw from the all-around and individual event finals due to a shoulder injury. She missed most of 2007 while recovering from that injury. At the 2005 World Championships, Memmel became the first U.S. woman to win the all-around gold medal since Shannon Miller in 1994. She also finished second on both the uneven bars and balance beam.


Memmel burst into the spotlight in 2003 when she was named to the Pan American Games Team and won five medals, including team and all-around gold. An alternate to the 2003 World Championships Team, she was placed into the lineup after injuries and illness to three team members. Memmel played a vital role in securing the team gold medal, earning the highest all-around marks of any team member during team finals. She went on to tie with teammate Hollie Vise as the world uneven bars co-champion.
USA Gymnastics recently caught up with Chellsie to see what she has been doing since she returned from China.


What is your favorite memory from China?Probably standing on the awards stand with the other girls. That was amazing. We went through a lot of hardship there, a lot of injuries, but we still pulled it together and came home with the silver.
How has life changed since the Olympic Games?There’s a little more recognition. I did the tour and then have been traveling a little bit on the weekends to do appearances. But other than that, it’s just kind of quiet.


What has been your favorite thing you have done since the Olympic Games?I think the tour has been my favorite. It was just totally different from anything I’ve ever done. We were able to be relaxed and more at ease instead of totally focused on the competition. It brought everyone closer, which was really cool.


Have you had a break since you returned from the Olympic Games?
I went to Mexico in January with my sister and one of our friends from the gym.
What are your plans for the rest of 2009?I would still like to compete this year, so my plans are to get back into training and into shape. My ankle still is not fully healed, but it just needs rest.


Did being an alternate on the 2004 Olympic Team motivate you during the following four years to make the 2008 team?
That was a huge part of my wanting to make the Olympic Team because I was an alternate in 2004. That’s why I stuck around, because I wanted to be ON the team.


What was your timeline to get ready for the 2008 Olympic Team Trials?
We put together a plan after the Visa Championships in 2007 when I didn’t make the World (Championships) Team. We went back home and put together a training plan that spaced things out a little bit more for me to be ready for the Games.


Of all the places to which you have traveled, what has been your favorite?
It’s difficult. I definitely loved Hawaii when we did a competition there, and I’m also a big fan of Europe.


What do you like most about gymnastics?
I like everything. I love competing and representing my country – that’s probably the most fun that I have. I like training, too, and learning new skills. I like all of it!


What is your favorite childhood gymnastics memory?
I just remember running around the gym and having fun. Just kind of throwing skills here and there and playing around.


You bought a house in 2008. What’s it like being on your own?
I like being out on my own. It’s just a place I can go to relax and not have anything around me, just be on my own time. In the gym, I’m with my entire family so when I go home, I have time for myself. But I still spend a lot of time with my family. I think it’s a good balance for me.


Have you thought much about your plans for after you retire from competitive gymnastics?
After I retire, I definitely want to go to school. I put that off to train and travel so I could focus. I want to go to school and not worry about the training and traveling schedules.


Do you have any schools in mind?
I do think I would want to stay close to home. There are some great colleges really close. If not, I can always start here and transfer somewhere else if I wanted to.


Do you know what you want to study?
No, not really. I’ll start out with all the general classes, but probably something with business. If I do end up working at the gym or taking over eventually, that would be a good degree to have.

USA Gymnastics is the National Governing Body (NGB) for the sport of gymnastics in the United States, consistent with the Amateur Sports Act of 1978,the Constitution of the United States Olympic Committee and the International Gymnastics Federation. The mission of USA Gymnastics is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of gymnastics.USA Gymnastics, 132 E. Washington St., Suite700, Indianapolis, IN 46204Phone: 317-237-5050; Fax: 317-237-5069; Member Services: 1-800-345-4719

Longtime Nebraska gym coach Allen retiring

Associated PressLINCOLN, Neb. -- Francis Allen, who coached two U.S. Olympic teams and won eight NCAA men's gymnastics championships in 40 years at Nebraska, announced his retirement Thursday, saying the Cornhuskers' program needs new leadership.
The 66-year-old Allen was the youngest college gymnastics coach in the nation when he was hired in 1969, and he'll leave July 1 as the oldest.
He was the Olympic coach in 1980, when the Americans boycotted the Moscow Games, and again in 1992 in Barcelona.
His eight national championships rank second in NCAA men's gymnastics history behind the nine won by Penn State's Gene Wettstone.
"It is almost impossible to measure the impact Francis has had, not only on the sport of gymnastics but also on the lives of many young men," USA Gymnastics president Steve Penny said. "His legacy is well-secured within USA Gymnastics and the history of this sport. He's been a leader, a pioneer and someone who cared deeply about the development of gymnastics."
Athletic director Tom Osborne said Thursday that Allen would help search for a new coach.
Born in Cleveland, Allen grew up in Lincoln and competed for Jack Geier, the only other gymnastics coach Nebraska has had since 1950.
"I couldn't have imagined coming here out of high school that I would have the opportunity to work with conference champions, national champions and Olympians," Allen said. "There has been a lot of ups and down, but it has all been worth it."
Allen said it's time to turn the program over to a younger coach.
"I have old ways and I am set in those ways," he said, "and I am used to dealing with kids from a little different generation."
Nebraska captured NCAA titles for five straight seasons, from 1979 to 1983. The Huskers also won team championships in 1988, 1990 and 1994.
The early '80s marked squads were led by Jim Hartung, Scott Johnson and Phil Cahoy, all of whom competed on the gold medal-winning 1984 Olympic team.
"Throughout the '80s he had a number of guys who were always competing for the highest possible opportunity internationally," said Oklahoma coach Mark Williams, who competed for Allen at Nebraska from 1977-80. "We had almost a dynasty in the early '80s, specifically with those three guys."
Allen's teams also earned seven national runner-up finishes. From 1979-95, Nebraska finished either first or second at the NCAA meet 15 times. Including the 2009 season, the Huskers have competed in 25 of the last 31 NCAA championships, advancing to the finals 16 times.
Williams, who has won five national titles at Oklahoma, said Allen has never been hesitant to offer advice, even to his opponents.
"He once told my wife that he figured the wins I had were at least partly his, too, since he developed me," Williams said. "He could look at it that way, even when some of my teams started beating his. He's a legend. I hate to see him not be out there day-to-day with gymnasts."
Allen's athletes have earned 172 All-America awards, and 41 gymnasts have earned individual event titles. Seven of those individual titles came in the all-around from internationally known competitors like Hartung (1980-81), Wes Suter (1985), Tom Schlesinger (1987), Patrick Kirksey (1989), Dennis Harrison (1994), Richard Grace (1995) and Jason Hardabura (1999).
Hartung (1982), Suter (1986) and Schlesinger (1987) were also awarded the Nissen-Emery Award, given annually to the nation's top senior gymnast.
During the 1992 Olympics, Allen coached former Nebraska gymnast Trent Dimas to a gold medal with a 9.875 on the high bar. Dimas was the first U.S. gymnast to win a gold medal at a non-boycotted Olympic Games in 60 years.
Williams said Allen often expressed frustration with the politics that come with coaching gymnastics at the international level.
"He found a lot more pleasure working with his team and his guys with the goals they had in mind for Nebraska," Williams said.
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
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