Munich, Germany hosted the October World Championships. The Bulgarians sweep the team and all around medals. USA improving. Zina Mironov
Alla Svirskiy
Norma Zabka
RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
R
hythmic Gymnastics is well-known in Europe and has deep roots going back as far as the Greek Olympics. It has been incorporated into other art forms such as dance, and has been a part of Artistic Gymnastics, in past Olympic Games in group routines using indian clubs and hoops. It was very popular for youth in exhibitions and pageants. In the late 1940's, Rhythmic Gymastics separated itself from all other art forms and became a sport all of it's own. In 1963, the first World Championships in Rhythmic Gymnastics were held in Budapest, Hungary, and since that time, every second year. Most recently, however, we celebrated the World Championships in Munich, Germany. It was only the second time that a full team from the United States was represented. The Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships was such a popular event that even on an ordinary day, Wednesday, October 21 , 1981 , during the middle of the week and with bad weather, it was impossible to get a ticket into the enormous stadium. Many countries sent delegations to observe it. The Championships started with group competition. Each country was prepared to fight for the championship, but teams from Russia, Bulgaria, Japan, Germany and Czechoslovakia were out of reach. With the other countries, the United States had a chance. Our young team had improved tremendously, but Spain, Poland and Italy had improved more thus the United States team could not beat them. The United States team placed 11th in the competition and this was just a little less than what we could expect. Our individual competitors, Lydia Bree, Sue Soffe and Valerie Zimring, were as colorful young flowers in the first winter snow. Each of them broke the 9. level receiving between them a total of five scores over 9. They placed in the middle of all the competitors, coming in 34th, 42nd and 44th place. However, it was a great experience for the U.S. team, both group and individual, to see such accomplished, skillful performers. It inspired them and created the goal to work three times as hard to be as good as the European champion. We did receive many compliments about the great potential of our young team. All things considered, the United States team represented their country well and we can be proud of them.
USA Coaches Report -
Alla Svirskiy
The World Championships in Rhythmic Gymnastics is the biggest competition in this sport and is run every two years. The preparation for this meet began two years ago with many training camps; the last leg of this preparation w as the National Sports Festival held in Syracuse, New York, run by the United States Olympic Committee. There the final decision for the national team was made. USGF GYMNASTICS JAN/FEB '82
In September, all members of the national team, by their own enthusiasm and support of parents, came to Los Angeles to train together for one month prior to the competition. On October 4th we departed for the Olympic Training Camp in Colorado Springs for two weeks of intensive training. The team members for the group routine were Nancy Neufeld (Los Angeles), Selina Woolerey (LA), Stacy Oversier (LA), Karla Newell (Detroit), Michele Berube (Detroit), Amy Schatz (Detroit), and alternates Kelly Zaloudek (Oklahoma) and Karen Lyon (Detroit). The team members for the individuals were Sue Soffe (Agoura, CA), Lydia Crabtree (Redondo Beach, CA), Valerie Zimring (LA), and alternate Wendy Hilliard (Detroit). We practiced between seven and eight hours daily with a very difficult schedule which all gymnasts followed without complaint. The group routine, which needs many, many hours of synchronized workout was getting better and better. The gymnasts were finally able to workout with full amplitude due to the fact they had a gym with a high ceiling. The camp ended with a big exhibition at Wasson High School in Colorado Springs where other members of various national teams and officials of the Olympic Committee attended to watch the team perform. The gymnasium was packed with students who had seen Rhythmic Gymnastics in other exhibitions. On October 16th we departed for Munich. We arrived on the 17th and were exhausted from the long flight; we were eager to rest but had to go to the Olympia Halle to get our identification cards. We were too tired to practice on this first day in Munich. On the 18th we practiced at the main gymnasium, where we were to compete. This was a beautiful gym with an incredibly high ceiling, but it would be our first and only time to practice in this gym. The next day we practiced in a gym with a low ceiling which was the very thing we had been hampered with all throughout the year. During the workout someone tossed a club and shattered a light, and clearing up the glass took away from our timed workout schedule. All the girls looked healthy and in good shape (except Kelly who had reinjured her ankle at training camp and was still in pain.) OnDctober 20th, Lydia w-0ke up with the flu and Valerie had a headache. The competition was to begin on the 21st, but it was only for the group routines. We had not seen any of the Europeans in practice and the last time we saw any international competitors was a year ago at the Championships of the Four Continents, where Japan took first place. On the first day, the judges drew, and our judge, Andrea Schmid, did not get a place in the judging set. We were up third, after China. On this first day we received a good score for composition, 9. 30, but our execution score was low, 8. 3 5. We definitely felt the loss of our judge!! We felt as if our result was lower than what