. . . But USA National Coach Don Peters and his staff, and eight fired up USA gymnasts had other plans. Discussion and speculation raged on for days about team selection - "l" or "2'', "A" or "B", "Juniors" or "Seniors", "North" or "South"; and their conclusions brought landslide results. On the U.S. South team were Kathy Johnson, Luci Collins, Lynn Lederer and Marie Roethlisberger - finishing eighth, seventh, sixth and ninth in last months Championships of the USA in Salt Lake City. For the U.S. North, USA World Championships Team members Amy Koopman and Michelle Goodwin were teamed with the number l and 2 ranked USA.junior gymnasts Diane Durham and Mary Lou Retton. Again, strategy .. . As the competition began, the pattern for this meet was established as suddenly as had the men's the night before. Again,
"... but the USA National Coaches ... and eight fired-up gymnasts all had other plans." the Soviet's first girl to compete beam Elena Ponomarenko took a fall - scoring 9.00 and finished tied for 17th in the event. With only three gymnasts, and every score counting for team score, the Soviets had no room for errors. Their 28.00 BB event-score was fourth overall behind the Chinese and both American teams. It then appeared the U.S. North would follow a similar pattern on uneven bars when Michelle Goodwin missed as their first competitor, scoring only 9.05. But instead Mary Lou, Diane and Amy just shifted into overdrive to squelch any bad momentum for the rest of the night. Strangely, they had many misses throughout - Goodwin on UB, Koopman on BB, Retton in FX and BB - but
China 's Ma Yanhong (right) demonstrating her amplitude in leg flexibility in a side aerial on beam. Luci Collins (below) helped to lead her U.S. South team to the silver medal with solid routines in V, UB and FX.