Continued from page 25 Elizabeth Davidovich from Rorida-moved to Detroit in order to train with the group. A core of three athletes-Beth Halloran, Molly Johnson, and Stephanie Louisa -was from a Detroit squad. "Finishing 16th was an excellent placement for this U.s. team," said Nora Hitzel, USA Gymnastics rhythmic program director. Coach Lyon Glover said, "I was very pleased with how our girls performed . They showed both routines with a lot of excitement and really pulled together as a team." Thirty-six individuals competed in the individual portion of this competition as a result of qualifying from the previous World Championships. The US. was allowed to enter two athletes. 1992 Olympian Tamara Levinson and first year senior national team member Caroline Hunt were selected at the World Championships Tria Is in Chicago, 111., prior to the competition. Because this competition so closely followed the Olympic Games, many were curious to sec which Olympians would be in attendance. None of the Olympic medal winners were present, so the competition was highly charged with a number of athletes ready to prove themselves. The star of the event turned out to be Oksana Kostina from Russia . This beautiful rhythmic athlete was not chosen to represent the Unified Team in Barcelona, ho wever, in each routine she demonstrated how choreography, music and movement can be blended together to achieve a whole effect. Maria Pctrova, who tied for fifth at the Games, was second and L1rissa Lukyanenko of Bielorussia was third . Levinson, 16, of the Rhythmflex Gymnastics School in Rockville, Md ., hit four solid routines to finish 19th overall,and Hunt, 14, from Illinois Rhythmics in Wilmette, III., finished 35th.
Tamara Levinson, a first year national team member, hit four solid rou tines to finish 19th overall.
USA
GYMNAST I CS ~JAN ./FEB.
1993
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