1997 U.S CHALLENGE AND WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES TRIALS Marni L. Sabin Both the u.s. Chollenge ond the World
University Games Trials were held June 27-29 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy, home of 1996 Olympic coach Mary Lee Tracy, her new assistant Kim Zmeskal, and 1996 Olympians Jaycie Phelps and Amanda Borden, hosted the event. The World University Games Trials brought the most excitement to the venue as world renowned Shannon Miller walked into CGA with her coach Steve Nunno. Shannon won the competition and will represent the University of Oklohoma in Sicily, Italy. Kathleen Shrieves and Kristi Lichey, both of the University of Georgia , will also travel to Sicily. Rounding out the U.S. team will be Meredith Willard ond Leah Brown, whose spots were determined at the 1997 NCAA Championships, held earlier this year. National Elite Testing took place Soturday morning for the children and juniors. These six compulsory routines made up 40 percent of their final U.S. Challenge all-around scores. The remaining 60 percent consisted of Sunday's optionals. Coming out on top were Kristal Uzelac of Parkettes in the children's division and Brittney Koncak of HUGS in the junior division. The top eight gymnasts in both categories qualified to the 1997 National Gymnastics Festival, held at the U.S. Classic in Seattle, Wash., July 24-27. The Senior division also competed in the U.S. Challenge, although their all-around scores were a 100 percent reRection of the optional competition, held Sunday afternoon . The top four seniors, led by Nikki Beyschau of the Arizona Sun rays, also will compete in the 1997 National Gym Fest.
U.S. CHALLENGE
WORLD UNIVERSITY GAME TRIALS
JUNE 29. 1997 NATIONAL ELlTE·CHILDREN
AU·AROUND STANDINGS V
ALL.AROUND STANDINGS V
1 Krilt,1 Uzelac
UB
BB
FX
TOTAL
WID
Sh,nnon Miller
Porke"el
8.875 9.375 8.760 8.525 TOT 17.635 17.900 2 Ashley POltell (,pitol·V, 9.100 9.300 9.460 9.000 TOT 18.560 18.300 3 Jen,e (ox Southern Indi,n, 8.975 9.200 9.075 8.775 TOT 18.050 17.975 4 Ashlee 8redley Gncinn,ti Gymnastics 9.025 9.450 8.650 8.000 TOT 17.675 17.450 5 Jelli" 8"gden Gym""lin, 8.925 8.250 8.750 7.625 TOT 17.675 15.875 6 Jelli" 81'ir ('pit,I·Tx 9.000 9.150 9.075 8.500 TOT 18.075 17.650 7 Am,nd, 8i"e"e Gymcarolin, 8.675 8.350 8.960 7.750 TOT 17.635 16.100 8 Kinlie Hughel Dyn,mo 8.925 8.450 8.325 8.200 TOT 17.250 16.650 MelillO 80"negre (,pitol·Tx 8.825 8.975 8.775 7.025 TOT 17.600 16.000
9.300 9.235 36.785 29.428 9.425 9.075 35.785 42.942 18.725 18.310 72.570 72.370
University Of Georgia OPT 9.160 8.500
9.200
8.175
35.035
Sh,nnon Bowles University Of Ut,h OPT 8.750 8.525
8.875
8.475 34.625
8.500
8.300
8.600 34.325
Univmity of A1abam, OPT 8.940 8.550
8.225
8.050 33.765
Undscy Vcgedes Ohio St,te Univmity OPT 8.765 7.250
8.725
8.425
Stanford OPT 8.925
33.165
7.950
8.525 32.360
University Of MCJ\5CrnIll!Hs OPT 8.435 6.500
7.050
8.150 30.135
8.175 8.375 34.700 27.760 8.300 7.950 33.825 40.590 16.475 16.325 68.525 68.350
4 Tash, Schwikert
7.935 8.375 8.500 8.650 16.435 17.025
33.335 26.668 33.860 40.632 67.195 67.300
5
8.300 8.660 34.335 27.468 8.400 7.550 32.475 38.970 16.700 16.210 66.810 66.438
6
8.060 8.350 34.210 27.368 7.700 8.250 31.750 38.100 15.760 16.600 65.960 65.468
7
UB
BB
FX
TOTAL
WID
8
NAsr,cs
29.308 43.320 72.628
9
29.048 43.152 72.200
10
28.448 43.290 71.738
by Marnl L. Sabin Wh.t .... you elolng now? I' m off the tour now, but it starts again in September. I'm going to Oklahoma University now port-time and trying out some acting and commentating. I do personal appearances and have done some commercials.
Which on ••?
Jill r~her
Hugl
GYM
36.475
University Of NebrCllk, OPT 8.160 7.725
9.250 9.125 9.050 9.210 36.635 8.975 9.225 8.700 9.200 36.100 TOT 18.225 18.350 l7.750 18.410 72.735 2 Marie Fiordholm Gncinn,ti Gymnastics 9.050 9.000 9.125 9.135 36.310 8.710 8.500 9.450 9.300 35.960 TOT 17.760 17.500 18.575 18.435 72.270 3 Jennifer Orl,ndo Karonl 9.050 8.775 8.700 9.035 35.560 8.875 9.000 9.050 9.150 36.075 TOT 17.925 17.775 17.750 18.185 71.635
1m...
9.175
Amy Ringo
NATIONAL ELITE·JUNIORS V
9.000
9.150 9.075 35.400 28.320 9.400 8.850 34.625 41.550 18.550 17.925 70.025 69.870
ALL· AROUND STANDINGS
I 8ri"ney Kon"k
TOTAl
8.925 36.985
Kclie HornMker
8.675 9.075 36.225 28.980 9.075 8.450 34.175 41.010 17.750 17.525 70.400 69.990
FI
9.475
Jenny Wilson
8.400 9.110 35.685 28.548 8.750 9.250 35.850 43.020 17.150 18.360 71.535 71.568
II
Kerthleen Shrieves University Of Georgia OPT 9.050 9.250 Kristi Uchey
8.875 8.975 36.250 29.000 8.750 8.550 35.760 42.912 17.625 17.525 72.010 71.912
UI
Univmity Of Okl,hom, OPT 9.285 9.300
Gym"tl
8.850 8.800 8.400 8.925 9.200 7.900 9.000 9.275 TOT 18.050 16.700 17.400 18.200 Kim H,,,il Mar"teenl 9.225 8.500 8.700 9.000 9.275 7.900 8.700 8.825 TOT 18.500 16.400 17.400 17.825 Brown'l Kelli Exum 8.650 8.550 8.875 8.800 8.800 8.750 8.750 8.600 TOT 17.450 17.300 17.625 17.400 Steph,nie Edney Oce,n Tumblers 9.225 8.700 8.310 8.860 8.975 8.175 8.800 8.800 TOT 18.200 16.875 17.110 17.660 Rachel TIdd Gliders 8.750 8.800 8.675 8.875 8.075 8.675 9.050 8.300 TOT 16.825 17.475 17.725 17.175 D,n, Fileffi Oce,n Tumblers 9.075 8.550 8.535 8.785 8.675 8.200 7.700 9.175 TOT 17.750 16.750 16.235 17.960 (aslie (olg"ve Gymcarolin, 8.350 7.350 8.200 8.410 7.775 7.100 8.850 7.150 TOT 16.125 14.450 17.050 15.560
34.975 27.980 35.375 42.450 70.350 70.430 35.425 28.340 34.700 41.640 70.125 69.980 34.875 27.900 34.900 41.880 69.775 69.780 35.095 28.076 34.750 41.700 69.845 69.776 35.100 28.080 34.100 40.920 69.200 69.000 34.945 27.956 33.750 40.500 68.695 68.456 32.310 25.848 30.875 37.050 63.185 62.898
RESULTS continued on page 32
Bank of Oklahoma, Braum's Dairy Stores, and The Wedge (a back support system).
Now th.t you've .ccoMpll.h.eI your OlyMpic go.I., wh.t .... your go. I. now? Right now my goals are to try a lot of new things. I want to try commentating and acting and I still want to compete. I want to compete professionally also but right now everything's just for fun .
Wh.t M.eI. you eI.clei. to In WorIcI Unlvonlty . . . . . Trials InstoacI 01 WorIcI a-npl.. ...ups? COMpote
It wasn't that I decided not to compete in the World Championships. I love competing. This was coming up and I decided, 'Why not?" My goals right now are to go to competitions that are fun and new. I've been to Worlds five times already; I've never been to the World University Games. Also, the Catania Cup was when international competition started for me. (Shannon won the Catania Cup in 1990, her first major ti~e . )
What Ii.. ahoacIln your future? Right now, the farthest I can see is this competition. I know that I' m going back on the tour, of course, and deRnitely competing in more professional competitions, but beyond that, I haven't really decided.
Anything .I.e? I am really excited to be pari of a world team again. It should be a lot of fun .
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 1997