nside USA gymnastics • It's that time of year again, when USA Gymnastics athletes represent our country at World Championships. This past month in London, the artistic Worlds took place and the USA women won five medals, including first and second in th e all -around . Bridget Sloan and Rebecca Bross led the charge, along with teammates Kayla Williams and Ivana Hong . This now represents the third time in five years of World or Olympic competition where the USA women have finished first and second in the allaround competition . In 2005, it was Chellsie Memmel and Nastia Liukin in Melbourne, and last year in Beijing with Nastia and Shawn Johnson . Since 2003, the U.S. women have maintained a position on the podium in the all-around at every Worlds or Olympic Games, including gold in five of those years . Newcomer Kayla Williams literally vaulted to the top of the wo rld's podium by winning the world gold medal in her first international event . Hard to believe that just this past May she was competing in J .O. Nationals . And, Ivana Hong left her mark by claiming a bronze on balance beam . The men started the new quad with four of our si x gymnasts qualifying to finals. It was a coming out party for Tim McNeill, who was ranked third after the all-around preliminaries, and finished seventh in the finals . The team's veteran Jonathan Horton continues to demonstrate that he will be a force internationally and a leader for this team during the next few years . Congrats to all of the men for the determination and potential they displayed.
Trampoline and tumbling athletes ex perienced great success during World Cup competition this fall. Steven Gluckstein and Logan Dooley earned the first U.S. men's synchronized trampoline gold medal at a World Cup, and Dooley went on to win a gold medal in individual trampoline, also a U.S. first . Kalon Ludvigson also won a go ld medal and two silvers at three World Cup competitions. He becomes the first U.S. men's tumbler to win a gold medal at a World Cup in 10 years. We wish the athletes good luck when they compete in the World Championships Nov. 7-15 in St. Petersburg, Russia .
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USA Gymnastics clubs are in full swing with kids flying around the gym and in competitions . We look forward to following the progress of many Junior Olympic competitors over the next few months in the Nastia Liukin Cup Series. In the next issue of USA Gymnastics (Jan/Feb 2010), we'll announce the club and individual who raised the most money for the Children's Miracle Network in celebration of National Gymnastics Day. Donations are due by Nov. 9 to be included in the contest. After hearing about all of the outstanding celebrations that took place around the country, it will be exciting to learn which club and individual will be the top fundraisers for this year's contest.
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Season's Greetings to all of you. See you in the gym .
At the Rhythmic World Championships in Mie, Japan, the U.S. athletes improved their rankings over previous World Championships. Julie Zetlin was one of four reserves to the all-around finals and the group finished 16th, improving their ranking from the 2007 Worlds .
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USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER · DECEMBER 2009
• Steve Penny President/CEO
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