Jul 14 2008
Other Possible Team Members
With two team members named and three considered to be all-but-named, there is only one spot remaining on the team, and three alternate slots.The selection committee’s main goal is to win the team gold in Beijing. In the team competition, three gymnasts will go on every event, and every score will count towards the team total, so it is vitally important to have three excellent gymnasts on each apparatus.
This group is extremely good, but the one place where it is lacking depth is on the uneven bars. Memmel and Liukin are very strong bar workers, but the team would love to have one more gymnast who can score very high. Therefore, it’s likely that the final gymnast chosen to the team will be good on that event. Potential candidates are:
- Bridget Sloan
Why? Sloan was named the alternate to the 2007 world team, in just her first year of competition at the senior level. She also placed third all-around in the Beijing Olympic Test Event at the end of 2007.
Her Biggest Strengths: She’s good on all the events and could fill in on any one of them if need be. She's also improved her bar routine recently, and placed third on bars (behind Liukin and Memmel) at the 2008 US Nationals. Unfortunately, she had a tough time on all her events on the second day of Olympic Trials, causing concern that she might not have enough competitive experience to handle intense pressure. - Shayla Worley
Why? Worley was a member of the 2007 world team and runner-up at the American Cup in 2006.
Her Biggest Strengths: She is excellent on bars, and is known for her brilliant choreography on floor. Worley is currently struggling with a back injury that kept her out of the 2008 US Nationals. She competed at the 2008 Olympic Trials on three events, but is still working to regain her previous form. - Jana Bieger
Why? Bieger was a member of the 2006 world team, as well as the World All-Around Silver Medalist in 2006.
Her Biggest Strengths: She is solid on all four events, and can be counted on to hit her routines. She was also the third highest scorer on bars at Olympic Trials. - Ivana Hong
Why? Hong is another member of the 2007 world and Pan American teams.
Her Biggest Strengths: She is accomplished on all four events, and does her gymnastics with incredible form that the judges love. - Mattie Larson
Why? Larson performed admirably this year in her first US Nationals as a senior, placing 7th all-around and third on floor.
Her Biggest Strengths: She has beautiful technique and style, as well as a strong Yurchenko double full vault. - Corrie Lothrop
Why? Lothrop proved herself to be a consistent competitor at both the Olympic Trials (8th all-around) and US Nationals (9th all-around).
Her Biggest Strengths: It's been rumored that Lothrop has been training an Amanar vault. If she could learn this vault in time for Beijing, she'd be the third best vaulter in the US, and could sneak onto the squad. With less competitive experience than others in this group, she'd need that vault to earn a berth on the team. - Chelsea Davis
Why? Chelsea surprised a lot of people this year with her 8th-place performance at Olympic Trials. With gymnastics legend Kim Zmeskal as her coach, Davis showed strong sets on all four events.
Her Biggest Strengths: Clean routines on every event would allow her to fill in wherever the US team needed a hand. Like Lothrop and Larson, though, she lacks international experience.Poll:Who will earn the 6th spot on the US Olympic team?
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