For most Americans, the sport of gymnastics works like Santa Claus, surfacing every four years bringing excitement and joy during the summer Olympics, only to disappear again, leaving everyone wondering where all the toys came from.
This past weekend, those who looked hard enough caught a glimpse into Santaâs workshop. The 2008 Olympic Team Trials came to their conclusion in Philadelphia, the men finishing on Saturday and the women on Sunday. In typical fashion for the USA Gymnastics organization, however, the trials were more likely to confuse viewers than anything else.
Those who donât follow the sport closely are already in for a surprise when the Olympic Games take place in Beijing later this year; instead of the iconic perfection of the 10.0, viewers will see a new open-ended scoring system that allows the best gymnasts to earn upwards of sixteen points for one event. It came as no surprise then that the trials this weekend culminated in an ambiguous selection process that functioned differently for the men and women.
When the menâs competition concluded on Saturday, the selection committee was to name two athletes to the Olympic team. Competitors could guarantee one of these spots by finishing first or second overall in the trials as well as placing in the top three on three different events. None of the gymnasts fulfilled these requirements, however, so the committee took their pick, naming reigning Olympic Champion Paul Hamm, who did not compete due to a broken hand, and Jonathan Horton, who earned the highest all-around score during the trials.
The following day, the committee named the final four members of the team as well as three alternates. Hamm and Horton were joined by Paulâs twin brother Morgan, high-flying Justin Spring, surprise candidate Joseph Hagerty, and our fellow Californian Kevin Tan of Fremont. Selected as alternates were David Durante, Alexander Artemev, and Raj Bhavsar, who was also a reserve for the 2004 Olympic team.
The process began similarly for the women. When their trials came to a close on Sunday, top scorers Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson earned automatic spots on the team for their first and second place finishes. The rest was not so simple, however; ten other gymnasts were selected to attend a five-day camp in July to determine the final four members of the team. These ten included strong contenders such as Chellsie Memmel, Alicia Sacramone, and Jana Bieger, as well as young Angeleno Mattie Larson.
Although these announcements leave room for much speculation, especially with regards to the still-pending womenâs team, the selections do tell us a bit about what to expect in Beijing. For the men, the future is bright. The selection committee was impressed by so many gymnasts that David Sender, who won the national championships just weeks ago, was not even named an alternate. Also, look for Justin Spring to bring big tricks and lots of excitement; expect a spectacular routine on the still rings from Kevin Tan, who was picked strictly for that event; and hope that Paul Hamm recovers quickly, giving him a shot at defending his Olympic All-Around gold medal.
On the womenâs side, there is also reason to be optimistic. Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson have shown recently that they are in a league of their own, but Chellsie Memmel is riding a late surge and seems an obvious choice for the team. The committee is also likely to select Alicia Sacramone, who could provide powerful vaulting and tumbling; Jana Bieger for her impressive work on the uneven bars; and newcomer Samantha Peszek, who placed in the top four on three events and finished fourth in the all-around.
Soon Americans everywhere will tune in for their four-year dose of gymnastics, and this year it should be a good one. The menâs and womenâs teams both look strong, so in order to fulfill your patriotic duty, be sure to brush yourself up on the names of the events, and try to pronounce the Hamm twinsâ last name correctly (hint: it does not rhyme with ham). Just donât try to figure out what the scores mean; they are a mystery to us all.
Photo by John Cheng via USA Gymnastics.
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