Memmel Moments

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The biggest story in Boston was the return of 2005 World Champ Chellsie Memmel to the Olympic mix.

“The old Chellsie is back, the way she was,” an enthusiastic Martha Karolyi told the media after Memmel’s Boston showing. “Shawn (Johnson) and Nastia (Liukin) have always been there, at all competitions and at the Ranch, but Chellsie is a comeback. She’s paced herself and, in the right moment, she has great hope. She has shown she has excellent form. Improved so much. Everything is looking more comfortable, like the old Chellsie Memmel from two, three years ago.”

With father-coach Andrew by her side, Memmel battled a sore thigh to finish an impressive third at USAs. And both Memmels contend that Chellsie will only get better from here on out.

With Trials set to begin next week, Inside Gymnastics takes you back to Boston and shares a few of this father-daughter powerhouse’s post-competition thoughts …

Q: What’s the plan from here on out?

ANDREW: I’ll give her the [training] plan through Trials. I’ve got it kind of tentatively planned all the way through, but we’ll start next week for Trials, then we’ll bump it up for the next month. That’s the most important month.

Why we have to update it or change it is because of what she just did now. Now that you’ve done the [Yurchenko 1-1/2] vault we have to update it, so that you can do more. You don’t want more? Don’t do so well. (laughs)

Q: How much confidence does this give you going into Trials and the Selection Camp?

CHELLSIE: Oh, it gives me a ton of confidence. Just to know I was able to go out there and hit two days of competition. You know, only having a one day break. It just gives me confidence in myself, and in my body too. I know now that I can physically do it too. It’s just great.

Q: National Team Coordinator Martha Karolyi singled you out as the biggest surprise of the meet. What do you think about that?

CHELLSIE: I did kind of expect that, because not a lot of people have seen me compete. And even when I did compete, at the Ranch three weeks ago, I wasn’t in my top form. That’s where I was then. We had a training plan, and this is where I am now.  (big grin) I think that training plan is working.

Q: How is your quadriceps tonight?

CHELLSIE: Umm, it actually got a little better today. It was a little better yesterday. We took it easy during training and it’s getting better, so it shouldn’t be a problem.

It came on here; just the last few days here. I think it’s just, like, the different surroundings, the different landing mats. I think it’s just a little harder than what I’m used to, but it should be fine.

ANDREW: [It started hurting on] Wednesday (the day before U.S. Nationals competition began). That’s been coming on. You know, her back was a little sore. The trainer said it was the back, [then] turned into the leg. It’s so much better. Probably a couple more days at home and we’ll be done wrapping it.

Q: Your father, the other night, said you’d considered not even competing her because of your thigh and now you’re third. When did you make the decision to go for it?

CHELLSIE: During warm-ups [for prelims].

Because my leg had just gotten sore the day before. But it happens. Everybody is sore. I know that.

Q: When did you decide to do the upgrades you made for finals?

CHELLSIE: On bars, I didn’t do a different routine, they just gave me a higher Start Value, because my jam was better. On [day one] they just devalued the skill, from an “E” to a “D.”

Well, vault, I didn’t warm [the Yurchenko 1-1/2] up at all. I just did a layout and a full in warm-ups then, during touch, everything was going so well I said, ‘I’ll try a full, then a 1-1/2, and if it goes well, I’ll do it. And if it doesn’t, I’ll do a full.’

It went well in touch, so I decided to compete it.

(big smile) It went good.

Q: What do you think your dad was most pleased with tonight?  He seemed pretty excited all evening.

CHELLSIE: I think floor he was thrilled with. It was so much better. And for vault, too. I think he was really happy with that because it wasn’t a full. I competed a Yurchenko 1-1/2 and it went really well. I think he’s happy overall.

Q: Are these the routines we’re going to be seeing from you at Trials?

CHELLSIE: There are few more things I’d like to add back in on bars. I’m not sure if I’ll add it in for Trials or the Selection Camp, though. I have a 7.2 [routine].

ANDREW: Bars she can get into the 7s and beam she can get into the 7s [for her Start Values]. Floor, probably four or five more tenths—all by Selection Camp.

The sky is the limit. There is so much more. We had to play it safe. We just have to do intelligent gymnastics for another week or two. We’re still developing the whole while. So, her Start Values are gonna’ increase a little bit for the next one (Trials), but more for the training camp.

Q: Does it feel like everything is finally coming together for you at the right time?

CHELLSIE: It feels great. It gives me so much confidence in myself going into Trials, and the Selection Camp, knowing I was able to go out and hit, over two days.

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