News, Notes & Quotes
June 07, 2008U.S. WOMEN’S TRIALS FIELD SET: The top 12 all-arounders at these USAs—Shawn Johnson, Nastia Liukin, Chellsie Memmel, Samantha Peszek, Ivana Hong, Jana Bieger, Mattie Larson, Corrie Lothrop, Randy Stageberg, Mackenzie Caquatto, Olivia Courtney and Aliana Johnson—automatically advance to the U.S. Olympic Trials in Philadelphia later this month.
Joining them in Philly, at the invitation of the Selection Committee, will be Britney Ranzy, Alicia Sacramone, Amber Trani, Darling Hill, Bridget Sloan, Shayla Worley and Chelsea Davis.
Of the 21 women who competed her, 17 move on to Trials, along with injury petitions Davis and Worley.
BYE-BYE BLUES: Junior runner-up Samantha Shapiro said goodbye to her “Blues for Klook” floor routine, performing it for the final time in Boston.
“I’m getting a new [floor routine] when I go home,” she told Inside Gymnastics. “New music. I’m really excited about it. I can’t wait.”
Shapiro is also looking forward to having more input on her new set. “I’m a little older, so, yeah, I think they’ll listen to me a little more this time,” she laughed, noting she had “no choice” when it came time to compose her current set.
“I mean, I like it,” she added quickly, “but it’s time. I’m ready for something [new].”
OLYMPIC FANS: 2004 Olympians Courtney McCool and Courtney Kupets were in the arena watching the junior women and three-time Olympian Dominique Dawes joined them for the senior women. McCool, sporting long dark brown hair, looks the most different from her "Olympic self."Kupets is working with Brett McClure tonight on the in-house radio program, WGYM.
FASHION FILE: The seniors are warming up for this afternoon’s finals and here’s who’s wearing what …
Shawn Johnson (pictured) i
s in black and white with rhinestones and a nude neckline. Like in night one, she’s got one sleeve with illusion fabric and one black Mylar.
Nastia Liukin is in all hot pink with a lot of shine.
Alicia Sacramone has a white, Mylar leo (rhinestone-flecked) with burgundy sleeves.
Chellsie Memmel is in basic black, covered with rhinestones, with a hot pink stripe at the neck and chest.
Jana Bieger is in red with shine, glitter and white piping—very reminiscent of a Team USA leo. Ivana Hong is also in red with white accents (instead of piping, she has white triangle accents across the back and chest).
Bridget Sloan is wearing white and hot pink with black accents and illusion sleeves.
Mattie Larson is warning a white and violet/lavender leo with rhinestones at the neckline
Ashley Stott is in solid gold.
iPODDER: Alicia Sacramone ceded her team DJ duties to Samantha Peszek this afternoon, with Peszek’s iPod serving as the playlist for this afternoon’s official warm-up accompaniment. The music features a mix of hip-hop and Top 40 tunes, including Chris Brown and Mariah Carey.
TV TIME: Because NBC will be offering live, TV coverage of today’s senior women’s finals from 4:00-6:00 PM ET, we won’t be doing our live blog from Boston. Tomorrow (June 8) afternoon, NBC will air tape-delayed coverage of the men’s Championships from Houston (2:00-4:00 PM ET).
OLYMPIC TRIALS FIELD TO BE SET TONIGHT: The U.S. Women’s National Team will be named tonight and all National Team members will be invited to this month’s Olympic Trials in Philadelphia. The top twelve all-arounders here at the Visa Championships automatically qualify. In additional, two to five additional National Team Members are expected to be name (including petitions). With the men’s field already determined in May, the complete roster for the Olympic Trials will be set by tonight.
HILL TO CLIMB: Darling Hill (pictured) was raised by her grandmother Elouise Dixon, and when Dixon passed away earlier th
is year, Hill didn’t know how to go on. Teammate Alicia Sacramone stepped in to help.
“Dar definitely went through a hard time this year,” Sacramone said of her friend. “One day she shot me a text and told me [her grandmother] had passed and I told her if she ever needed anything, or wanted to talk, she could give me a call.”
Since that text, Hill and Sacramone have talked many times. When Hill felt she couldn’t continue the sport without her grandmother’s love and support, Sacramone helped show her that giving up wasn’t what Hill’s grandma would have wanted.
“Ever since she made National Team we’ve been really close,” Sacramone said of Hill. “We just had a bond from the get-go. She helps me through my bad days and I try and help her as much as I can.
“I think [Darling’s] grandma would be so proud of her,” Sacramone concluded, “looking down, and seeing that she is still competing.”
BLOG, BLOG, BLOG: Several of the gymnasts at these Championships are keeping personal blogs detailing their Olympic-qualification experience. Among them, Shawn Johnson, who shared her thoughts after day one with fans, via her website: www.shawnjohnson.net.
“I’m only half way to the end of Championships but I am feeling great,” Johnson posted yesterday. “…When competition day came I was extremely nervous but I was jumping with excitement. After warm-ups and touch I could hardly contain myself. I was so excited to finally compete my new floor routine and I was really excited to attempt my vault. After the day was over I felt really good about what I had done. … I have training again today to help fine tune little things from yesterday and get ready for tomorrow.”
Also on Johnson’s website, her personal iPod play list, which includes songs like “Forever” by Chris Brown and Juno soundtrack favorite, “All I Want Is You.”
ASK A GYMNAST: One of the most popular in-arena video features at these Championships, and the men’s last month, is USA Gymnastics tongue-in-cheek “Ask a Gymnast” segment, which features athletes answering silly, multiple choice questions. One example: “The Hills or Gossip Girl?” (FYI, “Gossip Girl” got the most picks by far.)
At the men’s meet, one of the “Ask a Gymnast” questions was: “Paris Hilton or Paris, France?”
Other pre-meet video includes near-constant repetition of several AT&T “Behind the Team” online segments. With so many—21 at last count—“Behind the Team” episodes now in the can, many of them quite interesting, why they keep playing the same two, over and over, at USA Gymnastics events is unclear. (Both segments used are also over a year old.)
If you haven’t already, check out all the “Behind the Team” episodes at: www.attblueroom.com/TeamUSA. The most recent, “Heating up in Houston,” features highlights of men’s National Championships.
ONLINE OPTIONS: NBC is offering, for the first time, online video clips of non-televised routines from these Championships at: nbcolympics.com/video. Prelim highlights are available now for Windows users. (NBC plans to release a PC and Mac compatible player before the Games.)
NBCOlympics.com will also feature live video feeds during the Games (see “Beijing Action to Be Broadcast Live in U.S.” for more details).
- Quick Chat with Alicia Sacramone (June 16, 2008)
A look back-up at Sacramone's Championships, and what to expect at Trials.
