earn national-team status, and several others
were added as well (see results).
The four-member world team wouldn’t be
selected until Oct. 4, which gave everyone more
time to improve. Liukin, however, withdrew from
consideration on Aug. 31. “I don’t want to go
out there and compete if I’m not 100 percent,”
she said, adding that she wasn’t retiring. “The
2012 Olympics remain an important goal for
me. I have more to accomplish in this sport.”
Given Sloan’s second-day total of 59.850—
with watered-down routines, according to her
coach, Marvin Sharp—she would have to be
considered a threat to win an all-around medal in
London, perhaps even the gold. “We have a couple more skills to add on bars, floor and maybe
vault,” Sharp told IG. “If we manage to get the
new skills, then I think Bridget could have a good
chance at success in London.”
JUNIOR COMPETITION
With defending champion and favorite Jordyn
Wieber out with a sore hamstring, it would be
presumptuous to overstate the all-around victory
of Kyla Ross, who won’t turn 13 until Oct. 24.
But there certainly is much to like about this
Aliso Viejo, Calif., native, who has been coached
OPPOSITE TOP: Kayla Williams
(Gym Nest), seventh all-around,
won vault and showed dynamic
tumbling on floor, where she
placed fourth.
OPPOSITE BOTTOM: 2008 Olympic
teammates Chellsie Memmel
(left) and Samantha Peszek were
both still regaining form.
Memmel performed only on beam,
and Peszek did vault, beam and
floor on day one, and beam and
floor on day two.
ABOVE: With coaches Wu Jiani
and Li Yuejiu watching from
behind, Mackenzie Caquatto
(Naperville), fifth all-around,
showed her personality on floor.
RIGHT: 2006 world all-around silver medalist Jana Bieger (Bieger
International) had a rough first
day, but on day two she climbed
to sixth all-around, her final
ranking from 2008.
International GYMNAST October 2009
