International Gymnast

(Japan) 53.600; 4. Rochelle Hurt (Canada) 52.950; 5. Lizzy Leduc (WOGA) 51.400; 6. Mina Sugimura (Japan) 51.000.

FIG Determines Dong Was Only 14 in Sydney

ALMOST two years after the age of He Kexin and a couple of her Chinese teammates came under global scrutiny at the Beijing Olympics, the FIG Executive Committee announced on Feb. 27 that it would nullify the FIG-sanctioned 1999-2000 results of another Chinese gymnast, Dong Fangxiao.

The age of Dong actually came into question durng the Beijing Olympics, where she worked as an official. She had registered for her credential with the birth date of Jan. 23, 1986, which would have made her only 14 for the Sydney Olympics. (The age limit was raised to 16 following the 1996 Olympics.) The removal of Dong’s scores for China, which placed third at the 1999 Tianjin World Championships, lifts Ukraine to the bronze-medal position. Dong’s World Cup results from 1999 and 2000 will be canceled, as well.

The FIG Executive Committee also recom-
mended to the International Olympic Commit-
tee that Dong’s results be nullified from the
2000 Sydney Olympics, where China placed
third, ahead of the U.S.

• On Feb. 10, the International Olympic Committee elected Nanjing, China, as the host city of the 2nd Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2014 during the 122nd IOC Session in Vancouver, Canada. Nanjing defeated Poznan, Poland, 47-42 (votes). Guadalajara, Mexico, withdrew from the race in January.

• 2009 world balance beam bronze medalist Ivana Hong tore the ACL and meniscus in her right knee after landing a vault on Feb. 28. She was participating in a U.S. national team training camp at the Karolyi ranch outside Houston. Hong is the current U.S. beam champion.

• 2008 Olympic balance beam gold medalist Shawn Johnson sustained a slight tear of the ACL and meniscus in her left knee while skiing in Colorado in January. She had surgery in Febru-ray. “The one thing that scared me the most when this happened was that possibly I could not return to gymnastics, even if I wanted to,” she wrote on her website.

• 1991 world all-around champion Kim Zmes-kal-Burdette gave birth to daughter Riven Belle on Feb. 10. She is the third child for Kim and husband Chris Burdette, who also have two sons. Kim and Chris own Texas Dreams Gymnastics in Coppell, Texas.

• Spanish coach Alfredo Hueto, who trained

BORN IN APRIL

Did the FIG do the right thing, considering the age scandal at the 2008 Olympics? Can an age limit ever really be enforced with accuracy? Post your views on the subject at www.intlgymnast.com (Forum).

Senior Women’s Team: 1. WAL 195.90; 2. SCO 177.00; 3. NIR 169.45.

Senior Women’s AA: 1. Venus Romaeo WAL 53.80; 2. Lizzie Beddoe WAL 51.15; 3. Jessica Hogg WAL 50.50.

Junior Women’s AA: 1. Angel Romaeo WAL 51.65; 2. Raer Theaker WAL 49.60; 3. Holly Moore WAL 47.15. Senior Men’s Team: 1. WAL 292.40; 2. SCO 267.85; 3. IRE 177.70.

Senior Men’s AA: 1. Christopher O’Connor IRE 74.05; 2. Alex Rothe WAL 73.55; 3. Robert Sansby WAL 73.50.

Junior Men’s AA: 1. Jack Neill NIR 72.05; 2. Thomas Cameron SCO 69.65; 3. Stephen Tonge SCO 68.65.

in Frisco, Texas, Feb. 13-14. Grace McLaughlin topped the juniors over teammate Madison Kocian, and Sophia Lee claimed the senior title over Canada’s Dominique Pegg. 2009 World vault champion Kayla Williams placed third all-around and won the vault title.

WOGA DOMINATES ITS CLASSIC WOGA won the team event and both the junior and senior all-around titles at the WOGA Classic

Team: 1. WOGA 112.450; 2. Japan 107.550; 3. Canada 102.800; 4. Ukraine 101.100; 5. Alberta 98.600; 6. North Harbour 97.050; 7. Denton Gymnastics 87.550.

Senior: 1. Sophia Lee (WOGA) 55.000; 2. Dominique Pegg (Canada) 53.550; 3. Kayla Williams (Bozhi’s Gym Nest) 52.850; 4. Sachiko Maeda (Japan) 51.250; 5. Momoko Ozawa (Japan) 50.550; 6. Angelina Kysla (Ukraine) 50.400. Junior: 1. Grace McLaughlin (WOGA) 55.150; 2. Madison Kocian (WOGA) 54.250; 3. Asuka Teramoto