Comeback
COMPLETE
Canada’s Kristina Vaculik
returned from a year-long
injury to claim the 2nd annual
Nadia Comaneci International
Invitational in Oklahoma City
BY DWIGHT NORMILE
PHOTOS BY TERRELL FRY
WITH defending champion Sandra Izbasa watching from the sidelines as she rehabs a torn Achilles’ tendon, Canada’s Kristina Vaculik returned from an injury of her own to win the 2nd annual Nadia Comaneci Inter- national Invitational, Feb. 20 in Oklahoma City. Vaculik,
who is coached by 1980 Olympic champion Yelena
Davydova and Valery Yahchybekov at Gemini Gymnastics in Oshawa, Ontario, was also paired with 2008
Olympian Jessica Lopez (Venezuela) in the team event,
which they won. Less than 2.0 behind was runner-up
Ukraine, followed by USA-Krafft Academy. Romania’s
Steaua Bucuresti club, which won the inaugural Nadia
Comaneci invite a year ago—with a healthy Izbasa—
placed fourth this time.
