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Tuesday, September 19
Gymnasts compete for Olympic spot
Associated Press
Here's the breakdown of the men's and women's gymnastics selection process:
Men
When chosen: Moments after the Olympic trials concluded Saturday.
Who: Six athletes from among those competing at Olympic trials
this week. The top four will be chosen based on combined scores
from U.S. Gymnastics Championships (40 percent) and Olympic trials
(60 percent). The other two spots will be awarded by a selection
committee.
The committee: Nine-man men's program committee will select.
Members include former Olympians Tim Daggett and Chris Waller, and
U.S. head coach Peter Kormann.
Why: Men's team wanted to leave two spots open in case a top
athlete falters at one of the qualifying competitions, the way
national champion Dan Hayden did in 1988, when he failed to make
the team. Just as importantly, the final two spots will be used to
shore up weaknesses in events where the four top scorers aren't as
strong.
What they're saying: "If by some chance I mess up and don't
make this team, I don't deserve it. There are six other guys
busting their butt to get there. If I don't earn a spot, I
shouldn't be there," -- Four-time national champion Blaine Wilson,
who made the team.
Women
When chosen: Moments after the Olympic trials concluded Sunday.
Who: Six athletes from among those competing at this week's
Olympic trials. The athletes will be ranked based on combined
scores from U.S. Gymnastics Championships (40 percent) and Olympic
trials (60 percent). But those rankings don't necessarily have to
be followed. All six spots will be awarded by a selection
committee.
The committee: National team coordinator Bela Karolyi, 1984
Olympian Tracee Talavera, longtime U.S. judge Marilyn Cross and
gymnast Chari Knight.
Why: Karolyi wants supreme flexibility when it comes to choosing
his team. He wants to be able to blend the top all-around gymnasts
with specialists in certain events. He also wants to base his
decision on their progress over several months, not just their
performance in two events. USA Gymnastics president Bob Colarossi
says scores at nationals and trials will be factored heavily into
the selection process.
What They're Saying: "It's not just the shine and the glitz of
one performance. You can get a lucky performance one time and end
up with the wrong person." -- Bela Karolyi.
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