2007 Pan Am Games July 14-17 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Women's Team: Rebecca Bross (one of Liukin's training partners at WOGA, Plano) Ivana Hong (Blue Springs, MO) Shawn Johnson (american Cup champion, West Des Moines, Iowa) Nastia Liukin (2-time national all-around champion, WOGA) Samantha Peszek (Indianapolis) Amber Trani (Richlandtown, PA) Who was not selected: -Natasha Kelley (from Katy, Texas, Mary Lou Retton's daughter's gym too), finished 2nd to Liukin at nationals last season; she was one of the 12 finalists for the team but wasn't selected. -Chellsie Memmel and Jana Bieger were members of the 2006 Worlds along with Liukin and Kelley, but they are recovering from injuries (Memmel shoulder injury, Bieger leg or foot injury) -Alicia Sacramone - part of silver medal winning team at Worlds too, but wasn't selected as a finalist "she is winding down from her first year of double duty with Brown University's college team and the USA Gymnastics elite program" according to the article link below - wierd that that is said to be the reason because the men always are doing college team/elite together too. Men's Team (already chosen before) Guillermo Alvarez David Durante Sean Golden Joseph Hagerty Justin Spring Todd Thornton Official website of the Pan Am Games: http://www.rio2007.org.br Liukin named to Team USA in gymnastics (Houston Chronicle) http://www.gymchat.com/messageboards/viewtopic.php?t=939

Also: W.D.M. gymnast chosen for U.S. team (The Des Moines Register) http://www.gymchat.com/messageboards/viewtopic.php?t=947 The selections are pending approval from the U.S. Olympic Committee, but that is probably just more of a formality.

another article: Johnson: Pan Am gymnasts want gold (The Des Moines Register) http://www.gymchat.com/messageboards/viewtopic.php?t=950 Shawn Johnson: [quote]

article on USA gymnastics on it: "USA Gymnastics selects the U.S. Women

Also: "Johnson the newest star on U.S. squad" - http://web.wcsn.com/article/news.jsp?ymd=20070707&content_id=34455&vkey=gymnastics_news&id=34012&dpre= [quote]Johnson has been considered a major contender for the 2008 Olympics. Nicknamed "Peanut," she has shown an ability to block out distractions and deal with pressure. Johnson performs a double twisting double layout with her bars dismount, a maneuver that is rarely seen because of the high degree of difficulty. With skills like that, it's little wonder that American team officials are so excited about her potential. "Going to the Pan Ams is such an honor," Johnson said. "It's a meet I've been working [toward] for a long time. To make the team, I'm so excited. I can't wait to go represent the U.S."[/quote] And: "Liukin, Johnson lead U.S. to Pan Am Games" - http://web.wcsn.com/article/news.jsp?ymd=20070704&content_id=34112&vkey=gymnastics_news&id=34012&dpre=

[quote]The Americans traditionally send younger, less experienced gymnasts to the Pan Am Games, and the squad four years ago included a 13-year-old Liukin, who was just beginning to make a name for herself. She came away with five medals -- one in every event but the vault -- and won golds in the team competition and balance beam.[/quote] This year they have a good mix on the team. On Alicia Sacramone: [quote]World medalist Alicia Sacramone wasn't considered, either, because national team coordinator Martha Karolyi wanted her to recover from the collegiate season.[/quote] So she's not 'out'. "Liukin seeking more Pan Am medals" - http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=gymnastics&id=2925434

Another article on Nastia: "Liukin easing into competition after ankle injury" - http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/070607dnsponastia.3525257.html Nastia is competing just bars and beam at the Pan Am Games because of her ankle injury she had before the 2006 Worlds where she did just bars and then had surgery to fix the bone chips. Her ankle was almost all the way back but then got inflamed in May - her imaging/scans show that the bone and interior are good though. She plans to do all-around at the Visa Championships in August in San Jose, California. Then it's the Worlds and then the Olympics, going for the gold 20 years after her dad Valeri did for the Soviet Union at the 1988 Olympics. Luikin: "I just have to go through pain sometimes," Liukin said. "There's no time to rest anymore." "I've never had anything like this before," Liukin said. "It's pretty aggravating." Her dad and coach: "It's tough on her; it's tough on me," Valeri Liukin said. "It's a whole year basically she's had to watch. I don't think anyone has more desire than her." On the 2008 Olympics: "It's such a big thing," Liukin said, "If you stick it in your head, it's all you're going to think about all the time. My dad makes a plan for me week-by-week, and we try to follow it step-by-step." "When I was little, I would say it's in the back of my mind," Liukin said. "But with a year left, it's starting to push forward. I've been working for 14 years, and I have one year left. It makes it seem so close." During practice Nastia does tumbling passes on a mat and lands vaults into the pit. Sponsors/deals: Her sponsors include: Visa, AT&T, Adidas and Longines (watches) according to the article - I think GK too. Also, this is interesting: [quote]She is launching her own line of AAI gymnastics equipment. Geared toward beginning gymnasts, it's pink and features her signature, topped with a heart. Even grander plans, such as a book deal and dolls made in Liukin's likeness, could be in her future. [/quote] Nastia: [quote]"Starting gymnastics, this isn't anything that was in my mind," Liukin said. "I'm not in gymnastics for the endorsements, the money, nothing. I'm in it because I love competing. My career has gotten very far ahead of me. It kind of seems unreal still, seeing my name on equipment. "That's still kind of weird, but very cool." [/quote] Carly Patterson got GK leotards with her signature on them after she won the 2004 Olympics.

Article on Amber Trani (Parkettes gym): http://www.gymchat.com/messageboards/viewtopic.php?t=1001 "Area gymnast starts new chapter" Amber's been homeschooling after 6th grade. She's going to do the floor and vault at the Pan Am Games; vualt is her favorite and best event. SHe won the vault titel at the Houston International Invitational in March. [quote]

Article on Josehp Hagerty: "Rio Rancho gymnast ready for Pan-Am Games" http://www.gymchat.com/messageboards/viewtopic.php?t=1004 His nickname is the Roach. He trains at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. [quote]Hagerty said his routine for almost 15 years involved training for strength and flexibility at 6:30 a.m., attending school and then going back to the gym again for an evening session. His dedication helped set him apart early. "Joey always had a great work ethic with me," said Ed Burch, owner of Gold Cup Gymnastics for 30 years, and Joey's coach from ages 10 to 23. "He was very talented and more importantly he was very daring. In this sport you have to be very daring, even verging on crazy. "Compared to my other Olympians he's as good or better. I seriously mean that." Burch stopped training Hagerty two years ago when he thought he wasn't doing a good enough job coaching men's gymnastics. He suggested Hagerty go to train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, and he's been training there since. Burch had five Olympians and one gold-medalist (Dimas) pass through during his time with Gold Cup, and said Hagerty could be No. 6 at the 2008 Games in Beijing. "Joey's chances of making the Olympic team are very, very good," Burch said.[/quote] [quote]He said he still loves the sport and despite his age, the pesky Roach still has a lot more routines in his future. "I love the challenge of it, and I just really have a knack for it," Hagerty said. "I know I'm within the range where male gymnasts peak, when you get your real strength. But I know several gymnasts who have gone past 30, and I don't think I've peaked. I'm still progressing."[/quote] Like John Roethlisberger, Jordan Jovtchev, Blaine Wilson, Oksana Chusovitina (women's gymnastics), and others too.

Another article on Shawn Johnson: "Could a sophomore from WDM be best gymnast in the world?" - http://www.gymchat.com/messageboards/viewtopic.php?t=1006 Her coach Liang Chow says: [quote]"She competes with the highest degree of difficulty in the world," he said. Johnson performs complicated maneuvers on the vault, balance beam, floor exercise and uneven bars that give her a built-in points edge over other gymnasts.[/quote] [quote]"I can't wait to see what the U.S. will do," Johnson said. "I'm sure the U.S. is going to bring it, and bring it hard." That's the way Johnson always competes, and what makes her so good. Any gymnast can do a cartwheel, Chow said. "But how can they make their cartwheel stand out? It's the style. It's the polish." And Johnson has a beautiful style, he said. "She has a great personality," he said. "She's very likable. And at this level of gymnastics, every little thing is going to count."[/quote] 24 hours a day practice gymnastics, does other stuff too: [quote]Johnson said she has focused hard on gymnastics this summer, although she has taken time to go swimming and to the movies with friends. She trains about 24 hours a week at Chow's Gymnastics in West Des Moines - and would do more if he would let her. "She is a kid who loves gymnastics," he said. "She wouldn't mind doing it 24 hours a day. But at this stage, it's not recreational. It's a job. It requires a higher level of commitment. "She not only dreams things in her head, she's smart enough to pursue it."[/quote] Topic post also related: "What it means to be elite?" - http://www.gymchat.com/messageboards/viewtopic.php?p=2181#2181