Six Texas Gymnasts Qualify for Olympic Trials

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2008 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (June 9, 2008) Six Texas gymnasts were recently selected to compete at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team Trials scheduled for June 19-22 in Philadelphia.

In the women's division, Alaina Johnson of Tyler (Texas East), Nastia Liukin of Parker, (WOGA), Chelsea Davis of Lakeway (Texas Dreams) will join men's selections Raj Bhavsar, Jonathan Horton, and Sean Townsend, all from Houston representing Team Chevron at the trials.

Johnson, who is the 2007 all-around world champion, earned a combined score of 127.500 to win the VISA all-around championship. Liukin, the 2005-06 U.S. all-around champion, finished second with a 126.500.

“I was most happy about floor today,” Johnson said. “It’s a new routine and I didn’t feel like it was mine yet, but after today, I feel like I own it, and it fits me.”

Johnson won floor exercise with a combined score of 32.250. Liukin claimed two individual event titles: uneven bars with a score of 34.150 and balance beam with a 32.450. Sacramone, who has three world vault medals to her credit, won vault with a score of 30.700 for her fourth straight U.S. vault crown.