Olympians Dawes, Zmeskal Among American Classic Entrants
For immediate release - February 12, 1998
Contact: Craig Bohnert, USA Gymnastics, (317) 237-5050, ext. 247INDIANAPOLIS - Olympic medalists Dominique Dawes (Silver Spring, Md.) and Kim Zmeskal (Houston, Texas) are among the athletes who have entered the American Classic and American Challenge, to be held at the Radisson Twin Towers Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., Feb. 20-22.
The bronze medalist in floor exercise at the 1996 Olympic Games Dawes also was a member of the "Magnificent Seven" which won the women's team gold medal in Atlanta. Zmeskal was the first American to win the women's all-around gold medal at the 1991 World Championships, held in Indianapolis. The world champion in balance beam and floor exercise in 1992, she also was a member of the bronze medal-winning U.S. team at the Barcelona Olympic Games.
Joining the pair of Olympians are several members of the 1997 World Championships Team, including national co-champion Kristy Powell (Cincinnati, Ohio); defending American Classic champion Kristin Maloney (Pen Argyl, Pa.), who placed seventh in balance beam at the Worlds in Lausanne, Switzerland; Jennie Thompson (Wichita Falls, Texas) and Jeanette Antolin (Huntington Beach, Calif.).
A total of ten Senior National Team members are included in the field: Antolin, Maloney, Powell and Thompson and Alyssa Beckerman (Middletown, N.J.), Jamie Dantzscher (San Dimas, Calif.), Becky Meldrum (Mertztown, Pa.), Kelly Parkinson (Houston, Texas), Jeana Rice (Longwood, Fla.) and Raegan Tomasek (Mastic Beach, N.Y.). Junior national champion Marline Stephens (Houston, Texas) will step up into the senior ranks with the meet.
Adding an international flavor to the event will be Japan's Risa Sugawara, who placed 25th in the all-around at the World Championships. An participant in next month's Visa American Cup in Fort Worth, Texas, Sugawara will compete as a guest athlete at the American Classic.
Competition levels for the American Classic and American Challenge will include both National Elite and International Elite competitors. The National Elite athletes hope to qualify for the National Gymnastics Festival in the summer. The International Elite athletes will vie for the opportunity to compete at the John Hancock U.S. Gymnastics Championships in Indianapolis Aug. 19-22. Top International Elite finishers also will be eligible for selection to the teams which represent the United States in three upcoming international events: the International Team Championships in Knoxville March 27-28, the Senior Pacific Alliance Championships July 10-12 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and the 1998 Goodwill Games in New York in July.
Competition will open in the American Classic on Friday, Feb. 20, with junior International Elite competition from 7:30 - 10 p.m. On Saturday, Feb. 21, from 1:30 - 4:30 p.m., the National Elite testing will take place, followed by senior International Elite competition from 7:30 -10 p.m. On Sunday, Feb. 22, the American Challenge competition is scheduled to run from 7:30 -10 p.m.
Tickets are $8 for each session except for the Saturday afternoon National Elite competition, which will be $5 per ticket. For ticket information, contact Brown's Gymnastics, the meet host, at (407) 869-8744.
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Entrants for 1998 American Classic and American Challenge
Radisson Twin Towers Convention Center, Orlando, Fla.
Feb. 20-22
Senior International Elite Athlete Club Jeanette Antolin SCATS Jessica Bartgis Marvateens Alyssa Beckerman North Stars Alexis Brion Gymstrada Chelsea Byrd River City Annie Campbell Leading Edge Jennifer Carrow Salto Jamie Dantzscher Gliders Dominique Dawes Hill's Angels Lenna Doolan Capital (Va.) Erinn Dooley Hill's Angels Cory Fritsinger Gymstrada Rachel Glasmire Parkettes Jan Hart Parkettes Alecia Ingram SCATS Nicole Kilpatrick North Stars Sheehan Lemley Parkettes Alexis Maday Marvateens Kristin Maloney Parkettes Katie McFarland Gymstrada Becky Meldrum Parkettes Ola Menin (guest competitor) Kelly Parkinson Cypress Academy Robin Phelps Hill's Angels Julie Pigg Dynamo Kristy Powell Cincinnati Gymnastics Acad. Marla Ranieri North Stars Christy Ray Hill's Angels Elise Ray Hill's Angels Jeana Rice Ace Breanne Rutherford NEGX Sierra Sapunar Cincinnati Gymnastics Acad. Brittany Smith Cincinnati Gymnastics Acad. Marlene Stephens Cypress Academy Alison Stoner National GTC (Calif.) Risa Sugawara Japan (guest competitor) Jennie Thompson Cincinnati Gymnastics Acad. Raegan Tomasek Hill's Angels Kristin Uransky Gymstrada Kim Zmeskal Cincinnati Gymnastics Acad. Junior International Elite Angela Beam Bart Conner Gymnastics Ashlee Bradley Cincinnati Gymnastics Acad. Stephanie Carter Ricochets Monique Chang Capital (Va.) Janaé Cox Southern Indiana Michelle Emmons Cypress Academy Whitney Ferguson Cincinnati Gymnastics Acad. Marie Fjordholm Cincinnati Gymnastics Acad. Audra Fraim Dynamo Katie Hardman Cypress Academy Kim Harris Marvateens Kinsie Hughes Dynamo Chelsea Hunter Desert Lights Ashley Kupets Hill's Angels Amber Melvin Hill's Angels Ashley Miller North Stars Carri Nagle Parkettes Jennifer Olrando Karons Chelsea Otto Desert Devils Jessica Pelz Gymagic Dana Pierce Wrights Ashley Postel Capital (Va.) Bresha Pruitt Cypress Academy Jamie Schell Hill's Angels Tasha Schwikert Gym Cats Christie Tedmon Pozsars Brittany Thome Cypress Academy Kristin Thome Cypress Academy Kristal Uzelac Parkettes Tiffany Van Dusen Rebound Morgan White Cincinnati Gymnastics Acad. National Senior Jennifer Baldridge Brown's Central Nikki Beyschau Arizona Sunrays Sheilah Buack Gym-Max Tarah Chellevold Desert Lights Catie Christensen Buckeye Alissa Cooper Marvateens Kristen Fargo Karons Jennifer French Gymcarolina Erin Gettle Berks Katy Herbert Desert Lights Annie Jenkins Gymstrada Kristin Jensen Parkettes Cezanna Eckenberg Gliders Sarah Leis NEGX Kelly Exum Brown's Central Leah Mueller Bart Conner Gymnastics Kari Muth Dersert Lights Erin Pendelton Ocean Tumblers Molly Pennington Atlantic GTC Mindy Smith Southern Indiana Tarah Thompson Dynamo Erica Tidwell Trevinos Valerie Velasco Gym Max Sarah Yackel Which Way is Up National Junior Jessica Brogden Gymcarolina Amanda Bissette Gymcarolina Nicki Butler Gymstrada Rachel Colon Twisters Stephanie Diacsuk Parkettes Setphanie Edney Ocean Tumblers Dana Filetti Ocean Tumblers Sadie Hansen Idaho Falls Brynnne Kennedy NEGX Liz Riddle Cincinnati Gymnastics Acad. Larissa Stewart Bart Conner Gymnastics Cassie Tressler Marvateens Tabitha Yim Gym-Max TOPs Athletes Andrea Arlotta Brown's Metro Jamie Ball Queen City Becca Breitholle Queen City Jordan Brewer Gymcarolina Emily Brown Parkettes Kimberly Chin Charles River Julie Crall Queen City Jaime DeMello Charles River Natasha Giallorenzo Worldwide Kaitlin Harrison Atlantic GTC Ashley Kella River City Mackenzie McIntyre NASA Chellsie Memmell Salto Hali Saucier NASA Jordan Schwikert Gym Cats Melanie Sinclair Brown's Metro Emily Stebbins West Valley Stephanie Sullivan Marvateens Brittany Viola Brown's Metro Nichole Williams Ace Kimberly Wood Brown's Metro - USA GYMNASTICS -
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