Check out these skill tutorials to help you progress through the sport.
Memmel became a two-time world champion in 2003, at age 15. A freak foot injury kept her off the '04 Olympic team, but a year later, Memmel won one of the most coveted medals in the sport: world all-around gold.
About.com's Readers' Choice Awards start today. In gymnastics, nominations are being accepted in 12 categories:
Have a favorite? Nominate it now!
Then check back -- voting on the top nominees will start February 22. Get more info.
Because of the late date of Olympic Trials this year (June 28-July 1), both the men's and women's teams will be announced at the end of Trials. (The women were announced after a selection camp a few weeks after Trials in 2004 and 2008).
Both teams will only have five members this year, and for the women, the #1 all-arounder after two days at Trials is the only guaranteed spot. For the men, the top two (after both nationals and Trials) are automatically on the team if each also places in the top three on at least three of the six events. Get more info on the 2012 Olympic team selection procedures.
I'm glad the team will be named right then and there -- it makes the Trials seem a lot more like an Olympic Trials.
Who do you think will get the guaranteed spots? For the women, Jordyn Wieber seems the obvious prediction if she's healthy. For the men, I'd go with Danell Leyva and John Orozco. Jonathan Horton might be a safer bet for top two than Orozco or Levya, but I'm going with the up-and-comers.
The London Olympics start on July 27.
The 2011 world all-around champion Jordyn Wieber appeared on Ellen yesterday, and the video is up on Ellen's YouTube channel. (Watch it here.)
There's a funny moment when DeGeneres asks Wieber if she secretly wishes the other gymnasts like Shawn Johnson would mess up in competition, and Wieber jokes, "Maybe deep down." And I'm so impressed that she threw a double layout off bars in the studio!
Now that it's the Olympic year, expect the debate to be non-stop: Who is the best all-around gymnast in the world -- Wieber, or 2011 world silver medalist Viktoria Komova? My money is on Wieber to win in London if she can stay healthy in these last few months. The girl has nerves of steel.
Gabby Douglas turns 16 today, and, on the last day of 2011, should also be nominated as break-out star of the year.
Douglas -- the youngest competitor at this year's worlds -- placed fifth in prelims, and would have made the all-around finals if not for the two-per-country rule. After an injury that derailed her national championships performance (she finished seventh overall), she was a rock for team USA at worlds. She was a key part of the squad's gold-medal-winning performance, and has huge potential for the 2012 Olympic team, and hopefully beyond as well.
©2012 About.com. All rights reserved.
A part of The New York Times Company.
