Quick Chat: Chellsie Memmel

Chellsie Memmel Photo © Elsa / Getty Images

In 2005 Chellsie Memmel was World All-Around Champion, winning the title by just .001 over teammate Nastia Liukin. She looked to be a contender to repeat in 2006, until a shoulder injury sidelined her that year at Worlds, and she was forced to withdraw from the all-around competition.

Now Memmel is finally back, and hoping to earn a spot on the team for Beijing. Last week, she placed third all-around at the 2008 US Nationals. Here's her take on the competition, and her plans for Olympic Trials next weekend.

How did you feel about Nationals?
I feel great. I’m thrilled overall. I went two days and hit eight out of eight routines. I’m happy with myself.

On vault you did a relatively simple Yurchenko full vault on the first day, and then did a 1 ½ on the second day. At what point did you decide to go for the Yurchenko 1 ½?
I decided during touch. I hadn’t warmed it up regularly, but I had a lot of adrenalin, and if it went well in touch I was going to go for it. It’s good for my confidence level knowing that I ended on a good vault.

Are you hoping to get your Yurchenko double back in time for Beijing?
I would love to get the double Yurchenko back, and I am training it, but it’s also very hard for me to do. So if I don’t get it, that’s okay too.

Do you feel like you’re fully back now?
I’m getting there, almost back to where I was before the injury. Some things I can still work on, but I’m right on track.

How do you feel about your bar routine? It seems that the US team needs strong bar workers right now.
I’m thrilled to have received two 16 scores on bars, and it’s great to know that I can do it. We do need some strong bar workers on our team, because China has some girls scoring in the 16s, so we need that too.

Will you make any other changes to your routines before Trials?
The routine I might switch would be bars – I might make it a little bit harder. I may add a stalder full on the high bar instead of a giant full before the reverse hecht.