U.S. women earn team silver medal at 2006 World Gymnastics Championships

AARHUS, Denmark, Oct. 18, 2006 – The U.S. women earned the team silver medal at the 2006 World Championships in Denmark, Aarhus, finishing just .850 behind China.

“It’s always a great accomplishment to win any medal,” said Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas. “We are a little disappointed but very proud of one another.”

The USA hit two of three routines on vault, its first event. The team’s total of 44.600 put them just behind Romania, which had 45.225. China was third with 44.250. The U.S. squad then moved to the uneven bars, where a missed release on one of its routines dropped the three-gymnast score to 45.275, which still was enough to pull the United States into the lead with 89.875, followed closely by China with 89.550. The U.S. women were solid on the beam, but their 45.575 was not enough to hold off a charging China, who totaled 136.325 to the USA’s 135.45. The U.S. women had their best performances on the floor exercise and despite having the best team score for the event, it was not enough to catch China.

“Certainly we are proud to win a silver medal,” said Martha Karolyi, the women’s national team coordinator. “Unfortunately we had two unexpected mistakes, which are unexplainable. We beat ourselves today.”

The team competition format has three gymnasts compete on each apparatus and all three scores count. The gymnasts who competed in the final round were Jana Bieger of Coconut Creek, Fla., Chellsie Memmel of West Allis, Wis., Alicia Sacramone of Winchester, Mass., and Liukin. Also on the team are Natasha Kelley of Katy, Texas; Ashley Priess of Hamilton, Ohio; and Jacquelyn Johnson of West Chester, Ohio, alternate.

“China did their job,” said Memmel, who will attempt to defend her all-around world crown in the finals tomorrow. “We had some mistakes and you can’t make mistakes.”

Sacramone said, “We did a good job. We had a few mistakes. We’re happy with the results. We had a great finish and we worked hard.”

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2006 World Championships women’s team finals results

1. China, 182.200

2. USA, 181.350

3. Russia, 177.325

U.S. team scores

	Vault	Uneven bars	Balance beam	Floor exercise	Total
Jana Bieger	13.950	15.100	15.175	15.150	59.375
Nastia Liukin	--	15.700	--	--	15.700
Chellsie Memmel	15.075	14.475	15.050	15.500	60.100
Alicia Sacramone	15.575	--	15.350	15.250	46.175
Total	44.600 (2)	45.275 (2)	45.575 (3)	45.900 (1)	181.350