INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Feb. 22, 2010 – Thirty-four of 36 gymnasts have now qualified for the 2010 Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup on March 5, 2010, at the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass. The remaining two competitors will be named from the Long Beach Open in Long Beach, Calif., taking place Feb. 26-28. During a big sixth weekend of competition in the Nastia Liukin Cup Series, 11 more gymnasts were added to the competition roster from five meets. The 11 gymnasts selected for the Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup are listed below.

    Buckeye Classic, Columbus, Ohio

    • Lauren Beers, Warren Center, Pa./Southern Tier Gymnastics
    • Megan Walker, Brackney, Pa./Southern Tier Gymnastics

    Circle of Stars, Indianapolis, Ind.

    • Hallie Benjamin, Fortville, Ind./DeVeau’s School of Gymnastics
    • Kimberly Jacob, Raleigh, N.C./Superior Gymnastics
    • Shelby Salmon, Noblesville, Ind./Sharp’s Gymnastics

    Excalibur Cup, Virginia Beach, Va.

    • Gabrielle Douglas, Virginia Beach, Va./Excalibur
    • Lia Del Priore, Center Valley, Pa./Parkettes Gymnastics

    Pikes Peak Cup, Colorado Springs, Colo.

    • Megan Marenghi, Plano, Texas/ WOGA
    • Kiersten Wang, Colorado Springs, Colo./Colorado Aerials

    Presidential Classic, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

    • Nikole Addison, Fort Myers, Fla./Coast Elite Gymnastics
    • Shonacee Oliva, Groveland, Fla./Brandy Johnson’s Gymnastics

The 15 invitationals that comprise the Nastia Liukin Cup Series each selected a minimum of two athletes from their respective Level 10/open fields to compete in the Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup, a joint venture between Warner Bros. Consumer Products, USA Gymnastics and the 2008 Olympic all-around champion Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas. The Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup and the accompanying Nastia Liukin Cup Series provide a unique competitive opportunity for the country’s rising female gymnasts.

Gymnasts who compete in the Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup will receive a Nastia Liukin-designed leotard and a warm-up from GK Elite; two tickets to the Tyson American Cup and recognition during that event for the Cup’s medalists; and the opportunity to meet Nastia Liukin and participate in a team photo. Proceeds from the Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup will go into the Nastia Liukin Fund, a charitable fund within the National Gymnastics Foundation. For more information, go to www.nastialiukinsupergirlcup.com.

Background information

Nastia Liukin: At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Liukin’s total of five medals tied the U.S. gymnastics record for most medals in one Olympic Games, currently held by Mary Lou Retton (1984) and Shannon Miller (1992). Liukin’s medals are: gold – all-around; silver – team, balance beam and uneven bars; and bronze – floor exercise. Liukin is just the third U.S. woman to win the Olympic all-around crown. Earlier in 2008, Liukin won the all-around title at both the Tyson American Cup and the Pacific Rim Championships presented by Gillette Venus. Liukin has nine world medals to her credit. For 2008, she was named the USOC’s Co-Sportswoman of the Year, the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Individual Sportswoman of the Year and the United States Sports Academy Female Athlete of the Year. Liukin and her teammates on the 2007 U.S. Women’s World Championships Team were selected as the 2007 U.S. Olympic Committee’s Team of the Year. She was also chosen as one of 2009’s most influential women by MSN Lifestyle. Liukin is still competing and is coached by her father, Valeri, who has four Olympic medals from 1988, including two gold. She trains at WOGA.

Warner Bros. Consumer Products: Warner Bros. Consumer Products, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.

DC Comics: DC Comics, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world and home to such iconic characters as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and The Sandman. These DC Super Heroes and others have starred in comic books, movies, television series (both animated and live-action) and cyberspace, thrilling audiences of all ages for generations. DC Comics’ Web site is located at www.dccomics.com.