1996 U.S. Olympic Trials-Gymnastics: Strong Women’s Team Headed to Atlanta

Dominique Dawes from Silver Spring, Md., won the U.S. Olympic Trials-Gymnastics competition at the FleetCenter in Boston, Mass., in front of a crowd of 17,112, with a combined all-around score of 78.157.

“This is a dream come true to make two Olympic Teams. I’ve been nervous for this competition for three to four weeks now, I’m glad to get it off my shoulders. I had goals of coming in the top three in this competition and I did that. I won,” said Dawes.

The 19-year-old Dawes was followed by 1992 Olympian Kerri Strug from Tucson, Ariz., and Jaycie Phelps from Greenfield, Ind.

1996 National Champion Shannon Miller, and 1995 National Champion Dominique Moceanu, have petitioned into the U.S. Olympic Trials-Gymnastics due to injuries. Miller has a nagging wrist injury and Moceanu has a stress fracture in her right tibia. According to the Olympic selection procedures, the scores they each received from National Championships stood as their scores for the Olympic Trials. Their scores stayed within the top seven at the conclusion of the Olympic Trials and they have each earned one of the seven spots on the U.S. Olympic Team, pending USOC approval.

Miller, one of the three 1992 Olympic veterans on the Olympic Team, said, “I think we’ll be able to go out and do well (in Atlanta). We have three Olympians and everyone has been to a World Championships. We know what to expect.

The seven athletes nominated to the U.S. Olympic Team include: Amanda Borden from Cincinnati, Ohio, Amy Chow from San Jose, Calif., Dominique Dawes from Silver Spring, Md., Shannon Miller from Edmond, Okla., Dominique Moceanu from Hollywood, Calif., Jaycie Phelps from Greenfield, Ind., and Kerri Strug from Tucson, Ariz.

Martha Karolyi (Karolyi’s Gymnastics) has been nominated as the head coach and Mary Lee Tracy (Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy) has been nominated as the assistant coach for the 1996 Women’s Olympic Gymnastics Team.

1. Dominique Dawes, Hill’s Angels, 9.862, 9.725, 9.637, 9.750, 38.974, 46.768
9.850, 9.950, 9.825, 9.612, 39.236, 31.388, 78.157

2. Kerri Strug, Karolyi’s, 9.887, 9.475, 9.575, 9.887, 38.824, 46.588
9.950, 9.700, 9.825, 9.925, 39.400, 31.520, 78.108

3. Jaycie Phelps, Cincinnati Gym., 9.762, 9.662, 9.812, 9.837, 39.073, 46.887
9.737, 9.825, 9.287, 9.712, 38.561, 30.848, 77.736

4. Amy Chow, West Valley, 9.812, 9.712, 9.637, 9.487, 38.648, 46.377
9.800, 9.825, 9.275, 9.712, 38.612, 30.889, 77.267

5. Amanda Borden, Cincinnati Gym., 9.700, 9.262, 9.487 , 9.812, 38.261, 45.913
9.625, 9.787, 9.862, 9.787, 39.061, 31.248, 77.162

6. Theresa Kulikowski, Colorado Aerials, 9.700, 9.562, 8.962, 9.637, 37.861, 45.433
9.662, 9.737, 9.787, 9.637, 38.823, 31.058, 76.491

7. Mary Beth Arnold, Flips , 9.612, 9.550, 9.325, 9.487, 37.974, 45.568
9.562, 9.775, 9.625, 9.537, 38.499, 30.799, 76.368

8. Katie Teft, Twistars USA, 9.575, 9.100, 9.500, 9.550, 37.725, 45.270
9.625, 9.825, 9.625, 9.700, 38.775, 31.020, 76.290

9. Jennie Thompson, Dynamo, 9.537, 9.075, 9.525, 9.625, 37.762, 45.314
9.725, 9.162, 9.750, 9.462, 38.099, 30.479, 75.793

10. Mohini Bhardwaj, Brown’s Gym., 9.575, 9.550, 9.300, 9.050, 37.475, 44.970
9.812, 9.750, 9.675, 9.200, 38.437, 30.749, 75.719

11. Larissa Fontaine, Hill’s Angels, 9.575, 9.162, 9.150, 9.200, 37.087, 44.504
9.675, 9.737, 9.462, 9.625, 38.499, 30.799, 75.303

12. Andree Pickens, Cypress, 9.700, 8.575, 9.387, 9.450, 37.112, 44.534
9.825, 9.350, 9.450, 9.612, 38.236, 30.588, 75.123

13. Kristy Powell, Colorado Aerials, 9.675, 8.975, 9.250, 9.637, 37.537, 45.044,
9.825, 9.662, 9.562, 8.350, 37.399, 29.919, 74.963

14. Kristin Maloney, Parkettes, 9.412, 9.512, 9.237, 9.475, 37.636, 45.163
9.612, 9.087, 9.100, 9.062, 36.861, 29.488, 74.652