INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Sept. 18, 2007 — Fans already know that the USA enjoyed great success at the 2007 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany, winning seven medals, but for the first time, they now can get a glimpse of what the USA’s best gymnasts experience while they are competing on the world stage in the latest episode of “USA Gymnastics:  Behind the Team,” the online series available only on the AT&T blue room Team USA site (here).

 

From training, sight-seeing, signing autographs, shopping and the medals plaza, fans get a rare glimpse of the gymnasts during their off time and hear them talk about their experiences at the World Championships.

 

The members of the U.S. Women’s Team that won the team gold medal are: Ivana Hong of Blue Springs, Mo.; Shawn Johnson of West Des Moines, Iowa; Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas; Samantha Peszek of Indianapolis, Ind.; Alicia Sacramone of Winchester, Mass.; and Shayla Worley of Orlando, Fla. Bridget Sloan of Pittsboro, Ind., was the reserve athlete.  In addition to the team title, the U.S. women also won six other medals: Johnson, all-around and floor exercise, gold; Liukin, balance beam, gold, and uneven bars, silver; and Sacramone, floor exercise, silver, and vault, bronze.

 

The members of the U.S. Men’s Team that placed fourth are: Guillermo Alvarez of Denver; Alexander Artemev of Morrison, Colo.; David Durante of Garwood, N.J.; Sean Golden, Camden of N.J.; Jonathan Horton of Houston; and Kevin Tan of Fremont, Calif.  Sho Nakamori of Albany, Calif., was the team alternate. The U.S. men earned three additional fourth-place finishes: Horton, all-around; Alvarez, floor exercise; and Tan, still rings.

 

“USA Gymnastics:  Behind the Team” is a joint initiative of USA Gymnastics and AT&T.

 

Visitors to the AT&T blue room Team USA site can sign up to receive e-mail alerts when new “Behind the Team” episodes are launched. Visitors can also download a free, customizable USA Gymnastics Desktop Communicator. The Communicator includes an RSS news feed, alerts users to breaking gymnastics news, runs a countdown to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, displays weather information for selected ZIP codes and showcases special promotions and offers.

 

The AT&T blue room Team USA site gives sports fans intimate access to U.S. Olympic Team hopefuls across a range of sports.  AT&T is an official partner of USA Gymnastics.

 

Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. Its mission is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport. Its disciplines include men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, and acrobatic gymnastics. For more information, log on to www.usa-gymnastics.org.

 

#