© John Cheng
DALLAS, Texas, Aug. 13, 2009 – Rebecca Bross of Plano, Texas, finished the first day atop the senior all-around rankings with a score of 58.550 at the 2009 Visa Championships at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The final day of senior women’s competition is Saturday, Aug. 15, at 6:30 p.m. The men’s competition wraps up on Friday, Aug. 14, and competition in rhythmic gymnastics, acrobatic gymnastics and trampoline and tumbling continues through Saturday.
“I had a little mishap on beam, but I’m proud of what I did today,” said Bross, who trains at the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy. “I’m just going to try to be better on Saturday. I really like competing here because all of my friends get to watch.”
Bross performed a double twisting Yurchenko vault for a score of 14.450. She earned the evening’s highest score on the uneven bars, where she posted a 15.050. Bross’ balance beam routine that included a standing Arabian garnered a 14.700, and she wrapped up the night with a 14.350 on floor exercise.
Ivana Hong of Lovejoy, Texas/WOGA, finished second with an all-around score of 58.200. Hong had the top score for the balance beam with a 15.150. She tied for third on floor exercise (14.300), which included a piked full-in mount.
2008 Olympic team silver-medalist Bridget Sloan of Pittsboro, Ind./Sharp’s Gymnastics, rounded out the top three in the all-around with a score of 57.700, including a vault score of 14.900 for her double twisting Yurchenko. She was third on bars (14.550) and tied for third on floor (14.300). Kytra Hunter of Frederick, Md./Hill’s Gymnastics, posted the top floor exercise score of 14.400 and tied Sloan on vault, to finish in fourth in the all-around (56.550). MacKenzie Caquatto of Naperville, Ill./Naperville Gymnastics, rounded out the top five in the all-around at 56.000.
2008 silver-medalist Samantha Peszek of Indianapolis, Ind./Sharp’s Gymnastics, competed on three apparatus. She was second on the balance beam with a 15.000, and she earned a 14.200 for her new floor routine. Chellsie Memmel of West Allis, Wis./M&M Gymnastics, who also was a member of the 2008 Olympic silver-medal team, returned to competition and performed on beam.
2008 Olympic all-around champion Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas/WOGA, competed for only the second time this season, earning a 14.450 on balance beam. Liukin and 2004 Olympic all-around champion Carly Patterson, a former WOGA gymnast, were recognized at the conclusion of the evening.
“It was very nerve-wracking, but I loved being back up there,” said Liukin, who is just returning to competition after nearly a year filled with appearances, awards and travel. “I was so shaky on beam, but I think that I got some of those butterflies out. I’m hoping to be a little calmer on Saturday and under control.”
The women’s U.S. senior champion will be determined by the combined scores from today and Saturday, Aug. 15.
Tickets for the event are still available, and may be purchased by phone at 800-745-3000; online at www.ticketmaster.com; at all Ticketmaster outlets; or at the American Airlines Center Ticket Office. In recognition of Visa’s longstanding support of USA Gymnastics, the 2009 Visa Championships proudly accepts only Visa cards.
2009 Visa Championships
American Airlines Center
Dallas, Texas
Aug. 13, 2009
Senior women’s gymnastics – first of two days of competition
All-around
1. Rebecca Bross, Plano, Texas, 58.550
2. Ivana Hong, Lovejoy, Texas, 58.200
3. Bridget Sloan, Pittsboro, Ind., 57.700
4. Kytra Hunter, Frederick, Md., 56.550
5. MacKenzie Caquatto, Naperville, Ill., 56.000
6. Kayla Williams, Huntington, W. Va., 55.350
7. Kaitlyn Clark, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., 54.950
8. Cassandra Whitcomb, Cincinnati, Ohio, 54.700
8. Rebecca Clark, Blue Springs, Mo., 54.700
10. Kimberly Jacob, Raleigh, N.C., 54.350
11. Jana Bieger, Coconut Creek, Fla., 54.200
12. Morgan Steigerwalt, Jim Thorpe, Pa., 54.100
13. Alaina Johnson, Tyler, Texas, 53.750
14. Brooke Parker, Lorton, Va., 53.450
15. Annette Miele, Easton, Pa., 52.650
16. Georgia Dabritz, Rowley, Mass., 50.700
Vault
1. Bridget Sloan, Pittsboro, Ind., 14.900
1. Kytra Hunter, Frederick, Md., 14.900
3. MacKenzie Caquatto, Naperville, Ill., 14.700
3. Ivana Hong, Lovejoy, Texas, 14.700
5. Samantha Peszek, Indianapolis, Ind., 14.550
6. Rebecca Bross, Plano, Texas, 14.450
6. Kayla Williams, Huntington, W. Va., 14.450
8. Morgan Steigerwalt, Jim Thorpe, Pa., 14.200
9. Kaitlyn Clark, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., 14.100
10. Annette Miele, Easton, Pa., 13.950
10. Brooke Parker, Lorton, Va., 13.950
12. Kimberly Jacob, Raleigh, N.C., 13.850
13. Cassandra Whitcomb, Cincinnati, Ohio, 13.600
14. Alaina Johnson, Tyler, Texas, 13.400
14. Rebecca Clark, Blue Springs, Mo., 13.400
16. Georgia Dabritz, Rowley, Mass., 13.200
17. Jana Bieger, Coconut Creek, Fla., 13.050
Uneven Bars
1. Rebecca Bross, Plano, Texas, 15.050
2. Cassandra Whitcomb, Cincinnati, Ohio, 14.800
3. Bridget Sloan, Pittsboro, Ind., 14.550
4. MacKenzie Caquatto, Naperville, Ill., 14.450
5. Jana Bieger, Coconut Creek, Fla., 14.350
6. Georgia Dabritz, Rowley, Mass., 14.050
6. Ivana Hong, Lovejoy, Texas, 14.050
8. Kaitlyn Clark, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., 14.000
9. Kytra Hunter, Frederick, Md., 13.650
10. Kimberly Jacob, Raleigh, N.C., 13.600
10. Brooke Parker, Lorton, Va., 13.600
12. Alaina Johnson, Tyler, Texas, 13.350
13. Annette Miele, Easton, Pa., 12.850
13. Rebecca Clark, Blue Springs, Mo., 12.850
15. Morgan Steigerwalt, Jim Thorpe, Pa., 12.600
16. Kayla Williams, Huntington, W. Va., 12.300
Balance Beam
1. Ivana Hong, Lovejoy, Texas, 15.150
2. Samantha Peszek, Indianapolis, Ind., 15.000
3. Rebecca Bross, Plano, Texas, 14.700
4. Rebecca Clark, Blue Springs, Mo., 14.500
5. Nastia Liukin, Parker, Texas, 14.450
6. Bridget Sloan, Pittsboro, Ind., 13.950
7. Kimberly Jacob, Raleigh, N.C., 13.850
8. Kayla Williams, Huntington, W. Va., 13.800
8. Chellsie Memmel, West Allis, Wis., 13.800
10. Morgan Steigerwalt, Jim Thorpe, Pa., 13.700
11. Kytra Hunter, Frederick, Md., 13.600
12. Jana Bieger, Coconut Creek, Fla., 13.500
13. Kaitlyn Clark, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., 13.400
14. Alaina Johnson, Tyler, Texas, 13.300
15. MacKenzie Caquatto, Naperville, Ill., 13.000
15. Annette Miele, Easton, Pa., 13.000
17. Brooke Parker, Lorton, Va., 12.750
18. Cassandra Whitcomb, Cincinnati, Ohio, 12.350
19. Georgia Dabritz, Rowley, Mass., 11.800
Floor exercise
1. Kytra Hunter, Frederick, Md., 14.400
2. Rebecca Bross, Plano, Texas, 14.350
3. Ivana Hong, Lovejoy, Texas, 14.300
3. Bridget Sloan, Pittsboro, Ind., 14.300
5. Kayla Williams, Huntington, W. Va., 14.250
6. Samantha Peszek, Indianapolis, Ind., 14.200
7. Rebecca Clark, Blue Springs, Mo., 13.950
7. Cassandra Whitcomb, Cincinnati, Ohio, 13.950
9. MacKenzie Caquatto, Naperville, Ill., 13.850
10. Alaina Johnson, Tyler, Texas, 13.700
11. Morgan Steigerwalt, Jim Thorpe, Pa., 13.600
12. Kaitlyn Clark, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., 13.450
13. Jana Bieger, Coconut Creek, Fla., 13.300
14. Brooke Parker, Lorton, Va., 13.150
15. Kimberly Jacob, Raleigh, N.C., 13.050
16. Annette Miele, Easton, Pa., 12.850
17. Georgia Dabritz, Rowley, Mass., 11.650