Liukin wins All-Around, Bars, Beam at the 2005 Visa Championships

Tonight’s scores were combined with Thursday’s scores to determine individual national champions. The top 12 athletes were named to the senior national team.

“It was important to come back and show people that I’m strong,” Liukin said. “I’m a fighter and I won’t give up.”

Liukin, in third after the first day of competition, moved into second place after the first rotation. Her intricate uneven bars routine with near-perfect handstand positions and a high layout Gienger, scored 9.766. On the balance beam, Liukin corrected the errors she made on Thursday to score 9.800-more than a full point higher than her prelim score. Liukin took a commanding lead at the halfway point, finishing with 9.600 on floor and 9.483 on vault. Her total score, 38.649 was more than one full point over Memmel for a final combined score of 76.164. In addition to the all-around, Liukin won gold on bars and beam and silver on floor.

Prelim leader Memmel finished second with 75.797 points, competing in only her second major all-around competition since February 2004. A foot injury sidelined Memmel through much of 2004.

“To take second is still a really great finish in the all-around,” Memmel, a 2004 Olympic alternate, said. “I guess that you can’t make any mistakes and that’s what happened.”

Memmel earned identical stores of 9.666 on bars during both days of competition to win silver. She also took silver on beam and bronze on floor.

Jana Bieger of Coconut Creek, Fla./BOCA Gymnastics finished third, with 74.680 points. She was third on vault and bars.

Alicia Sacramone of Winchester, Mass./Brestyan’s Gymnastics won vault and floor. Sacramone’s 9.900 on floor was the first score of 9.900 or better in the women’s division of a U.S. nationals since 1996.

In addition to Liukin, Memmel, Bieger, and Sacramone, eight athletes were named to the senior national team. They are: Kassi Price, Plantation, Fla./Orlando Metro, Kristina Comforte, Burr Ridge, Ill./Illinois Gymnastics Institute, Annie DiLuzio, Folsom, Calif./Byers Gymnastics Center, Kayla Hoffman, Union, N.J./Rebound Gymnastics, Sarah Shire, Sweet Springs, Mo./Great American Gymnastic Express, Jacquelyn Johnson, Westchester, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy, Brittani McCullough, Corona, Calif./Southern California Elite Gymnastics Academy, and Hilary Mauro, Westchester, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy

Action from Saturday’s sessions will be shown on NBC during prime time on Aug. 14, respectively. All times listed are local Indianapolis time.

Nastia Liukin, Plano, Texas/World Olympic Gymnastics Academy
Chellsie Memmel, West Allis, Wis./M&M Gymnastics
Jana Bieger, Coconut Creek, Fla./Twisters Gymnastics Academy
Alicia Sacramone, Winchester, Mass./Brestyan’s American Gymnastics
Kassi Price, Plantation, Fl./Orlando Metro
Kristina Comforte, Burr Ridge, Ill./Illinois Gymnastics Institute
Annie DiLuzio, Folsom, Calif./Byers Gymnastics Center
Kayla Hoffman, Union, N.J./Rebound Gymnastics
Sarah Shire, Sweet Springs, Mo./Great American Gymnastic Express
Jacquelyn Johnson, Westchester, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy
Brittani McCullough, Corona, Calif./Southern California Elite Gymnastics Academy
Hilary Mauro, Westchester, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy