INDIANAPOLIS – Ashley Postell (Mitchellville, Md.) earned four individual event medals and held the lead at the halfway point of the all-around competition among junior women at the 1998 John Hancock U.S. Gymnastics Championships, which entered its second day at Market Square Arena here Thursday afternoon.
Postell, competing in her first national championship at the age of 12, won the balance beam with a score of 9.500. She shared the gold medal on uneven bars with Morgan White (Fairfield, Ohio), who at 15 is three years Postell’s senior. Both scored 9.525. Postell also tied for the silver medal in floor exercise and claimed the bronze in vault on the way to a score of 37.462, one-tenth of a point ahead of White in the all-around standings.
“This was my best performance yet,” Postell said. “I was really nervous today. This was my first championships and my second time on a podium. My toughest event was beam – I had a few wobbles.”
“I had a very good day,” said White, who finished 12th at the 1997 John Hancock U.S. Gymnastics Championships in Denver. “I felt pretty confident coming in, and I was really happy with my performance. This is my third year, and before no one really knew who I was because I hadn’t done anything spectacular. This time, I was more nervous, because I wanted to do better. I definitely think it’s an advantage when no one knows who you are.” White ended the afternoon with her own gold in floor exercise to accompany the one she shared with Postell. She also took the silver in balance beam.
The 1998 John Hancock U.S. Gymnastics Championships continues through Saturday evening at Market Square Arena. For complete results and virtual rotation-by-rotation scoring updates, log on to USA Gymnastics Online at http://www.usa-gymnastics.org.

1998 John Hancock U.S. Gymnastics Championships
August 20, 1998
Market Square Arena

Junior Division (comprises half of final all-around ranking; all-around finals on Saturday afternoon))
1, Ashley Postell, Mitchellville, Md., 37.462. 2, Morgan White, Fairfield, Ohio, 37.362. 3, Kristal Uzelac, Whitehall, Pa., 36.225. 4, Janaé Cox, Otisco, Ind., 36.200. 5, Monique Chang, Fairfax Station, Va., 36.037. 6, Breasha Pruitt, Henderson, Ky., 35.975. 7, Michelle Emmons, Pearland, Texas, 35.675. 8, Brittany Thome, Sugar Land, Texas, 35.075. 9, Katie Heenan, Burke, Va., 35.012. 10, Angela Beam, Norman, Okla., 34.850. 11, Stephanie Carter, Bryn Athyn, Pa., 34.750. 12, Jackie Nguyen, Atherton, Calif., 34.637. 13, Jennifer Orlando, Herndon, Va., 34.262. 14, Tasha Schwikert, Las Vegas, Nev., 34.162. 15, Ashlee Bradley, Cincinnati, Ohio, 34.150. 16, Annabeth Eberle, Reno, Nev., 34.037. 17, Ashley Miles, San Antonio, Texas, 33.887. 18, Chelsea Kroll, Wexford, Pa., 33.762. 19, Audra Fraim, Edmond, Okla., 33.487. 20, Chelsea Otto, Tempe, Ariz., 33.412. 21, Mylan Dodd, Seattle, Wash., 32.875. 22, Kristen Riffanacht, Cheshire, Conn., 32.775. 23, Tabitha Yim, Irvine, Calif., 32.762. 24, Katie Hardman, Houston, Texas, 32.612. 25, Mandy Delgado, Cupertino, Calif., 32.412. 26, Marie Fjordholm, Fairfield, Ohio, 32.087. 27, Whitney Ferguson, Cincinnati, Ohio, 32.075. 28, Alison Cook, Double Oak, Texas, 31.300.


Junior Division Individual Event Champions
Vault: 1, Angela Beam, 9.325. 2, Jackie Nguyen, 9.162. 3, Ashley Postell, 9.137.
Uneven Bars: 1 (tie), Ashley Postell and Morgan White, 9.525. 3, Monique Chang, 9.500.
Balance Beam: 1, Ashley Postell, 9.500. 2, Morgan White, 9.425. 3, Michelle Emmons, 9.400.
Floor Exercise: 1, Morgan White, 9.450. 2 (tie), Monique Chang and Ashley Postell, 9.300.