Four-time Russian Olympic Gold Medalist Alexei Nemov and
U.S. World Medalists Expected to Compete
Indianapolis – Four-time Olympic Gold Medalist Alexei Nemov from Russia headlines an impressive squad of international and U.S. athletes scheduled to compete in the 2002 Visa American Cup, one of the most prestigious annual gymnastics competitions in the world, March 2, 2002 at 11:30 a.m. at Orlando’s T.D. Waterhouse Centre.
Prize Money:
All Around 1st- US $15,000.00 2nd- US $10,000.00 3rd- US $5,000.00 |
Individual Event 1st- US $1,000 per event |
The following athletes will compete in the 2002 Visa American Cup:
MEN
- Sean Townsend (USA)- 2001 U.S. National Champion, 2001 World Championships Gold and Silver Medalist, 2000 Olympian
- Paul Hamm (USA)- 2001 World Championships Silver Medalist, 2000 Olympian
- Alexei Nemov (RUS)- 2000 Olympic Games All-Around Gold Medalist, twelve total Olympic medals throughout career (four gold)
- Jordan Jovtchev (BUL)- 2000 Olympic Games Double Bronze Medalist, 2001 World Championships Double Gold Medalist and Bronze Medalist
- Alexander Beresh (UKR)-2001 World Championships Silver and Bronze Medalist, 2001 Visa American Cup High Bar Champion, 2000 Olympic Games All-Around Bronze Medalist
- Eric Lopez (CUB)- Three-time Pan American Games All-Around Champion, 2000 Visa American Cup Champion
- Yann Cucherat (FRA)- 2001 World Championships and 2000 Olympic Games Team Member
- Hiroyuki Tomita (JPN)- 2001 World University Games Gold and Silver Medalist
WOMEN
- Tasha Schwikert (USA)- 2001 U.S. National Champion, 2001 World Championships Bronze Medalist, 2000 Olympian
- Tabitha Yim (USA)- 2001 National Runner-up, 2001 World Championships Bronze Medalist
- Oksana Chusovitina (UZB)- 2000, 1996, and 1992 Olympian (Gold Medalist in 1992), 2001 World Championships Silver Medalist
- Daiane Dos Santos (BRA)- 2001 and 1999 World Championships Team Member
- Verona VanDeLeur (NED)- 2001 World Championships Team Member
- Tatiana Yarosh (UKR)- 2001 World Championships Team Member and 2000 Olympian
- Two more female gymnasts will be added to the line-up and announced when finalized.
Tickets for the 2002 Visa American Cup are $25, $18 and $10. They can be purchased at the T.D. Waterhouse Centre box office, through Ticketmaster at 407-839-3900 or at a participating gymnastics club. For a list of participating gymnastics gyms or link to ticketmaster.com, log-on to www.usa-gymnastics.org/events/ticket-info.html.
LOCAL ORLANDO NOTE: Three-time Visa American Cup Champion and Five-time U.S. National Champion Blaine Wilson will be in Orlando February 12 and 13 to visit gymnastics clubs. To schedule an interview with Wilson, please call Mason Moore at Kenton Smith Advertising and Public Relations at 407-872-7799.