INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Jana Bieger of Coconut Creek, Fla., Nastia Liukin of Plano, Texas, Chellsie Memmel of West Allis., Wis., and Alicia Sacramone of Winchester, Mass., will represent the United States on the U.S. Women’s Team at the 2005 World Championships, Nov. 22-27, in Melbourne, Australia.

"The United States has fielded an incredibly talented women’s team," said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. "Both Chellsie and Alicia have already demonstrated their strength and dynamic routines against the world’s best, and Nastia and Jana will be showing the rest of the world what they can do on the world stage. The U.S. Women’s Selection Committee has chosen a team capable of turning in high-quality, medal performances, and I know we will be well represented in Melbourne."

The format for this year’s World Championships features all-around and individual event competition. The U.S. Women’s Team was selected based on performances at the T.J. Maxx U.S. Women’s Team Selection Camp, which was held at USA Gymnastics National Team Training Center in Huntsville, Texas.
At the 2005 Visa Championships, Liukin, who trains at the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy, won the all-around, uneven bars and balance beam titles, as well as finishing second on the floor exercise. Sacramone, who trains at Brestyan’s American Gymnastics, claimed the vault and floor exercise titles and was third on the balance beam. Memmel, who trains at M&M Gymnastics, was second in the all-around, uneven bars and balance beam, with a third in the floor exercise. Bieger, who trains at Boca Twisters Gymnastics Academy, was third in the all-around, vault and uneven bars at the Visa Championships.
Since the Visa Championships, Memmel, Sacramone and Bieger have had success internationally. At last month’s Pan Am Championships, Memmel and Sacramone split the available gold medals, with Memmel topping in the all-around, uneven bars and balance beam and Sacramone winning on the vault and floor exercise. Bieger claimed the vault silver and the floor
Memmel and Sacramone both have impressive international credentials. Memmel was the uneven bars champion at the 2005 American Cup, 2004 World Cup Finals and the 2003 World Championships (co-champion), as well as competing on the team that won the 2003 World Championships team title.
Memmel also was the all-around champion at the 2003 Pan American Games. Sacramone won the vault at the 2005 American Cup, the 2004 World Cup Finals and the 2004 Pacific Alliance.
Held at Rod Laver Arena at Melbourne Park, this year’s World Championships features all-around and individual event competition. Qualification rounds determine advancement to the all-around and apparatus finals. The top 24 compete in the all-around finals on Nov. 24-25. For individual events, the top eight on each apparatus from the qualification rounds advance to the finals (Nov. 26-27).
The U.S. Men’s Team for the World Championships is comprised of: Jason Gatson of Mesa, Ariz./Team Chevron; Sean Golden of Houston/Houston Gymnastics Academy/GymMasters; Justin Spring of Burke, Va./University of Illinois; Kevin Tan of Fremont, Calif./Penn State University; Todd Thornton of Pearland, Texas/Team Chevron; and Yewki Tomita of Tucson, Ariz./Team Chevron. David Sender of Arlington Heights, Ill., who competes for Stanford University, is the alternate.