INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., July 4, 2007 – USA Gymnastics has selected the six women it will nominate to the U.S. Olympic Committee to represent the United States in gymnastics at the 2007 Pan American Games, July 13-29, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Pending the USOC’s approval, the six-woman Pan Am squad is comprised of: Rebecca Bross of Plano, Texas/WOGA; Ivana Hong of Blue Springs, Mo./GAGE; Shawn Johnson of West Des Moines, Iowa/Chow’s Gymnastics; Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas/WOGA; Samantha Peszek of Indianapolis, Ind./DeVeau’s School of Gymnastics; and Amber Trani of Richlandtown, Pa./Parkettes. The replacement athletes are: Sarah DeMeo of Overland Park, Kan./GAGE; and Bridget Sloan of Pittsboro, Ind./Sharp’s Gymnastics Academy. Valeri Liukin of Parker, Texas/WOGA, is the head coach, and Donna Strauss of Allentown, Pa./Parkettes, is assistant coach.
" The Pan Am Games provide a valuable international opportunity for our athletes," said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. "They have the potential to mount the podium as a team and as individuals and will represent our country well. Also, this team will benefit from the experience of competing in Rio as we prepare for the 2007 World Championships and the 2008 Olympic Games."
The U.S. Women’s Team for the Pan American Games was named at the conclusion of the Pan Am Selection Training Camp, June 30-July 3, at the Women’s National Training Center.
Liukin is returning for her second Pan Am Games. In 2003, she was on the gold-medal team and also won the title on the balance beam, was second in the all-around and third on the uneven bars and floor exercise. She also is a two-time U.S. all-around champion as a senior (2005-06) and as a junior (2003-04). Liukin won the world title on both the balance beam and uneven bars in 2005. At the World Championships in 2006, she won a silver medal in both the team competition and the uneven bars.