 |
||||
 
 Friday, August 26, 2005
By Bill Althaus
Sarah Shire, Ivana Hong and Sarah DeMeo returned to Blue Springs from the USA Gymnastics Championships in Indianapolis with a lifetime of memories and berths on the USA National Gymnastics Team. "I am thrilled for all three girls," their coach Armine Barutyan-Fong said Thursday afternoon as the girls warmed up for practice at the Great American Gymnastic Express in Blue Springs. "We challenged these girls and they accepted it. I believe they have made everyone at GAGE proud and the communities of Blue Springs and Kansas City proud." Shire, 17, is a member of the U.S. senior team while Hong, 12, and DeMeo, 13, are junior team members. As members of Team USA they will compete internationally and attend camps at the National Training Center in Houston run by Bela and Marta Karolyi. Hong has already been selected for an international meet in late October. "My goal was to finish in the top 10, place in an event (fourth on the beam) and make the U.S. team," said Hong, who placed eighth (the top 16 finishers earn a berth on the elite team). Sarah Shire, center, has been named to the U.S. senior national team while Ivana Hong, left, and Sarah DeMeo have been named to the U.S. junior squad. All three train at Great American Gymnastic Express in Blue Springs. "This is why I moved here (to Blue Springs to compete at GAGE) from California. I wanted a top place to train and wanted to be coached by the best coaches. I really do like it here - it was the right decision." Hong, a seventh grader at Sunnyvale Middle School, lived with a friend in Blue Springs for two months before her mother joined her from Laguna Hills, Calif. "I look around and see all the banners and posters of the Olympians (from GAGE including silver medal winners Terin Humphrey and Courtney McCool) and that inspires me. "My dream is to be on a United States Olympic team." That is also the dream of DeMeo, who attends Blue Valley Middle School in Overland Park, Kan. "My goal at Indianapolis was to make the USA team," DeMeo said, "but my overall goal is to be on an Olympic team. I just love coming here to work out. "It's not even like work - it's fun, especially when you master a new skill." Sarah Shire descends a rope from the ceiling of Great American Gymnastic Express after climbing it without using her legs as part of warmup exercises Thursday. DeMeo said that working on the beam is her favorite activity during the day. "The more I practice, the less scary it becomes," she explained. "Now, I just love it." DeMeo was an energetic 3-year-old who was driving her mom crazy, so she enrolled her daughter in a gymnastics program in Ohio. "I loved it," she said, grinning. "Then my dad got transferred here and started looking for a gym. We found the best gym ever right here. Al (Fong) and Armine are the best coaches in the world. They are making it possible for me to reach my highest goals." Shire, a senior at O'Hara High School, has been a member of the USA national team the past four years. "It's a big personal accomplishment to be on the team for the past four years," said Shire, who has signed a national letter of intent to attend the University of Utah on a full scholarship. "I had hoped to be on the Olympic team, and it didn't work out. That's all right because I was so thrilled for Terin and Courtney and now I have my college paid for. That's a small way for me to pay back my folks for all they have done for me over the years. "We live in Sweet Springs (Mo.) and that is 45 minutes away from here. For years, my mom and dad would drive me to GAGE, and now, I can drive myself. But going to O'Hara is an hour's drive, so I spend a lot of time in my car. "But I wouldn't trade this for anything. And I'm so proud of Sarah and Ivana for making the junior team. They are going to be great gymnasts." To reach Bill Althaus send e-mail to bill.althaus@examiner.net or call 350-6395.
|
||||