Handicapping the pixies

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PHILADELPHIA -- After four rounds of intense competition at U.S. nationals and Olympic trials five of the six women’s Olympic team spots seem obvious -- automatic qualifiers Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin; vault and floor star Alicia Sacramone; consistent Samantha Peszek and 2005 world champion and newly healthy Chellsie Memmel.

Even though 15-year-old Ivana Hong finished fifth overall at the Olympic trials and Jana Bieger finished sixth, U.S. team coordinator Martha Karolyi was more critical of Hong.

‘She needs to be more confident,’ Karolyi said. ‘I was expecting to see more confidence.’

Karolyi then praised the resoluteness of Bieger, who was the 2006 world champion all-around silver medalist. ‘She is getting better and better,’ Karolyi said.

-- Diane Pucin