GYMNASTICS: AMERICAN CUP : Domination by U.S. Is Surprising--Even to Karolyi

American gymnasts dominated both the men’s and women’s competition Friday at the McDonald’s American Cup.

U.S. women, led by defending champion Kim Zmeskal, swept eight of the first nine places in all-around qualifying competition and won all four individual events.

U.S. men, following Trent Dimas and Chris Waller, who finished first and third, respectively, placed five in the top seven of all-around qualifying.

Bela Karolyi, who has coached some of the sport’s greatest starts, called it “the night of the Americans.”

Karolyi, the Romanian native now based in Houston who coaches four of the eight American girls and had predicted success by Americans, was surprised by the way they dominated.

“I would hope it was the pressure of new, young kids being in a foreign country for the first time and facing changes in their own countries,” he said.

“I know they have an impressive national team track record, but I have to say that never in my lifetime have I seen eight Americans standing shoulder to shoulder and challenging each other. Tonight, it was the night of American gymnastics.”