Gymnastics

Defending champion Kim Zmeskal used a strong performance in the vault to take the lead after the women’s compulsory rounds of the U.S. Gymnastics championships at Cincinnati.

But her coach, Bela Karolyi, was so irate with the 9.85 score given Zmeskal’s vault that he threatened to withhold her and other members of his team from today’s finals.

“She hit the best vault in the whole competition,” Karolyi said. “On an international scoring level, it would rate a 9.90 or 9.95.

Karolyi accused judges Audrey Schweyer of Allentown, Pa., and Delene Darst of Los Angeles of underscoring members of his team.

Zmeskal finished with 39.250 points, ahead of Kim Kelly (39.100), and Sandy Woolsey (38.900).