Yim Prepared to Compete in Complex World

Tabitha Yim shouldn’t have to fear anything more serious than whether her nerves will betray her on the balance beam at the World Gymnastics Championships this month in Ghent, Belgium.

But in a world shaken by terrorism, life is complicated. Because of safety concerns, USA Gymnastics moved a training camp from Belgium to Houston this week, and it will decide Saturday if it’s too risky to send the team to the world competition. USA Gymnastics previously pulled its rhythmic team from the rhythmic world championships in Spain.

It would be a shame if young U.S. gymnasts miss a chance at much-needed international experience as they build toward the 2003 World Championships at Anaheim and the 2004 Athens Olympics. It also would be a loss for Yim, who has already faced much adversity.

Yim, a junior at Irvine’s Northwood High, lost her father, Howard, to a heart defect two years ago. Despite the emotional duress of his death and the physical duress of a tough training schedule, she has earned international honors--while also competing in figure skating at the novice level. She would love to make her senior world debut in Belgium, but she’s accustomed to surmounting obstacles.

“I’m not really worried about the decision. I’m leaving it up to the head people [of USA Gymnastics],” she said. “I’m going to trust what they decide is the right thing.”

This has been a breakthrough year for Yim, who will be 16 on Nov. 2. Besides finishing second to Tasha Schwikert in the all-around phase of the U.S. competition in August, she was first in the floor exercise and second on the uneven bars. At the U.S. Classic, she was second to Schwikert in the all-around, first on the beam and second in floor exercise and on the uneven bars. At the Pan American Games a few weeks ago in Cancun, Mexico, Yim took home team gold as well as individual gold on the balance beam and bronze in the all-around.

“Tabitha is a very hard, dedicated worker, and she has a strong head on her shoulders,” said Beth Rybacki, who coaches Yim for the Charter Oaks Gliders in Covina. “There’s no doubt she can go far. She’s been training very well and she did very well at the Pan Am Games.”

Rybacki would consider it a success if Yim qualifies for the all-around finals at the world meet.

“That would be a huge goal,” she said.

But Yim has set modest standards.

“It’s more for experience,” she said of what she hopes to gain. “I’m going to try my best. I’m a little nervous and really excited. I’m really looking forward to it.”

If she goes to Belgium, she will have only a few days to prepare for the Pacific Coast Sectional figure skating competition. Skaters advance from there to the U.S. championships, to be held Jan. 6-13 at Staples Center and the Sports Arena, and Yim would love to skate in front of her friends and family. However, she’s not prepared to give up one sport to concentrate on the other.

“I like both the same,” she said.

Marathon Woman

Joan Benoit Samuelson, winner of the first women’s Olympic marathon at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, believes the women’s world record could be cut to 2 hours 15 minutes. Watching Naoko Takahashi of Japan break the 2:20 barrier and Catherine Ndereba of Kenya break 2:19 on consecutive weekends this month led her to think it will happen soon.

“Catherine [could do it] if she hasn’t raced a lot,” said Samuelson, who set the U.S. women’s record of 2:21:21 in 1985. “Catherine looked so easy out there. She didn’t look like she was working until the last mile

Samuelson, 44, entered next month’s New York City Marathon despite persistent foot problems. She said she felt compelled to run as a sign of defiance against the Sept. 11 attacks.

“This is an event that should buoy the spirits of the city, the nation and the world,” she said, “and not something we should be fearful of.... By running this event, we’re coming together and uniting not only as athletes, but as an international world.”

Samuelson said she’s capable of running faster than the 2:39:59 she ran at the 2000 U.S. Olympic marathon trials, “if I had a good day and things are working well.”

Here and There

A five-member U.S. Olympic Committee panel will issue a recommendation to the USOC Board of Directors this week on whether U.S. Equestrian Team or USA Equestrian (formerly the American Horse Shows Assn.) should be the national governing body for U.S. equestrian sports. Months of mudslinging and lawsuit-lobbing culminated in three days of hearings this week in Austin, Texas....Gordie McKellen Jr., a member of the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame, was permanently banned from membership in the U.S. Figure Skating Assn. The three-time U.S. men’s champion failed to respond to a grievance filed early this year that alleged he violated the USFSA ethics code by “engaging in unethical and unprofessional behavior while coaching a student.” The student was not identified. McKellen coached in Grapevine, Texas, until February....

The U.S. women’s national hockey team improved its pre-Olympic record to 7-0 with a 16-0 rout of the ECAC All Stars Sunday at Boston. Team USA has outscored its opponents, 61-3, and will face its first real challenge Saturday against Canada at the E-Center at Salt Lake City. ....

Alexei Yagudin of Russia requested a late entry into Skate America next week in Colorado Springs, Colo. He wants experience at altitude and all the practice he can get to keep up with Evgeni Plushenko, who ended his three-year reign as world champion in March. Yagudin was encouraged by his victory at Saturday’s Masters of Figure Skating, which followed a shaky third-place finish at the Goodwill Games.... Three-time Olympic speedskating champion Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann will miss the Salt Lake City Games because she’s pregnant.... London lost the 2005 World Track and Field Championships after government funding for a new stadium evaporated. Berlin is a potential replacement .... U.S. luger Tony Benshoof broke the Guinness Book of Records mark for the highest recorded luge speed when he hit 86.6 mph at the Olympic track at Park City, Utah this week. The previous record of 85.38 mph was set in 1982....

Only 113 days until the Salt Lake City Winter Games.