Sense of Place for Gymnasts

A dark-eyed Romanian waif named Nadia Comaneci grabbed the world’s attention 28 years ago at Madison Square Garden, where she earned two perfect 10s at the American Cup gymnastics competition, hinting at the gold-medal feats she would perform at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.

Comaneci, now 42, lives in Oklahoma City with her husband, Bart Conner, whom she met on that day at the Garden. Returning to New York to watch today’s American Cup competition rekindled fond memories for Comaneci, who won five gold medals, three silvers and one bronze at the 1976 and 1980 Games.

“This is an important competition, and I love the idea that it’s back at the Garden,” Comaneci said Friday. “Bart told me if you compete at the Garden, you’ve made it. Competing here gives you a lot of confidence.”

Among those hoping to follow in Comaneci’s golden footsteps is defending American Cup champion Carly Patterson of Allen, Texas. A silver medalist in the all-around at last year’s world championships in Anaheim and a member of the first U.S. women’s team to win a world title, the 16-year-old considers today a key step in her journey toward this summer’s Athens Games.

“This is a really big meet in my season,” said Patterson, who is still regaining her form after undergoing surgery in September to repair two fractures in her left elbow. “It’s different being here because it’s such a famous place and so many other gymnasts won here.”

The next Nadia also might be 15-year-old Chellsie Memmel of West Allis, Wis. She’s about an inch taller than she was in August, when she arrived at Anaheim as an alternate and left as a star. Memmel stepped in for one of three ailing teammates and tied for gold on the uneven bars, besides sharing the team gold. She has since navigated a growth spurt and learned to thrive under the pressure she bears as a world champion.

“I think it helps me,” Memmel said. “I have a lot more confidence with myself and my gymnastics. It helps to know the crowd knows me and is supporting me.”

Today’s competition will be the first international test for Paul Hamm of Waukesha, Wis., since he won the world all-around gold medal in August. It’s also the first major event since he and his twin brother, Morgan, left their longtime coach, Stacy Maloney, and moved to Columbus, Ohio, to work with Miles Avery. The Hamms train with Blaine Wilson, a five-time American Cup champion who will defend his title today, and vault specialist Raj Bhavsar.

“We didn’t seem to be getting as much done in the gym” with Maloney, said Paul Hamm, who rolled his left ankle in a recent practice and will simplify some of his routines today as a precaution. “We needed a spark, an atmosphere to train in that’s very motivating. It is motivating to train with Blaine Wilson. He’s a very high-energy guy.”

Wilson welcomed the Hamms’ arrival.

“You’re trying to get people who work out as hard as you, and they work out as hard, if not harder,” he said. “I think it’s perfect. How often do you have four world championship team members in the same gym?”

Wilson, 29, said he considered the American Cup “my competition” and a gauge of his pursuit of the Olympic medal that eluded him in 1996 and 2000. He trains full time while his wife, Makare, plays beach volleyball and their 16-month-old daughter, Wakaya, lives with her grandparents. He won’t see Wakaya again until August.

“It’s a small price to pay for something you’ve been trying to get for 12 years,” he said.

USA Gymnastics officials outlined Olympic selection procedures Friday. The men’s and women’s teams will be determined by a combination of results of the U.S. championships in June at Nashville, the U.S. Olympic trials June 24-27 at Anaheim and performances at selection camps in July. The teams must be nominated by July 18.

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

The Facts

American Cup Gymnastics Meet

Today, Madison Square Garden, New York; TV -- Channel 4, 1-3 p.m.

* This competition, which began in New York in 1976, is a traditional launching pad for Olympians. Paul Hamm of Waukesha, Wis., the 2003 world all-around champion, leads a four-man U.S. delegation rounded out by his twin brother, Morgan, Jason Gatson of Upland and defending American Cup champion Blaine Wilson. All were on the silver-medal-winning U.S. men’s team at last year’s world championships. Four non-U.S. competitors, including 2003 world vault silver medalist Marian Dragulescu of Romania, complete the field.

* In the women’s competition, 2003 world all-around silver medalist Carly Patterson of Allen, Texas, will defend her title. She’s joined by Chellsie Memmel of West Allis, Wis., who shares the world title on the uneven bars and combined with Patterson to lead the U.S. women to a team gold medal at last year’s world competition. Courtney McCool and Terin Humphrey are the other U.S. entries. The foreign competitors are Elena Gomez of Spain, who was the 2002 world champion on floor exercise and the runner-up last year; Monette Russo of Australia, Kylie Stone of Canada and Irina Yarotskaya of Ukraine.

-- Helene Elliott