16 women invited to first ’09 World Championships Team Selection Camp

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Aug. 21, 2009 – 2009 U.S. all-around champion Bridget Sloan of Pittsboro, Ind., 2008 Olympic all-around champion Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas, and their 2008 Olympic team silver-medal teammates Chellsie Memmel of West Allis, Wis., and Samantha Peszek of Indianapolis, Ind., are among the 16 women on the U.S. Senior National Team invited to participate in the first of two selection camps for the 2009 World Championships, Oct. 13-18, in London, England. 

Four gymnasts will be named to the U.S. Women’s Team for the 2009 World Championships, which features competition in the all-around and individual events, along with two or three non-traveling alternates. The First Selection Camp is Sept. 8-12, and based on performances at the first selection camp, a minimum of eight gymnasts will be invited to the second and final selection camp Sept. 30- Oct. 4.  Both camps will be held at the U.S. Women’s National Training Center in Huntsville, Texas.   

The gymnasts invited to the first camp, who are also members of the senior national team, are listed below.

Jana Bieger, Coconut Creek, Fla., Bieger International Gymnastics

Rebecca Bross, Plano, Texas, WOGA Gymnastics

Mackenzie Caquatto, Naperville, Ill., Naperville Gymnastics Club

Kaitlyn Clark, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Precision Gymnastics

Olivia Courtney, Orlando, Fla., Orlando Metro Gymnastics

Ivana Hong, Lovejoy, Texas, WOGA Gymnastics

Kytra Hunter, Frederick, Md., Hill's Gymnastics

Alaina Johnson, Tyler, Texas, Texas East Gymnastics

Mattie Larson, Los Angeles, All-Olympia

Anastasia Liukin, Parker, Texas, WOGA Gymnastics

Chellsie Memmel, West Allis, Wis., M&M Gymnastics

Samantha Peszek, Indianapolis, Ind., Sharp's Gymnastics

Samantha Shapiro, Los Angeles, All-Olympia

Bridget Sloan, Pittsboro, Ind., Sharp's Gymnastics

Cassandra Whitcomb, Cincinnati, Ohio, Cincinnati Gymnastics,

Kayla Williams, Nitro, W.V., Gym Nest Inc.

Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States.  Its mission is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport.  Its disciplines include men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, and acrobatic gymnastics.  For more complete information, log on to www.usa-gymnastics.org.