The USA Gymnastics confirmed yesterday that former women's all-round
world champion Chellsie Memmelis still hopeful for the Beijing Olympics,
although she has injured her ankle in training.
"Memmel is still expected to compete in the Olympic Games," USA Gymnastics
said in a short official statement.
"USA Gymnastics is monitoring Chellsie on a daily basis," USA Gymnastics
president Steve Penny was quoted as saying.
Memmel won her first individual world title on women's all-around in
Melbourne in 2005 by edging her compatriot Nastia Liukin by 0.001 points, but
she was unable to defend it the next year after a fall from uneven bars in
women's team final hurt her right shoulder.
Her injury is yet another blow to the Americans after Paul, men's all-around
gold medalist in Athens, was forced to withdraw from the Olympic team on Monday,
failing to recover in time from a hand injury sustained in May.
The American women were expected to offer stiff competition against the hosts
but Memmel's injury may give more chances to the Chinese, bidding for a medal
haul on home soil.
