how to make the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team

The Olympic Team will be 6 athletes nominated to the US Olympic Committee (USOC). Additionally, 3 replacement athletes will be named.

There are 3 “tryout” events leading up to making the Olympic Team:

VISA Women’s Gymnastics Championships (June 5-7, Boston), …

Olympic Trials (June 20-22, Philadelphia), …

and Final Selection Competition (July 16-20, Houston).

Qualification to the Visa Championships is by scoring 56.00 All Around (or 45.00 3 event total) at Classics, or for National Team members at Team Training Camp, International Assignment or the May Open Qualifier.

The 7 members of the 2007 World Championship Team (Ivana Hong, Shawn Johnson, Nastia Liukin, Samantha Peszek, Alecia Sacramone, Bridget Sloan and Shayla Worley) automatically qualify to Visa Championships. Accepted petitioned athletes will also be admitted to Championships.

The top 12 All Around (2-day combined total) from Visa Championships qualify to Olympic Trials. The Olympic Selection Committee (Martha Karolyi – National Team Coordinator, Steve Rybacki – Chairman, International Elite Committee, and Kristi Phillips – Athlete Representative) MAY add additional athletes from the Championships or petitioned athletes to the Olympic Trials.

First, you must qualify to the Olympic Trial. The top 2 All Around (2-day combined total) from the Olympic Trials will automatically qualify for the Olympic Team. Additional athletes from the Olympic Trials MAY be selected directly onto the Olympic Team based on discretionary criteria (listed below). An unspecified number of additional athletes from the Olympic Trials and petitioned athletes will be invited by the Selection Committee to the Final Selection Camp. All Olympic contenders must attend the Final Selection Camp.

The Final Selection Competition will be 2 days of competition judged by 2 Brevet judges. The 6-member Olympic Team and 3 replacement athletes will be named immediately after the Final Selection Competition, but ranking in the competition will NOT necessarily determine placement on the Olympic Team.

The Selection Committee will use discretionary criteria to select athletes to the Olympic Team. Since Olympic rules no longer require all athletes to compete on all events, simple rank AA order doesn’t measure relative event strength and contribution to total or event scores. To be optimally
competitive for both team and individual medals the following discretionary criteria will be considered by the Olympic Selection Committee.

– Team needs and medal potential
– Results from international and national competitions
– Difficulty scores
– Routine performance “hit” consistency
– Composite strength of all the Olympic Team members
– Routine execution
– World class presentation
– Competitive readiness
– Professional attitude and ability to positively contribute to the team dynamic

The complete USAG 2008 Olympic Athlete Selection Procedures document (PDF).

Yup. Pretty subjective.

To guarantee your spot, best place in the top 2 AA at Olympic Trials.

(via Judge Judy’s Just Gymnastics newsletter)