“I really liked the way these young girls went out there tonight,” said Martha Karolyi, U.S. women’s national team coordinator, “and you must remember they are a very young team. They showed confidence out there today. I have faith in them.”

“This is a good start,” said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. “They went out and did what they needed to do.”

In addition to qualifying for the team competition, the qualification round also determines who advances to the all-around and individual event finals. Scores from the qualification round do not carry forward. Both Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas, and Shawn Johnson of West Des Moines, Iowa, advanced to the all-around finals. Shayla Worley of Orlando, Fla., finished eighth in all-around qualifying but is precluded from the finals because only two gymnasts per country may advance.

Johnson, Liukin and Alicia Sacramone of Winchester, Mass., advanced to the individual event finals of the 2007 World Championships. Sacramone will compete in the finals for both vault and floor exercise. Liukin advanced to the finals for both uneven bars and balance beam, and Johnson will compete in the balance beam and floor exercise finals. Sacramone and Worley finished in the top eight for the balance beam but did not advance due to the limitation of two athletes per country.

The U.S. Team took the lead in the qualification round after the first rotation and did not let go. The members of the U.S. Team are: Ivana Hong of Blue Springs, Mo.; Samantha Peszek of Indianapolis, Ind.; Johnson; Liukin; Sacramone; and Worley. Bridget Sloan of Pittsboro, Ind., is the reserve athlete.

“In this environment, everyone is a team and so supportive of each other. It really does help,” said Liukin, who is the 2005 world uneven bars and balance beam champion. “We were in the same place last year, and it is all about consistency so we’ll be back in the gym tomorrow to work on some things.”

“We came out so strong as a team,” said Johnson, the 2007 U.S. all-around champion, “and we set the bar so high. We made a few mistakes but we are going to go back and work a little harder for finals.”

Starting on the balance beam, the U.S. women set the stage for the rest of the evening. Johnson earned a 16.250 for her routine that is packed with difficulty, including her full-twisting double back dismount. Liukin had the second highest score for the USA at 15.975 for her well-executed routine, which finished with her two-and-a-half twisting layout dismount. Sacramone earned a 15.800 for her routine, Worley scored a 15.775 and Hong a 14.325.

On floor, the U.S. women continued their strong performances. Sacramone showcased her flair and tumbling skills to earn a 15.275. With the exception of a small out-of-bounds step on her double-pike dismount, Sacramone nailed her tumbling passes, including her opening full-twisting double back, followed by an Arabian double front. Johnson also gave a well-executed routine, earning a 15.150 for her efforts that included a double-twisting double-back in her first pass and a full-twisting double-back and pike double-back on her last. The other U.S. scores were Worley, 14.650; Liukin, 14.575; and Peszek, 14.500.

“It (my floor routine) was great, although I was a little out of bounds at the end,” said Sacramone, the 2005 world floor exercise champion. “I think my best pass was my two-and-a-half layout. It has become my most consistent pass, and I am just pleased with my routine overall.”

Vault was the U.S. women’s third event. Sacramone again had the team’s highest score at 15.700 for her handspring, one-and-a-half twisting front, also known as a Rudi. Both Johnson and Peszek did a Yurchenko double-full, earning a 15.175 and a 15.050, respectively. Liukin and Worley both performed a Yurchenko one-and-a-half to score a 14.725 and 14.650, respectively.

On the uneven bars, Liukin posted a 16.250 for her routine that is noted for its style and elegance. Of note were her high-flying Gienger and double-front barani out. Worley had the team’s second highest score at 15.000. Peszek and Hong earned at 14.875 and a 14.800, respectively. Johnson also executed a strong routine but landed low on her signature dismount, a double-twisting, double-back, to earn a 14.625.

Worley celebrated her 17th birthday today. “It was awesome and a lot of fun (today). There is no better birthday present than competing in the World Championships.”

The top eight teams advance to the team finals, with the top 12 in the standings qualifying for the 2008 Olympic Games. In the team competition, five women competed on each apparatus, with the top four counting toward the team score. In the team finals, three women will compete on each apparatus and all scores count. For complete results of today’s competition, visit www.usa-gymnastics.org.

The U.S. men compete in the qualification round on Tuesday, Sept. 4. The women’s team finals are set for Wednesday, Sept. 5, at 2 p.m. The men’s team finals are Sept. 6 at 2 p.m. Both all-around finals are scheduled for Friday, Sept. 7, with the men at 2 p.m. and the women at 6:30 p.m. The individual event finals are split between Sept. 8 and 9. All times are local Stuttgart time.

U.S. gymnastics fans have three ways to follow the action from the 2007 World Championships. “USA Gymnastics: Behind the Team presented by AT&T” will have video clips from Stuttgart, including athlete media interviews after competition, at www.attblueroom.com/teamusa. WCSN is offering a free, live and on-demand Web cast of the men’s and women’s team, all-around and individual event finals at www.wcsn.com. WCSN.com’s daily, live coverage of the medal rounds begins with the women’s team finals on Sept. 5 and concludes on the last day of the individual event finals on Sept. 9. The on-demand coverage will be posted approximately two hours after the conclusion of the live Web cast. For the first time since 2003, gymnastics fans can enjoy coverage of the 2007 World Championships on network TV. NBC Sports is broadcasting a two-hour broadcast on Oct. 7 at 4 p.m. ET. Sponsorship by AT&T has made these three avenues of coverage available to gymnastics enthusiasts.

Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics, the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States, encourages participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport. For more information, log on to www.usa-gymnastics.org.

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2007 World Championships
Stuttgart, Germany
Sept. 2, 2007

Women’s qualification round

Team standings (going into finals; scores do not carry forward; top 8 advance to finals)
1. USA, 245.025
2. China, 241.175
3. Romania, 239.875
4. Russia, 238.000
5. Italy, 234.425
6. Great Britain, 233.025
7. France, 232.700
8. Brazil, 232.250

All-around standings (going into finals; scores do not carry forward; top 24 in the qualification round advance)
1. Stellana Nistor, Romania, 61.600
2. Nastia Liukin, Parker, Texas, 61.525
3. Shawn Johnson, Wet Des Moines, Iowa, 61.200
4. Elizabeth Tweddle, Great Britain, 60.775
5. Vanessa Ferrari, Italy, 60.550
6. Jade Barbossa, Brazil, 60.525
7. Sandra Raluca Izbasa, Romania, 60.350
8. Shayla Worley, Orlando, Fla., 60.075*

*Worley did not advance to the all-around finals because of the limit of two athletes per country