• printer friendly
• mail this article
• iPod format
• digg

Bruin athlete fights injury to represent U.S.A. in AtlantaBy Arthur Choung

Summer Bruin Contributor

It's been a long four years, but the wait is finally over. After missing out on the 1992 Olympics by less than a tenth of a point, UCLA gymnast Chainey Umphrey is going to Atlanta as a member of the U.S. Olympic Team.

The crowd at the Olympic Trials in Boston erupted as Umphrey completed his dismount from the pommel horse, securing a fourth-place finish in the two-day competition and a spot on the team.

"This is the fun stuff, I love it," Umphrey told NBC. "It's so fun to get in front of a crowd, and to be able to do it at this level."

Miscues and mishaps marred the two-day event, as the 14 competitors combined for 15 falls, while two of the gymnasts performed through injuries. Jair Lynch suffered a blood blister on the parallel bars, while Umphrey dislocated his finger during warm-ups on the same apparatus.

"I thought that everything was down the drain, but then I popped it back in and thought this is not nearly as bad as 1992 and kept on going," said Umphrey who competed with a broken foot during the 1992 Trials.

Umphrey overcame his injury in the warm-ups to post his best performance of the second day in that event.

That came one day after he scored 9.00 or better on each apparatus. Only he and John Roethlisberger, the Trials winner and a 1992 Olympian, achieved that feat.

As it turns out, Umphrey will be the only UCLA representative on the men's team. Former Olympians Chris Waller, Scott Keswick and newcomer Stephen McCain finished 10th through 12th, respectively.

The former Bruin joins six other gymnasts representing the United States at the Games.

* * *

Kerri Strug will not only represent the United States at the Olympics once again, she will be the lone UCLA representative in women's gymnastics at Atlanta.

The 1992 bronze medalist placed second in the trials to fellow bronze medalist Dominique Dawes. Five-time medal winner Shannon Miller and top U.S. hopeful Dominique Moceanu did not compete due to injury.

Strug, an incoming freshman, joins a team laden with experience as three 19-year-olds and two 18-year-olds make this seven-woman squad one of the oldest ever.

Daily Bruin File Photo

Chainey Umphrey qualified for Atlanta finishing fourth at the Olympic Trials.

Comments

Post a comment