By Kim Brown World Staff Writer 
6/28/00

Head coach Marc Hottenstein helps 6-year-old Paige Glore on the uneven bars at Tulsa World of Gymnastics, 7020 E. 38th St. The gym is the local representative for the U.S. Classic National Gymnastics Festival, July 6-8, at the Mabee Center.
Community World staff photo by Kim Brown

Miller, Chow, Dawes, Moceanu, Karolyi, and others to appear at Tulsa event

Olympic Gold Medallist Shannon Miller is coming to Tulsa.

 She and other 2000 Olympic Women's Gymnastics hopefuls will be ranked at the U.S. Classic National Gymnastic Festival, July 6-8 at the Mabee Center, 7777 S. Lewis Ave. 

Other 1996 Olympic Gold Medallists Amy Chow, Dominique Dawes and Dominique Moceanu will also appear.

 The event is strictly to rank gymnasts in both the Junior International Elite and Senior International Elite categories. Gymnasts will go on to the U.S. Championships in St. Louis, Mo., July 28-29 and then to Olympic Trials in Boston, August 19-20.

 Tulsa's representative gymnasium is Tulsa World of Gymnastics, 7020 E. 38th St. Owner Linda Bradshaw predicts that Tulsans will take this opportunity to "preview the Olympic team."

 "This is not a little competition," Bradshaw said. 

The difference between Senior and Junior International categories is like "Major and Minor League Baseball," she said.

 Starting at 9 a.m. July 6, the all-day training session is free to the public. Throughout the day Miller, Dawes and other gymnasts will workout. 

The Junior International competition will be from 7 to 10 p.m., July 7, and will continue from 1 to 4 p.m., July 8. Then at 7 p.m., July 8 the Senior International competition will begin. Admission for the two competitions ranges from $5 to $18. 

Because most Tulsans will probably not have the luxury to travel to Sydney, Australia, for the 2000 Olympics this September, Bradshaw said spectators will see the future Olympic team as well as gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi, who will critique the gymnasts.

 "It's an opportunity for them to see these kids," Bradshaw said of Karolyi and other experts. "These are the best in the U.S and I think some of the best in the world."

 Defending two-year national champion Kristen Maloney will also be at the event, as well as Senior Pacific Alliance All Around Gold Medallist Elise Ray; World Championship team members Jeanette Antolin, Vanessa Atler and Jamie Dantzscher; and National Team members Erinn Dooley, Marie Fjodholm, Robin Phelps and Lindsay Wing.

 "Of the top 20 of the national team members, 16 are entered," Bradshaw said.

 The U.S. Classic Nationals is the second of its kind in Tulsa, since the American Classic in 1996 prior to the Olympics in Atlanta. She said the city should gain some clout for events in the future.

 "My goal is that Tulsa gets very visible. We have the down-home hospitality. Here we can give the visibility these kids need," Bradshaw said. "We should draw a lot of national attention."

 Besides Oklahoma native Miller, Bradshaw said Tulsa gymnasts Sabrina Long, Lisa Coldwell and Ashley Kelly will appear. 

Oklahoma gymnasts Angela Beam, Tarah Chellevold and Larissa Stewart from the Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy in Norman are also scheduled to appear. 

Bradshaw said she is looking to Tulsa fan support to keep the city on the map for future events. When Karolyi was in Tulsa in December to talk about the event, he asked Bradshaw a personal favor.

 "As he left out the door he said, 'I ask one thing from you. I ask that you give an audience,'" Bradshaw said. "We need to show up and support these kids."

 For more information, call Tulsa World of Gymnastics at 664-8683. For tickets call the Mabee Center ticket office at 495-6000.