When you're just 13 years old and your name is already mentioned among the likes of Mary Lou Retton and Nastia Liukin, there's no doubt you're a rising star. On Saturday, Jordyn Wieber of DeWitt, Mich., became the second-youngest Tyson American Cup women's champion, scoring 60.2 to beat fellow American Bridget Sloan.Wieber, who will turn 14 in July, is the reigning junior national all-around champion, but won't be eligible for her first world championships until 2011. And while the road to the London Games will be a long one, her nationally televised performance drew some tremendous praise from other gymnasts.
"Truly amazing" remarked Liukin.The future is certainly bright for the youngest American Cup champion since 1980.
"She's a machine," Sloan said.
"I didn't start doing that vault [Yurchenko mount with 2 1/2 twists] until I was 18 or 19," men's runner-up David Sender said. "She's obviously a very talented little girl. I'm excited to see how she'll do in the next four years."
Gymnastics Snapshots
HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL - FEBRUARY 21: Mary Lou Retton, former Olympic Gold Medalist in Women's Gymnastics, looks on during the 2009 Tyson American Cup at the Sears Centre on February 21, 2009 in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mary Lou Retton
Getty Images
Joey Hagerty of the USA flies in the air during his Floor Exercise during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)
AP
Koko Tsunmi of Japan performs her routine on the Uneven Bars during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates, Ill. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)
AP
Bridget Sloan of the USA concentrates before her Uneven Bars routine during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates, Ill. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)
AP
Youna Dufournet of France performs on the Balance Beam during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)
AP
The hand of Romanian Adrian Bucur powders the bar as he prepares for his Parallel Bars routine during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates, Ill. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)
AP
David Sender of the USA performs his routine on the Pommell Horse during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)
AP
Kristina Goryunova of Russia performs on the Vault exercise during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)
AP
Jordyn Wieber of the USA performs her routine on the balance beam during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)
AP
Bridget Sloan of the USA performs on the Balance Beam during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates, Ill. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)
AP
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
2-22-2009 @ 3:11AM
john32eg said...
she is trully blessed
Reply
2-22-2009 @ 1:18PM
middleclass said...
"Blessed"..............Hmmmmmmm. Awesome physical DNA and MASSIVE TRAINING.
Any of you ever been involved in even high school sports? (Baseball, Football, Soccer, Gymnastics, etc....) The PARENTS of the top kids are usually egotistical monsters, who live through their children's activities.
Don't think for one second, this kid hasn't eaten/breathed gymnastics her entire life, just like the Chinese children at the Olympics which we were horrified by............
I guarantee you the mother of this child is a total monster, and it takes just that to get a child to this point, if one knows anything at all about the parents in sports. Mean, nasty..
This child will have massive joint damage by the age of 30, as a result of her sport.
She's awesome, no doubt. She will also pay the price. Oh, and don't tell me that this little girl said "Oh I want to train 12 hours a day!" Mommy and daddy are in charge of that.
2-22-2009 @ 9:37AM
John said...
When you are 13 yrs old and your parents and coaches have worked you like a dog,,,,,its called child abuse, and needs to be prosecuted,,,,,,they took this kids childhood,,,,we should take their adulthood
Reply
2-22-2009 @ 10:20AM
lilrobs10 said...
let me guess... you voted for obama.
2-22-2009 @ 1:02PM
Ramsey Family said...
You have obviously never had a drive to do anything or never known anyone who has either. I pity you and your average mundane life.
2-22-2009 @ 1:24PM
middleclass said...
Knock it off. This "child" has undoubtedly been subject to massive physical training, likely 6-7 days a week combined with special foods/diet.
This "gymnast" was created by coaches (every coach dreams of a awesome physical specimen, and parents with a fat checkbook $$$)
I guarantee you, this is all this kid, eats drinks and thinks about, courtesy of parents and coaches.
I'm a teacher, so I know. Same thing goes for the nutty parents who have their kids read dictionaries so they can win spelling bees!
Parent funded and controlled.
By the way, she is awesome. Just worry about her future health and mental state.
2-22-2009 @ 2:02PM
kdeagano said...
CHILD ABUSE??? I WAS THAT KID !!! IT'S NOT ABUSE TO WORK HARD DOING SOMETHING YOU LOVE...... I GOT HURT AND CHOSE TO QUIT. SHE'S KICKIN ASS. WHO ARE YOU TO SAY CHILD ABUSE. DON'T HATE THE PLAYER HATE THE GAME...
BE PISSED THAT YOUR PARENTS DIDN'T MAKE YOU INTO SOMETHING YOU LOVE....HATER!
2-22-2009 @ 9:47AM
Pat said...
Why so surprised? China already showed the world that underaged gymnasts are more flexible than they will be once the are old enough to legally compete. In this sport they don't get better with age. If they are lucky ,they peak around 16 instead of 13.
Reply
2-22-2009 @ 10:11AM
lillygagne said...
This is truly a double standard. Here we are crying "foul" during the Olympics because of a 13-year-old Chinese gymnast, and now we're celebrating a U.S. medallist of the same age. I understand the rules prohibit athletes that age in the Olympics as they don't here, but the reason they prohibit them is partially because 13-year-old girls have the unfair advantage of their bodies still being undeveloped and child-like, so they're more limber than after a woman begins to develop breasts and hips.
Give this girl until she's 16 or 17 to see whether she's "The Next Nastia" or just another prepubescent overachiever. I really don't buy it at all.
Reply
2-22-2009 @ 11:00AM
kaz91563 said...
How is that a double standard? The problem with the Chinese olympians was that they weren't old enough to compete under the rules. If the Chinese girls were participating in a junior championship, there would have been no problem. Young Miss Wieber is beating others in her own age group.
2-22-2009 @ 9:40PM
josborn756 said...
If you read the story it says it was an invitational competetion and that she is the reigning Junion Champion. Definitely not the same.
2-22-2009 @ 10:17AM
Jeri said...
Being the parent of a former gymnast and now a cheerleader, you need to understand that the child loves doing what they're doing. My 9 yr old daughter love cheerleading and nothing keeps her from doing it. Her competitive team is undeafeated in the state for this year.
Reply
2-22-2009 @ 11:24AM
Michelle said...
I agree, My daughter just turned 10 and has been doing competitive cheer since she was 7, She would give up her birthday party before she would give up a cheer competition, she loves it...not me! She also gets A's and B's in school, plays violin, church quiz team and swimming! But she really loves cheerleading more than anything~!
2-22-2009 @ 1:07PM
Angela said...
Well being an actual gymnast, you should understand that these things can go both ways. If she peaks when she's 13 or 14 she'll be burned out before she's even done with high school. Trust me, it happens all the time. But still, it's not fair for people to immediately assume "child abuse" just because she's so good already. Some people just have that raw talent. Shawn Johnson trains between 20-25 hours a week (which really is NOT that much for a gymnast) and she still is an amazing gymnast. So congrats to her and I hope to hear more about her in the future!
2-22-2009 @ 10:25AM
kelkelgrl7 said...
I think she should be commended for her accomplishments. Gymnastics is a big committment for her and her family. As a former gymnast I know it can be your passion. Sometimes, no one has to push you or force you into it....you just love it....eat, breath, sleep,live the sport. I don't think anyone should criticize her parents in absence of the facts!!!
Reply
2-22-2009 @ 10:27AM
xvdruidmelody said...
anyone who says this is child abuse is a moron and obviously has no real talent to speak of... I personally was on the swim team for years, trained/practiced for hours upon hours daily and no one forced me to... Like all other persons who train till their 'knuckles bled' I did it for the love of the sport.
As for this young girl whose obviously very adept in the sport she does CONGRATS! And keep up the good work!
Reply
2-22-2009 @ 11:30AM
the brownings said...
As the parent of a gymnast, I see nothing wrong with this girl competing. More power to her. There is no child abuse here. You can't keep my child from the gym. China did not follow the rules. That is not the case here. Good luck to Jordan.
Reply
2-22-2009 @ 11:31AM
Kc said...
im sorry but cheerleading and gymnastics is totally different. Cheerleading is not a sport. I am very proud of my cousin jordyn, she loves what she is doing.
Reply
2-22-2009 @ 11:51AM
squeak1981 said...
KC.... i am sorry but cheerleading is as much a sport as gymnastics is.. if you look closely at the two i.e. the cempetive cheer has just as much tumbling and the likes as gymnastics. i did both since i was 6 and would do it all again in a heart beat i did both cheer and gym. soo get your facts straigh and watch a competive cheer competion sometime only thing different is they use words sometimes.. oh and as to the little girl.. keep rocking on the mats and don't let these bozo's put you down
Reply
2-22-2009 @ 11:55AM
Luke said...
i think that if this girl is that good then she must like it. my sister is a gymnast and she goes all the time without complaint and its not child abuse. its great that gymnastics is becoming more popular and im excited for this new star!
Reply