Alicia Sacramone ’10 scores gold on vault in U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials
Olympic hopeful Alicia Sacramone ’10 (Winchester, MA) competed at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team trials in Philadelphia over the weekend of June 21-22. Sacramone placed first on the vault and earned fifth on both the beam and the floor. At the conclusion of the competition, Sacramone and nine other gymnasts were invited to the 2008 Women’s Olympic Selection Camp, July 16-20, at the Women’s National Team Training Center in Huntsville, Texas, where the final team selections will be made.
Sacramone showed her dominance on the vault, earning a gold medal with a 31.900 over the two-day competition. She also placed fifth on the beam with a 31.150, as well as on the floor with a 31.100 after a three-way tie for second place.
Sacramone received the biggest compliment of the night, according to Inside Gymnastics magazine. Describing Sacramone as an Olympic medal contender, National Team Coordinator Martha Karolyi said she “can't imagine a team without [her].”
After a stellar freshman year on the Brown women’s gymnastics team, Sacramone gave up her eligibility to compete with the Bears and turned professional in September 2007. As a freshman, Sacramone was named ECAC Rookie of the Year. She set school records on the vault, floor, and in the all-around. She became the first gymnast in the history of the Ivy League to finish first in every event and win the all-around at the Ivy Classic, and also set a new Ivy Classic record in the all-around and tied the record on the vault.