It's pluses for all after initial round

Aug. 18--ST. PAUL, MINN. -- Women's gymnastics in the United States has become a marathon, with competitions leading to training camps, followed by more competitions leading to selection camps and the 2006 world championships -- and that's even before the final two-year run leading toward the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

With the length of that journey firmly in mind, each of the top-ranked senior women at the USA Gymnastics national championships had something to celebrate with Thursday's performances at the Xcel Energy Center.

Nastia Liukin, the defending national champion from suburban Dallas, held the opening-day all-around lead and had the night's top scores on uneven bars and balance beam as she continued to tune up new elements in three of four events.

Natasha Kelley, 16, of Katy, combined surprisingly difficult content with improving performance skills, moving past two world champions into second place in the all-around entering Saturday night's finale in her first seniors championships.

Memmel bouncing back

Defending world all-around champion Chellsie Memmel, who began training on uneven bars and vault less than a month ago while recovering from a shoulder injury, was tied for third in the all-around behind Liukin and Kelley and performed well enough to stay on track for a repeat trip to worlds.

And Alicia Sacramone, the defending world champion in floor exercise, defended her turf in that event and had the night's best score on vault as she, too, tuned up for another world championships.

For the top performers on the increasingly deep and talented U.S. women's squad, there were smiles all around.

"I felt pretty good," said Liukin, 16, whose 62.6 points under the new FIG scoring system was good for a lead of 1.1 points over Kelley. "This is definitely like a little steppingstone toward the selection camps and world championships."

It also would be a step toward a fourth consecutive national championship after last year's senior title and back-to-back junior championships.

That looks relatively secure, given Liukin's scores of 16.4 on bars, the best of the night on any apparatus for any gymnast, and 16.3 on balance beam. She scored 14.9 on vault, her weakest event, and 15.0 on floor.

Kelley, meanwhile, built on the momentum of her 2005 junior championship.

A year ago, competing as a junior after missing the senior age cutoff by one day seemed like a step backward. Now, she said the delay served her well.

No longer a negative

"At the time, it was like, oh, man, I can't go to seniors, and there's some things that I'll miss," Kelley said. "But it actually ended up working pretty well. I'm glad it worked out, or I wouldn't be where I am now."

Kelley had the night's second-highest score on beam at 15.85 and was third on bars at 15.8. On beam, her score of 7.0 for technical elements -- one of two scoring elements in the new FIG scoring system -- was the highest for any gymnast on any apparatus.

Her performance score of 8.95, however, shows Kelley has room for improvement.

"We knew that if she did a good job on bars, she would jump in the rankings," said her coach, Dan Baker. "She can do better. ... With less nerves, her execution will clean up, and she'll be stronger."

Memmel, 18, of West Allis, Wis., who tied with Jana Bieger, 16, of Coconut Creek, Fla., for third with 61.05 points, was solid on beam and floor and was pleased with her first competitive efforts in several months on bars and vault.

Sacramone, who scored back-to-back 9.7s on her two vaults, the best of the night, took some comfort from an improved performance on bars, her weakest event.

david.barron@chron.com ------

U.S. GYMNASTICS SUMMARY By DAVID BARRON

Johnson takes lead Shawn Johnson, 14, of West Des Moines, Iowa, who has emerged as perhaps the best of a strong group of U.S. junior gymnasts, had the highest score in three of four events Thursday to take the first-day lead in the junior women's event.

Johnson, who won the all-around at the Pacific Alliance Championships and the U.S. Classic earlier this season, had 61.7 points on the new open-ended FIG scoring system to 61.05 for Bianca Flohr of Creston, Ohio, and 59.65 for Samantha Peszek of McCordsville, Ind. The competition concludes Saturday afternoon.

Johnson was the class of the field on vault (15.3), balance beam (15.8) and floor exercise (15.45) and was fourth on uneven bars (15.15).

"I wanted to be one of those girls that I saw on TV. To know I've worked hard enough to get here is very satisfying," she said. "Almost all of us (juniors) are doing the same skills that seniors do, and some even have harder ones. That makes us look better to maybe fill the Olympic team (in 2008)."

Flohr had a fight on uneven bars, switching hand grips several times on the higher bar, but pulled through with the day's highest score at 15.8.

Bhavsar struggles 2004 Olympic team alternate Raj Bhavsar, the former Houston gymnast who is making his return to competitive gymnastics, struggled on his best event Wednesday night but did well enough to keep himself in contention for national team or world championships team consideration.

Bhavsar, who now lives in Columbus, Ohio, was fifth on parallel bars and pommel horse but slumped to 17th on rings, where he is a former national champion, after struggling with a swinging skill known as a Yamakwai.

Thornton finds help Defending men's all-around champion Todd Thornton, who is 11th entering today's final day of competition, has had problems other than health to deal with in the last few months.

Thornton, who was recently diagnosed with a thyroid condition, also had to appeal to friends and families whose children train at Houston Gymnastics Academy after losing his funding from USA Gymnastics in February as he recovered from surgery.

He said he went $6,000 in debt before sending out letters to about 200 people, who contributed the $4,000 he needed for three months of expenses plus some extra to pay his recent debts.

DAVID BARRON

Women's preliminaries All-Around

1. Nastia Liukin, Parker, Texas, 62.600 points. 2. Natasha Kelley, Katy, Texas, 61.500. 3 (tie). Chellsie Memmel, West Allis, Wis., and Jana Bieger, Coconut Creek, Fla., 61.050. Also: 9 (tie). Christine Nguyen, Plano, Texas. Vault 1. Alicia Sacramone, Winchester, Mass., 15.675. 2. Jana Bieger, Coconut Creek, Fla., 15.150. 3. Kassi Price, Plantation, Fla., 14.550. 4. Darlene Hill, Laurel, N.J., 14.250. Uneven Bars 1. Nastia Liukin, Parker, Texas, 16.400. 2. Kassi Price, Plantation, Fla., 15.850. 3. Natasha Kelley, Katy, Texas, 15.800. 4. Ashley Priess, West Chester, Ohio, 15.750. Balance Beam 1. Nastia Liukin, Parker, Texas, 16.300. 2. Natasha Kelley, Katy, Texas, 15.850. 3. Chellsie Memmel, West Allis, Wis., 15.800. 4. Jana Bieger, Coconut Creek, Fla., 15.500. Also: 9. Christine Nguyen, Plano, Texas, 14.450. Floor Exercise 1. Alicia Sacramone, Winchester, Mass., 15.300. 2. Chellsie Memmel, West Allis, Wis., 15.250. 3. Randi Stageberg, Chesapeake, Va., 15.150. 4 (tie). Natasha Kelley, Katy, Texas, and Jana Bieger, Coconut Creek, Fla., 15.100. Also: 6. Nastia Liukin, Parker, Texas, 15.000. 9. Christine Nguyen, Plano, Texas, 14.400.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Houston Chronicle

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