What Goes Up, Must Come Down

It seems as though in every Olympic cycle there is that one girl who emerges onto the scene as one to watch. In the years leading up to the games, she proves herself time and time again, and just when you think she's nailed down her spot on the Olympic Team, her fire dies down- she doesn't live up to her full potential. This girl is Kristie Phillips. She is Dianne Durham. She is Shayla Worley. One moment there on top of the world, representing their country and winning medals galore. But next, their dealing with injures, burning out, or just plan not good enough. In other words, what goes up, must come down.

After becoming the US Junior National Champion for the 2nd year in a row, 14 year old Kristie Phillips was on the fast track to fame. Sports Illustrated was quick to dub her as "The New Mary Lou" on the cover of their September 1, 1986 issue and many fans considered her a shoe in for the 1988 Olympic Team. In 1987 Kristie was on top of her game, winning the US National Championship, two American Cup titles, and several medals at the Pan Am Games. She was also being coached by the best coach in the world, Bela Karolyi. "Things were going too well." Bela wrote in his autobiography Feel No Fear "A few months before the Senior National Championships in 1988, Kristie disappeared. No explanation, no goodbye. She and her mother moved to California to be coached by Don Peters. That was not a smart move." Karoyli exclaimed. During her time spent at SCATS, Kristie's body began to change. She wound up placing 7th at the Olympic Trials but ranked 8th when the scores from Nationals were factored in. She was told that she would travel to Seoul as an alternate, but Rhonda Faehn ended up being the only alternate sent. "The elimation of Kristie was not only cruel, but a waste." said Bela "Even if she was only strong on beam, she belonged on the team! Her beam routine was one of the best in the world, she was virtually guaranteed to bring home a medal in that event. Kristie and her mother did not take the news well, but there was nothing I could do. I packed my bags, and left for Seoul." Bela said.

(Photo belongs to Sports Illustrated)

Another one of Karolyi's star pupils in the 1980's was Dianne Durham. She was Bela's frist elite gymnast in the United States and (like Kristie) a two time Junior National Champion. She was the training partner and close rival of Mary Lou Retton. In fact she beat Mary Lou for the All Around title at the 1983 National Championships, as well as placing 1st at the Pre-Olympic Games meet. (Mary Lou got 2nd)  Dianne's chances of making the Olympic Team looked great until an unexpected vistor came into the gym one day. "A man named Scott Crouse flew into Houston. He met with Diane and her parents, and persuaded Diane to leave my gym" Bela recalls "Scott was a former technical director for the U.S Gymnastics Federation. He is a man who considers himself the greatest technical gymnastics specialist in the country. He told the Durham's that I was favoring Mary Lou; he told them that since Mary Lou was white and that Dianne was black we favored her. He said we didn't have any experience with black people and that for Dianne the best way to get the exposure and training she needed was to move to his gym." Karoyi said "I was upset that the Durhams didn't discuss this with me. They just left." It didn't last for long however and Dianne was back in time to compete at the Olympic Trials. After compulsories, Dianne was in 3rd place. During the 2nd day of competition, Dianne had a bad landing on her first vault; her arm slipped off the horse and she landed short. While it wasn't a failed vault, she only received a 9.45. She had sprained her ankle and Bela instructed her not to do her 2nd vault, her first score was good enough to maintain a high enough position. Her last event would be the bars, so it wouldn't be too much pressure on her ankle. While Bela was helping Mary Lou get ready for her next event, assistant president Cherly Grace told Dianne that she didn't need to compete bars, she told her she could petition on to the team and that she shouldn't make her injury any worse, but Bela didn't like the sound of that. He told Dianne to compete anyways. "I watched Dianne chalk up. It was almost time for her to begin her bar routine. I ran over to spot Mary Lou and when I ran back to the bars, Dianne was not on the podium. 'Marta' I yelled, 'did Dianne already perform?' Marta pointed to the bench where Dianne was sitting. 'Dianne, didn't I tell you to get ready for bars?' Bela asked 'Yes, but I'm skipping the event because of my ankle. They told me to skip this event. It will be okay!' Dianne replied. I stormed over to the jury and demanded that Dianne be given the chance to compete bars. They told me that her chance was over because she had already scratched." Bela recalls. Dianne ended up placing 9th and 15 minutes after the competition was over,the team was announced. Dianne was not on the team. "The rules stated that no athlete could qualify for the Olympic Team without finishing the competition. Since Dianne had scratched herself from bars, she was automatically eliminated from the team. Don Peters had watched Dianne scratch herself knowing that by doing so she would be eliminated. He just let it happen, quiet like a fish. And with the emlinination of Dianne, a space was opened for one of his gymnasts. It was a heartbreaking moment. In my life I have never been so hurt or frustrated. I blame the U.S.O.C and myself. I do not think Cheryl Grace acted viciously. Her intention was not to eliminate Dianne.  She acted according to some rule of decency, for Dianne's welfare." said Bela. When the 1984 Olympic Team left for the Games. Dianne Durham ended her gymnastics career.

(Photo belongs to Tom Theobald)

In 2004, Hollie Vise appeared to almost be a lock for the Olympic Team. In the previous year she helped team USA to their first ever gold medal at the 2003 World Championships. She also won the gold on the Uneven bars in the event final (a place where team USA was lacking). She trained with the world's best at WOGA and captivated the attention of many fans with her beautiful lines and amazing flexibility. But for Hollie, the dream was not to be. She suffered from a back injury and was forced to pull out of the National Championships. She competed at the Olympic Trials on beam and bars. A fall on balance beam during the Olympic Selection Camp may have contributed to her failure to make the Olympic team. The team needed vault specialists and Vise was a bar and beam specialist. The 2004 Olympic Team announcement was broadcasted on television which caused some controversy among many people, Vise included."With the camera people zooming in on me while I just sat there. I was like, ‘Go focus on the Olympic team,’ and my coaches are trying to hide me by hugging me, but the camera person is shooting around them. And, seriously? That’s evil. You know, it would have been absolutely terrible, no matter what, but to have it live on TV definitely made it worse. The whole world was watching and I was trying so hard not to cry. And I cried and the whole world saw me. It was really emotional. I’m glad they never made anyone else go through that. I don’t think anyone deserves a moment like that. It’s great for the six or seven people that make it, but devastating for those that don’t. It should be done in private. I've never seen it. I've never watched it. I'm sure my parents have it. Let's just say I don't think that would be the first thing I'd show my kids someday." Hollie told Inside Gymnastics Magazine in an interview after her college gymnastics career had come to a close. "It seemed like I was sitting there forever. They were still in their meeting and everyone was talking and laughing around me and I was like, ‘How are you all so calm right now?’ I was just sitting there, staring straight forward. They finally came out and I was thinking, ‘Whatever they say right now is about to change my life. Either everything I worked for is about to pay off or everything I’ve done has been a waste of time.’ Looking back, that wasn’t true, but it’s how I felt at that moment. So they came out and started announcing names and Carly (Patterson) got announced and I was happy for her. But I could see it on her face too, that she was happy, but she was just waiting for them to say my name. She wanted me to be there with her. But they got through the whole team and I wasn’t up there. And then it was over and I’m just stuck sitting on this bench thinking, ‘What do I do now? Can I leave?’" Hollie took some time off from the sport and then signed to compete with the University of Oaklahoma.

(Photo belongs to Etsuko Ikeda)

Many fans were shocked to learn that 2007 World Team member and All Around silver medalist at the 2007 National Championships, Shayla Worley also failed to make the Olympic Team in 2008. She had been battleing some injurys and was not in good enough shape to compete when the games rolled around. Many fans expected to see Worley on the team and perhaps she did as well, considering she was asking for donations on her website to cover the cost of the trip for her and her family, months before the Olympic team was even announced. This upset alot of fans and the video that Worley had posted on YouTube was promptly taken down.

(Photo belongs to Inside Gymnastics)

Unfortunatley these stories are not rare. It appears as though in every Olympic cycle, a very talented gymnast will be left of the team for reasons beyond her control. Just look at Kristal Uzelac, Morgan White, or Jennie Thompson. It really makes you wonder with the 2012 Olympics quickly apporaching, who will be left off the US team. With so many talented girls in this quad, it will no doubt be a difficult decision for Martha Karolyi. The USA has a team with more depth than ever before and many people who were once considered locks for the team (Shawn Johnson, Bridget Solan, Alicia Sacromonie, and Rebecca Bross) have their spots on the team at question. Only time can tell, who will make it...and who won't.