Olympic-caliber gymnasts begin competition today
| • | 2004 Pacific Alliance Championships gymnastics events |
Advertiser Staff
 |
| Hall of Fame coach Bela Karolyi will attend the Pacific Alliance Championships.
Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser |
Find out what top officials say about the artistic events for today's Pacific Alliance Championships at the Stan Sheriff Center on Page D3.
Considered by organizers as the most prestigious gymnastics event ever hosted in Honolulu, the Pacific Alliance Championships is an Olympic-caliber competition that includes the three top men's teams (China, USA, Japan) and three of the top four women's teams (USA, Australia, China) in the world.
"You're going to see athletes vying for spots on the Olympic team here," USA Gymnastics President Bob Colarossi said. "What you see here is a preview of what you're going to see at Athens."
Team USA is coming off a seven-medal performance at the World Championships last August, including a first-ever world team title for the women, and a men's team silver. The World Championships is viewed by officials as a barometer for August's Olympic Games in Athens.
Team USA will be led by all-around and floor exercise world champion Paul Hamm, two-time reigning national rhythmic champion Mary Sanders and world medalists Carly Patterson and Katie Heenan.
The event is expected to draw 225 Olympic hopefuls from more than a dozen countries.
