July 4, 2003

Three make U.S. team
GAGE gymnasts fare well at U.S. Championships

By Bill ALthaus
The Examiner

Great American Gymnastics Express (GAGE) coaches Al Fong and Armine Barutyan-Fong are in Houston at the selection camp for the upcoming World Championships and Pan American Games in Santa Domingo.

The Fongs are there with gymnasts Courtney McCool, Terin Humphrey and Sarah Shire, who recently returned from the U.S. National Gymnastics Championships in Milwaukee.

All three GAGE gymnasts earned berths on the USA National Gymnastics team and their positions on future U.S. teams will be determined over the next four days at the selection camp.

McCool, from Lee's Summit, placed second all-around, second on the vault and balance beam and fourth on the uneven bars in the junior division at the U.S. championship event.

Humphrey, of Bates City, placed fourth on the uneven bars and sixth all-around. Her two performances were aired by NBC last Saturday and Sunday.

Shire, of Sweet Springs, Mo., placed fourth on the vault and 15th all-around.