Published: July 01, 2008 09:22 am            

Gymnast fighting for Olympic spot

As a young girl, Bridget Sloan remembers watching the 1996 Olympics with her father, running around the living room, trying to imitate the gymnasts she saw on TV. In 15 days, the Pittsboro resident – who recently celebrated her 16th birthday – will have a chance to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic Women’s Gymnastics Team.

“Every little girl has big dreams, but I do remember watching the Olympics saying, ‘I can do that too,’” Sloan said. Though she missed an opportunity to clinch a spot on the team in June’s U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Sloan was invited to attend the Women’s Olympic Selection Camp in Huntsville, Tex. July 16-20. There, the team’s final four members –and alternates – will be selected.

“I’m going to go in with the same attitude,” she said. “I’m just going to go in and hope for the best. My whole attitude on the Olympic experience is to have no regrets.”

Sloan was a member of the 2007 World Championships Team that won a gold medal, won the all-around at the 2007 U.S. Classic, and finished third all-around at the 2007 Good Luck Beijing International Tournament – a pre-Olympics meet.

Gaining momentum as the Olympic Team Trials approached, the unthinkable happened for Sloan – she suffered a knee injury (torn meniscus) warming up for a meet in Italy in early March.

“The biggest problem was she was in routine shape and it was just a matter of polishing and maintaining – then (with the injury) we had to build it back up,” said Marvin Sharp, Sloan’s coach of more than 11 years.

While she returned in time for the 2008 Visa Championships June 5, her knee wasn’t quite 100 percent and she didn’t participate in the vault or floor exercise. She still placed third on the uneven bars and seventh on the balance beam.

Two weeks later, she took part in the Olympic Team Trials in every event except for the vault. Sloan finished eighth in the uneven bars, 12th on the balance beam, and 14th on the floor exercise.

“With every accomplishment, you always want to do things better,” she said. “The second day could’ve gone better, but it was good to go out and show what I could do.”

With about two weeks before the selection camp begins, Sloan is busy perfecting her routines in Indianapolis with Sharp, who expects her to participate in all four events. From now through July 16, Sloan will train about five hours a day, six days a week.

At the camp, Sloan and nine other athletes will compete for a trip to Beijing, and the athletes that can bring the most to the team will earn the spots.

“For the Olympics, the team is the No. 1 priority,” Sharp said. “We think she has a very good chance on the uneven bars and that’s a very strong event for the Chinese Team – we hope that will help.”

Competing in the Olympic Team Trials, Sloan has been getting plenty of media attention. She’s been on television, has had numerous stories written about her, and even participated in a question and answer session with fans on ESPN.com.

“It’s awesome to have people coming up to talk to you that you don’t even know,” Sloan said. “My friends see me on TV and say, ‘I know her.’ Some of my friends are finally realizing what I do and I’m like, ‘yeah, why do you think I’m never at the parties.’”

Sloan hasn’t yet thought about trying out for the 2012 Olympic team, when she’ll be 20. For now, all of her focus is on giving it her best at the selection camp.

“She’s committed to the work and puts the time in,” Sharp said. “She’s very talented, but we see talented people come through here that aren’t committed. She took the direction she’s been given and went to work.”

        

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