The U.S. Olympic Team for women’s gymnastics claimed the team silver medal at the 2008 Olympic Games at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China. The U.S. women finished with 186.525 points to earn their second consecutive Olympic team silver medal. China won the gold medal with 188.900 points, and Romania earned the bronze medal with 181.525 points.

“Leaving Beijing with a silver medal is such an honor,” Peszek said. “To have a medal hanging around my neck from the Olympics is remarkable. We’re all so proud of everyone.”

CONGRATULATIONS SAM!!

The U.S. Olympic Team for women’s gymnastics qualified for the team finals at the 2008 Olympic Games by finishing second in the qualification round at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China

For the qualification round, the format allows for five athletes to compete on each event and the top four scores count toward the team score. The U.S. team had an unfortunate last minute surprise just prior to the start of the competition. During the warm-up session, Sam injured her left ankle when landing a tumbling pass and as a result, only competed on uneven bars.

The top eight countries advanced to the team finals. China finished first in the qualification round with a score of 248.275, followed by the USA in second with 246.800. Russia and Romania were third and fourth, respectively, with scores of 244.400 and 238.425, and Australia was fifth at 235.450. Rounding out the team finalists were France in sixth, Brazil in seventh and Japan in eighth. In the team finals, three athletes compete on each event and all three scores count.

Team USA will compete on Wednesday, August 13th to vie for the Team Gold Medal.  Good Luck Sam!!

This past weekend Sam traveled to Philadelphia to compete in the 2008 Olympic Trials.

Sam had a fantastic showing at the Olympic Trials this past weekend.  Sam started off on vault (a strong even for Sam) and scored a great score of a 15.100!  Sam then moved to the uneven bars where she rocked another routine and stuck her dismount for a 15.300. Beam was next and is an event where Sam hopes that she can contribute if selected for the Olympic Team.  She hit another fantastic routine and scored a 15.800!  Finishing up on strong on floor (15.650), Sam certainly proved herself as a strong contender for the Olympic Team.  Sam was currently in fourth place (61.850) behind Shawn Johnson, Nastia Liukin, and Chellsie Memmel.

Quote from Todd Thorton after Night One of Olympic Trials:
Another gymnast who left me with a good impression was Samantha Peszek. In 2004, my coach and I knew the U.S. men’s team was weak on floor, pommel horse and high bar.  Those were my best three events, so we knew I had to really do well on those three to make the team. This year, I see a need for a solid score on beam. Samantha said she thinks she can help the team “on vault and floor for sure…. I’m starting to get a lot better more consistent and calm on beam.” Another performance like the one we saw tonight from Samantha will definitely help her chances of making the Olympic team.

During Finals, Sam started off on the uneven bars.  She hit a solid routine and played it safe by not doing her usual double-double dismount (15.200). Next was beam where she again proved her consistency and scored a solid 15.550.  Floor exercise as again, another strong performance from Sam (15.500) and finishing off the meet on vault with a huge double-twisting yurchenko (15.150)!  Sam placed fourth in the all-around (61.400) behind Shawn Johnson, Nastia Liukin, and Chellsie Memmel.  Sam was named to the Olympic Training Squad and invited to the Selection Camp that will take place July 16-20th.  We wish Sam the best of luck during the weeks leading up to the selection camp!

Congratulations, Sam!

This past weekend Sam traveled to Boston to compete in the 2008 VISA Championships.

During prelims Sam performed solidly on all four events.  She started off on the uneven bars with a great score of 15.15 (A score 6.2).  Next was beam where she had a slight bobble on her series (back handspring layout step-out), but finished the routine with a great finish and scored a 15.4 (A score 6.4).  Sam's strongest events remained (floor exercise and vault) and despite going out of bounds on her first tumbling pass on floor, Sam still scored a 15.2 (A score 6.3). To finish the meet off, she vaulted a great double twisting yurchenko and score a 15.0 (A score 5.8).  Sam was currently in fourth place (60.75) behind Shawn Johnson, Nastia Liukin, and Chellsie Memmel.

Finals was a fantastic showing for Sam.  She started off on beam, an event that she has greatly improved on over this past season, and had a stellar performance.  Sam hit all of her skills and connections for an outstanding score of 16.000!  Next Sam moved to floor exercise where her last pass gave her a bit of trouble.  She didn't quite make it around on her new pass (round off one and a half twist through to round off double pike) and had to put her hands down, scoring a 14.750.  Moving on to bars, Sam persevered and even improved her score from day one by four tenths!  She had great handstand positions and with a clean dismount she scored a 15.550!  Her last event was vault where she again vaulted a great double twisting yurchenko and scored a solid 14.950.  Sam greatly improved her all-around score from day one (61.250).  She maintained her fourth place position behind Shawn Johnson, Nastia Liukin, and Chellsie Memmel.

Since Sam placed in the top twelve she qualified herself to the Olympic Trials in Philadelphia (June 20th & 22nd)! 

Congratulations Sam and Good Luck!

The United States won the team titles for both the junior and senior divisions at the Italy-Spain-Poland-USA friendly competition in Jesolo, Italy.

The USA bested runner-up Italy, 179.050 to 177.950. Spain was third at 151.050, with Poland scoring 150.100. The women on the USA’s senior squad were: Sam, Jana Bieger, Olivia Courtney, Chelsea Davis, Bridget Sloan, and Shawn Johnson.  In the all-around, Shawn Johnson and Sam were the front runner's for team USA.  Shawn placed first in the all around (61.700), Vanessa Ferrari from Italy was second (60.100) and Sam placed third (59.050)!

Congratulations Sam!

This past weekend Sam traveled to New York City to compete in the Tyson American Cup. Team USA included Sam, Nastia Liukin, Shawn Johnson, and Shayla Worley.

Sam had a stellar showing at the American Cup yesterday in Madison Square Garden.  She started off on vault and performed her usual yurchekno double twist and scored a 15.150 (the second highest vault score).  On uneven bars, Sam looked much improved and performed a new combination (giant 1.5 to jaeger) with a new dismount (full twisting double layout) and scored a career high, 15.425!  Next was beam and Sam certainly performed an excellent routine!  She connected all of her skills very smoothly and looked solid and confident throughout which scored her another career high score of a 16.100!  Sam finished out the meet on floor exercise and scored another great score, 15.400.  With an all around score of 62.075, Sam placed third in the all around behind teammates Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson.

Congratulations Sam!

A recent interview with Access Hollywood is now available online www.accesshollywood.com.  Sam answers a few questions about the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games as well as some personal fun facts!

Sam has recently made appearances on the cover of Inside Gymnastics Magazine and International Gymnast Magazine.  She also appeared on the cover of Cathedral Highlights Magazine which also did a featured article on Sam.  Visit in the media to see the magazine covers and to read the article.

Sam and Bridget Sloan were named Indiana’s top athletes of 2007 in the elite female category by the Indianapolis Star. This is the 10th annual year that the Indianapolis Star has named the top athletes with Indiana ties. Athletes are given gold, silver and bronze "medals" in six categories: elite female and male, college female and male, and high school female and male.
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And lastly, the U.S. Women’s World Championships Team was selected as the 2007 U.S. Olympic Committee's Team of the Year for its accomplishments at the 2007 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Stuttgart, Germany.  The USOC SportsMan and SportsWoman of the Year awards have been presented annually since 1974 to the top overall male and female athlete from within the USOC member organizations. The team award was added in 1996 and the Paralympian of the Year was awarded for the first time in 2004. Winners are selected from the individual female and male athlete of the year and team of the year nominations of the USOC and National Governing Bodies for the Olympic, Pan American, Affiliated and Disabled Sports Organizations within the U.S. Olympic Movement.
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