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Show The Salt Lake Tribune OLYMPICS Friday, July 25, 1997 C4 U.S. Olympic Heroes: One Year Later ceanu back at Karolyi’s Houston gym. Strug was knownalmost as much forher Betty Boop-on-helium voice as for her gymnastics. THE DALLAS MOR: HOUSTON — It is a Saturdayafternoon at the Galleria, and Kerri Strug is making what is known in That madeit all the moreironic last summer when she vaulted — literally and figuratively — into the celebrity-athlete endorsement biz as a “public appearance.” The tiny Olympic gymnastis dutifully swathed in Danskin clothing — she has a tidy little leotard deal America’s sporting consciousness. Her vault will remain a part of Olympic lore and legend, but the odds of seeing her on another Olympic team areas long as with the company — andfor the next two hours she sheis short. “There's a whole new generation [of gymnasts] will sign a couple hundred autographsfor a lineup of budding gymnasts, pimply teenage boys and blue- coming up,” she says. “It’s not impossible, but when you get older, you realize there’s moretolife than haired grandmothers. Strug,19, is sitting barefoot in a desk chair, and her feet do not touch the floor. It has been almosta yearsince the 4-9 Strug, with freshly torn ankle ligaments, performed the valiant vault that helped the U.S. women’s team win the gold medalat the Atlanta Olympics. Ask herto list her highlights from the past year and the excitement fairly tumblesout: “It really all started with the night of the vault when wegot to meet BruceWillis and Demi Moore. Then we met the Dream Team. Then the closing cer- emonies. We went to the White House and metthe president. Then I went on Rosie O'Donnell and Jay Leno. ThenI went back to see President Clinton for his 50th birthday party, and I met Aretha Franklin and all these big-time celebrities. Tony, wh, uh, yeah, Bennett, the singer, and all those older kinds of people.” Strug says she has becomefamiliar enough at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue that the White House guards just wave her through, saying, “Hi, Kerri, nice to see you again.” This, remember, was the young woman of whom her coach, Bela Karolyi, said before the Olympics, “She'll never be on a Wheaties box.” Well, she and her teammatesdid get their Whea- ties box, and Strug’s social calendar has been jammedever since Atlanta. She made cameo appearances on “Beverly Hills 90210,” “Touched By An Angel” and “Saturday Night Live.” She was on a Barbara Waltersspecial, there was a voiceover for an upcoming “King of the Hill,” and she and writer John P. Lopez recently finished her autobiography, “Landing on MyFeet: A Diary of Dreams.” The bookis due out in thefall. And then there was the time she got to meet the Dallas Cowboys — after a game, in the locker room. “I didn't know if I wanted to meet them THAT way,” she said, giggling, adding that she’s “a big Troy Aikman fan.” Forall the euphoria surrounding the U.S. team’s gold medal, there were some hurt feelings after Atlanta. Strug, the star of the moment, decided not to join the rest of her teammates ona post-Olympic exhibi- tion tour sanctioned by USA Gymnastics. Instead, she signed with anothertour for $1.1 million, about four times what her teammates were getting on the “official” tour. But Strug’s tour foundered and eventually sus- pendedoperations. Her agent, Leigh Steinberg, says she has been paid just $265,000 so far. They have sued the tour operator in federal court. The USA Gymnastics tour is starting up again in the fall and, this time, Strug will be a partofit.Jill Peterson of Steinberg’s agency says the deal already has been signed. “I’m going to go on tour with my teammates,” Strug says matter-of-factly. “It [will] be good for me and theother girls — and for gymnastics in general.” The tour schedule — weekends only — will fit nicely with the demands of being a UCLA sophomore. Last summer, almost immediately after the Atlanta Games, Strug headed off to Westwood for her freshman year. “Education has always been a priorityin the famik ays Ann Strug, Kerri’s aunt, wholives in Houston. ‘As important as gymnastics.” But it’s not everycollege freshman who arrives on campus trailing a posse of TV camera crews. “The first week was crazy,” Kerri says, “but now it’s fine. “It’s nice that during the week I can just be me. I don’t have to impress anyone or worry that someone’s looking at me. I just go to class like everyone else, eatat the cafeteria,stuff like that.” Collegelife has been a heady revelation for Strug, from biology and English to art history and jazz. She also has pledged sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta. “Gymnastics has taught me so much, but at the sametime, I’ve realized it's not everything — there's so much moreand it’s all so exciting. I went to my first college basketball game, my first football game, my first party, myfirst date, that sort of thing, It’s all new and different and exciting.”” Her first date? Would she care to talk about that experience? “No!” shesi just gymnastics. You realize maybe that chapter. of some breathing trouble and hadto befished out of the Intracoastal Waterway. Jenny Thompson(gold medals in three relays — 400 freestyle, 800 freestyle and 400 medley) set a short-course world record in the spring and signed a major sponsorship deal with Jansport. Martina Moraveova, another SMU star,represented Slovakia in the Olympics. She won threetitles at the '97 NCAA championships — the 100-meter freestyle, the 200 free in NCAA-recordtime and the 200 IM — and was named the outstanding swimmerof the meet. Moravcovahas spent mostof the spring in Dallas, preparing for a meetin Bratislava, Slovakia, another Olympic team. After the Atlanta Games, oO SOFTBALL Nine members of the gold medal-winning U.S. team played two weeks ago in the Superball ’97 in- Qo Florida, Dolan pushed himself too hard, got into the U.S. women’s team,hassaid he will never coach Arenareturnedto D.C. United andled it to the inaugural MLS title. can boxer to win a gold medalin Atlanta, and he did so in dramatic fashion, knocking out the highly favored Alfredo Duvergel of Cubain the final round. Reid, 22, from Philadelphia, turned pro almost immediately after the Olympics. He finished fourth in the 1996 USOC SportsManof the Yearvoting. ation. During a 10-kilometer open water race in matches. He had a nasty feud with New England Coach Frank Stapleton overhis time spent with the national team and away from the Revolution. Bruce Arena, the men’s Olympic coach, angered by what he saw as U.S. Soccer’s favoritism toward WHEREARE THEY NOW? o BOXING David Reid (gold, 156 pounds) was the only Ameri- remains a spokesmanfor the American Lung Associ- nament, more MLS and World Cup qualifying your life has to dwindle down.” oO The '96 Summer Olympics began last July 19 in Atlanta. Here’s an update on what some of the prominent — and not so prominent — U.S. athletes from those Gamesare doing today: been dating Spanish Olympian Claudia Franco and she wants to play through 2000. Alexi Lalas, the high-profile, wild-haired defender on the U.S. men’s team, has struggled because of the grueling run of pro soccerin Italy's Serie A, then the Major League Soccer season, the Olympic tour- then the European Championships, then the World University Games. She'll be a junior at SMU in the fall. oO TRACK AND FIELD Michael Johnson(gold medals in the 200- and 400meterraces)still lives in Dallas, splitting his training time between Dallas and Waco. After the Olympics, he vacationed in California and Hawaii, madepersonal appearancesin Japan, and published a book on ternational tournamentin Columbus, Ga. Their 1-0 loss to Australia in thefinalwasthefirst U.S. tourna- mentloss since 1983. Three of the Olympic pitchers arestill with the U.S. team — Lisa Fernandez, Mi- chele Smith and Lori Harrigan. Ralph Raymond, the Olympic head coach, coached the Superball team. Dot Richardson (team gold,third base)left Atlanta the day after the gold-medal game to begin serving her residency in orthopedic surgery in Los Angeles. motivation and goal-setting entitled “Slaying the Dragon.” In his recent 150-meter match race with Richardson, 35, still plays top-level club softball, for the California Commotion. She wasalso on the U.S. Olympic 100-meter champion Donovan Bailey, an extravaganza held in Toronto's SkyDome, Johnson pulled up with a leg injury. He earned $500,000, but team that played an international series July 4-6 in CYCLING Lance Armstrong (12th in the road race, sixth in the timetrial) was diagnosed with testicular cancer in October. He is in remission and has beenriding quite a bit lately, although not competitively. He’s still under contract to his pro team, Team Cofidis. Althoughhe is not riding in the Tour de France, he gave a speech at a Tour stage this year in honor of deceased teammate Fabio Casartelli. Armstrong is active in cancer-awareness events, principally through his Lance Armstrong Foundation and the AmericanCancerSociety. o Oklahoma City. Her forthcoming bookistitled “‘Liv- the injury kept him outof the U.S. national champi- ing the Dream.” Christa Williams (team gold, pitcher) graduated from Pasadena(Texas) Dobie High School and was a standout for UCLA as a freshman.Sheled the Bru- onships. Hehasreceived a wild-card exemption that will allow him to defend his world championship title next month in Athens. Sandra Farmer-Patrick (400-meter hurdles) has ins to second place in the NCAA tournament, pitching every gamein thefinals. She’sstill on the nation- been suspended by the U.S. and world track federa- tions for an elevated testosteronetest. The resident al team. oO SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING of Pflugerville, Texas, says sheis “100 percent inno- cent.” Randy Barnes(gold medal, shot put) recently won Becky Dyroen-Lancer (team gold) has retired. Longthe top U.S. synchro swimmer, she helped the the U.S.title in the shot. The former Texas A&M athlete will be on the world championship team go- United States qualify for the FINA World Cupthat DIVING Mark Lenzi(silver, springboard) has returned to school at Indiana University to seek a second degree in telecommunications. The 1992 gold medalist is working as an intern this summer at Dallas TV station WFAA. MaryEllen Clark (bronze, platform) has virtually retired — just notofficially. Clark still lives in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., but is reportedly not doing any diving, training or coaching. She travels a lot making motivational speeches and public appearances, and shestill works as a vitamin distributor. Oo GYMNASTICS Dominique Moceanu (team gold) trained for Atlanta alongside Kerri Strug at Bela and Martha Karolyi’s gym in Houston. Both left the Karolyis after the Olympics. Moceanu’s father, a Houston car dealer, has built her a huge new gym in Spring, Texas, and sheis training with a former Romanian gymnast, Liviu Mazilu. Her father says she has grown “a cou- was held last week in China. She will coach part-time for the Santa Clara Aquamaids and plans to complete her degree in elementary education. Jill Sudduth (team gold) is studying veterinary medicine at San Jose State andwill get married later this summer. In last October's FINA World Cup qualifying meet, she swam duetwith longtime partner Becky Dyroen-Lancer. oO SWIMMING Southern Methodist University All-America Ryan Berube (gold medal, 800-meter freestyle relay) asked Michele Stackhouse to marry him just before the Olympics, and they were married in Dallas last month. The wedding wasin Lakewood, with a recep- tion at the Hall of State at Fair Park. Berube and Stackhouse, a former SMU cross-country runner, honeymooned in New Zealand. Ryan, who is represented by Roger Staubach’s agency, worksfora fi- have not been adversely affected. Shannon Miller (team gold and gold on balance beam) is a student at the University of Oklahoma. Miller, the most decorated gymnastin U.S. history nancial planning corporation in Dallas. Brad Bridgewater (gold, 200-meter backstroke)is still living in Les Angeles, training with coach Mark Schubert at USC. Bridgewater is represented by Gold Medal Management, sprinter Michael Johnson’s agency. Steve Nunno’s gym in OklahomaCity and at Oklahoma — and she'll compete in the World University Games this summer in Sicily. finally went on her honeymoon to Africa, the vacation that she and husband, Alan McDaniel, were put- mer campsat their ranch in New Waverly, Texas, north of Houston. It’s not clear whetherthe Karolyis will continue to coach Olympic-class gymnasts. Dominique Dawes (team gold, bronze on floor ex- tional Team in Colorado Springs, where she'll train ple of inches” since the Games, but her gymnastics with seven Olympic medals;is still training — at Bela and Martha Karolyi are running their sum- ercise) has performed in the Broadway production of the musical “Grease.” Jair Lynch(silver, parallel bars) retired after the Olympics and has moved from California to Washington, D.C. Lynch, a Stanford graduate, recently took five other gymnasts to Trinidad — his father’s birthplace — to give gymnastics clinics to 7,500 school children. This spring, he also took broadcasting classes at American University. o SOCCER Mia Hamm (teamgold) continues to play for the U.S. national team that won the prestigious U.S. Women’s Cup in June. She scored six goals in the Amy Van Dyken(golds in the 50- and 100-meter freestyles and the 400 free and 400 medley relays) ting off until after the Olympics. She'll competein the U.S. Swimming Championships whichbegin Saturday. Van Dykenrecently joined the Resident Naunder coach Jonty Skinner. Gary Hall Jr. (gold medalin the 400-meter freestyle relay and silver medals in the 50- and 100meterfreestyles)is living in Phoenix and competing occasionally. The guy who wore leather pants onto the pool deck at the Olympic Trials now sports a gold front tooth with a diamondstarinit. Janet Evans (sixth in the 800-meter freestyle) has retired. The three-time Olympianlives in Pasadena, Calif., and refers to herself as ‘a world-class shop- rn” Tom Dolan (gold medal in the 400 IM)left the University of Michigan in the spring andis training with the renowned Curl-Burke team in Virginia. He was pictured on Wheaties boxesafter the Games, has ing to Athens next month. oO VOLLEYBALL Karch Kiraly (gold with Kent Steffes, beach volleyball) is back playing on the AVP beachtour after sustaining a rotator cuff injury that required offseason surgery. Steffes, meanwhile, has teamed with Brazilian Jose Loiola, and they've been dominating the AVPcircuit. Kiraly, still not 100 percent, is currently playing with Adam Johnson. Bob Ctvrtlik (men’s indoor team)is playing on a four-man team in the Bud Light Pro Beach Volleyball League. Ctvrtlik, 33, captain of the ’96 Olympic team, took his family to Italy over the winter as he playedin theItalian pro indoorleague. o WEIGHTLIFTING At 412 pounds, Mark Henry (14th place, superheavyweight) was the biggest Olympianat the Atlanta Games, The Silsbee, Texas, native signed a 10year, multi-million dollar contract with the World Wrestling Federation. While preparing for his ring career, he broke a bonein his lower leg. He had to havea rod inserted in the leg and could not train for lifting or wrestling. He told the U.S. Weightlifting Federation he might try to come back in 1998 or ’99 for a shot at the 2000 Olympic team. o WRESTLING Kenny Monday(sixth place, 163 pounds,freestyle) lives in Tulsa, Okla., where he has opened a wres- tling school. He also owns a Subway sandwich shop and a gourmetcoffee shop. He and Kevin Jackson, a ’96 teammate, fought in an Ultimate Fighting exhibi- tion in Des Moines, Iowa,after the Atlanta Games. Bruce Baumgartner (bronze, heavyweight, free- style) is still the head coach at Edinboro State. Baumgartner, 36, who won medals in four consecutive Olympics, has not officially retired. Kurt Angle (gold, 220 pounds, freestyle) is working as weekend sports anchor on the Fox TV station in Pittsburgh. Heis also taking acting lessons. Matt Ghaffari (silver, superheavyweight, GrecoRoman) remainsin great demand asa public speak- er. He also gives wrestling clinics and works as the assistant wrestling coach at ClevelandState. In addition to a 3-year-old daughter, he and his wife now have 4-month-old twins. tournament and was named Most Valuable Player. Hamm, whogrew up in Wichita Falls, Texas, is married to a Marine Corpspilot-in-training, and theylive in Pensacola, Fla. She played in a USOC celebrity golf tournament last month in Dallas and has a full schedule of soccer campsand clinics planned for the summer. Endorsements include TV spots for Nike eyesrolling, face blushing Strug had always been something of a gymnastics wallflower, even as she made the Olympic team in 1992 and again in '96. She was neverthestarattraction — not even in her own gym — as she trained with world champion Kim Zmeskal in Houston, then with world champion Shannon Miller in Oklahoma City, then with national champion Dominique Mo- and Pert shampoo, Hamm said she intends to com- pete through the 1999 Women’s World Cupand the 2000 Olympics. Carla Werden Overbeck (team gold) of Richardson was the U.S. captain in Atlanta and is nowan assis- tant coach at Duke. Sheis expecting a baby in August and hopesto rejoin the U.S. team in the fall. She said 1997 Chevy Corvettes $701 SouTH STATE SUNTANA RACEWAY “Utah's Fa www.utahracing.com/ STREET © 264-3636 JULY 26" Rick Warner Auto Group presents 4100 Cudillac CREATING A HIGHER STANDARD, LARRY H. MILLER er ee eT fone Ot 4 RSUy CAL Also, NASCAR Grand Americans Gates open at4 pm Racing at 7 pm hie iban hae Tickets & Information - 298-2980or 489-8669 iesFags Coming Aug.9-NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Tour Suntana Raceway - Springville, Utah, Take |-15 exit 263, use the East frontage road. |