Memmel Gets Limited Work in Gymnastics Training

Chellsie Memmel was an interested bystander, for the most part, when the U.S. women's gymnastics team held its 90-minute training session Thursday at Beijing's National Indoor Stadium, where the women's gymnastics competition gets under way Sunday.

Memmel, who injured her right ankle during practice last weekend, performed on only on the uneven bars and looked on while her five teammates did rotations on the floor exercise, vault and balance beam.

That said, the 20-year-old Memmel, who is from Pittsboro, Ind., turned in a clean performance and showed only a hint of discomfort in her taped right ankle on the landing, which she attempted two additional times after completing her full routine once.

Memmel isn't contending for the all-around title; that privilege has been accorded reigning world champion Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin. But she'll be needed on the uneven bars when the U.S. women compete in Sunday's qualifications and will likely be tapped for other apparatus barring a setback.
U.S. officials have until 1:30 p.m. Sunday to submit the lineup for qualifications, in which four athletes compete on each apparatus, and the top three scores count. For now, they're trying to give Memmel an opportunity to heal, babying the injury as must as possible.