Alicia Sacramone

American gymnast Alicia Sacramone was selected to join the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, and was elected team captain.

On August 13, 2008, missteps during Sacramone's balance beam and floor exercise routines contributed to a convincing gold medal win for the Chinese team. The Americans won the silver medal, but questions loomed over the unusual two-minute hold placed on Sacramone before the balance beam event.ESPN: Team final result should not define Sacramone (August 13, 2008) The silver medal that Sacramone won in the team competition was her only medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.NBC Olympics: Gymnastics Medalists

Alicia Sacramone on Winning Silver

"We would have loved to have that gold, and because of my mistakes, we missed out."ESPN: Team final result should not define Sacramone (August 13, 2008)

"It's kinda hard not to blame myself, so I am just trying to put on a smile."ESPN: Team final result should not define Sacramone (August 13, 2008)

Gymnastics Career

Sacramone won her first major competition in 2005, when she took home first place in vault and floor exercise at the Visa Championships. She also won the floor exercise at the 2005 World Gymnastics Championships. Sacramone repeated as vault champion at the Visa Championships in 2006, 2007 and 2008. In 2007, she helped the U.S. team bring home the team championship at the World Gymnastics Championships. This was that the first time the U.S. had won the championship outside of the country. Sacramone was sidelined in early 2008 with an ankle injury, but managed to return for the Visa Championships and the U.S. Olympic team trials, where she won both vault events.

Career Highlights

2003: U.S. National Gymnastics Championships, third place floor exercise
2004: World Cup of Gymnastics, second place vault
2004: National Elite Podium Meet, first place vault and floor exercise
2004: Visa Championships, second place vault
2005: World Cup of Gymnastics, first place vault
2005: Visa Championships, first place vault and floor exercise
2005: World Gymnastics Championships, first place floor exercise
2006: Visa Championships, first place vault and floor exercise (tie)
2006: World Gymnastics Championships, second place vault, second place team
2007: Visa Championships, first place vault
2007: World Gymnastics Championships, first place team, second place floor exercise
2008: Visa Championships, first place vault, second place floor exercise
2008: U.S. Olympic gymnastics team trials, first place vault
2008: Summer Olympics, silver medal team