Chellsie Memmel

Passing the torch- Olympic star instills gymnastic passion in next generation

Longmont Times-Call

LONGMONT, CO- Chellsie Memmel doesn’t have a lot of coaching experience.  Area gymnasts are flocking this week to learn from her, however.

Memmel, 21, who was part of the United States’ silver medal-winning gymnastics team at the 2008 Olympics, is coaching local gymnasts at Airborne Gymnastics and Dance.

“I enjoy it a lot,” said Memmel, who has had a busy summer of coaching around the country. “It’s fun for me to come in see the little girls excited to see me and talk to me. It’s very cool.”

Of course, one of the reasons the girls are so excited is that Memmel has been in the spotlight in recent years.

At the 2003 world championships, she won the gold medal on the bars and helped the United States to the team gold medal. She was also the Pan-American Games all-around champion in 2003.

She won a pair of silver medals at the 2005 world championships (bars and beam) and then helped the United States take silver at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

“It’s so exciting, what I’ve been able to accomplish,” the Wisconsin native said. “Becoming a world champion — with the team and as an individual — that’s an amazing thing that only a handful of gymnasts can say. Making an Olympic team, of course, is awesome, and being able to medal, as well. (read more)

The Dallas Morning News

Olympic gymnast Chellsie Memmel stopped by her parents' Milwaukee gym recently with her new puppy, Lexi. Andy Memmel, Chellsie's father and coach, folded up a piece of paper into an airplane and shot it at his daughter.

As Memmel unfurled it, she realized she was looking at a proposal for a new uneven bars routine.

"I could probably do that," she responded, her plans becoming clearer.

The fact that Memmel, in town this week to promote the Aug.12-15 Visa U.S. Championships at American Airlines Center, still wants to compete inspires a "huh?" from many observers.

This is the same gymnast who already won the world all-around title in 2005 and an Olympic silver with the U.S. team in August in Beijing – earned partially by Memmel's gutsy willingness to compete on the bars despite a broken ankle. (read more)

Star-Telegram

It wasn’t until after the U.S. women won the silver medal in team gymnastics at the Beijing Olympics that team member Chellsie Memmel revealed she’d competed with a broken bone in her right ankle.

It’s healed now. Well, "85 percent" anyway. Also healed is the shoulder injury that kept her limited in 2006 and 2007, along with the foot injury that kept her out of the 2004 Olympics. That’s music to the ears of this 20-year-old with the 2009 Visa Championships in August approaching.

"It’s almost healed. I had surgery on it in January," said Memmel, who spent time with 70 gymnasts at Aerials Gymnastics on Wednesday afternoon to promote the championships, which will be at American Airlines Center in Dallas on Aug. 12-15. She also spoke at EveryBody Fits in Coppell and Trevino’s Gymnastics in Lancaster. (read more)

Television Special And 36 City Tour To Bring The Country’s Greatest GymnastsTo Your Home Town For A Sports And Music Extravaganza That Pairs Spectacularly Choreographed Gymnastics Routines With Music From The Disney Music Group Including Live Performances By Hollywood Records Artist Jordan Pruitt And BuenaVista Records’ Artists KSM

New York, NY – Just back from China, the country’s most celebrated gymnasts including reigning World Champion Shawn Johnson, 9-time World Championship medalist Nastia Liukin, 2005 All-Around World Champion Chellsie Memmel, and Olympic medalist Morgan Hamm will join Paul Hamm, Shannon Miller, Blaine Wilson and the U.S. gymnastics team for The 2008 Tour of Gymnastics Superstars. A nationally televised special airing on MyNetwork TV on September 19th from 8:00-10:00pm (EST) will kick off the two month trek across the United States bringing world class gymnastics and music from Disney’s hottest young recording artists to an arena near you.

The 2008 Tour of Gymnastics Superstars will offer fans a unique opportunity to see some of their favorite gymnasts perform live in an extraordinary sports and music extravaganza. In addition to medal-worthy athletic routines the show will feature songs from the Walt Disney Records’ Disney Girlz Rock 2 CD and live performances from teen sensations Jordan Pruitt and KSM. Jordan's new album, Permission to Fly features the single "One Love" and is currently available exclusively at Limited Too stores.  KSM recorded the show’s theme song, “Hero in You,” a new pop/rock anthem written and produced by Matthew Gerrard and Robbie Nevil of “High School Musical” fame.  KSM’s debut album is set for release in 2009.  (read more)