INDIANAPOLIS – Twenty years later history repeated itself, as gymnastics great Carly Patterson ( Allen, Texas ) took after Mary Lou Retton by winning the women's all-around gold medal, the most coveted medal in the sport.

Patterson's near flawless performances on beam and floor gave her the edge on 2003 World Champion Svetlana Khorkina from Russia , whom Patterson finished second to at the World Championships in Anaheim, Calif.

After a high scoring 9.725 on balance beam and dismounting with a smile, Carly went into the fourth and final rotation in first place. Needing a 9.54 on floor exercise to earn the gold, as the last competitor Carly nailed every skill, posting a 9.712 for a total 38.387. Khorkina finished the competition with a 38.211, and China 's Zhang Nan took the bronze with a 38.049.

“My coach just told me to have fun and do a good floor routine and do the best I can,” Patterson said. “I knew I had to do a good floor routine.”

Team USA 's co-national champion and U.S. Olympic Committee's June Athlete of the Month Courtney Kupets placed ninth with a 37.112.

Carly Patterson and Courtney Kupets will be showcasing their skills to music and lights at the 2004 T.J. Maxx Tour of Gymnastics Champions, soon coming to a city near you.

Joining Olympic all-around champion Carly Patterson will be her Olympic silver medalist teammates Mohini Bhardwaj, Athens Test Event champion Courtney McCool, two-time national vault champion Annia Hatch, team world champion Terin Humphrey and two-time national all-around champion Courtney Kupets . The tour will kick-off Sept. 15 in Tallahassee , Fla. and will also feature 2004 Olympic men's silver team medalists Brett McClure, Guard Young and Jason Gatson. Rhythmic gymnastics and trampoline and sports acro are also planned to be featured, with the final athlete roster to be announced following the Games.

Tickets are on sale now for the T.J. Maxx Tour through arena box offices and other area outlets in the 38-city post-Olympic tour. The tour will showcase extraordinary gymnastics in a fun, non-competitive environment. Audience members will flip, twist and shout for their favorite gymnasts, as they perform in unison with music.

USA Gymnastics owns and operates the T.J. Maxx Tour of Gymnastics Champions, and will conduct the tour in partnership with the Arena Network. As in the highly successful 2003 Tour, the 2004 T.J. Maxx Tour will be under the creative direction of One Reel and The Howard Company.

2004 T.J. Maxx Tour of Gymnastics Champions Schedule

Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for the sport of gymnastics in the United States. Its mission is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport. For more information about USA Gymnastics and its programs, access USA Gymnastics online at www.usa-gymnastics.org.
- USA Gymnastics -