SPORTS ZONE: SHANNON MILLER COMPETING
Shannon Miller is a name that most American households know. She is a two-time Olympian. Shannon was a member of both the 1992 and the 1996 women's Olympic gymnastic teams. The 1996 Olympic team is the group of young girls that captured America's heart at the last Olympics, held in Atlanta, where they won the first ever team gold medal for the United States.
Shannon Miller was the quiet leader of this team four years ago. In January of 2000, she announced that she was training to attempt to make her third Olympic team. The national championships are scheduled for July 29, 2000 and she will compete there on a limited basis on her quest to be an Olympian again.
Miller is recovering from a hairline fracture in her right leg. She has decided to compete in at least two events at the national championships, and maybe more, depending on how her leg feels.
The national championships in July and the Olympic trials in August are the two events that determine which six gymnasts will make the Olympic team.
Sheryl Shade, Miller's publicist, announced that the gymnast plans to compete on the balance beam and uneven parallel bars at the championships in St. Louis. Miller wants to further test the leg in practice before deciding whether or not to compete on the vault or in the floor exercises.
Gymnastics is a popular sport, widely followed at every summer Olympics. The six gymnasts that make the team to travel to Sydney will be decided in August.
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SPORTS ZONE: WNBA ALL-STAR GAME
The Women's National Basketball Association held its annual All-Star game on Monday, July 17, 2000. The West triumphed over the East for the second year in a row by a score of 73 - 61. The West led at the half and never looked back.
Neither team shot the ball too well in the game. The West shot 29.4 % (25-for-85) and the West shot 37.7% (29-for-77). The West persisted despite the 60 missed shots and overpowered with rebounds to earn the victory.
The West won in large part due to the efforts of Tina Thompson. Thompson is a forward on the three-time champion team, the Houston Comets. She earned the Most Valuable Player honors for her performance in the game. Thompson scored 13 points and grabbed 11 rebounds during her playing time.
Thompson commented on her success after the game. "It's a big surprise to me," Thompson said. "They were double-teaming Lisa (Leslie), and we were running a little high-low. I was surrounded by a lot of great players and got some easy looks. Thankfully, I put them down." Lisa Leslie also contributed heavily to the West's win. She led all scorers with 16 points.
The East did display some great basketball. Both Taj McWilliams and Tari Phillips scored 10 points.
The WNBA is in its fourth year of existence. Each year it progresses, and its popularity grows.
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