Sandy Woolsey, 17, the No. 8-ranked female gymnast in the world, and Albuquerque's Lance Ringnald, who came to Salt Lake City an unknown two years ago and left as the youngest member of the men's Olympic gymnastics team in 20 years, will head the two-man, two-woman American team for the U.S. Olympic Cup multinational gymnastics meet in Salt Lake City June 23-24.
Woolsey and Ringnald were chosen by the U.S. Gymnastics Federation to compete in the first-ever Olympic Cup competition, which will also include a boxing competition to be held simultaneously in the Salt Palace. The gymnastics will be held at the Huntsman Center.Also on the American gymnastics team that will meet teams from Cuba, Canada, the German Democratic Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany and the Soviet Union will be Ohio State University student Mike Racanelli, the first U.S. gymnast to win an event title at a major international men's competition since 1984 when he took gold on floor in the Chunichi Cup; and 14-year-old Kim Zmeskal, a student of Bela Karolyi and 1990 McDonald's Cup winner.
Woolsey trains with Stormy Eaton at the Desert Devils club in Scottsdale, Ariz., the same club that produced Kristi Pinnick and Jessica Smith of the University of Utah NCAA champions.
Woolsey's No. 8 ranking comes from her eighth-place finish in the World Championships last fall. Since, she finished fourth at the McDonald's Cup, fourth at the Moscow News Invitational and fourth despite injury in the Pyramid Challenge against East Germany. Two years ago, she ranked 25th in the country.
Ringnald came into the 1988 Olympic Trials in the Salt Palace expecting little; he'd been seeded 18th going into the qualifying meet in Houston but moved into fifth and an Olympic berth with his performances in Salt Lake City.
Tickets for the gymnastics/boxing Olympic Cup meets are available at the Salt Palace, Huntsman Center and Smith's Tix.