Kim Zmeskals Texas Prime And Legendz Classic 2015

Meet The 2015 Legendz

Jan 14, 2015 by Becca Reed

The Texas Legendz Classic is part of the annual Texas Prime Meet, hosted by Texas Dreams and Kim Zmeskal. The top level 9 and level 10 finishers from Texas Prime qualify to compete at the Legendz Classic where the audience will be dazzled by a talented group of young gymnasts led by an accomplished group of Legendz Captains. This year's captains are Kyla Ross, Betty Okino, and Lilia Podkopayeva. Each one of these stellar legends are Olympic medalists with a wealth of gymnastics experience and knowledge.

Kyla Ross

2012 Olympic team member Kyla Ross has been one of Team USA’s most consistent and reliable all-arounders. She not only has the poise and grace under pressure, but she has the gorgeous skills and style to contend against the best in the world. Ross was named to the Olympic team her first year as a senior and has been competing successfully the following two years. At the 2013 World Championships she won silver in all-around and on bars and beam. At the 2014 World Championships she won bronze all-around and helped USA win team gold.

Ross is known for her elegant lines and graceful gymnastics. While she is a solid all-around gymnast, she especially shines on bars. She executes beautiful shaposh variations including a Van Leeuwen (toe on shaposh 1/2). With her extensive experience in international competitions she has become a leader and veteran on the National Team.

Betty Okino

Betty Okino was part of the 1992 Olympic Games team where USA won bronze. Okino started gymnastics relatively late at age nine but was bursting with talent and breezed through the levels, reaching elite in just four years. In 1991, she won the American Cup and went on to compete at the World Championships where she won bronze on beam and silver with Team USA. In the 1992 World Championships she earned a silver on bars. At the 1992 Olympics, besides her team bronze medal, she qualified to beam and all-around finals placing 12th all-around.

Okino trained under coaches Bela and Martha Karolyi who saw her potential to be one of the best in the World. Okino was known for her graceful and elegant lines. Balance beam was arguably her best event and she was the first to perform a triple turn, having the skill named after her. She also has a bar dismount named after her- a clear hip under swing with a half twist to a back layout dismount.

Lilia Podkopayeva

1996 Olympic all-around champion Lilia Podkopayeva competed for Ukraine and is regarded as one of the best gymnasts in history. She was a strong gymnast on every single event, though floor was particularly impressive, and she combined power and strength with grace and artistry. Like Okino, Podkopayeva had two skills named after her- a double front half out on floor and a vault of a Yurchenko half on, front pike with a half twist off.

At the 1996 Olympics, Podkopayeva won gold all-around but also won gold on floor and a silver on beam. Podkopayeva also earned numerous World Championships medals. In 1994 she won a gold on floor, silver on beam, bronze on vault, and bronze for team. In 1996 she won gold in all-around, bars, and floor, and bronze on vault and for team.

Related:
The 2014 Legendz