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Olympic gymnastics hopeful Sloan has strong, big Q-C backing

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By Craig DeVrieze | Sunday, June 29, 2008 |

Bridget Sloan reaches out to grab the uneven bars during the women's second day of competition at the U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials, Sunday, June 22, 2008, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

A large contingent of Quad-Citians will be doing back flips if Indiana’s Bridget Sloan can vault her way onto the U.S. Olympic women’s gymnastic squad in the coming month.

The 16-year-old gymnast is the daughter of a pair of Quad-City area expatriates and has a grandmother, 12 aunts and uncles and 25 first cousins who still call the Illinois Q-C home.

A Q-C crew of 22 was on hand to see the daughter of Mary Cosgrave Sloan (United Township Class of ’78) and Jeff Sloan (Rockridge Class of ’74) attempt to win one of two automatic spots at last week’s Olympic trials in Philadelphia.

Competing on a surgically repaired left knee, Sloan did not manage to upend favorites Shawn Johnson and Nastia Luikin.

She was, however, among 10 contestants invited to join Johnson and Luikin at a team selection camp starting next week at the national gymnastics training center in Houston.

There, U.S. coach Martha Karolyi will select the final four team members, and a pair of alternates, by July 20.

He family anxiously is awaiting word.

“Even if she doesn’t go on to China,” said Karen Garner, a maternal aunt from East Moline, “we are proud of her.”

Mary Sloan will be, too. But she would prefer to go ahead and book a trip to follow her daughter to Beijing, China, where Bridget Sloan competed in the Olympic Test Event last November, finishing first second in the floor exercise, third in the all-around and fourth in the beam.

She also was a member of the 2007 U.S. Women’s World gymnastics team.

After knee surgery in March to repair a torn meniscus and to remove a cyst from her left knee, the teen from Pittsboro, Ind., has been unable to compete in the vault so likely won’t contend for an all-around medal in Beijing.

Her mother said she can compete in the floor exercise and the beam and might be a medal contender on the uneven bars, now her strongest event.

Mary Sloan said the past year has been a whirlwind.

“Very busy, very hectic, very exciting — and all of that rolled into one,” she said.

Bridget Sloan is the granddaughter of Bula Sloan, who resides in Andover, Ill., and of the late Jack and Madelyn Cosgrave of Silvis, Ill.

Sloan also is the niece of Joe Cosgrave, Colona, Ill.; Garner and Sharon Barnes, of East Moline; Joan McDermott of Moline; Ann Lembke, Geneseo, Ill.; and Liz McGehee, Silvis.

Craig DeVrieze can be contacted at (563) 333-2610 or cdevrieze@qctimes.com.