Kristal Uzelac
Encyclopedia
Kristal Dawn Uzelac is a retired American gymnast
. She was considered to be one of the United States' most promising junior gymnasts in the late 1990s, and was the U.S. junior all-around National Champion for three consecutive years.
was born on June 27, 1986 to parents Donnie and Brenda. She has one older brothers, Donnie, and a younger sister and brother, Brandy and Alan. Her mother, aunts and grandmother are all involved in gymnastics as coaches.
Uzelac began gymnastics at the age of two at her mother's gym, Turners. She also played baseball and was a wrestler, but ultimately chose to dedicate her time to gymnastics. When she was eight, Uzelac began training at the Parkettes National Gymnastics Training Center
in Allentown, Pennsylvania
, where she made rapid progress. She was a member of the TOPS national developmental team in 1995 and 1996, and, at the age of 11, won the all-around title at the Junior Olympic national championships and qualified as an elite.
. She won the all-around bronze medal behind Morgan White
and Ashley Postell
. The gymnastics community began to take notice of Uzelac, who stood barely over four feet at the time, as her second day balance beam score was the highest of the field, and her overall total was just over a tenth away from capturing the title. Uzelac was a member of the American squad for the junior competition at the 1998 International Team Championships, where she placed second with the U.S. team and fifth in the all-around. She also competed in the 1998 Canberra Cup in Australia, an important meet for junior gymnasts, where she placed 10th all-around and won silver medals on vault
and floor exercise.
In 1999, Uzelac began her domination of the junior ranks. She won all-around at both the U.S. Classic in Rochester, New York
, and the American Classic in Ponoma, California, and, at the 1999 U.S. National Championships, captured the all-around, floor, balance beam and vault titles. Uzelac also enjoyed success in international competitions: she was a member of the first-place junior U.S. team, and won the floor exercise title, at the 1998 International Team Championships in Richmond, Virginia
. Uzelac also competed in two dual meets: USA vs. Canada in Toronto
, and USA vs. France in Normandy
, France
. She won the team, all around, uneven bars, and beam titles at both meets.
Uzelac won the junior all-around title in 2000, and again in 2001, which made her the only gymnast ever to win three consecutive junior all-around National Championships titles. She competed at the 2001 American Cup
, where she placed third in the all-around and beam and second on floor exercise. Uzelac was named to the American team for the 2001 Goodwill Games
, but was replaced by fellow Parkettes teammate Tia Orlando after spraining her knee in training.
In 2002, Uzelac was eligible for senior competition. She competed at the 2002 U.S. National Championships, but injuries forced her to withdraw from three events on the second day of competition. The 2002 Pacific Alliance Championships was Uzelac's last major international meet. She was a member of the gold medal-winning U.S. team, won an individual gold medal on vault, and placed third in the all-around.
After leaving elite gymnastics and taking a year-long break, Uzelac returned to compete in NCAA gymnastics for Penn State. She was a member of the PSU team for the 2004-2005 season, during which time she won the uneven bars and balance beam titles at the 2005 Big Ten Conference.
Gymnast
Gymnasts are people who participate in the sports of either artistic gymnastics, trampolining, or rhythmic gymnastics.See gymnasium for the origin of the word gymnast from gymnastikos.-Female artistic:Australia...
. She was considered to be one of the United States' most promising junior gymnasts in the late 1990s, and was the U.S. junior all-around National Champion for three consecutive years.
Early years
UzelacUzelac
Uzelac is a South Slavic surname. The name originates in the Balkan area in countries of former Yugoslavia such as Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro...
was born on June 27, 1986 to parents Donnie and Brenda. She has one older brothers, Donnie, and a younger sister and brother, Brandy and Alan. Her mother, aunts and grandmother are all involved in gymnastics as coaches.
Uzelac began gymnastics at the age of two at her mother's gym, Turners. She also played baseball and was a wrestler, but ultimately chose to dedicate her time to gymnastics. When she was eight, Uzelac began training at the Parkettes National Gymnastics Training Center
Parkettes National Gymnastics Training Center
Parkettes National Gymnastics Training Center, or Parkettes for short, is a gymnastics club located in Allentown, Pennsylvania that had its beginnings in the early 1960s with a middle school gymnastics program in Allentown that gradually grew into an intramural program and then into a facility that...
in Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
, where she made rapid progress. She was a member of the TOPS national developmental team in 1995 and 1996, and, at the age of 11, won the all-around title at the Junior Olympic national championships and qualified as an elite.
Gymnastics career
Uzelac's first major competition as an elite gymnast was the 1998 US National Championships in Indianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. She won the all-around bronze medal behind Morgan White
Morgan White
-Career and film information:Best known to a generation of Hawaii viewers as "Pogo Poge" in the locally-produced Checkers & Pogo show, White also wrote and produced several episodes of the show. Checkers & Pogo, which ran from 1967 to 1982 and produced by KGMB/Honolulu, is considered the...
and Ashley Postell
Ashley Postell
Ashley Postell is an American artistic gymnast. Postell was a member of the United States National Gymnastics Team from 1997 - 2004...
. The gymnastics community began to take notice of Uzelac, who stood barely over four feet at the time, as her second day balance beam score was the highest of the field, and her overall total was just over a tenth away from capturing the title. Uzelac was a member of the American squad for the junior competition at the 1998 International Team Championships, where she placed second with the U.S. team and fifth in the all-around. She also competed in the 1998 Canberra Cup in Australia, an important meet for junior gymnasts, where she placed 10th all-around and won silver medals on vault
Vault (gymnastics)
The vault is an artistic gymnastics apparatus, as well as the skill performed using that apparatus. Vaulting is also the action of performing a vault. Both male and female gymnasts perform the vault...
and floor exercise.
In 1999, Uzelac began her domination of the junior ranks. She won all-around at both the U.S. Classic in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, and the American Classic in Ponoma, California, and, at the 1999 U.S. National Championships, captured the all-around, floor, balance beam and vault titles. Uzelac also enjoyed success in international competitions: she was a member of the first-place junior U.S. team, and won the floor exercise title, at the 1998 International Team Championships in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. Uzelac also competed in two dual meets: USA vs. Canada in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, and USA vs. France in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. She won the team, all around, uneven bars, and beam titles at both meets.
Uzelac won the junior all-around title in 2000, and again in 2001, which made her the only gymnast ever to win three consecutive junior all-around National Championships titles. She competed at the 2001 American Cup
American Cup (gymnastics)
The American Cup, is an elite senior level international gymnastics competition held in the United States, and is generally considered to be one of the first major competitions of the Gymnastics season, as it is held in March or February of each year. In 1978-79 the event was sponsored by Dial and...
, where she placed third in the all-around and beam and second on floor exercise. Uzelac was named to the American team for the 2001 Goodwill Games
Goodwill Games
The Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s...
, but was replaced by fellow Parkettes teammate Tia Orlando after spraining her knee in training.
In 2002, Uzelac was eligible for senior competition. She competed at the 2002 U.S. National Championships, but injuries forced her to withdraw from three events on the second day of competition. The 2002 Pacific Alliance Championships was Uzelac's last major international meet. She was a member of the gold medal-winning U.S. team, won an individual gold medal on vault, and placed third in the all-around.
After leaving elite gymnastics and taking a year-long break, Uzelac returned to compete in NCAA gymnastics for Penn State. She was a member of the PSU team for the 2004-2005 season, during which time she won the uneven bars and balance beam titles at the 2005 Big Ten Conference.