Chellsie Memmel's latest comeback attempt is over. Probably her competitive gymnastics career, too.
The 2005 world champion's petition to compete next month in the national championships was rejected after she fell twice on balance beam and scored an 11.950 at the U.S. Classic on Saturday night. The selection committee had set a qualifying score of 14 points for gymnasts only doing one event at the meet, the last qualifier for nationals.
''That was very hard,'' national team coordinator Martha Karolyi said. ''All of us cried.''
Nationals are June 7-10 in St. Louis. Performances there determine who advances to the Olympic trials, June 28 to July 1 in San Jose, Calif.
Memmel is a three-time gold medalist at the world championships, but her career has been undone by untimely injuries. She missed the 2004 Olympics with a foot injury, and was sidelined for much of 2007 with a shoulder injury. She recovered to make the 2008 Olympic team, but was limited to uneven bars after breaking her ankle five days before the Beijing Games began. She reinjured her shoulder last summer, and had surgery on it in November and again in February.
''I want to thank everyone so much for the support! I really appreciate it!'' Memmel tweeted.
Earlier, Memmel and her father and coach, Andy, said in a statement that she ''gave it her best attempt and just sadly ran out of time.''
Memmel was the second-oldest member of the Beijing squad. She turns 24 next month.
