US Olympic Gymnastics Trials: Why Alicia Sacramone Must Be Named to Team USA

Alicia Sacramone is making a statement at the U.S. Olympic Gymnastic Trials that she needs to be a part of the team that heads to London. This is a position that few thought she would ever be in again.

After all, it was just last year that Sacramone tore her Achilles tendon at a global meet, and a torn Achilles tendon is most definitely not a sprained ankle or a twisted wrist.

This is a serious injury that has ended careers in many sports, and in the world of narrow windows that is women's gymnastics, this injury seemed like it would be the nail in the coffin to Sacramone's career. 

At 24, Sacramone is already far older than the typical teenage gymnast Olympic competitor. At her age, most gymnasts would have thrown in the towel after tearing their Achilles. Shoot, most would be calling it a career just because they were past their prime or burnt out.

Don't tell that to Sacramone, though. She is back and looking strong. 

She scheduled herself to compete in just two events at these rials, and she needed to be impressive in these events to show she was fully recovered and ready to compete at an Olympic level. 

Sacramone looked good in the vault Friday night while earning scores of 15.700 and 15.375. The 15.7 was the fifth highest score of the event. This has been Sacramone's strongest event, and she finished fourth on the vault in 2008 in Beijing.

In her other event, the balance beam, she had a little wobble but was still crisp enough to earn third in the event.

Why She Must Make the Trip to London

Sacramone needs to be on this team not just for her talent and potential, but also because of her experience and leadership. She was a member of the 2008 Beijing silver medal squad and is the only one with a realistic shot of joining this squad.

2008 member Shawn Johnson retired after tearing up her knee while skiing. 

Nastia Liukin, the 2008 Olympic all-around champion, fizzled in the uneven bars while landing on her rump on her dismount.

Bridget Sloan, the only other 2008 member at these trials, was forced to withdraw after spraining her elbow.

That leaves Sacramone as the one 2008 member ready to bring a sense of calm and experience to what figures to be a very young team. 

It won't be announced until Sunday night who the five members of the 2012 Olympics team are, but Sacramone needs to be one of them. 

Her return from injury is as inspiring as it is impressive. It is shocking how far back she has already made it, and she figures be in even better form when the Olympics roll around. 

Sacramone is ready to compete for a medal in the vault, and even more importantly, she is ready to add the experience this team will sorely need as they head to the brightest stage gymnastics has to offer.