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This is a place for honoring my idol gymnast, Kim Zmeskal. Kim has recently retired from competitive gymnastics permanently. She was coached by Bela Karoyli since the young age of seven, and with his help became the first Women's National All-Around Champion for three consecutive years(1990-1992). She was the first American ever to be World Champion! Most notably, she was in the '92 Summer Olympics; Kim was team captain and helped America to an Olympic Bronze medal. Unfortunately, she had a few mistakes in the individual competitions, and wasn't able to medal individually(she finished 10th). After a struggle with an achilles tendon injury this past year, Kim has finally declared her retirement. You can read about her decision to retire in the March 2000 issue of International Gymnast.

I think it's important to remember what an inspiration Kim was(and is!). Here is one quote that I read in an article; it really stuck in my mind: "Before the '96 Atlanta Olympic Games, where the American women's gymnastic team, dubbed the 'Magnificent 7' won their team gold medal, the first US team, there was Kim Zmeskal, laying the gymnastics groundwork for these champions." I thought it was a quote that really holds true, and was something very good to be noticed. Before those popular seven burst onto the scene, there were six gymnasts, magnificent in their own rights. They are: Kim, Betty Okino, Hilary Grivich, Michelle Campi, Shannon Miller, and Kerri Strug. The "Super Six" started a wave of new younger gymnasts who earned a name for American gymnasts in the world. They did moves that had never done before, won new competitions, and did so at a younger age than any others before them. Therefore, they were setting the ground for the '96 Olympics, where we finally triumphed on a huge scale! I can't wait to see what will happen with the 2000 Olympics in Sydney with so much up and coming talent, not only in the U.S., but also internationally.

You can see some of Kim at Dave Burger's wonderful Kim site. It has lots of cool articles and pictures of Kim! Also check out Valerie's Kim Tribute Page! These are two of the best sites around, but there are plenty of other loyal Kim sites out there. Go to my links section to visit them.

Today, Kim is no longer a mini-gymnast like so many of the new gymnasts are now. Kim is still only about 5 ft., but a very powerful tumbler, and quite MUSCULAR! In an article some people said that they were happy to see a gymnast that was very talented, but still had a bit of body to them! I totally agree, Kim is one of very few gymnasts that is not so skinny they look like they'll break! I read her biography, and it is an excellent source to learn about Kim. If you're interested in buying it, click here.

I went to the '96 John Hancock Tour of Champions and saw her in person. It was great! I went to the '97 tour also, and was even more impressed! I had a floor seating, which was wonderful. I was very pleased to see Kim's trademark routine to "In the Mood"! She rocked on all events! I'm proud to say Kim was definitely the best, and most natural, dancer. I felt she was the best gymnast there, but you would probably expect that, right? Dominique Dawes was really good, too. I even talked to Mary Lee Tracy!! It was incredible! I hope all of you got to see it, I loved the performances. The only thing missing was Jennie Thompson. Still, I was in awe of Kim, and I wish her the best of luck in the future! If you have any special info on Kim, I'd be glad to hear from you!

Kim won the hearts and respect of millions through her early career. And her popularity grew as she made her comeback, as her old faithful fans united with new fans to support her. Our champ has been a symbol of someone who does gymnastics for the sheer enjoyment of it. I think that Kim's a truly awesome gymnast and a great role model for others, and I hope you see that too! See below for a link to her new Official Homepage on the web!

A brief biography...

Name: Kimberly Lynn Zmeskal
D.o.b.: February 6th, 1976
Residence: Kim's currently living in Cincinnati, Ohio, and working at CGA. I've read that Kim plans on returning to her native Texas eventually.
Marital Status: Kim is married to Chris Burdette. The wedding ceremony was held on October 27, 1999, on Bela Karoyli's Texas ranch, where the couple first met.
Achievements: See Kim's biography from the USA Gymnastics website
References: Coming Soon!!