After finishing fourth in the all-around at her country's national gymnastics championships on Saturday in Chemnitz, Germany, University of Utah gymnast Daria Bijak was informed Tuesday morning that she has made the German Olympic team for the Beijing Games in August. More...

Utah team of Olympians: [QUOTE] "I could tell she was excited, thrilled, dream-come-true, and now she wants to stay healthy and get there (to Beijing) and be on the (competition) floor," said Ute coach Greg Marsden, who spoke to Bijak on Tuesday morning after she'd been informed she made the team. Bijak joins other Ute Olympic team members like Cheryl Weatherstone (Great Britain 1984), Missy Marlowe (USA 1988) and current teammate Gael Mackie (2004 Canada). [/QUOTE] Injuries, harder gymnastics, harder injuries: [QUOTE] "She was excited. The last time she had this opportunity, that the German team qualified as a team, she was injured, ruptured her Achilles and didn't get to be on the team," Marsden said. "It's been a roller coaster ride," he added, as Bijak has had several injuries that hampered her both in college and while she was competing on the international scene before she came to Utah. She was eighth all-around in the 2005 World Championships, 20th in 2003 and is a two-time German national all-around champion. [/QUOTE] 2-time German National all-around champion! Politics & gymnastics: [QUOTE] But Germany did not qualify as a team for the Olympics in 2004, and in 2000, Bijak missed the Olympics with the Achilles problem. She's had knee and ankle problems since joining the Utes

Yup! Chuso and Hamuchen defend their German National Champion titles, all-around scores here: http://www.gymchat.com/messageboards/showthread.php?p=72133#post72133