Hilary Grivich

Hilary Grivich
— Gymnast —
Full name Hilary Coplin Grivich
Country represented  United States
Born (1977-05-23)May 23, 1977
Houston, Texas
Died May 4, 1997(1997-05-04) (aged 19)
Houston, Texas
Hometown Houston, Texas
Discipline Women's artistic gymnastics
Level Senior international
Club Karolyi's
Former coach(es) Béla Károlyi; Marta Károlyi
Retired 1992
Medal record
World Championships
1991 Indianapolis Team

Hilary Coplin Grivich (May 23, 1977 – May 4, 1997) was a world-class American gymnast and diver. She was a member of the silver medal-winning American team at the 1991 World Championships and the 1990 junior all-around U.S. National Champion in gymnastics.

One of the original members of the "Károlyi six-pack,"[1] Grivich trained under Béla Károlyi in Houston Texas. A strong and consistent competitor, she was the all-around U.S. National Champion in the junior division in 1990.[2] The following year, competing in her first season at the senior level, she was a member of the silver medal-winning American team at the 1991 World Championships, acting as the leadoff gymnast during compulsories and competing second in the lineup on all four events in team finals.[3][4]

Hilary seemed on course for the 1992 Olympics, placing seventh in the all-around[5] and third on balance beam and floor exercise at that year's National Championships.[6] However, at the Olympic Trials she placed eighth and did not qualify for the Olympic squad. Béla and Marta Károlyi and many other gymnastics insiders protested this turn of events, claiming that U.S. judges deliberately underscored Grivich to keep the team from having too many Károlyi club gymnasts.[7]

Grivich retired from gymnastics after the Olympics. In 1993 she switched her focus to diving. After only two years in the sport, she earned a scholarship to the University of Houston. She excelled in NCAA competition and hoped to eventually make the U.S. Olympic team as a diver.[8][9]

Less than a month before her twentieth birthday, Grivich was killed in an early morning car accident on a Houston highway. A scholarship with the Strake Jesuit Scholarship Fund was established in her name.[10] In addition, Grivich's diving club, Woodlands Diving Academy, used to hold an annual elite meet in her honor, the Hilary Grivich Memorial Invitational, before renaming it the "Laura Wilkinson Golden Invitational." [11]

References

  1. ↑ "Whatever happened to Amy Scherr?" Gymnastics Greats, July 11, 2000
  2. ↑ Results from 1990 Jr. Nationals at Gymn-Forum
  3. ↑ "Hilary Grivich interview" at the Wayback Machine (archived December 1, 1998) Nancy Raymond, International Gymnast, May 1991
  4. ↑ "Hilary Grivich, 19, American Gymnast" New York Times obituary, May 6, 1997
  5. ↑ AA results from 1992 Nationals at Gymn-Forum
  6. ↑ EF results from 1992 Nationals at Gymn-Forum
  7. ↑ "Grivich diaries speak to young athletes, parents" at the Wayback Machine (archived November 19, 2001) John Lopez, Houston Chronicle 1999
  8. ↑ "Hilary Grivich, 1991 World Gymnastics Championships Medalist, killed in car accident" at the Wayback Machine (archived January 28, 1998) Luan Peszek, USA Gymnastics press release, May 5, 1997
  9. ↑ "Grivich diaries speak to young athletes, parents" at the Wayback Machine (archived November 19, 2001) John Lopez, Houston Chronicle 1999
  10. ↑ "Hilary Grivich 1977-1997" at the Wayback Machine (archived January 16, 1999) USA Gymnastics, May 1997
  11. ↑ Information on the Hilary Grivich Memorial Invitational from US Diving
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