
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, August 28, 1993                   TAG: 9308280273
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: SALT LAKE CITY                                LENGTH: Short

MILLER WINS GYMNASTICS TITLE

Shannon Miller, reprising the artful precision that won her a world championship and an Olympic silver medal, captured the national all-around gymnastics title Friday night.

In optional round of competition in the National Gymnastics Championships, the 4-foot-10, 79-pound, 16-year-old from Edmond, Okla., easily outdistanced the field. She scored a 9.9 for an uneven bars routine highlighted by a high pirouette exit and flawless landing, and followed with 9.85 balance beam exercise featuring four backward somersaults and a twisting backward dismount.

Dominique Dawes, fourth coming out of Wednesday's compulsories, used a 9.825 score on the bars and a 9.675 on the beam to supplant Amanda Borden. A floor routine featuring powerful, tight flips gave the 16-year-old from Silver Spring, Md., a 9.8 score, and moved her into second place.

It was as close as Miller would allow. Although Dawes edged the champion 9.8 to 9.75 on the vault, the final event of the evening, Miller wrapped up the all-around title with 78.41 points to Dawes' 77.44.

Kerri Strug started well, earning a 9.85 on the bars, but after a sub-par 8.85 beam exercise, the Tucson, Ariz., 15-year-old fell to third. Borden, 16, of Cincinnati, finished fourth.

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by CNB