Hilary Grivich

Hilary Coplin Grivich (May 23, 1977 – May 4, 1997) was an American gymnast and diver. She was a member of the silver-medal-winning American team at the 1991 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships and the 1990 junior national champion in gymnastics.[1]

Hilary Grivich
Full nameHilary Coplin Grivich
Country represented United States
Born(1977-05-23)May 23, 1977
Houston, Texas
DiedMay 4, 1997(1997-05-04) (aged 19)
Houston, Texas
HometownHouston, Texas
DisciplineWomen's artistic gymnastics
LevelSenior international
ClubKarolyi's
Former coach(es)Béla Károlyi; Marta Károlyi
Retired1992
Medal record
World Championships
1991 IndianapolisTeam

One of the original members of the "Károlyi six-pack",[2] Grivich trained under Béla Károlyi in Houston. 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]

Grivich was a contender 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 Márta Károlyi, and some other gymnastics insiders, claimed that U.S. judges had 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.[7][8]

Less than a month before her 20th birthday, Grivich was killed in a car accident on a Houston highway.[8][9] 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. Results from 1990 Jr. Nationals at Gymn-Forum Archived 2008-04-30 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Whatever happened to Amy Scherr?" Archived 2010-01-19 at the Wayback Machine Gymnastics Greats, July 11, 2000
  3. ""Hilary Grivich interview"". Archived from the original on December 1, 1998. Retrieved 2007-10-18.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) 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 Archived 2008-04-30 at the Wayback Machine
  6. EF results from 1992 Nationals at Gymn-Forum Archived 2008-04-30 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ""Grivich diaries speak to young athletes, parents"". Archived from the original on November 19, 2001. Retrieved 2006-02-16.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) John Lopez, Houston Chronicle 1999
  8. ""Hilary Grivich, 1991 World Gymnastics Championships Medalist, killed in car accident"". Archived from the original on January 28, 1998. Retrieved 2006-02-16.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) Luan Peszek, USA Gymnastics press release, May 5, 1997
  9. Associated Press (1997-05-06). "Hilary Grivich, 19, American Gymnast". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
  10. ""Hilary Grivich 1977-1997"". Archived from the original on January 16, 1999. Retrieved 2006-02-16.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) USA Gymnastics, May 1997
  11. Information on the Hilary Grivich Memorial Invitational from US Diving
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