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Kristen Maloney Personal information Full name: Kristin Ann Maloney Country Represented:  United States Date of birth: March 10, 1981 (1981-03-10) (age 28) Hometown: Pen Argyl Discipline: Women's artistic gymnastics Eponymous skills: Maloney (uneven bars)

Kristin Ann Maloney (born March 10, 1981, Hackettstown, New Jersey), also known as Kristen Maloney, is a retired gymnast from Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania, United States, who was coached by Jack Carter in the 2000 Olympics. Maloney was also the U.S. senior all-around National Champion in 1998 and 1999 and the 1998 Goodwill Games gold medalist on the balance beam.

Gymnastics career

Maloney trained at the Parkettes National Gymnastics Training Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and was a consistent member of the U.S. national gymnastics team from 1993 to 2000. She competed in a variety of minor international competitions as a junior elite and, as a senior, qualified for the 1996 Olympic Trials.

Although Maloney only finished fourteenth at the Trials and received little media attention in the shadow of the "Magnificent Seven", she was one of the most prominent American gymnasts from 1997 to 2000. The U.S. National Champion in the all-around in 1998 and 1999, Maloney was a key member of the American team at several major international meets. She participated in the 1997 and 1999 World Championships teams, earned a gold medal on the balance beam at the 1998 Goodwill Games in New York, and won the all-around at the 1998 Pacific Alliance Championships. Maloney ended her elite career at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, where she placed fourth with the American team and nineteenth in the individual all-around.

After the Olympics, Maloney attended UCLA on a full athletic scholarship and competed in NCAA gymnastics with the Bruins. There she earned All-American honors and scored perfect 10.0s at several meets, functioning as a strong team leader. In her final college competition, the NCAA Championships, Maloney placed second in the all-around behind teammate Tasha Schwikert, won gold on vault and floor, and displayed Olympic-level technique by successfully completing a double-twisting Yurchenko vault and a full twisting double layout on floor exercise.

Maloney was plagued by persistent injuries throughout her elite and collegiate careers. A nagging stress fracture led to placement of a titanium rod in her leg (whence her name "K-Rod" among some fans). In the wake of one wave of extremely serious injury and illness, Maloney missed two full years of competition with the Bruins; her subsequent return to full form earned her UCLA's C.H.A.M.P.S. Inspirational Award.

Maloney graduated from UCLA in 2005 and worked as a gymnastics coach in California. One of her gymnasts was Shavahn Church, a member of the British national team. She was living in Europe and working with Cirque de Soleil.She is now attending Drexel University for a degree in teaching.

Skills

Maloney has a skill named after her in the Code of Points; a toe-on Shaposhnikova transition on the uneven bars.

Vault: Double-twisting Yurchenko

Uneven bars: The Maloney; Gienger; full-twisting double layout dismount

Balance beam: Front tuck mount; wolf jump half-wolf jump-Rufolva; back handspring-layout-layout; punch front; back handspring-two foot back handspring-two foot layout; back handspring-back handspring-double back dismount

Floor exercise: Full-twisting double layout; double layout; punch front through to triple twist; double back

Awards and honors

• 1999: James E. Sullivan Award: Finalist
• 1999: USA Gymnastics Gymnast of the Year

External links and references

• USA Gymnastics biography
• UCLA Bruins biography
• Full list of competitive results at Gymn Forum