Kim Zmeskal

Kimberly Lynn Zmeskal Burdette (née Zmeskal on February 6, 1976) is an American retired artistic gymnast turned gymnastics coach and the 1991 World All-Around champion. A member of the silver medal-winning U.S. team from the 1991 World Championships (the first team medal ever won by the U.S. women at a world championships), she was the first American woman to ever win the all-around title at the World Championships, as well as the first to win a world championship medal of any color in the all-around. A three-time United States national all-around champion (1990–92), Zmeskal is also the 1992 world champion on both balance beam and floor exercise, and was a member of the bronze medal-winning U.S. team at the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, the first U.S. team medal won at a fully attended Olympic Games. She also posted the highest optional all-around score in the qualification round in Barcelona.

Kim Zmeskal
Zmeskal in Jesolo in March 2014
Personal information
Full nameKimberly Lynn Zmeskal Burdette
Nickname(s)Kimbo; President of the Pumpkin Federation
Country represented United States
Born (1976-02-06) February 6, 1976
Houston, Texas, United States
HometownCoppell, TX
DisciplineWomen's artistic gymnastics
LevelSenior international elite
Years on national team1988–1993; 1998–2000 (USA)
ClubKarolyi's Gymnastics, CGA
Texas Dreams (coach)
Former coach(es)Béla Károlyi,
Mary Lee Tracy
ChoreographerGeza Poszar
Eponymous skillsPlanche on beam; Round off, 4 whip backs, back handspring, double tuck
RetiredJanuary 28, 2000
Medal record
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 0 0 1
World Championships 3 1 1
Goodwill Games 0 1 2
American Cup 2 1 0
Total 5 3 4
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
All-Around (OG/WC) 1 1 1
Uneven Bars (OG/WC) 0 0 0
Balance Beam (OG/WC) 1 0 0
Vault (OG/WC) 0 0 0
Floor Exercise (OG/WC) 1 0 1
Total 3 1 2
Women's artistic gymnastics
Representing  United States
Olympic Games
1992 BarcelonaTeam
World Championships
1991 IndianapolisAll around
1992 ParisBalance beam
1992 ParisFloor exercise
1991 IndianapolisTeam
1991 IndianapolisFloor exercise
Goodwill Games
1990 SeattleTeam
1990 SeattleUneven Bars
1990 SeattleFloor Exercise
American Cup
1990 FairfaxAll around
1992 OrlandoAll around
1991 OrlandoAll around

Known for her explosive power and tumbling on vault and floor, Zmeskal is regarded as one of the greatest female gymnasts of all time and arguably the best in the world during the early 1990s. Her all-around win also sparked the beginning of a dynasty of American dominance in women's gymnastics (since 1992, seven American women have won world all-around titles, and 12 of the last 21 all-around world championship titles (including 10 of the last 14) were won by an American) and the reemergence of power and athleticism in the sport.

She currently coaches gymnastics and owns Texas Dreams Gymnastics in Coppell, Texas and annually hosts the Kim Zmeskal’s Texas Prime Meet.

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