Biography: TALAVERA, Tracee

Tracee Talavera matured as an elite gymnastic competitor more quickly than seems possible. She is one of the few or the only gymnast to actually make an Olympic Gymnastic Team when she was still too young to compete. Coaches Dick and Linda Mulvihill, USGHOF Inductees, certainly had to feel they had a lot to work with in their gym when Tracee showed up. Tracee’s quick rise to the top had to make them proud. Tracee chose, for reasons of her own, to change coaches in the middle of her best years. As I read about Tracee Talavera, I cannot help but recall that I have known many athletes in different sports that were simply winners. Talavera appears to be one of them-simply a winner.

Tracee Talavera has competed in multiple national and Olympic competitions. Dick and Linda Mulvihill at the National Academy of Artistic Gymnastics coached her throughout most of her career. In 1983, Tracee switched gyms and coaches to work with Mike Lynch at Golden Gate Gymnastics in Concord, CA. Junior National  Championships: Gold-AA, UB, & BB, (1978). Olympic Games: Silver-Team, Los Angeles and 4th place V, CA-USA, (1984); Selected for Women’s Olympic Gymnastic Team in Moscow (qualified #1 for U.S. Team), but the U.S. boycotted these Games, and she did not compete, (1980). World Gymnastic  Championships: Tracee earned a place on the World Championship Team in 1979, but she was disallowed from competing due to her age. She was 13 years young. Bronze-BB, Moscow, USSR, (1981); USAG Championships: Gold-UB, Bronze-AA, 4th-FX, (1979); Silver-AA, Silver-UB, Silver-FX, (1980); Gold-AA & BB, (1981); Gold-AA, Silver-BB & UB, 4th FX, (1982); 8th AA, Gold-BB, Bronze-V, (1984). American Cup  Championships: Gold-UB, BB, & FX, Bronze-AA, (1979); Gold- AA, UB, BB, & FX, (1980); Silver-AA, (1981); Bronze-AA, (1982), Bronze-AA (P), Gold-BB. National Sports Festival: Gold-AA, UB, & BB, (1979), Gold-UB & BB, (1980). Additional International Competitions: Hungarian Inv. 7-AA, 4th UB and BB, (1979); Chunichi Cup, (1980); USA VS. China: Silver-AA, (1982); USA VS. USSR, (1983); USA VS. Canada, (1984). General: Tracee has a skill named after her, and it is acknowledged as a “Talavera” by the FIG. The skill consists of a series of “Flairs” on the BB. (See Insert)

Sources: Major data and photos courtesy of Jerry Wright, author of Gymnastics Who’s Who, 2005. Additional data provided by USA Gymnastics 2003-2004 Media Guide. Introduction, commentary, and formatting by Dr. Larry Banner, Web Manager.