2004 Olympics: Top Stories

02:40 PM CDT on Friday, August 20, 2004

By JOHN BANKS / DentonRC.com

At World Olympic Gymnastics Academy in Plano on Thursday afternoon, they could hardly contain themselves after hearing of Carly Patterson's gold-medal performance in the women's all-around in Athens.

John Banks / Dallas Web Sites

Carly Patterson supporters decorated the entrance at the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy in Plano, where the new Olympic individual all-around gold medalists trains.

"Ahhhh!" Sergei Pakanich shouted into the phone. "I'm afraid of losing my voice, I'm so excited!"

Pakanich is the boys coach at WOGA, where Patterson, an Allen resident, has trained under Evgeny Marchenko the past four years.

Pakanich, who followed the event on the Internet, said he had no doubt Patterson would win when she was heading into her final event, the floor exercise.

"That's one of her best events," he said.

Nastia Liukin, 14, trains at WOGA. She is one of the United States' top junior gymnasts and a hopeful for the U.S. Olympic team in 2008 in Beijing. She also is a classmate of Patterson's at Spring Creek Academy in Plano. Liukin heard the result at school when her mother called.

"I can't describe how excited we all are for Carly," she said. "Carly has really, really inspired me."

Eleni Kotsopodis has worked at the front desk at WOGA for the past year and half.

"Carly is really a sweet girl," Kotsopodis said. "She talks with everyone."

Kotsopodis also followed the event at the official Olympic Web site, checking the results every 30 seconds and updating gymnasts and coaches at WOGA. She said knowing the result won't spoil watching the event on TV tonight.

"It will be a blast," she said.

Pakanich said he wouldn't be able to talk with Marchenko, also the U.S. women's assistant coach and WOGA co-owner, until later tonight. But despite the eight-hour time difference between Dallas and Athens, he plans to get ahold of Marchenko in the wee hours overseas.

"Guess what, he's going to be woken up tonight!" Pakanich said.

E-mail jbanks@dallasnews.com