Johnson Leads Senior Women to Finals

DENVER — Defending champion Brandy Johnson scored two 9.75s to take a narrow lead over 14-year-old Kim Zmeskal after the compulsories of the senior women’s competition Friday night at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships.

Johnson, 17, of Altamonte Springs, Fla., outscored Zmeskal, of Houston, 38.675-38.550. When scores were adjusted to weigh the compulsories to count 60% toward the total--tonight’s optionals to count the remaining 40%--Johnson had a lead of 46.410-46.260.

Hilary Grivich withstood a fall from the balance beam on her last event and claimed the junior women’s title. Grivich, 13, of Huntsville, Tex., edged Larissa Fontaine, 12, of Deerfield, Ill., by only 0.05.

Jair Lynch, 18, of Washington, D.C., took the junior men’s crown by a wide margin.

Johnson had her 9.75s in the balance beam and floor exercise. She also scored a 9.725 in the vault and a 9.45 on the uneven bars.

Zmeskal’s best event was the vault, on which she scored 9.75.