World title brings all kinds of changes for Wieber

Jordyn Wieber's days of being able to blend in with the crowd are over.

The world gymnastics champion still takes two classes a day at DeWitt (Mich.) High School, allowing her some semblance of a "normal" teenage life. Her friends at school aren't gymnasts, and most people outside her social circle have little idea of what she's doing when she disappears for days at a time.

But Wieber's cover was blown when she returned from the world championships in Tokyo, where she won the all-around gold and helped the Americans to the team title.

"Right when I walked in to school, everyone was lined up in this long hallway," Wieber said. "It was a little bit different because usually I try to blend in at school."

Asked if she was happy or embarrassed by the attention, the 16-year-old said, "Kind of a little bit of both. I'm not used to everyone staring at me at school."

She'd better get used to being the center of attention.

Wieber decided to turn pro after the world championships, giving up her college eligibility, and her parents are now fielding commercial offers and endorsement opportunities. She is now the gymnast everyone wants to beat, too, and there will be no shortage of challengers in London, starting with Russia's Viktoria Komova, the silver medalist in Tokyo, and Aliya Mustafina, last year's world champion.

Only four reigning world champions have gone on to claim the Olympic gold, with Lilia Podkopayeva in 1996 the last.

But Wieber and coach John Geddert have already started preparing.

"After two weeks, we started turning the page and thinking about what kind of changes we can make before next year," Wieber said. "I'm working on a few different upgrades, but it still just depends on how it develops and everything. And then basically perfecting some of the things that I have."

Wieber's first competition will likely be defending her title at the American Cup, which is March 3 at Madison Square Garden. And no pressure or anything, but the last two Olympic champions - Carly Patterson and Nastia Liukin - won the American Cup a few months before claiming their gold medals.

"I'm super excited," Wieber said. "I've been (to New York) once before, but it was only for one day and I've never actually competed there. So I'm looking forward to it."

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QUICK RETURN: Olympic gymnastics champion Nastia Liukin doesn't waste any time.

Just a month after announcing her comeback, Liukin has made enough progress to reclaim her spot on the U.S. team. She was added to the national team Tuesday after a training camp at Martha Karolyi's ranch, where gymnasts have to show fitness and readiness to compete. Being a member of the national team makes Liukin eligible to compete at international meets.

Liukin, only the third U.S. woman to win the Olympic title, took most of the past three years off. Though she left the door open to a comeback, she wasn't sure as recently as earlier this year if she wanted to return. But she realized late in the summer that she still wanted to compete, and quietly resumed full-time training on uneven bars, her signature event, along with balance beam and floor exercise. She announced her comeback during last month's world championships.