Zmeskal’s Toughest Trial Still Ahead : Gymnastics: The expectations will be greater for world champion at Olympics.

BALTIMORE — She answers questions with sentences that are a little longer than they used to be, and sometimes, Kim Zmeskal even strings together a couple of paragraphs.

It’s all part of growing up and learning to handle the barrage of reporters who clamor to know something more about America’s latest gymnastics superstar.

Zmeskal, 16, has endured nearly two years of hype, criticism and a relentless--but successful--coach. She is still somewhat uncomfortable with the media attention, but it doesn’t interfere with her resolve to win a gold medal at Barcelona.

“Luckily I grew up at Karolyi’s Gym in Houston around Mary Lou (Retton) and Phoebe Mills, so I learned quickly that if you do well, the media would be there,” Zmeskal said. “But I think I have a little more practice on the floor than doing this.”

Zmeskal held a solo news conference Wednesday at the Baltimore Arena, where the U.S. men’s and women’s Olympic gymnastics trials begin tonight. She is favored to win this meet and is considered a favorite to win the gold medal at the Olympic Games this summer.

Zmeskal’s teammates say she is “tough as nails” when she competes, which is good, because her ultimate test lies ahead.

“This is the most expectation I have ever felt for any athlete prepared by me,” said Bela Karolyi, who coaches Zmeskal at his gym in Houston.

“Nadia (Comaneci) had won the European Championships, but she was not world recognized. Nor was Mary Lou. Kim is the world champion; she is recognized around the world as being the most powerful, explosive gymnast. With the pressure and expectations, I hope we can stand up. It is a nerve-consuming test.”

Zmeskal has been strong under pressure. After she won the World Championships at Indianapolis in 1991 over then-Soviet star Svetlana Boguinskaia, critics said she would not have won had the meet been held in Europe.

So Zmeskal went to Europe. She entered a meet she could have skipped--the 1992 World Championships in individual events--and won gold medals in the two events she competed in--the balance beam and the floor exercise.

“Paris was very important to me because I was criticized after winning the World Championships, people saying I only won because it was held in the United States and that I didn’t have enough difficulty in my floor exercise,” Zmeskal said.

“But I proved I could win outside the U.S., and I have upgraded my routine. That was very important to me.”

Zmeskal’s best friend and teammate at Karolyi’s, Betty Okino, is recovering from a stress fracture in her back and will not compete in the trials. But Okino, 17, who alternates in status as the second-ranked U.S. gymnast with Shannon Miller, 15, still has a chance to make the team.

The women’s Olympic team--six gymnasts and one alternate--will not be decided at the trials. Instead, the top seven finishers will advance to a training squad. Okino has successfully petitioned to become the eighth member of this squad, which will be evaluated at a mandatory training camp.

Before leaving for Barcelona, one of the eight gymnasts will be eliminated in a vote by the Olympic coaching staff, a group made up of the coaches of the athletes on the squad and two other officials. Finally, the team will be determined--again by this staff--shortly before the Games begin July 25.

It’s a method that often draws criticism, because a gymnast can finish high at the trials and not make the team. Moreover, of the nine votes that are cast by the Olympic coaching staff, seven of them come from coaches who have gymnasts on the squad. For Karolyi, who could have four gymnasts on the team, the deck is stacked because coaches get one vote for each athlete.

In contrast, the method the men use to pick their team is cut and dried. The top seven finishers in the trials. will make the team, with the seventh-place finisher becoming the alternate.

Gymnastics Notes

Michelle Campi, a member of the 1991 World Championship team, suffered an injured elbow in a training session Tuesday and had surgery. She will not compete, but still has a shot if her score from the U.S. Championships places in the top five scores at the trials.