Alexandra Barac

From 2000-2001, this young gymnast has set herself apart from others with her unique talent and skills. The simple fact that her best event was the uneven bars made her very different from many gymnasts from her country. With Romania not known in the recent past for producing strong bar workers, Alexandra was an exception to the "Romanian Rule". Alexandra's international debut was to be the 2000 Junior Europeans, although an emergency case of appendicitis required surgery and she was unable to compete. Turning sixteen in 2001 made her eligible for that year's World Championships, and Romania badly needed her bar routine. Unfortunately, Alexandra sustained a back injury early in the fall. Originally it seemed minor, and she was sent home to Sibiu to rest while her teammates competed in Holland. Her coaches hoped she'd recover to participate in the National Championship and possibly the Worlds, but doctors realized her back injury was a serious condition known as a herniated disc. Alexandra is now at home attending high school and exploring another area in which she has talent - art. Although it will most likely not involve gymnastics, her future most likely holds great promis