Jordyn Wieber, 13, Soars to Rare Heights

When you're just 13 years old and your name is already mentioned among the likes of Mary Lou Retton and Nastia Liukin, there's no doubt you're a rising star. On Saturday, Jordyn Wieber of DeWitt, Mich., became the second-youngest Tyson American Cup women's champion, scoring 60.2 to beat fellow American Bridget Sloan.

Wieber, who will turn 14 in July, is the reigning junior national all-around champion, but won't be eligible for her first world championships until 2011. And while the road to the London Games will be a long one, her nationally televised performance drew some tremendous praise from other gymnasts.

"Truly amazing" remarked Liukin.

"She's a machine," Sloan said.

"I didn't start doing that vault [Yurchenko mount with 2 1/2 twists] until I was 18 or 19," men's runner-up David Sender said. "She's obviously a very talented little girl. I'm excited to see how she'll do in the next four years."

The future is certainly bright for the youngest American Cup champion since 1980.

Gymnastics Snapshots

HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL - FEBRUARY 21: Mary Lou Retton, former Olympic Gold Medalist in Women's Gymnastics, looks on during the 2009 Tyson American Cup at the Sears Centre on February 21, 2009 in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mary Lou Retton

Getty Images

Joey Hagerty of the USA flies in the air during his Floor Exercise during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

Koko Tsunmi of Japan performs her routine on the Uneven Bars during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates, Ill. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

Bridget Sloan of the USA concentrates before her Uneven Bars routine during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates, Ill. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

Youna Dufournet of France performs on the Balance Beam during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

The hand of Romanian Adrian Bucur powders the bar as he prepares for his Parallel Bars routine during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates, Ill. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

David Sender of the USA performs his routine on the Pommell Horse during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

Kristina Goryunova of Russia performs on the Vault exercise during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

Jordyn Wieber of the USA performs her routine on the balance beam during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

Bridget Sloan of the USA performs on the Balance Beam during the American Cup gymnastics invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in Hoffman Estates, Ill. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)