By Scott Bregman
Action photo by John Cheng
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It's clear for Steven Legendre, who trains at the University of Oklahoma as part of Team Hilton HHonors, that the 2011 World Championships gives the American squad a second chance. Team USA just missed the podium at the 2010 World Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands, finishing fourth.

"Being a Worlds team member last year left me wanting to be up on the medal podium at the end of the meet," Legendre said. "I think that feeling has been fueling and motivating all of Team USA throughout the last year."

It's motivation that's produced impressive results, including a second place finish behind a strong Japanese team led by World all-around champion Kohei Uchimura at the Japan Cup earlier this year in Tokyo. The American squad compiled the highest team total on the pommel horse, traditionally Team USA's weakest event, signaling big improvement.

Earlier this spring, Legendre was named the Nissen Emery Award winner, given to the NCAA's most outstanding male gymnast. As the sixth Sooner to win the award, Legendre joins USA Gymnastics greats Bart Connor and 2011 Worlds teammate, Jonathan Horton, who brought the award to Norman, Okla., in 1981 and 2008, respectively.

The award capped off Legendre's career as one of the most successful Sooners ever. The Port Jefferson, N.Y., native, who was the first Oklahoma freshman to win two NCAA titles, won a total of six individual collegiate national titles (all-around, 2009; floor, 2008-10, vault, 2008-09) and a team title in 2008.

Then this past summer, Legendre earned sixth place in the all-around and took the floor exercise and vault silver medals at the 2011 Visa Championships, adding more accomplishments to his successful career. Legendre also won the floor exercise national title in 2008 and 2009 and the vault title in 2010.

Legendre's performance at the Visa Championships earned him a spot on the 2011 World Championships team, his third consecutive appearance at the event. Legendre has earned a place in the apparatus finals each of the past two years at the Worlds, taking eighth place both years.

"I can't wait to get out there and show the world what Team USA can do this year," Legendre said during a World team training camp at the U.S. Olympic Team Training Center in Colorado Springs.

And what exactly can Team USA do?

National Team Coordinator Kevin Mazieka says he's never been more excited about a team headed to a World championships, "This is an incredible team," Mazieka added. "They're very well-prepared, very focused on the goal, and the goal is to win the team gold medal."

Legendre has already set his sights on next year's Olympic Games in London, where just five men will represent the United States, one less than in the three previous Olympics.

"It gives everybody more motivation to work harder to be one of those five guys," Legendre said in response to the rule change. "I think it will end up making the United States send an even stronger team than before."

It's this positive attitude and the mentality of a true team player that has served Legendre so well throughout his career and that he brings with him to his third World Championships this week in Tokyo, Japan.