COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Sept. 7, 2019 – In accordance with the official selection procedures, six-time U.S. all-around champion Sam Mikulak of Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center, automatically qualified for the U.S. Men’s World Championships Team following the conclusion of the World Team Selection Camp competition at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. The Athlete Selection Committee chose the remaining team members: Trevor Howard of Columbus, Ohio/Ohio State University; Akash Modi of Morganville, N.J./Stanford University; Yul Moldauer of Arvada, Colo./University of Oklahoma; Shane Wiskus of Spring Park, Minn./University of Minnesota; and Allan Bower of Chandler, Ariz./University of Oklahoma, traveling alternate. Mark Williams of the Oklahoma is the head coach for the team that will compete at the 2019 World Gymnastics Championships, Oct. 4-13, in Stuttgart, Germany, where the men hope to qualify the USA for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

Mikulak won the all-around with a combined total of 348.450, which is the total of the two-day scores from both the U.S. Championships and the selection camp competition. Modi was second at 336.250, followed by Wiskus in third with a 334.500. Moldauer was fourth (333.950), with Bower in fifth (329.800). Howard of Columbus, Ohio/Ohio State University, as well as Donnell Whittenburg of Baltimore, Md./U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center, did not compete in the all-around today, and Colin Van Wicklen of Magnolia, Texas/University of Oklahoma, did not compete in the all-around at the U.S. Championships. Their four-day rankings were: Howard, sixth, 316.150; Whittenburg, seventh, 313.700; and Van Wicklen, eighth, 164.550.

Today’s top three for each event are as follows.

  • Floor exercise: Moldauer, 14.500; Modi, 14.200; Bower, Van Wicklen, Wiskus, 14.150
  • Pommel horse: Mikulak,14.700; Bower, 14.050; Modi, 13.650
  • Still rings: Mikulak, 14.400; Howard, 14.200; Moldauer, 14.150
  • Vault: Howard, Van Wicklen, 14.600; Whittenburg, 14.500
  • Parallel bars: Mikulak, 15.500; Wiskus, 14.650; Modi, 14.450
  • Horizontal bar: Mikulak, 14.000; Modi, 13.950; Wiskus, 13.650

The five-man team and traveling replacement athlete were determined based on a combination of the two-day all-around score from both the 2019 U.S. Championships and the World Selection Camp. Discretionary selection of the team involved a variety of factors, including which combination of gymnasts yields the best team score; ability to qualify to the team finals; and medal potential in the all-around and individual event finals. Mikulak, as the all-around champion based on the combined scores, automatically was named to the U.S. World Championships Team. The second-place all-around gymnast could have automatically qualified if he finished in the top three in three of the six events. For complete information about the selection process, please check the official selection procedures.

The members of the Selection Committee are Mike Serra, JD Reive, Jonathan Horton, Russ Fystrom and Brett McClure. In accordance with the selection procedures, an independent observer will attend the selection meeting, and a written report will be provided to the athletes, coaches and general public. The team will be named within 24 hours of the conclusion of competition.