SUCRE, Bolivia, September 17, 2016 – Team USA won three gold and one silver medal at the 2016 Junior Pan American Championships at the Poligimnasio Complejo Deportivo Coliseo Max Toledo in Sucre, Chuquisaca, Bolivia. The gold medalists are Andrew Bitner of Buford, Ga./Gymnastix Training Center, Vitaliy Guimaraes of Arvada, Colo./5280 Gymnastics, and Bennet Huang of Palo Alto, Calif./West Coast Olympic Gymnastics Academy. Competition concludes on the 18th with the last three event finals.
In the floor exercise final, Guimaraes tied for first with Brazil’s Bernardo Actos Miranda with a 14.025. Jose Toro of Columbia was third (13.625).
The USA went one-two on the pommel horse. Huang took the gold with a 14.025. Bitner was second at 13.575. Miranda claimed a bronze medal with a score of 13.525.
Wrapping up the first day of finals, Bitner struck gold on the still rings, posting a 13.700. Miranda was second at 13.425, followed by Argentina’s Santiago Mayol in third with a 13.350. Justin Ah Chow of Miami, Fla./Universal Gymnastics, just missed the medals podium, finishing in fourth at 13.275.
Thursday, the USA won the team gold and the all-around silver and bronze medals.
WCOGA’s Vince Miller is the U.S. men’s coach, and Samuel Phillips of Woodland Hills, Calif./Gymnastics Olympica, is the replacement athlete.