2000 U.S. Olympic Team Named
Boston – Blaine Wilson, 26, (Columbus, Ohio) continued his domination by taking the all-around title at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, scoring 116.545. Wilson, a five-time U.S. National Champion and 1996 Olympian, was almost two and a half full points away from the nearest competitor.
The 2000 Men’s Olympic Gymnastics Team consists of twins Morgan Hamm and Paul Hamm (Waukesha, Wis.), Stephen McCain (Houston, Texas), John Roethlisberger (Falcon Heights, Minn.), Sean Townsend (Dallas, Texas) and Wilson. Jamie Natalie is the team alternate.
Trent Wells withdrew from the competition due to a left knee cap injury.
Results
- Blaine Wilson (Columbus, Ohio) 116.545
- Paul Hamm (Waukesha, Wis.) 114.125
- Sean Townsend (Dallas, Texas) 113.090
- Stephen McCain (Houston, Texas) 112.945
- Jamie Natalie (Wilmington, Del.) 111.775
- Morgan Hamm (Waukesha, Wis.) 111.735
- John Roethlisberger (Falcon Heights, Minn.) 111.455
- Yewki Tomita (Tucson, Ariz.) 111.350
- Justin Toman (Wallingford, Conn.) 110.230
- Guard Young (Provo, Utah) 110.045
- Brett McClure (Mill Creek, Wash.) 109.975
- Jay Thornton (Augusta, Ga.) 109.110
- Mike Dutka (Houston, Texas) 108.735
- Raj Bhavsar (Houston, Texas) 107.845
- Jim Foody (Addison, Ill.) 107.540
- Chris Young (Winston Salem, N.C.) 105.700
- Trent Wells (Berkeley, Calif.) 95.460
Forty percent of the score from last month’s John Hancock U.S. Gymnastics Championships combined with sixty percent of the score at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials was used to determine a final ranking.
The top four gymnasts automatically earned a spot on the Olympic Team. The final two positions were selected by the men’s program committee.
For complete results, please check www.usa-gymnastics.org.
QUOTES
Bob Colarossi, USA Gymnastics President
“It was a great competition tonight. We saw everything that amateur sports is all about. We feel we have selected the right team. We have a good mixture of young and old and a balance on every event. We really feel this team is going to go to Sydney and be able to bring us home a medal.”
Peter Kormann, Men’s Olympic Team Head Coach
“We don’t have any weak events. We went with the guys that look like they’re going to get the job done. That’s how they were selected, not because of brothers and personalities…I think we have a really good chance to win the first medal for the United States since 1984…It’s a great looking team.”
Blaine Wilson:
“I don’t think there is any team in the world right now that has the same amount of talent as we do…My goal for Sydney is to win a medal for the team. That is what we are there for. I’m just looking to go out there and do my best on all events. I’ll do my best for the team and any individual stuff that comes out of that I’ll take care of.”
Sean Townsend:
“I just went in there and had one of the best meets of my life. I am still very emotional and had to catch myself from crying. It has been my dream to hear them call my name…I thought I made it after high bar but I didn’t want to admit it because anything can happen…I felt one hundred percent today.”
Stephen McCain:
“It’s been an amazing ride and we haven’t even gotten to Sydney yet…It was so nice to come back to Boston and take care of business. I am speechless…My high bar and floor were unbelievable–a total out of body experience. The last two events I felt on top of this world.”
Morgan Hamm:
“I was so stunned and so happy to hear them call my name…I think it is pretty amazing that Paul and I will do this together. It would have been really hard if I didn’t make it because we would be apart for a long time…I was so nervous on the pommel horse and my knees were shaking.”
Paul Hamm:
“I knew I could do it. I knew a year ago when I was in tenth that I had a shot to make the Olympic team…I knew how hard I had to try, and that’s what I did this whole last year.”
John Roethlisberger:
“This is the sweetest by far to make this team…I knew I did a good job tonight and it was going to be tight. If that was my last time on the floor I wanted to enjoy it… This feeling is indescribable after all the ups and downs, not just last few competitions, but the past five years. I’ve struggled to learn new skills, retain rankings, achilles reconstruction–this is the one moment that all those things come together.”
Jamie Natalie:
“I knew I was in fifth place but that doesn’t mean much. They pick the men that help out the team the most. Morgan has a better vault and has great leadership skills. He has a lot of great experience and there is no doubt in my mind he should be on the team.”