LONG BEACH, Calif., May 4, 2011 – More than 700 of the USA’s top Level 9 and 10 gymnasts will compete in the 2011 U.S. Men’s Junior Olympic National Championships, May 5-8, at the Long Beach (Calif.) Arena. The event features competition in regional team, all-around and individual apparatus. Opening ceremonies are at 7 p.m. on May 4.

The levels are determined by age and skill level. Level 10 is split into two age groups, 14-15 years old and 16-18 years old, while Level 9 has only 12-13 years old. The Junior Olympic National Championships are a qualifier for Level 10 gymnasts to advance to the Visa Championships (Aug. 17-20 in Saint Paul, Minn.), where the national teams for both age groups are determined. The top gymnasts in Level 9 are named to the Junior Olympic National Team.

This year’s field includes several returning all-around and individual event medalists from 2010.

Level 10, 14-15 division

  • Jake Martin of Orlando Metro won the all-around and horizontal bar titles, along with the vault bronze medal.
  • Sean Melton of Orlando Metro was the all-around silver medalist and floor exercise champion.
  • Stacey Ervin of Mills USA won the vault title, was second on the parallel bars and third in the all-around.
  • Adrian De Los Angeles of SCATS won the parallel bars title, as well as placed second on both the pommel horse and high bar.
  • Jacob Dastrup of Arete won the pommel horse title and was third for the floor exercise.

Level 9, 12-13

  • Yul Moldauer of 5280 Gymnastics won the all-around and parallel bars, as well as finished third in the floor exercise and still rings and tied for third for pommel horse.
  • Marty Strech of Azarian Gymnastics was second in the all-around and still rings, won the horizontal bar title and tied for third on pommel horse.
  • Marvin Kimble of Swiss Turners was third in the all-around and second on pommel horse.
  • Two other individual event champions are expected to compete: Josiah Eng of Swiss Turners, still rings; and Arinn Wade of Surgent’s, pommel horse.

For a complete roster of participants, click here.

Level 10 and Level 9 athletes compete on May 5 and 6, respectively, and each day has two sessions of individual event qualification, followed by regional team finals. The competition schedule is: May 5, Level 10 (14-15 and 16-18) – 8:20 a.m. and 12:45 p.m., preliminary rounds, and 5:30 p.m., team finals; May 6, Level 9 – 8:45 a.m. and 1:35 p.m., prelims, and 6:25 p.m., team finals; May 7, all-around finals and individual event semifinals – Level 10 (ages 14-15) at 10 a.m., Level 10 (ages 16-18) at 2:30 p.m. and Level 9 at 7:15 p.m. Concluding the Men’s Junior Olympic National Championships are the individual event finals for all levels on May 8 at 12 p.m.

Tickets may be purchased at the Long Beach Arena. Several different ticket options are available: all week passes – children 5-15, seniors (55+) and active military immediate family for $70, and adults for $80; opening ceremony (May 4) – children 5-15, seniors (55+) and active military immediate family for $15, and adults for $20; and competition days (May 5-8) – children 5-15, seniors (55+) and active military immediate family for $20, and adults for $25. All children ages four and under are admitted free. ID is required for age-specific and military rates. Tickets are cash or check only. Admission to training sessions on May 2-3 is free.

Azarian US Gymnastics Training Center is the host club for the Junior Olympic Championships. The meet co-directors are Tim and Melany Klempnauer and Roger and Debbie Baldwin.

To advance to the Junior Olympic National Championships, gymnasts compete in state and regional championships and qualify based on their all-around or multiple-event scores, or through regional allotment. For more information on the event, go to www.2011jomen.com.

The U.S. Junior Olympic National Championships is one of the national championships of USA Gymnastics, the sport’s national governing body in the United States. Many Junior Olympic champions have gone on to make the U.S. National Team and represent the United States in international competition and/or to compete in collegiate gymnastics. All of the members of the medal winning 2004 (silver) and 2008 (bronze) U.S. Olympic Teams are past Junior Olympic National Championships participants, including Paul Hamm, 2004 Olympic all-around champion, and Jonathan Horton, 2008 Olympic horizontal bar silver medalist and 2010 World all-around bronze medalist.