• Event Qualification Results

OSIJEK, Croatia, April 29, 2016 – Led by 2015 World team member Paul Ruggeri of Manlius, N.Y./Team Hilton (U.S. Olympic Training Center), all three U.S. men advanced to finals of the 2016 World Challenge Cup in Osijek, Croatia. Joining Ruggeri in event finals are 2013 World floor exercise silver medalist Steven Legendre of Port Jefferson, N.Y./Team Hilton (University of Oklahoma), and Sean Melton of Orlando, Fla. /Ohio State University. The men's finals begin tomorrow with finals in the floor exercise, pommel horse and still rings, with the remaining men's events on Sunday.

Ruggeri qualified to all three of the events he competed: floor exercise, high bar and vault. He earned scores of 15.150, floor; 14.900, high bar; and 14.850, vault; to advance in second, third and sixth place, respectively.

Legendre will compete in the finals for floor exercise, vault and still rings. He posted the qualifying round's top score for floor at 15.200. Legendre placed fifth on vault with an average score of 15.025 and advanced to the still rings final in eighth place with a score of 14.500.

Melton qualified for the parallel bars final with his 14.850, which earned him fourth place. Additionally, Melton advanced to the still rings final, taking fourth with a 15.150.