LONG BEACH, Calif., May 9, 2014 – Region I captured the junior elite Level 9 and Level 8 team titles tonight at the 2014 U.S. Men’s Junior Olympic National Championships at the Long Beach (Calif.) Arena. In Level 8, Region I posted a total of 241.950, followed by Region VIII (234.200) and Region V (233.900). Region I scored 250.000 to take the Level 8 title with Region III (249.800) and Region VI (245.450) finishing second and third, respectively.

Tomorrow morning, competition resumes with Level 10 junior elite athletes performing technical sequences to name the all-around and individual event champions. Then, the Junior Olympic Level 10 gymnasts will compete in their second day of optional routines.

The following athletes, who will perform technical sequences on Sunday to complete their competition, posted the top Level 8 and 9 scores in the all-around for each age group.

  • Level 8, 11 year olds: Raydel Gamboa of North Valley, 78.200
  • Level 8, 12 year olds: Brandon Briones of USA Flairs, 81.350
  • Level 9, 13 year olds: Nikta Bolotsky of Vitaly Scherbo School of Gymnastics, 84.100
  • Level 9, 14 year olds: Nicholas Merryman of Gym Village, 82.150

After the first of two days of Level 8 and 9 Junior Olympic division competition, the leaders are as follows.

  • Level 8, 11 year olds: Taylor Burkhart of 5280 (North), 74.050
  • Level 8, 12 year olds: Chase Clingman of Apex, 74.200
  • Level 9, 13 year olds: Angel Leon of Gym World Central, 81.750
  • Level 9, 14 year olds: Ryker Shaw of Madison, 77.750

Tickets may be purchased at the Long Beach Arena ticket office.

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 men’s medal-winning 2004 (silver) and 2008 (bronze) U.S. Olympic Teams, as well as the 2012 Olympic Team, are former Junior Olympic National Championships participants. Past participants include Paul Hamm, 2004 Olympic all-around champion; Jonathan Horton, 2008 Olympic horizontal bar silver medalist and 2010 World all-around bronze medalist; and Danell Leyva, 2012 Olympic all-around bronze medalist.