BATTLE CREEK, Mich., May 5, 2016 – The team from Region III captured the junior elite Level 10 team title tonight at the 2016 U.S. Men’s Junior Olympic National Championships at the Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek, Mich. They earned a total of 267.200, followed by Region I (266.500) and Region V (263.250). Cypress Gymnastics Academy claimed the club team title with a 261.150, followed by 5280 Gymnastics (257.150) and DeVeau’s School of Gymnastics (254.950).

Competition continues tomorrow with Levels 8 and Level 9.

In the junior elite division, athletes compete one day of optional routines followed by technical sequences, which are scheduled for Saturday. The following athletes posted the top Level 10 scores in the all-around for each age group.

18 year olds: Thomas Chin of Gymnastics Olympica USA, 82.800
17 year olds: Matthew Wenske of Cypress Academy, 86.650
16 year olds: Shane Wiskus of Mini-Hops Gymnastics, 88.250
15 year olds: Vitaliy Guimaraes of 5280 Gymnastics, 86.950

After the first of two days of optional Level 10 Junior Olympic division competition, the leaders are as follows.

18 year olds: Tomas Palma Alvarado of Apollo Gymnastics, 82.300
17 year olds: Coleson Stodghill of 5280 Gymnastics, 82.900
16 year olds: Colton Dee of Danik Gymnastics, 81.900
15 year olds: Jacob Yehling of Premier Gym West, 80.800

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.