INDIANAPOLIS – Chevron continues its support of the U.S. Men’s National Team program in the Olympic year with the signing of 15 top athletes and coaches to Team Chevron.


“ChevronTexaco is a valuable partner of USA Gymnastics and a direct contributor to the success of our men’s program over the past four years,” said USA Gymnastics President Bob Colarossi. “ChevronTexaco’s support allows many of our top athletes to devote themselves to training at the optimum level. ChevronTexaco’s commitment to USA Gymnastics’ men’s program is proof positive that sponsors send athletes to the Olympic Games.”

ChevronTexaco, now in its sixth year of sponsorship of the Men’s elite program, provides direct assistance to Team Chevron athletes to support their year-round training regimen. All six members of the 2003 World Championships silver medal-winning men’s team are Team Chevron athletes.

“Everyone here at ChevronTexaco is proud to be the driving force behind these 15 men and their pursuit for Olympic Gold. We welcome them to Team Chevron,” Danny Roden, Vice President of North American Marketing.

“Without ChevronTexaco, there is little chance that I could have continued my gymnastics career at the elite level,” said Team Chevron member Brett McClure. “ChevronTexaco has been a loyal supporter of gymnastics for many years, and it is truly an honor to wear the Chevron colors on the podium.”

Team Chevron athletes and coaches for 2004 are:


Team Chevron USOTC – Colorado Springs, Colo.
Vitaly Marinitch, coach
Jason Gatson 2003 World Team silver medalist, all-around eighth, still rings sixth
Brett McClure 2003 World Team silver medalist, 2002 & 2001 Worlds Team


Team Chevron Ohio – Columbus, Ohio
Miles Avery, coach
Raj Bhavsar 2003 World Team silver medalist, 2002 NCAA all-around champion
Jason Furr 2001 Goodwill Games Team; three-event medalist at 2001 U.S. Championships
Morgan Hamm 2003 World Team silver medalist, two-time reigning U.S. floor exercise champion
Paul Hamm 2003 World all-around champion, Team silver medalist, floor exercise champion
Blaine Wilson 2003 World Team silver medalist, still rings sixth, two-time Olympian

Team Chevron Houston – Houston, Texas
Kevin Mazeika, coach
Todd Thornton 2002 Men’s Winter Cup all-around champion; 2001 Word Team alternate

Team Chevron 5280 Gymnastics – Lakewood, Colorado
Vladimir Artemev, coach
Alexander Artemev 2003 World Team alternate; eighth all-around at U.S. Championships at age 17

Team Chevron Oklahoma – Norman, Oklahoma
Mark Williams, coach
Guard Young 2003 World Team alternate, 2002 Worlds Team

Team Chevron athletes will compete next at the 2004 Men’s Winter Cup, Feb. 6-7 at the Sports Center in Las Vegas alongside fellow National Team members, top NCAA gymnasts and National Championships hopefuls.


Based in San Ramon, Calif., ChevronTexaco is the second-largest U.S.-based energy company and the fifth largest in the world, based on market capitalization. More than 53,000 ChevronTexaco employees work in approximately 180 countries around the world, producing oil and natural gas, and marketing fuels and other energy products. As a global energy company committed to world-class performance, ChevronTexaco is a proud partner of the U.S. Olympic Committee and sponsors the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team competing in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, as well as 30 U.S. National Governing Bodies of Olympic Sports, including USA Gymnastics.