Alexander Artemev, Photo A A(C) Steve Lange
© Steve Lange

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., June 4, 2007 – More than 120 of the country’s top male gymnasts are expected to compete in the 2007 U.S. Men’s Qualifier, June 7-9, at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.  Not only does the event serve as a qualifying event for the 2007 Visa Championships, the U.S. Qualifier also serves as a basis for selection for the U.S. Teams that will compete in the World University Games, Pan American Games and World Championships later this year.

 

A roster of participants, organized by state, is listed below.  Included in the field are 2006 U.S. all-around champion and pommel horse world bronze-medalist Alexander Artemev of Morrison, Colo./Team Chevron; 2007 Winter Cup all-around champion Sean Townsend of Houston; and Justin Spring of Burke, Va./Team Chevron, who won a silver medal on the horizontal bar at the 2007 Moscow World Cup.  Five of the six members of the 2006 World Championships Team are also in the field: Guillermo Alvarez of Denver/Team Chevron; Jonathan Horton of Houston/University of Oklahoma; Clay Strother of Jasper, Texas/Team Chevron; Kevin Tan of Fremont, Calif./Team Chevron; and Artemev.

 

The teams for the World University Games and Pan American Games will be named after the conclusion of the U.S. Men’s Qualifier.  The results from the event count toward the selection of the U.S. World Championships Team, which will be named following the conclusion of the Visa Championships in San Jose, Calif., in August.

 
The U.S. Men’s Qualifier has competition on both the junior and senior levels.  For the seniors, the preliminary round has two sessions on June 7, 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.  The top 48 from the two preliminary rounds advance to the final day of competition on June 9 at 2 p.m.  The junior session is at 2 p.m. on June 8.  Tickets for the event will be available at the door on competition days.  Adults and children (ages 6 and up) are $7 per day, with children 5 years old and younger admitted free.
 
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Men’s field for the 2007 U.S. Qualifier

 

California
Donothan Bailey, Azarian Gymnastics, Lake Forest, Calif.
Marcus Bennett, Diamond Elite, Diamond Bar, Calif.
Kyle Bunthuwong, Golden Bear Gymnastics, El Cerrito, Calif.
Josh Dixon, Champions Academy, San Jose, Calif.
Justin Ebueng, Diamond Elite, Chino Hills, Calif.
Sergey Goder, Morgan Hill Gymnastics, San Jose, Calif.
Eric Haeussler, San Mateo Gymnastics, Redwood City, Calif.
Jacob Jizrawi, Golden Bear Gymnastics, San Rafael, Calif.
Ned-Daniel Kamimura, Diamond Elite, Diamond Bar, Calif.
Jimmy Kerry, Azarian Gymnastics, Huntington Beach, Calif.
Jeffrey Langenstein, San Mateo Gymnastics, San Carlos, Calif.
Travis Langham, Gymnastic Olympica, Saugus, Calif.
Brian Lee, Army Gymnastics, Fremont, Calif.
Sam Mikulak, SCATS – HB, Newport Coast, Calif.
Yoshi Mori, New Hope Academy of Gymnastics, Irvine, Calif.&