© John Cheng
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, Oct. 21, 2010 – The U.S. men mounted a valiant effort but fell just short of making the medals podium in the men’s team finals at the 2010 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The all-around finals are tomorrow, Oct. 22, with the men at 4 p.m. (10 a.m. ET) and the women at 7:30 p.m. local time (1:30 p.m. ET). The Championships conclude on Sunday, Oct. 24, with the second of two days of individual event finals.
In the battle for the bronze medal, the U.S. men posted a team total of 268.012, which put them behind Germany’s 271.252. China and Japan were neck and neck for the gold medal, with China coming out on top 274.997 to 273.769.
"I couldn’t be more proud of the team, the way they fought from start to finish," said Kevin Mazeika, the U.S. men’s national team coordinator. "They truly exemplified our team motto of never giving up and always fighting. They showed tremendous tenacity and fortitude. Three-up, three-count is a very different experience. These guys have learned valuable experience through this. We will build on this and it strengthens our resolve as we go forward to 2011 and 2012."
The USA’s team score for the six apparatus were: 43.566, floor exercise; 40.032, pommel horse; 44.833, still rings; 47.566, vault; 45.016, parallel bars; and 46.999, horizontal bar. The USA’s high bar team total was the highest in the team finals.
The members of the World Team are: Chris Brooks of Houston/University of Oklahoma; Chris Cameron of Winter Haven, Fla./University of Michigan; Jonathan Horton of Houston/Cypress Gymnastics; Steven Legendre of Flower Mound, Texas/University of Oklahoma; Danell Leyva of Miami/Universal Gymnastics; and Brandon Wynn of Voorhees, N.J./Ohio State University. Paul Ruggeri of Manlius, N.Y./University of Illinois, is the alternate.
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The horizontal bar was the best apparatus for the men’s team. Brooks started the team off with a solid set that included a double-twisting, double layout dismount and earned a 15.533. Horton performed an impressive Cassina and stuck his full-twisting, double layout dismount to post a 15.633. Leyva finished the apparatus for the USA with his high-flying routine that included both a layout Kovacs and double-twisting, double layout dismount to score a 15.833.
Legendre’s 15.266 tied for the highest floor score in the finals. His first pass included a two-and-a-half twisting double back. On still rings, Wynn performed smooth Johanssen and Yamawakis and had a solid double-double dismount to score a 15.533. Horton’s rings routine started with a nice Maltese and ended with his sticking the double-double dismount.
"Today was a heckuva fight," said Horton, who along with Leyva will compete in tomorrow’s all-around finals. "We knew from the beginning that we had to have a really good start on pommel horse, and today wasn’t exactly what we wanted, but we’re not quitters. We kind of live by "no regrets" – when we walk off the floor, no regrets. We picked it up after that (pommel horse) and had a great competition. I can’t be more proud of the team. It’s a brand new team – no one except me had done a three-up, three-count at a World Championships, and everyone handled it really, really well."
The World Championships features team, all-around and individual event competition. Qualification rounds determine advancement to the team, all-around, and apparatus finals. The women’s qualification rounds are Oct. 16-17, with the men’s Oct. 18-19. The top eight teams compete in the team finals on Oct. 20 (women) and 21 (men). The top 24 individuals compete in the all-around final on Oct. 22 (men and women). For individual events, the top eight on each apparatus from the qualification rounds advance to the finals (Oct. 23-24). A maximum of two gymnasts per country advances to the all-around and individual event finals.
Fans can follow the action on both Universal Sports and NBC Sports. Universal Sports is carrying a live webcast on universalsports.com and providing same-day, tape-delayed primetime broadcasts on its cable network for all of the final rounds, as well as hosting "Around the Gym, presented by AT&T" after each night’s broadcast to recap the day’s performance and preview the upcoming competition. The live webcast for all of the final rounds is only $9.99 with the code USAGYMFAN. NBC Sports will broadcast coverage on Oct. 23 and 24. For the complete web and TV schedules, go to usagym.org/worlds.
On its official website usagym.org/worlds, USA Gymnastics will provide enhanced coverage from Rotterdam that will include results and exclusive photos from the competition as well as daily video interviews. USA Gymnastics will also post event updates on its Facebook and Twitter pages and provide LIVE team scores and rankings from each day of Team USA competition @USA_GymEvents.
In addition to awarding world medals, the 2010 World Championships also determine the 24 countries that advance to the 2011 World Championships in Tokyo. Countries have two opportunities to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games, finishing in the top eight in the team competition at the 2011 World Championships or in the top four at the 2012 Olympic Test Event in London. World champions and medalists will be determined for both men and women in the team, all-around and individual events.
2010 World Championships
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Ahoy Arena
October 21, 2010
Men’s team finals
Team rankings
1. China, 274.997
2. Japan, 273.769
3. Germany, 271.252
4. USA, 268.012
5. France, 263.468
6. Russia, 263.170
7. Great Britain, 261.103
8. Korea, 259.952
U.S. men’s team’s individual scores (in the event order they competed)
Pommel horse
Danell Leyva, 13.466
Chris Brooks, 13.466
Chris Cameron, 13.100
Still rings
Chris Cameron, 13.800
Jonathan Horton, 15.500
Brandon Wynn, 15.533
Vault
Chris Brooks, 15.833
Jonathan Horton, 15.500
Steve Legendre, 16.233
Parallel bars
Chris Brooks, 15.116
Jonathan Horton, 15.200
Danell Leyva, 14.700
Horizontal bar
Chris Brooks, 15.533
Jonathan Horton, 15.633
Danell Leyva, 15.833
Floor exercise
Brandon Wynn, 14.300
Jonathan Horton, 14.000
Steven Legendre, 15.266