Indianapolis – At the conclusion of the World Championships selection competition, October 11, at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, the following athletes were named to represent the United States at the 2002 World Gymnastics Championships, November 20-24, in Debrecen, Hungary. The competition will award medals for individual events only (no team competition or all-around).

2002 Men’s World Championships Team

Paul Hamm (floor exercise, pommel horse, high bar), Waukesha, Wis./Team Chevron-Swiss Turners, 2002 National Champion, 2001 World Championships Silver Medalist, 2000 Olympian

Morgan Hamm (floor exercise), Waukesha, Wis./Team Chevron-Swiss Turners, 2000 Olympian

Jeff Johnson (still rings), Everson, Wash/University of Washington, Johnson is a still rings specialist and has been added to the men’s national team.

Brett McClure (pommel horse, parallel bars, high bar), Mill Creek, Wash./Team Chevron-USOTC, 2001 World Championships Silver Medalist

Sean Townsend (still rings, parallel bars), Houston Texas/Team Chevron-Houston, 2001 National Champion, 2001 World Championships Gold and Silver Medalist, 2000 Olympian
(Bios are available at http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/athletes/bios/)
The team alternates are Guard Young (Team Chevron-University of Oklahoma) and Justin Toman (University of Michigan).
“I am very confident in the men that have been selected to represent the United States in Hungary,” said Ron Galimore, senior director of the men’s program for USA Gymnastics. “I truly believe in our medal potential in Hungary and look to build on the silver medal earned last year in Belgium. Strong performances by these gymnasts will help put us on the podium in Anaheim and Athens.”
At the 2001 World Championships in Ghent, Belgium, both the U.S. men’s and women’s team earned medals. The men won an unprecedented silver medal while the women captured the bronze. Two individual medals were also earned: Sean Townsend won gold on parallel bars and Katie Heenan earned bronze on uneven bars.
The women’s World Championships team will be named late October following the women’s selection camp in Huntsville, Texas.
In 2003, the World Gymnastics Championships will take place on U.S. soil, August 16-24, in Anaheim, Calif., at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim. It will mark the 100th Anniversary of this celebrated event, and the third time that it has been hosted in the United States. The 2003 World Gymnastics Championships serve as the qualification event to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. See www.worlds03.com/ for more information.