KATY, Texas, Jan. 18, 2019 – Team USA won the team silver medal at the 2019 RD761 Junior International Team Cup at the Leonard Merrell Center in Katy, Texas. Colt Walker of Cedar Park, Texas/AcroTex Gymnastics, garnered the all-around silver medal, with teammate Josh Karnes of Erie, Pa./Lakettes Gymnastics Academy, in fifth. Competition wraps up tomorrow with event finals at 5 p.m. Live results are available at myusagym.com.

The U.S. team included Fuzzy Benas of Richmond, Texas/Enrich Gymnastics, Isaiah Drake of Van Nuys, Calif./Gymnastics Olympica, Karnes and Walker, along with alternate Raydel Gamboa of Phoenix, Ariz./North Valley Gymnastics.

The U.S. gymnasts who advanced to event finals are listed below.

  • Floor exercise: Walker, Benas
  • Pommel horse: Karnes
  • Still rings: Benas, Walker
  • Vault: Walker, Benas
  • Parallel bars: Walker, Karnes
  • Horizontal bar: Walker, Benas

In the team competition, Japan took the title with a 240.100 total. The USA’s 236.750 put them ahead of Great Britain’s 227.200. Germany was fourth (224.800), followed by France (222.200) and Australia (218.000). The USA had the top team scores for still rings (39.700) and vault (42.850). The other team scores were: floor exercise, 39.650 (3); pommel horse, 35.200 (2); parallel bars, 40.500 (2); and horizontal bar, 38.250 (2).

Walker tallied an 80.050 for the silver medal, with Japan’s Takeru Kitazono claiming the title at 83.700. Japan’s Kotaro Suetsugi and Ryosuke Doi were third and fourth, respectively, after a tie-breaker for their 78.200. Karnes rounded out the top five at 77.750. Walker’s event scores were: floor exercise, 13.700 (2); pommel horse, 11.700; still rings, 13.250 (2T); vault, 14.450 (1); parallel bars, 13.900 (2); and horizontal bar, 13.050 (3). Karnes’ scores were: floor exercise, 12.250; pommel horse 12.600; still rings, 13.100; parallel bars, 13.650); and horizontal bar, 12.550. Drake posted the eighth best score (75.750), followed by Benas at 75.600. The final rankings for the all-around wer a maximum of two per country.

Pavel Sargsyan of Gymnastics Olympica is the head coach, and Jacob Marks of Lakettes Gymnastics is the assistant. For more information on the competition, go to RD761.com.

The RD761 International Junior Team Cup is named in honor of U.S. Junior National Team member Ricky Deci, who tragically passed away in 2001. The annual RD761 age group invitational competition supports the Ricky Deci Memorial Fund. For more information, go to rd761.com.

Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. The organization is committed to creating a culture that encourages and supports its athletes and focuses on its highest priority, the safety and well-being of the athletes. USA Gymnastics has already taken specific, concrete steps to strengthen its safe sport policies and procedures. The organization’s disciplines include men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, acrobatic gymnastics and gymnastics for all (formerly known as group gymnastics). For more complete information, log on to usagym.org.