ROSARIO, Argentina, Nov. 23, 2008 – The USA won three gold medals and three silver medals on the final day of competition at the 2008 Pan American Gymnastics Union Individual Event Championships in Rosario, Argentina. For the women, Samantha Shapiro of Los Angeles/All Olympia Gymnastics Center and Olivia Courtney of Orlando, Fla./Orlando Metro, finished first on the balance beam and floor exercise, respectively. Danell Leyva of Miami, Fla./Universal Gymnastics, placed first on the horizontal bar. Winning silver medals were Leyva on parallel bars and Corrie Lothrop of Danvers, Mass./Hill’s Gymnastics, on the balance beam and floor exercise. The U.S. Team claimed a total of 11 medals (five gold and six silver) at the competition.
On balance beam, Shapiro scored a 15.775 to finish first, followed by Lothrop in second at 15.575. Courtney posted a 15.175 to take the top spot on floor exercise with Lothrop in second with a 14.975. The U.S. women finished 1-2 on all four events.
On horizontal bar, Leyva was the top finisher with a 15.775 and Glen Ishino of Santa Ana, Calif./SCATS-HB, was fourth with a 15.050.