News: U.S. Men’s Gymnastics Team wins bronze team medal at 2007 Pan Am Games

U.S. Men’s Gymnastics Team wins bronze team medal
at 2007 Pan Am Games

For immediate release - July 14, 2007

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, July 14, 2007 – The U.S. Men’s Team made up nearly an 11-point deficit to win the bronze team medal in artistic gymnastics at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro. The USA finished just 0.6 points behind Puerto Rico and 0.3 behind Brazil.

“Our guys showed a great deal of fortitude today,” said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. “They worked together as a team to overcome a rocky start and finished strong. We are proud of the way they performed today.”

“We are very pleased to come out with a medal,” said Mike Burns, head coach for the men’s team. “Obviously we wanted a different color, but having the struggle we had and to come away with a medal is encouraging. These guys never gave up during the entire course of the competition.

“After about the first three events (in the second subdivision), we knew it was going to come down between Brazil and us (for second and third),” said Burns. “It was exciting sitting up in the stands and watching to see how Brazil was going to do. It came down to the last guy, and we knew exactly what he needed to score. They beat us by .3 and then with .3 between gold and silver, it was a very tight meet. In competitions like this, as close as they are, you can’t give things away.”

The men’s team competition was split into two subdivisions, and the U.S. men were in second place by just 0.6 points after the first subdivision concluded. The six-man squad started slowly, suffering some unfortunate errors, but the team rallied to finish the last three events of still rings, vault and parallel bars by hitting each and every routine.

The men started on high bar, where Justin Spring of Burke, Va., posted the team’s highest score of 14.650. Despite a missed Weiler Kip to a full turn, he nailed his triple-back dismount. Todd Thornton of Houston was second for the U.S. with a 14.400. David Durante of Garwood, N.J., and Joey Hagerty of Rio Rancho, N.M., rounded out the top four scores.

On floor, Spring had a solid routine, earning a 15.150. Guillermo Alvarez of Denver also turned in a clean routine, posting a 15.050. The floor exercise proved tough for both Sean Golden of Camden, N.J., and Hagerty. Golden, who still earned a 14.250, had a short landing on his dismount, slightly injuring his ankle and wrist. Hagerty tweaked his knee after his tumbling pass and went on to earn a 14.450. Durante was the fifth competitor for the USA.

Pommel horse was the toughest for the U.S. team. With only four men competing, each routine counted for the team score. Thornton, who went first, was the only U.S. man to cleanly complete his routine. Alvarez began with a strong performance but lost his momentum, at one point falling onto the horse. A misplaced hand interrupted Durante’s routine, and Hagerty pulled through despite his injured knee.

Still rings launched the U.S. team’s comeback, which enabled them to nearly make up a 11-point deficit after the first three events. Thornton started the roll with a well-executed routine that earned him a 14.200. Alvarez also executed a good routine, which included his double-twisting, double-back dismount, for his 14.750. Durante was next, raising the bar with his 14.900. Golden also nailed his routine, including his skill (back lever pull to Maltese Cross) that starts with the body below the rings and is pulled up, and had only a small step on his double salto stretched dismount.

Spring, who just switched to a Lopez vault that has a 17.00 start value, posted a 16.400 for the highest vault score in the competition. Golden had the second highest vault score at 16.350. Durante and Alvarez, as well as Thornton who stepped in for Hagerty, also had solid vaults.

The team finished up on parallel bars, where all five had well executed, hit routines, to end on a high note.

The team competition featured a five-up, four-count system, which means that five gymnasts compete toward the team score, with the four best counting. The women’s team competition, held later today, will feature the same format.

The men’s all-around competition is on July 15, with the women’s set for July 16. The individual event finals for both men and women are July 17.

2007 Pan Am Games

Final Team Results

1. Puerto Rico, 353.900

2. Brazil, 353.600

3. USA*, 353.300

4. Venezuela, 347.550

5. Cuba, 340.700

6. Colombia, 338.900

7. Canada, 333.350

Members of the U.S. Men’s Team are: Guillermo Alvarez, Denver; David Durante, Garwood, N.J.; Sean Golden, Camden, N.J.; Joseph Hagerty, Rio Rancho, N.M.; Justin Spring, Burke, Va.; Todd Thornton, Houston. Coaches are Mike Burns and Jon Valdez.

Additional quotes regarding the U.S. Men’s Team bronze-medal performance

NOTE: I apologize but the recording of Joey Hagerty’s comments was indecipherable due to area noise so we do not have quotes from Joey in this list. I apologize for any inconvenience.

Mike Burns, Minneapolis, men’s head coach

“We got off to a rough to a start. One of the great things about these guys is if you put in a corner, they come out swinging. They came out and battled back. After three events, we were 11 or so points down and we made up about 10.4 of them. To have a comeback like that, from where we were to where we finished, was great.”

“We hit five routines on parallel bars, five on vault and four on still rings. That’s a pretty good percentage, but if you look at the first half, it wasn’t as good.”

“You learn something from disappointing performances and you learn you don’t want to repeat them. We need to get out of the blocks quicker. If you took a picture of the team at the start and at the finish and it was a different team because their back was up against the wall. “

“That is why you put together a team that has back ups. You never know what will happen in sports. Joey tweaked his knee on floor. By the time we got to vault, it was pretty sore and we didn’t want to take the risk and Todd was ready to go. He was a trouper. That is why he is here and he is one of the top guys in the country. He did a great job today.”

Guillermo Alvarez, Denver, Colo.

“It was okay today. It was a bit rough in the beginning, but I picked it up and the last half went pretty well. I felt good about my pass on floor. On parallel bars, everyone did well, and I was glad to be the first one up and get it started.”

David Durante, Garwood, N.J., who was on the 2003 Pan Am Team

“I think I am more disappointed this time because we were a strong team, more experienced and last time it was basically everyone’s first major international event. I really thought we had a shot and we didn’t perform to our standards today. Fortunately we are strong enough to be in the medal hunt, even when we have an off day, and it’s nice to still get a medal even when we have an off day.”

“I fought through today, which I am proud of. I finished strong, which is a positive I will take away from today.

“On pommel horse, I didn’t reach far enough with my hand on my first skill and that’s not how you want to start that routine out.”

“On parallel bars, I shifted my hands a little too much but stuck my dismount, which is important. And to do that on the last event when the team needs it, that is definitely something I take away as a positive. It was tough to start out the way we did, but to finish up as strong as we did and put pressure on Puerto Rico, that was something. Unfortunately we fell a little short.”

Sean Golden, Camden, N.J.

“I landed short on my dismount on floor. Once I landed, I knew I was going to fall and I put hand out.

“On still rings, I was worried about the landing, but when it comes down to doing something for the team, I just go out and do it.”

Justin Spring, Burke, Va. (after competing)

“I started off a little off on high bar. I hit my release sequence but struggled on my Weiler Kip sequence.”

“I did very well (on the parallel bars), but the team was outstanding on the last event (parallel bars) when the pressure was on and Puerto Rico was right there. Every guy went out and seriously hit their sets. It was really exciting. It built up at the end (of the first subdivision) and was a little nerve wracking, but it was more exciting to finish up 100 percent on our routines.”

“It is awesome for a home country to go out and do well in front of their home crowd. I would be lying if I didn’t say we were going for a gold medal, but getting on the podium is still fine.”

Todd Thornton, Houston

“To get any medal here is an honor, and I am thankful to be a part of the team with these guys, who are awesome. Our goal was to get a medal and we got one. Of course, it would have been nice to get the gold but it is an honor to get the one we got.”

USA Gymnastics
Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for the sport of gymnastics in the United States. Its mission is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport.
For more information about USA Gymnastics and its programs, access USA Gymnastics online at
www.usa-gymnastics.org.