U.S. men earn trampoline berth to 2012 Olympic Games

The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) confirmed that the United States has earned a berth to the 2012 Olympic Games in London for men’s trampoline. The USA also has qualified for women’s trampoline and men’s and women’s gymnastics for the Olympics.

Steven Gluckstein of Atlantic Highlands, N.J./Ultra Twisters, finished 10^th at the 2012 Visa International Gymnastics event, part of the London Prepares series, at the North Greenwich Arena to earn the USA’s trip to the Games. Savannah Vinsant of Lafayette, La./Trampoline and Tumbling Express, secured the women’s trampoline Olympic spot by finishing 10^th in the qualifying round at the 2011 Trampoline and Tumbling World Championships in Birmingham, England.

Both of the United States’ trampoline athletes for the London Olympic Games will be selected following the 2012 USA Gymnastics Rhythmic Gymnastics and Trampoline Championships on June 29, 2012. The U.S. men’s and women’s gymnastics teams for the Games will be determined at the U.S. Olympic Trials – Gymnastics, June 28-July1, in San Jose, Calif. Following selection, all athletes will be nominated to join Team USA for the London Games and are subject to the approval of the U.S. Olympic Committee’s board of directors.

For a brief overview of the trampoline selection procedures, see below.

2012 USA Gymnastics Olympic Selection Procedure for Trampoline

The USA has qualified for one Olympic spot each in women’s and men’s trampoline. The women secured their berth at the 2011 World Championships and the U.S. men earned theirs at the 2012 Visa International Gymnastics event, the final qualification event, in January 2012.

1. The first-ranked male and female gymnast based on the Olympic Selection Points System will represent the USA in the Olympic Games.

2. Discretionary criteria will be used to select replacement athletes.

3. Athletes earn points based on their finishes at the three selection events. Only two of the three competitions count toward the final ranking, dropping the lowest points.

4. The three selection events are: the U.S. Elite Challenge, March 30-April 1; the Stars and Stripes Cup, May 11-13; and a final selection event held in conjunction with the U.S. Championships, June 27-28.

5. Athletes must qualify to and participate in the U.S. Championships to be eligible for nomination to the Olympic Team.

6. To receive Olympic Selection Points at any of the three selection events, gymnasts must perform 20 skills in the preliminaries, and men must have a 14.8 degree of difficulty and women must have a 12.8 degree of difficulty in the optional routine in either prelims or finals. The final selection event will serve as the tie-breaker if two athletes have the same number of points at the conclusion of the process.

7. Athletes must be at least 18 years old by Dec. 31, 2012.

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