Thornton Wins National Qualifier

2005 U.S. National Champion Todd Thornton (Houston), a member of Team Chevron who trains at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, won the all-around at the 2008 U.S. Men’s Qualifier, held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.  Thornton and 13 others qualified to compete in the 2008 Visa Championships, May 22-24 in Houston, which will determine which men will advance to the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Gymnastics in Philadelphia. 

Thornton began the night with a high-flying floor set that included a unique Arabian double pike, half-out mount. He followed with a fluid pommel horse set that posted the highest score on that event (14.250). His rings routine included great strength holds and a unique 1 1/2 twisting double back dismount. He concluded the night on high bar with beautiful releases, including a nearly laidout Kolman and a Kovacs. As always, Thornton was among the most stylish and polished of the field, with a great body line, toe point and attention to detail throughout.

The 14 who qualified for the Visa Championships will join the members of the senior national team in the field at the Visa Championships.  The successful qualifiers were selected based on a points system which gives a point value to finishes at the Qualifier.  The 14 are:  Alexy Bilozertchev, Hilliard, Ohio/OSU Boys Team; Joe Catrambone, Deptford, N.J./University of Michigan; Josh Dixon, San Jose, Calif./Stanford University; Andrew Elkind, Cherry Hill, N.J./U.S. Olympic Training Center; Tim Gentry, Plano, Texas/Stanford University; David Henderson, Crosby, Texas/U.S. Olympic Training Center; Jamie Henderson, Crosby, Texas/University of Oklahoma-Gattaca; Justin Laury, Marietta, Ga./Houston Gymnastics Academy; Danell Leyva, Miami/Universal Gymnastics; Ryan Lieberman, Lake Forest, Ill./Stanford University; Edward Mesa, Cooper City, Fla./Universal Gymnastics; Tyler Mizoguchi, Houston /Houston Gymnastics Academy; Clay Strother, Jasper, Texas/Team Chevron; and Thornton.

Olympian Morgan Hamm returned to competition following surgery but withdrew after two events (high bar and floor) due to illness. A source told Inside Gymnastics he had an allergic reaction to something during the day and was having trouble breathing. Hamm will petition the Men’s Program Committee to compete at the Visa Championships.  In addition, Justin Spring of Burke, Va., who was returning to competition after injuring his knee at the 2007 Visa Championships, withdrew after three events.  He sprained his right ankle on this dismount in the floor exercise (full twisting double back). As a member of the senior national team, Spring is already qualified for the Visa Championships.  His coach said he is not expected to be sidelined for very long with the injury.

Thornton won the all-around with 88.40 points.  Team Chevron’s Joe Hagerty of Rio Ranchero, N.M., was second, followed by Leyva.  Those posting top scores on each of the events were:  Strother, floor exercise, 15.150; Jamie Henderson and Thornton, pommel horse, 14.250; David Durante, Garwood, N.J./Team Chevron, still rings, 15.550; Gentry, vault, 16.100; and Hagerty, parallel bars (15.500) and horizontal bar (15.700).  Hagerty and Durante are also members of the senior national team.

The Men’s Program Committee will decide on petitions on Friday.

Todd Thornton is included in the 2008 "50 Most Photogenic" issue of Inside Gymnastics magazine. Subscribe or Renew now so that you don’t miss this special issue of Inside Gymnastics!

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