14 more U.S. gymnasts try for Olympics

Men who qualified for the 2008 Visa Championships at the 2008 U.S. Men’s Qualifier, held Wednesday at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs:

1. Todd Thornton, Houston/U.S. Olympic Training Center, 156
2. Ryan Lieberman, Lake Forest, Ill./Stanford University, 106
3. Danell Leyva, Miami/Universal Gymnastics, 106
4. Alexy Bilozertchev, Hilliard, Ohio/OSU Boys Team, 105
5. Andrew Elkind, Cherry Hill, N.J./U.S. Olympic Training Center, 104
6. Josh Dixon, San Jose, Calif./Stanford University, 96
7. David Henderson, Crosby, Texas/U.S. Olympic Training Center, 90
8. Joe Catrambone, Deptford, N.J./University of Michigan, 88
9. Tyler Mizoguchi, Houston /Houston Gymnastics Academy, 87
10. Edward Mesa, Cooper City, Fla./Universal Gymnastics, 87
11. Jamie Henderson, Crosby, Texas/University of Oklahoma-Gattaca, 83
12. Tim Gentry, Plano, Texas/Stanford University, 82
13. Clay Strother, Jasper, Texas/Team Chevron, 77
14. Justin Laury, Marietta, Ga./Houston Gymnastics Academy, 72

details – USA Gymnastics

Visa Championships in Houston is the first “trial” for the American Olympic Team. The current National Team has already qualified to Houston.

I’ll post the full list of Olympic candidates when available.

… 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. …

Thornton Wins National Qualifier – Inside Gymnastics

Blaine Wilson, the five-time national champion trying an Olympic comeback participated in warm-ups but decided not to compete. He has an ankle injury.

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