Gymnasts to Compete at Pan-Am Championships

NORMAN, Okla. Always a presence on the international gymnastics scene, the University of Oklahoma is sending two gymnasts along with head coach Mark Williams to this weekend's (Oct. 6-9) Pan American Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Senior Jamie Henderson and sophomore Jonathan Horton are part of a five-man team that will compete in the event. The Pan Am Championships is a qualifying tournament for the 2007 Pan American Games, slated for July 13-29, in Rio de Janeiro.

Henderson and Horton will team up with David Durante, Guillermo Alvarez and Joseph Hagerty to comprise the U.S. contingent that will be coached by Williams and University of Minnesota head coach Mike Burns. All five are members of the U.S. Senior National Team. Horton, Durante, Alvarez and Hagerty will compete in the all-around while Henderson is the team's alternate.

Horton Bio | Henderson Bio

“Jonathan has looked extremely well,” said Williams. “He is definitely more prepared for the Pan Am Championships than he was for the U.S. Championships, so we have high expectations for his performance. Jamie has also looked good lately. This is a good opportunity for both of them because you don't get many opportunities to compete for the U.S. Senior National Team. When the opportunity is handed to you, you have to take advantage of it.”

In 2003, Horton tied for fourth in the all-around and was a member of the U.S. team that finished third at the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

This weekend's action will be the first for Henderson and Horton since the Visa U.S. Championships in August. At the event held in Indianapolis, Horton finished fifth in the all-around and Henderson seventh. Both were named to the U.S. Senior National Team after the event. For Horton, it was the second consecutive year to be named to the team and the first such honor for Henderson.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Gymnasts to Compete at Pan-Am Championships

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