Horton Seeks U.S. Champ. Title

Aug. 14, 2007

NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma's Jonathan Horton begins his run for the title of national champion in the preliminary round of the Visa U.S. Championships, Wednesday, Aug. 15 in San Jose, Calif. The men's prelims start at 9 p.m. (CT) on Wednesday, with the finals set for Friday, Aug. 17 at 9 p.m. (CT). NBC will air the men's finals on Sept. 9.

Horton will compete in a field of the top American gymnasts, including 2004 Olympic silver-medalists Paul and Morgan Hamm and 2000 Olympian Sean Townsend.

A native of Houston, Texas, Horton is hoping to improve on his impressive showing at last year's U.S. Championships in St. Paul, Minn., where he won the floor exercise competition and finished as the all-around runner-up.

"I feel really confident going into this week," Horton said. "I've been pretty consistent in my training. I've been hitting my routines left and right. I just need to try to stay calm and be confident in everything I'm doing."

There may be some added pressure for Horton at this year's event, as the U.S. World Championships Teams will be named after the conclusion of the meet. The 2007 World Championships are Sept. 1-9 in Stuttgart, Germany, and serve as the qualifying event for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

"These last two years toward an Olympic cycle are always critical to solidifying your position to possibly make the Olympic team," said OU head coach Mark Williams. "It's certainly important for Jon to be in the mix for the top five in the all-around, and also to show that he's one of the stronger guys in the country on several events and prove that he's someone that our U.S. team considers valuable."

2006 Visa Championships Recap | usa-gymnastics.org

Horton and Williams agree that his preparation over the summer has been his best since arriving in Norman.

"Most of what we've needed to do to get ready for the U.S. and World Championships, he's hit the markers along the way," Williams said. "I think he should have a great meet. It's a situation where there's a lot at stake and you don't know how things will come together for him, but I certainly think he's as well-prepared as he could be going in."

Nicknamed "X Games" by his teammates for his aerial skills on the high bar and his willingness to try even the most difficult skills in the gym, Horton plans on adding a new element to his repertoire this week.

"I'll be doing pretty much the hardest vault in gymnastics right now," Horton said. "It's a double front with a half out. I think there's only one other guy in the country that's doing it right now. I'll be kind of debuting that at U.S. Championships. Hopefully with some adrenaline I'll be able to do it really well."

In his most recent competition of the summer, Horton scored an 89.60 to take the all-around title at the USA-Russia-Ukraine competition in Kiev, Ukraine, on June 30, besting Russia's Maxim Deviatovski (89.05), the reigning European all-around champion. He also finished second at the U.S. National Qualifier, June 7-9, in Colorado Spring, Colo., tying for the top spot on the floor exercise and finishing third on the still rings and fourth on both the vault and pommel horse.

Scores from Wednesday's preliminary competition, as well as Friday night's final round, can be found at usa-gymnastics.org.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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