Record All-Around Finish For Horton

Sept. 7, 2007

NORMAN, Okla. - In case anyone needed more proof that Oklahoma's Jonathan Horton is among the best gymnasts in the world, his performance in the all-around finals at the 2007 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships cemented his stature. The Houston, Texas, native scored a 91.200 Friday in Stuttgart, Germany, to finish in fourth place, just 0.2 points from earning a bronze medal.

Defending champion Yang Wei of China took gold for the second straight year, while Fabian Hambuechen of event host Germany was the silver medalist. Japan's Hisashi Mizutori claimed the bronze.

Horton became just the fourth American men's gymnast to record a top-four all-around finish at the World Championships and the first since 2004 Olympic gold medalist Paul Hamm took the title in 2003. Only Hamm and Kurt Thomas (2nd, 1979) have finished higher than Horton. Blaine Wilson also finished fourth at the 1999 World Championships.

Horton finished ninth in the all-around in the preliminary round that wrapped up on Tuesday.

AT&T Blue Room | WCSN.com | All-Around Results

"Being fourth in the world is pretty exciting," said OU head coach and U.S. assistant Mark Williams. "He also recognizes that he was very close to a medal and that will certainly motivate him for next year to get up on the podium."

Horton started Friday's event on the pommel horse, admittedly his weakest event. He turned in a solid routine, scoring a 13.975. By the time the sixth and final rotation was finished, he had jumped 20 places from 24th to fourth.

"I knew I would be playing catch up all day," Horton said. "I started on my worst event and I knew it was going to happen. I had to work my way up, getting to my stronger events."

Fueling Horton's charge up the standings were impressive routines on the still rings and high bar, where he posted scores of 15.250 and 14.825, respectively. Both totals ranked among the top five scores of the day on each apparatus.

Finishing on floor exercise, Horton turned in perhaps his best performance of the day scoring a 15.625, tying his best mark on the event in the World Championships. His Friday total was also the third-best floor score of the day, behind only Fuliang Liang of China (15.850) and Korea's Dae Eun Kim and Spain's Rafael Martinez who posted matching scores of 15.800.

Horton's fourth-place finish was the second in as many days for a resurgent American squad. The U.S. also just missed a bronze medal in Thursday's team finals, finishing with a 272.575, 1.25 points behind third-place Germany.

"To come so close - to have two fourth-place finishes in two days gives me a lump in my throat," Horton said. "To know that we were that close is a lot of motivation for the road to Beijing."
This week's showings by both Horton and the U.S. team should help alleviate some of the concern after a disappointing showing by the USA at the 2006 World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark. Competing with an inexperienced squad, the U.S. finished 13th in the team standings. Guillermo Alvarez was the top American in the all-around, finishing in 18th place.

"We keep being amazed; they have not quit," said Ron Brant, the U.S. men's team coordinator. "I've watched their confidence grow daily. They've kept their energy and their focus. It is great to see what they can accomplish and what could be coming in the future."

NBC Sports will present a two-hour broadcast of the 2007 World Championships on Oct. 7 at 3 p.m. (CT).

Fans can also watch highlights and replays of the team and all-around finals on-demand on the World Championship Sports Network at WCSN.com.

In addition, "USA Gymnastics: Behind the Team presented by AT&T" will have video clips and post-meet interviews as part of the At&T Blue Room at www.attblueroom.com/teamusa.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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