U.S. Olympic Team Announced

June 22, 2008

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- A day after former Sooner Jonathan Horton and World Champion Paul Hamm were named to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Men's Gymnastics Team, USA Gymnastics announced the remainder of the athletes that will comprise the squad on Sunday, June 22.

Horton and Hamm were named at the conclusion of Saturday's men's competition at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. The balance of the team was selected by the men's selection committee on Sunday afternoon.

Horton, who is the first OU gymnast since Bart Conner to participate in the Olympic Games, put together the top overall score and performance in front of the selection committee on June 21.

The Houston, Texas, native can't wait to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, that will be held August 8-24.

usa-gymnastics.org | Jonathan Horton - Bound for Beijing

"It's a huge honor to be on this team," said Horton. "I feel like the team is going to be super strong and we are all pumped about getting to Beijing. It is going to be awesome training with the team in Colorado in a few weeks and I'm really looking forward to seeing how all of the guys are taking in the fact that we are representing the United States at the greatest stage there is for gymnastics."

The members of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Men's Gymnastics Team named on Sunday that will join Horton and Hamm are: Joe Hagerty, Rio Ranchero, N.M./Team Chevron, Morgan Hamm, Waukesha, Wis./Team Chevron, Justin Spring, Burke, Va./Team Chevron, and Kevin Tan, Fremont, Calif./Team Chevron.

The three replacement athletes are: Alexander Artemev, Lakewood, Colo./Team Chevron, Raj Bhavsar, Houston/Team Chevron, and David Durante, Garwood, N.J./Team Chevron.

"The competition at the Trials this week has been incredible, and the USA has fielded a very strong team for Beijing," said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. "The U.S. men are medal contenders. The men's selection committee was very thorough in its deliberations to determine the best combination of men to represent us in the Games. We also want to express our thanks to the gymnasts who have spent years pursuing their dreams and for what they have contributed to our success."

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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