Horton Performs Well at Olympics

Aug. 9, 2008

BEIJING, China. — Jonathan Horton and the U.S. men's gymnastics team advanced to the team finals on Aug. 12 by finishing sixth in the qualification round at the 2008 Olympic Games, held at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China.

Horton, a 22-year-old, Houston, Texas native, also qualified for the all-around and the high bar event finals.

Reigning team world champion China finished first in the qualification round with 374.675 points, followed by 2004 Olympic team champion Japan in second with a 369.550 and Russia in third at 366.225. Germany and South Korea finished both finished at 365.675. The USA earned a total of 365.200 points for sixth. Rounding out the team finalists are France in seventh and Romania in eighth. Scores from the qualification round do not carry forward to the finals.

Horton was pleased with the first day of the competition at the Olympics for Team USA.

“I think we proved today to all the naysayers that we're still medal contenders,” Horton said.

Horton earned the USA's highest score on high bar with a 15.575, finishing 5th overall, and 8th in the all-around with a score of 91.650.

OU's Jonathan Horton - Bound for Beijing Central | nbcolympics.com | usa-gymnastics.org

University of Oklahoma head coach Mark Williams commented that Horton was doing well.

“This is an incredible accomplishment for Jon to make the individual event finals on high bar at the Olympic Games,” Williams said. “He picked a great time to put it all together. He's going to have a busy and exciting week with the team finals, all around finals and the high bar finals ahead.”

The top eight countries advance to the team finals. The top 24 gymnasts in the all-around with a limit of two per country move on to the finals. The top eight athletes in each event with a limit of two per country advance to the individual event finals. The countries and athletes who advance to the various final rounds will not be determined until the conclusion of the final subdivision. Scores from the qualification round do not carry forward to the finals.

The men's team finals are Aug. 12 (10 a.m.), with the all-around finals on Aug. 14 (11 a.m.). The individual event finals are Aug. 17-19, (6 p.m.) each day.

< Information in this release was written with the help of Karen Saladyga at usa-gymnsatics.org>

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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