Select Sooners at Winter Cup

Feb. 4, 2009

2008 Winter Cup Challenge
Dates	Thursday, Feb. 5 at 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. (CT) Saturday, Feb. 7 at 6:30 p.m. (CT)
Location	Las Vegas, Nev. \| Las Vegas Sports Center
Results Online	Results at usa-gymnastics.org

NORMAN, Okla. - Two members of the No. 1 Oklahoma men's gymnastics team will travel to Las Vegas, Nev., for the 2009 Winter Cup Challenge, Feb. 5 and 7. Senior co-captain Chris Brooks and sophomore Steven Legendre will face a field of the nation's top men's gymnasts at the two-day event held at the Las Vegas Sports Center.

The Winter Cup serves as an individual re-ranking event for USA Gymnastics and helps determine spots on the U.S. Junior and Senior National Teams.

Former Sooner Jonathan Horton will also be competing at the Winter Cup. This will be Horton's first competition since the Olympics as he will only be competing in a couple of events. This weekend will serve as the first step in preparing for the 2009 World Championships for Horton.

USA Gymnastics looks to replace nine national team members. Legendre was named to the Senior National Team in October and looks to regain his spot on the team, while Brooks looks to be placed on the team for the first time. Both Sooners have been competing at a high level in the all-around for OU this season.

"Chris and Steven both have strong vaults and hopefully they will do a good job there and come up with some points in that event," said head coach Mark Williams.

Media Guide | Notes | Schedule | Horton USA Video | Gymnastike

For Legendre and Brooks, who mirror one-another in many of the events, vault and floor represent their strongest routines for the competition. Both of the gymnasts have also posted steady scores during the season on high bar and parallel bars.

"The intention is to go and compete in all six events, help themselves on their better events and come up with a decent all-around score so that they are in that top group," added Williams.

The Winter Cup Challenge has two days of competition. Scores from both days of competition count toward the final rankings for the all-around and individual events. The qualification round on Feb. 5 consists of two sessions, each with approximately 43 athletes, beginning at 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. The top 42 gymnasts, based on the points ranking system approved by the Men's Program Committee, will advance to the finals, which begin at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 7.

Seven gymnasts will be named to the U.S. Men's Senior National Team based on the national team points ranking system from the Winter Cup Challenge, and one each will be selected by the Men's Program Committee and men's national team coordinator. The six members of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team for men's gymnastics can petition for spots, and the Men's Program Committee will name additional members to the senior national team if any Olympic positions are unused. The 15 gymnasts named to the team will comprise the U.S. Men's Senior National Team until the 2009 Visa Championships in August.

Sooners at the Winter Cup

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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