Legendre Representing Team USA at Olympic Test Event

Jan. 9, 2012

NORMAN, Okla. - Former University of Oklahoma gymnast Steven Legendre is representing the United States at the 2012 Olympic Test Event on Tuesday at North Greenwich Arena in London.

The Olympic Test Event, a part of the London Prepares Series, serves as a second qualifying event to the 2012 Olympic Games in London. The United States has already qualified for the Olympic Games, so the event will be an opportunity to showcase skills in the Olympic venue.

Alex Buscaglia of Stanford University is also representing the United States during the Test Event. Oklahoma Head Coach Mark Williams will coach the two Americans throughout the competition.

"The Olympic Test Event is basically the preview meet for the 2012 Olympic Games," said Williams. "They're going to be using the same venue as the Olympic Games and it will serve as a qualifier for the last four teams that didn't qualify at World Championships. It'll be an important meet for Steve to be a part of, seeing how it's a test run for the Olympics. Hopefully he'll have a chance to get back there and be a part of the U.S. Olympic Team. Competitions like this will help prepare him for that."

The Americans compete in Mixed Group 6 in Subdivision 3 and start on the vault. The top eight men on each apparatus in the preliminary round advance to the individual event finals on Jan. 12-13.

Legendre, one of the most decorated gymnasts in program history, is the 2011 Nissen-Emery Award winner. The 2009 NCAA all-around champion, Legendre owns Oklahoma records for career NCAA individual titles at six, a mark previously held by Olympic Silver and Bronze medalist Jonathan Horton. Legendre is also a 12-time All-American.

The United States qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games with the help of Legendre and three other OU gymnasts by taking third place at the 2011 World Championships this past October in Tokyo, Japan. Oklahoma junior Jake Dalton and OU letterwinners Horton and Alex Naddour were featured in the United States' six-man World Championship lineup. OU letterwinner Chris Brooks was the team's one alternate.

More information about the event can be found at http://www.londonpreparesseries.com/gymnastics/index.html.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Legendre Representing Team USA at Olympic Test Event

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