Six Sooners Will Compete at U.S. Olympic Trials

HARTFORD, Conn. – Six total former and current members of the Oklahoma men's gymnastics team will be competing at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials later this month. Freshman Yul Moldauer, along with former Sooners Chris Brooks, Jake Dalton and Alex Naddour qualified with their performances at the 2016 P&G Championships in Hartford, Conn., this weekend, while assistant coach Steven Legendre and 2016 graduate Kanji Oyama were selected to compete by the USAG Men's Program Committee.

“We're happy for the OU program,” head coach Mark Williams said. “We have six guys moving on. That is pretty incredible. We're looking forward to the Olympic Trials and trying to get a few of those guys on the Olympic team.”

"We're happy for the OU program. We have six guys moving on. That is pretty incredible.”
— Head Coach Mark Williams

Moldauer finished in a tie for fifth in the all-around competition with a two-day score of 177.550. He was one of three NCAA gymnasts to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Trials. In April, Moldauer became just the second freshman in history to win the NCAA all-around national title.

“Yul, as a young guy, he stepped up big,” Williams said. “Being at the senior level now he gets to move on to the Olympic Trials.”

The freshman from Arvada, Colo., placed in the top 10 on floor (30.050-5^th), pommel horse (29.300-8^th) and rings (30.150-7^th), and finished in the top 15 on vault, parallel bars and high bar.

Chris Brooks qualified the highest for OU, taking the silver medal at the P&G Championships with an all-around score of 179.850. Brooks pushed gold medalist Sam Mikulak (181.500) but came up just a few tenths shy. Brooks, an alternate for the 2012 Olympic team, claimed the event title on parallel bars with a two-day total of 31.150 and also placed second on high bar with a 31.300.

Jake Dalton took the bronze medal on Sunday. A member of the 2012 Olympic Team, Dalton is a favorite to earn a place on Team USA in 2016 as well. He notched a two-day score of 179.000 and was one of only two gymnasts to finish in the top-3 on three events. Dalton took first on floor (31.000), tied for first on vault (30.850) and placed third on rings (30.850). In addition to his bronze medal, Dalton was also voted the USA Gymnastics Athlete of the Year.

“It's pretty amazing what Chris Brooks has done,” Williams said. “He has had to resurrect himself a number of times from some pretty serious injuries. It is exciting to see him in a position now where he is second at the national championships. Jake was fantastic as well. He went 12-for-12 after going through shoulder surgery. We're super excited for him.”

Jake Dalton on rings. Dalton was a 2012 Oympian and is favored to make Team USA again in 2016.

Several other Sooners were in competition over the weekend. 2016 Sooner signee Matt Wenske turned heads with his gymnastics in Hartford. Still a junior competitor, Wenske tied with Dalton for the event title on vault (30.850) and placed in the top half of the competition in the all-around.

"He has had to resurrect himself a number of times from some pretty serious injuries. It is exciting to see him in a position now where he is second at the national championships.”
— Head Mark Williams

“I don't think I have ever seen a junior win an event title,” Williams said. “Maybe Paul Hamm has been in that position. It is pretty impressive for him to be on top of the award stand with Jake Dalton who has been on the best vaulters in the country for years. So congratulations to him.”

Former Sooner Alex Naddour also earned a place at the Olympic Trials. Naddour finished 13^th in the all-around with a 176.050. An alternate for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Naddour performed best on floor (30.100-4^th), pommel horse (29.850-6^th) and rings (30.750-4^th).

Just behind Naddour in 14^th, 2016 graduate Kanji Oyama totaled 174.00 over the two days of competition. Oyama turned in his best performance on parallel bars, placing 10^th with a two-day score of 29.600. Oyama will compete at Olympic Trials after his selection by the committee.

Junior Colin Van Wicklen came in 17^th with a 173.250 while assistant coach Steven Legendre placed 18^th with a 173.200. Van Wicklen turned in two top-10 performances, scoring 29.600 on floor (T7th) and 30.300 on vault (T6th). Legendre bounced back from a tough first day on floor, scoring 15.250 on Sunday to finish in a tie for seventh with a total of 29.600. He also joined Van Wicklen in the tie for sixth on vault at 30.300. Legendre was selected to compete at trials by the committee.

Freshman Levi Anderson rounded out the competition for Oklahoma. He totaled a 166.650 to place 29^th in the all-around. His best event of the weekend was high bar where he turned in a 14.450 on Friday and 14.600 on Sunday to place in a tie for 12^th.

The U.S. Olympic Trials will take place June 23-26 in St. Louis, Mo.