After months of training, thousands of miles of traveling and leaving it all out on the floor, five male gymnasts were named to the 2016 U.S. Olympic team after competing at the 2016 P&G National Championships and the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials this past weekend.
The gymnasts are: Chris Brooks; Jake Dalton; Sam Mikulak; Alex Naddour; and John Orozco. Of these five members, three of them are on their way to their second Olympics (Dalton, Mikulak and Orozco competed on the 2012 team in London). Brooks and Naddour were the alternates in 2012 and they finally achieved their ultimate goal.
Now that we finally know who's on the team, we can now learn more about each gymnast. Here are some facts about each Olympic gymnast:
Sam Mikulak
Sam Mikulak is a Newport Coast, California, native and an NCAA champion from the University of Michigan. This is Mikulak's second Olympic selection. He made the Olympic team in 2012 and made the vault finals where he finished in sixth place. After 2012, he wanted to prove that he had potential, motivating him toward 2016. He became a four-time National All-Around Champion (2013-2016) and has strengths on each event. He is currently the strongest all-around gymnast in the U.S. and has shown his experience and potential throughout the last four years. He is a world bronze medalist, but Mikulak is hungry for more. Team USA can rely on him for nearly every event in the Olympics.
Jake Dalton
Born in Sparks, Nevada, now living in Norman, Oklahoma, Jake Dalton is now on his second Olympic team. Like Mikulak, Dalton is also an NCAA champion, but he competed for the University of Oklahoma. Dalton made the World Gymnastics Championship finals in both vault and floor exercise in 2013 and 2014. Despite missing all of 2015 due to shoulder surgery, Dalton proved his calm and collected nature in high-pressure events at the 2016 P&G National Championships and Olympic Trials. He made the 2012 event finals on floor exercise where he finished in fifth place. The events where Team USA would use him on are floor exercise, vault and rings.
Alex Naddour
Born in Gilbert, Arizona, now living in Oklahoma, the Olympics has always been a dream for Alex Naddour. Like Dalton, Naddour competed for the University of Oklahoma. His main strength is the pommel horse, a very difficult event and a weakness for Team USA. He has the highest difficulty in the U.S. and can contend for a medal in Rio. Naddour fell short in 2012 when he was named the alternate, but now achieved his main goal. He was a World finalist on pommel horse in 2014 and 2015, where he placed sixth and seventh respectively. Along with pommel horse, Naddour can also contribute on rings and vault.
John Orozco
Born and raised in Bronx, New York, and training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado, John Orozco overcame all odds to make his second Olympic team. Orozco, like Mikulak and Dalton, was a member of the 2012 Olympic team. He considered 2012 "a catastrophe" because of his terrible mistakes on pommel horse and vault that cost Team USA a medal in the team final and in the all-around final as well. The 2012 National Champion wanted redemption and a secnd chance. 2015 was a rough year for Orozco: his mom passed away and he tore his Achilles tendon. He won the high bar title at the 2016 National Championships and 2016 Pacific Rim Championships. He can surely contribute on high bar as well as pommel horse, rings and parallel bars.
Chris Brooks
Born in Houston and training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado, Chris Brooks is considered one of the more experienced competitors at the age of 29. Brooks was named an alternate in 2012 and was motivated to make the team in 2016. Like Naddour, this year's Olympics will be Brooks' first. A member of the 2015 Worlds Gymnastics Championship team, Brooks proved to be a strong competitor. He placed second in the all-around at the 2016 National Championship and had an outstanding performance at the trials. He can contribute on high bar, pommel horse, parallel bars and, if necessary, vault.
Congrats Sam, Alex, Jake, Chris and John! Good luck in Rio!
