Return of the Old Guard

February 21, 2008 By Ward Black

Feb. 8 was exactly six months from Aug. 8, 2008, on which the world will see the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games in Beijing. The Beijing Organizing Committee insisted on this August date to begin its first Olympic Games because eight is such a lucky number in Chinese culture.

The 2008 U.S. Winter Cup Challenge began Feb. 7th, the first day of the Chinese New Year. Here in the Las Vegas valley, where Chinese people make up 10 percent of the valley's population of 2 million, it seems somewhat ironic the U.S. men's team begins their first competition in an Olympic year here and now. Perhaps they may gain some Olympic and Chinese New Year luck as they begin their preparation in quest of an Olympic team medal.

At the conclusion of Saturday night's Winter Cup finals, former U.S. Olympic coach Abie Grossfeld was genuinely optimistic about the potential fortune of the American men because of the quality and of the depth of the competition just concluded. "Our team now has the potential to medal in China," said Grossfeld, on hand as a judge.

Most gymnastics experts concede the men's Olympic team title to the Chinese. They are the reigning world champions, have tremendous team depth, are extremely talented and consistent in competition, and they can start with an enormous 2-point team lead over most other countries because of their quality and depth on pommel-horse alone. The 2008 Olympic Games will also be in their backyard.

In Germany last September, at the 2007 world championships, the U.S. men's team placed fourth, just 1.250 behind the host German team. At the 2006 world championships, the American men finished in a very disappointing 13th place ... one position short of the all-important top 12 teams that would qualify to the 2008 Olympics at the 2007 Worlds.

"We now have the potential to challenge the (2007 world's silver medalist team) Japanese men," Grossfeld said.

Grossfeld's enthusiasm stemmed from "the return of the old guard."

The U.S. men's team depth and quality of competition was fostered greatly by the return to top-level competition by a group of world class, experienced veterans: 33-year-old Blaine Wilson (three-time Olympian and five-time U.S. national champion), 29-year-old Sean Townsend (former parallel bars world champion), 28-year-old Yewki Tomita ('99 and '05 world team member), 27-year-old Raj Bhavsar (2004 Olympic alternate and two-time world team silver medalist), and the 2004 Olympic all-around champion and 2003 world all-around champion, 25-year-old Paul Hamm ... who made his first return to all-around competition in three years in Las Vegas.

When asked where these veterans find their motivation to keep competing, Townsend said there is a true hunger to simply compete, a hunger to win and a hunger to compete for world and Olympic medals.

Immediately following the conclusion of finals competition everyone — gymnasts, coaches, judges, and spectators — seemed optimistic about the potential of both the men's team and the future of the men's program. Previous Winter Cups held in Las Vegas had generally been a cursory type competition whose concept and purpose was a simple yet important re-ranking of the U.S. men's national team. A competition is typically held very early in the international calendar — before American Cup, six months before the U.S. Championships and far ahead of the fall schedule of world championship and/or Olympic events.

The quality of the finals and the enthusiasm and energy made for a great competition to watch. One would think the Beijing Olympics was about four weeks away. Afterward, Grossfeld was excited about the men's team potential ... Newly named Olympic coach Kevin Mazeika was excited about the worthiness and depth of the athletes ... Wilson was healthy and excited about returning to competition ... and this gymnastics crowd was a buzz over the performance they had just witnessed — they knew this was more than a special kind of competition; so much more than merely a re-ranking. There was heart and soul in this meet, and motivation and momentum as well.

In the midst of all this emotion, quietly sat two-time Olympian and three-time Olympic event finalist, Morgan Hamm. Injury (torn muscle) had prevented him from competing, but when asked to reflect on Winter Cup and the future in the months to come Morgan said, "It was inspiring tonight to see how strong all these guys competed. Come (Olympic) Trials and training camp there will be nearly 15 (gymnasts) all vying to make this team."

Long gone was any memory of a dismal 13th place U.S. team finish at some far off meet on another continent several years back. And long gone was any kind of competition "rust" from Paul Hamm.

The U.S. men's team Olympic future seemed big and bright tonight. The Olympic champion was in the building and competing as if 2004 Athens was just six-months removed ... winning the Winter Cup all-around by a healthy 7.250 points, as well as, winning floor exercise and parallel bars, and placing second on pommel horse and high bar.

Placements aside, what really stood out was the improvement of strength with Paul Hamm's ring routine, beginning his ring set with five held strength moves in sequence and bringing his A score to a 6.400.

Hamm's experience and talent were noteworthy during qualification as he covered up what were routine ending mistakes for most gymnasts with routine saving adjustments on three events — pommel horse, parallel bars and high bar. In finals on pommel horse he showed the savvy of a champion as he was slightly off during his spindle sequence and slowed down ever slightly to regain his balance and rhythm and complete the routine. In all, Hamm hit 11 of 12 routines, missing only on vault in finals, sitting down his Kasamatsu 2 1/2 twister.

Also competing alongside Hamm was a group of international veterans — Jonathan Horton (4th all-around 2007 worlds), Sasha Artemev (pommel horse bronze medal 2006 worlds) ... Blaine Wilson (sixth all-around 2000 Olympics and fourth all-around 1999 worlds) ... Sean Townsend (2001 parallel bars world champion), Guillermo Alvarez (fourth floor exercise 2007 worlds) ... Kevin Tan (fourth still rings 2007 worlds) ... Raj Bhavsar (2004 Olympic alternate) ... David Durante, the defending U.S. all-around champion ... and David Sender from Stanford, a 2006 world team member and a contender for the 2008 NCAA all-around title.

Raj Bhavsar had a fantastic Winter Cup competition. Two summers ago at the U.S. Championships, it appeared that Bhavsar would retire after some poor performances. He had helped lead Ohio State to an NCAA team championship in 2001 and was NCAA all-around champion in 2002. He was named the 2004 Olympic alternate for the Athens Games (a decision which could easily be debated). Now training in Houston with Mazeika, Bhavsar came into Las Vegas perhaps the most prepared of any gymnast ... and he kicked out some outstanding gymnastics ... hitting 12-for-12 routines with only a couple miscues on floor exercise. He was second to Hamm in the all-around, fourth on pommel horse, second on still rings, first on vaulting, and third on parallel bars.

"Raj gained motivation and regained his spirit to compete with a complete over-haul of his life ... from his health and nutrition, to a re-dedication in the training gym, to his focus on competition," Mazeika said. Well, whatever he changed, it worked. Bhavsar adds much needed depth to team U.S. on pommel horse, still rings and vault.

The addition of "the old guard" in combination with that of the "young turks" now gives the U.S. men's team the quality and quantity of world class depth that has been somewhat lacking since Athens.

Missing from Winter Cup competition, as they were rehabbing their injuries, were several world class, internationally experienced gymnasts: Olympian Morgan Hamm, two-time world team member Sean Golden, 2006 world team member Clay Strother, and 2005 world and 2007 Pan Am team member Justin Spring. Each of these gymnasts have multiple strong events where they can contribute to U.S. men's team depth.

Here, early in 2008, when one looks across the board at the totality of the U.S. men's program — the old guard, the young turks, the college competitors, and those recovering from injury — the overall depth and competitiveness has never been better. This group of gymnasts is talented, improving each year, dedicated and motivated, are deep in quality and quantity, are well coached, and they have a wealth of international experience and success. Their Olympic potential is within grasp.

Gymnasts who have shown marked improvements coming into this Olympic year include: Joseph Hagerty (USOTC), Bryant Hadden and Sho Nakamori (Stanford), Wesley Haagensen (Illinois), Jake Bateman (Ohio State) and college freshmen Paul Ruggeri (Illinois), Thomas Kelley (Michigan) and Stanford's Ryan Lieberman, Josh Dixon and Tim Gentry.

Then there was Max.

To be sure, as mentioned several times, "the old guard" made their veteran presence at this Winter Cup one of the meet's major highlights. It made one wonder when the next young generation of elite American male gymnasts would appear — the next Sakamoto, Crosby, Hug, Thomas, Conner, Vidmar, Wilson or Hamm.

On Thursday night, during warm-ups for the second qualification session, one very young, very talented and very tough gymnast showed up to rock the house and steal the show that night: Maximilian Mayr, all 13-years, 4-foot something and 70-pounds of gymnastics dynamite and potential was in the building.

One could not help but be drawn to watch Max as warm-ups progressed ... the assignment at Winter Cup was to give an early season overview of Olympic preparation and potential but Max had commanding presence, personality and a ton of moxie.

Max reminds one of 2003 in southern California for world championships when the German men's team showed up with a "bespectacled Harry Potter clone" — a very young and talented Fabian Hambü'chen ... the current world all-around silver medalist and high bar gold medalist. That gymnastics crowd in Anaheim immediately recognized Fabian's gymnastics potential, and so did this Las Vegas crowd soon realize that Max Mayr is a gymnast to watch in the near future.

Max went out and nailed six routines in Olympic order. The Winter Cup crowd watched every one of Max's routines, and when they saw him struggle a couple times on high bar one could feel their collective will to help him get through that high bar set and complete a truly startling evening of six-for-six hit routines. And, yes, that last event had errors and was rough, but Max strong armed his mistakes and gutted through for a no-fall routine ... to a huge roar of crowd approval and amazement.

Max swung big pommel horse, still rings (with strength skills), parallel bars and high bar, tumbled great (squeaking in a tucked full-in). Arguably, his weakest event is vault — after all, Max can still walk underneath the vaulting table, and he needs a mini-tramp to vault rather than some new board with 10 new springs to try to bounce and block and flip and twist and land on his feet safely.

When the chalk cleared at session's end, Max had finished Winter Cup all-around in a 30th place tie ... scoring an 80.500. His average A-panel score was 5.010 and his B-panel average was just 8.40 (mostly because of a 6.750 on high bar). Giving Max a high bar execution score of 8.00 would have lifted his all-around score into a 23rd place tie, and amazing result for a 13-year-old.

Max trains in Miami at Universal Gymnastics with coach Yin Alvarez. He has been a highly competitive junior gymnast for several years, but his gymnastics was new to many at the Winter Cup.

"You know with the name 'Max Mayr' he is part German like Fabian," Alvarez said. "He trains hard. He loves gymnastics and loves to compete. He is tough and confident, and his goals are high. He is a special athlete to coach, and a pleasure to work with."

Max is nearly 14 and Blaine is 32 ... which speaks quite well for the future of U.S. men's gymnastics. Not just because of Max's potential, but also for the longevity, motivation, dedication and competitiveness of the old guard. We have never seen anything like this in American gymnastics.

Freelance writer Ward Black, a former gymnast for the University of Michigan, lives in Las Vegas.

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