Five Mens Gymnasts Qualify for U.S. Championships – Ohio State Buckeyes
8/5/1999 12:00:00 AM | General, Men's Gymnastics
August 5, 1999
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Five members of the 1999-00 Ohio States mens gymnastics team, under head coach Miles Avery, have qualified to compete at the 1999 John Hancock U.S. Gymnastics Championships, Aug. 25-28 in Sacramento, Calif. The U.S. National team members will be selected from the pool of 30 participants competing at that event.
All-American Jamie Natalie (Jr., Hockessin, Del.) qualified for the U.S. Championships by being a member of the U.S. National team that competed at the World University Games this summer.
Jay Nardelli (Jr., Centerville, Va.) and former Buckeye All-American Doug Stibel (Canton, Mich.), who completed his eligibility last season, both qualified for the competition after placing among the top 13 individuals at a qualifying meet held July 31 in Houston, Texas.
Incoming freshmen Raj Bhavsar (Houston, Texas), Michael Evans (Houston, Texas) and Dick Huntwork (Pickerington, Ohio) will also compete. Bhavsar, a two-time junior national champion, will participate in the senior championships after qualifying at the Pan American Games trials.
Evans and Huntwork will compete in the junior division. Evans qualified at the competition in Houston and Huntwork is eligible to compete after qualifying at the Junior Olympic Nationals.
The top 14 from the U.S. Championships will compete in the World Team Trials, Sept. 15-18, in Kansas City, Mo. From there, the top six performers will represent the U.S. at the World Championships, Oct. 8-16, in Tiajnin, China.
The Buckeyes, who have claimed two NCAA titles (1985, 96), placed second at the NCAA championships last season. The squad set a school record by having five gymnasts earn All-America honors.
-GO BUCKS!-
