Men’s Gymnastics Well Represented on U.S. National Team – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/19/2001 12:00:00 AM | General, Men's Gymnastics
Feb. 19, 2001
%^$COLUMBUS, Ohio— Even the Las Vegas heat couldn’t keep pace with the blazing performance of former Ohio State standout and two-time Olympian Blaine Wilson as he beat out 37 other gymnasts to capture the all-around crown at the 2001 Winter Cup Feb. 10. Wilson scored a 52.650, handily winning the competition. Buckeye sophomore Raj Bhavsar (So., Houston, Texas) more than held his own as well, narrowly missing a second place finish. Bhavsar’s score of 52.050 was only .025 points behind Minnesota’s Clayton Strother for second place. More importantly though, the third place finish earned Bhavsar a spot on the 2001 U.S. Senior National Team.%^$
%^$The Winter Cup serves as the U.S. National Team trials, admitting only the top three finishers to the team. Wilson already is a member, as is Buckeye senior Jamie Natalie (Sr., Hockessin, Del.). Bhavsar’s addition to the team will continue the Ohio State lineage in national and international competition.%^$
%^$Bhavsar is well on his way to repeating his stellar freshman year. Named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2000, Bhavsar is currently second in the nation in the all-around competition. He also is ranked in the Top 10 on rings and high bar. Bhavsar earned All-America and All-Big Ten honors last season and is quickly becoming one of the primary leaders of the 2001 Buckeye squad.%^$
%^$Wilson is a six-time NCAA national champion, 11-time All-America honoree, and two-time Olympian. He placed sixth in the all-around competition at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, the highest U.S. finish ever in a non-boycotted Olympics. While at Ohio State, Wilson won the coveted Nissen-Emery Award, which goes to the best senior gymnast in the nation. Natalie is currently among the finalists for the 2001 Nissen-Emery Award. Wilson also led the 1996 Buckeyes to their first team national championship since 1985. Wilson was the Big Ten Gymnast of the Year from 1995-1997and holds three Ohio State individual records.
